An alligator in Vermont might seem a little far fetched if you think in terms of the reptile. If your focus changes to a cut down 1934 Ford stock car nicknamed “The Alligator”, things get very realistic. Lloyd Hutchins Jr. rescued this “alligator” from extinction and revived it back to racing condition.

Bobby Edwards was the original builder and driver of the car around 1952 out of his Pelham, New Hampshire shop. It was a time when the fast and dangerous cut downs were running at tracks in Hudson, Manchester and Dover, NH. Bobby also invaded the Bay State to race at Groveland, Medford and West Peabody, Massachusetts.

Carrying a caricature of an alligator on the rear quarters, the car would compete for a few seasons before retiring to the back of Edwards shop in favor of a modified #444 that Edwards built. His sons played in the old car fantasizing of being on the track. Eventually the car wound up in the backyard of Tommy Caruso in Tyngsborough, MA. After sitting for 35 years, Lloyd purchased the car in 1999 and towed it back to his Barre, VT restoration shop. Reconstruction began that winter.

Edwards and the car before alligator caricature was painted on each side. (photo: L. Hutchins)	The car as it appeared before unloading in Hutchins' restoration shop. (photo: L. Hutchins)

The frame was showing what rust could do after all of those years on the ground. In order to save it, a fishplate was cut out of quarter inch steel and welded along the entire frame rails. The roll cage welds were redone to add more strength. A combination of sheet metal, fiberglass and bondo completed the body work. Don Morris applied the paint and lettering.

Some modifications were made to the original design. The body sits about three inches higher in back to accommodate Lloyd’s size. Power steering has been added, wider tires are used and side rub rails are in place. To pass safety requirements, a fuel cell and modern seat belts are installed. The restored car first appeared at a still show in 2000 and has run many exhibition races with the NEAR group since then.

Frame had to be shored up in several spots to make it safe to use again. (photo: L. Hutchins)	New panels were fabricated to replace what the rust had eaten away. (photo: L. Hutchins)
Restoration was completed in 2000.	Lloyd has replaced the stock flathead with a stroker engine for 2004.

While Lloyd was able to find out a little information about the original car when he purchased it, he always wondered about its complete history. The power of the Internet provided the answers. A friend of Bobby Edwards Jr., Sully Sullivan, saw an image of the restored car on a web site and contacted the boys who in turn got in touch with Lloyd to arrange a meeting.

The boys were reunited with the race car they used to play in as youngsters. Scrapbooks filled with memorabilia of Edwards’ racing career allowed Lloyd to fill in missing information about the car and its owner/driver. The boys even brought along Edwards old helmet with an alligator silhouette painted on each side. Many tears of joy were shed as the sons shared stories of their father’s career. Lloyd was able to add additional photos of the Alligator and other cars that Edwards had constructed to his collection.

Two of the sons returned several weeks later to watch the car compete at a NEAR event in Canaan, NH. Seeing their father’s car back on the track had to be a satisfying experience.

Well, maybe it was a stretch to say that Vermont has an alligator. If that is the case, you probably wouldn’t believe that a moose once played first base for the Yankees or that a goose starred for the Harlem Globetrotters or that a bear coached Alabama football either.