Christe Raber

1946 Ford Roadster

Wilford Shuman built this midget racer while he was serving with the ordinance division of the United States army from 1942 to 1946.  He was stationed aboard a repair barge in Hawaii from September 1945 to January 1946.  It was during his time in Hawaii that he built this little car.  He designed the car himself and created it out of scrap and spare parts.  The engine is a Ford V-8, while the metal for the body was salvaged from a Ford truck.  The hood ornament once decorated a Dodge.

Wilford was born and raised in Carey, Ohio.  After the war, he and his brother started the Shuman Brothers Garage, where they serviced the community’s cars.  

The car, photographs, and documents relating to the Roadster’s creation are on exhibit at the Wyandot County Museum.

Wilford's army pals looking the car over