Older Hot Rods
History of America’s Favorite Hot Rods
An automotive history of America’s favorite hot rods in the United States is one of the richest in the world. While vehicle manufacturing began in Germany in the 1890s, the United States quickly caught up. Due to the magnitude of the home market and the adoption of mass production, our American automobile industry has witnessed…
Read MoreA Look at Custom Woody Wagons
Wooden station wagons, once workhorses. Many created in small numbers because they were ugly. After a half-century of manufacturing, they were halted due to their difficulty in manufacturing and maintenance. Now they are classic beauty, worth more than a home. The first horseless wagon was created by a forgotten craftsman in the late 19th century.…
Read MoreHow the Traditional “Rat Rods” Began
Originally a response to the 1950s “Hot Rod,” the term was later given to undriven cars and extremely expensive “customs” or “trailer queens.” The traditional “Rat Rod” began as a homage to the early days of Hot Rodding, when cars were built to the best of the owner’s abilities and intended to be driven. Rat…
Read MoreInstalling Aftermarket Climate Control
Among the several upgrades that may be done to an older car to make it more civilized, the inclusion of a contemporary climate-control system has to be at the top of the list. Going to a rod run on a hot day without A/C can feel like going in a mobile sauna or, when the…
Read MoreGassers are a “Gas”
The name “gasser” is a play on the National Hot Rod Association‘s old “gas” classes. Long before bracket racing and Stock Eliminator/Super Stock index racing, participants with gasoline-powered street machines raced in the gas classes. The rules generally required that these cars be street-style, with parity determined by pounds-per-cubic-inch. The classes were ranked alphabetically, and…
Read MorePost War Hot Rods (Part 1)
Since before World War I, hot-rodding as a concept of automobile construction has existed. The early attempts of the pioneers who invented the vehicle bear a strong resemblance to hot-rodding, but they do not fully fit the mold because they were not using used, mass-produced parts. Only until the moving assembly line enabled Ford to…
Read MorePost War Hot Rods (Part 2)
Oldsmobile Super 88 1955 Purchased Rodding Domestic automakers became embroiled in a series of “horsepower wars” beginning in 1949. Manufacturers who offered perhaps two engine options in the 1950s were supplying a multitude of engines with outputs up to 400 horsepower by 1957. Fuel injection, supercharging, and multiple carburetors were no longer exclusively associated with…
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