1933 Ford Competition Coupe 400 Jr.

Lent by Greg Carpenter

This 1934 Ford Coupe is a great example of a race prepared hot rod built with all accessible means. This stunning coupe was completed over winter of 1955 and 1956 by Carl Carpenter in a three sided garage heated by a potbelly stove and a tarp over the front door. Unlike most New England hot rods which were channeled not chopped, this coupe was chopped 4.5 inches presumably for better aerodynamics in the quarter mile.

Built solely for the drag strip, this car was never used on the street, the builders did not include headlights, taillights, speedometer, or any other common street equipment – except the tachometer in the center of the dashboard. The frame of this car originates from a boat trailer, and the PVC pipes at the rear serve as the fenders. The interior of the car is bare, and the driver’s “seat” is set so far back, the interior door handle was modified to be opened with the driver’s left foot.

Originally, this car ran with a built 255 C.I. Ford engine, later swapped for a 286 C.I. both built by Paul Aldrich. The car competed at dragstrips all over New England at Charlestown, RI, Sanford, ME, Orange, MA, and at the NHRA Nationals in Kansas, MO. The car competed in the August 2021 Pine Tree Jamboree at Winterport Dragway in Maine with a 304 C.I. engine. Greg Parker, builder Carl Carpenter’s son, now owns the Competition coupe and has graciously lent this car to the Audrain for this exhibition.