1933 Ford Roadster Wins Signature Award at West Coast Nationals
Texans Harold & Tracy Chapman have had a whirlwind year showing their “Pretty Penny” 1933 Ford roadster. They’ve traveled more than 20,000 miles back and forth across the United States this season hitting the country’s top hot rod events showing off their shop-built traditionally-inspired street rod. Last weekend in Pleasanton, California it won the “America’s Most Beautiful Street Rod” crown at the Goodguys 27th West Coast Nationals presented by Flowmaster – the largest gathering of rods & customs in the West.
The Chapman’s copper roadster was a long time in the making. It bounced around unfinished in several hi-profile shops for at least ten years before Harold Chapman scooped it up in 2011. His in-house fab shop, Customs & Hot Rods of Andice, Texas finished the project in time to debut at January’s Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California where it was one of the favorites for the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award. Nine months after that sparkling debut, “Pretty Penny” beat out a national field of rods in Pleasanton to take home one of Goodguys’ biggest prizes of the year.
Upon first glance, seasoned car guys can sense something unique in the roadster’s elegant flowing lines. The heavily modified top was moved back an inch and a half – no easy feat! Countless hours went into finessing the roadster’s fit and finish before the PPG Pretty Penny paint was applied. In street rodding, door gaps and hood seems must all be uniform and tight to achieve top-end status. Over 100 parts and pieces were custom-machined in house for the project.
The underside of the car is a work of art with a boxed and dimpled frame, a one-off aluminum hairpin and dropped axle assembly, and a full custom four-link rear with a Currie rear end. Brakes are Wilwood rear discs and modified So-Cal Speed Shop Faux Brakes up front. Evod Industries machined the dished, bronze-coated wheels designed by Jimmy Smith.
A Roush 427 Ford is featured under the hood with a custom-scooped TWN injection system and AFR heads. The transmission is a TKO-600 with a modified ’36 Ford shifter and one-off bezel.
The custom wrap-around dash is now two inches taller than stock and filled with a 1956 Studebaker gauge cluster (flipped upside down) with custom internals by Classic Instruments. A Greening Auto wheel and column-mounted tach round things out. Chapman’s in-house trimmer, Jay Schuler made the bench seat and stitched the custom pleated leather.
For the big win in Pleasanton, Chapman will receive a custom toolbox from Snap-on as well as travel accommodations to the Goodguys 16th Southwest Nationals November 15-17 in Scottsdale, Arizona to join the “Champion’s Arena” display featuring Goodguys’ Top 12 Cars of the Year.
 |
Based in Pleasanton, California the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association promotes and produces some of the world’s most dynamic automotive events. Founded by lifelong hot rodder Gary Meadors in 1983, Goodguys is the world’s largest hot rodding association with over 70,000 active members worldwide. |
See Ford Roadster Cars & Trucks for sale on eBay.
