For drag racing car builders of the 1950’s and 60’s, looks were of far lesser importance than function and performance — the overall look was more out of necessity than anything. But unbeknownst to them at the time, they were building timelessly-styled machined that we still fall in love with over and over again half a century later. 

The early short wheelbase dragsters, known as Competition Coupes, represent what we think is one of the all-time coolest looking race cars, with a “hot rodding” emphasis placed on what is well and truly a competitive race car underneath. While these machines’ time in the sun as actual racing machines are long since past, you can still see them in all their glory at Cacklefests and in exhibits. And on this particular week, you can also find them on eBay, where a Michigan-based car is curfrently being auctioned.

Images credit: eBay

This Competition Coupe is a perfect project for a vintage restoration project, with the majority of the parts and peices — many of them original — either on the car or included with it. It’s based upon an original 1959 Chassis Research front engine dragster frame that’s had only some minor fabrication work done to restore, with a topless fiberglass body mounted atop the chassis. The seller has a new GMC 6-71 supercharger, blower intake, Hilborn polished scoop, two upright Hilborn injectors, an aluminum valley cover, Moon valve covers, and plenty of other goodies that all go along with the stock 354-inch Hemi that’s nestled into the mocked-up car you see here.

Virtually everything else is there, as well, from the clutch can and clutch cross shaft, to the bitchin’ set of early zoomie headers and header flanges, Hilborn fuel pump, chrome and stainless front end, steering arms, Drag Link, spindles, tie rods, axles, and plenty of other classis pieces we won’t bore you with here.

The Competiton Coupes were a relatively simple concept: build a dragster, and fit the hacked-up main section of a production coupe body atop the cockpit. These cars were the natural evolution of the earlier modified production coupes, as racers began building them atop lighter, racing specific chassis like this one. The ways in which this were done are many and eventually, the bodies and their weight premium were done away with in the name of performance as racers stayed with the base dragster configuration with lighter bodywork. Despite how rudimentary many of these cars were, they’re a look that never gets old and never goes out of style.

If you’re in the market for a classic resto piece that truly looks the part of the era, don’t pass up this bad boy. A Christmas present to yourself, perhaps?