Rod & Custom Magazine and Classic Performance Products team up to put together the ultimate reader project car, check it out and put in your two cents on how the car should look
more
|
Killer Cruisers From The Swingin' '60s
more
|
If you’ve never built a car before, the task of turning your dream into a real vehicle can seem daunting. There are a jillion parts in an automobile, and just about as many ways to make a mistake. Let’s face it: There’s a lot more at stake when
more
|
There are only a few cars that have achieved icon status among hot rods. The ’32 Ford is one, and right behind it are the shoebox ’55, ’56 and ’57 Chevys. All are immediately recognizable and enjoy immense popularity. But when it’
more
|
You’ve finally decided to build your first hot rod. Chances are good that it’s going to be an early Ford—probably a roadster. But will it be a ’28-’31 Model A, a ’32, or a ’33-’34? All are popular. All are cool. All are
more
|
“I’ve never seen a better deal before or since.” We’ve gotta agree. When former Rod & Custom staffer Will Handzel set out to build his first hot rod, he got an absolutely gut-wrenching deal on a gennie ’31 roadster, then turned it in
more
|
We've always wanted to fix up a '57 Chevy but couldn't find a hardtop that was priced right. A good friend knew we were looking for one, and turned us on to this $1,500 derelict. His thought about car-building is "why buy one that's in pretty good shape and th
more
|
Tri-year Chevys are very popular, so there are many great parts to choose from when you are in the process of restoring or hot rodding one. A rodder can purchase everything from new chrome trim to new interior kits for '55-'57 Chevys, making the job of fixing
more
|
Automotive design reached a high point in the mid '50s. The jet age really kicked in and influenced automotive designers, resulting in cars with aerodynamically inspired motifs like tail fins, taillights that resembled jet exhaust outlets, and aeronautical air
more
|
One of the most difficult parts of building any car is designing a cooling system that will effectively keep the engine temperature under control in any situation. It has to keep the engine cool when it's cruising down the highway or when you are driving in an
more
|
It’s been a long time coming, but the ´36 For Kicks is finally finished! When we spotted this original ´36 cabriolet for sale at the Goodguys show in Pleasanton, California, a few years ago, we thought it would make a great street rod. We neve
more
|
When we started building the '57 Chevy, we already knew what type of exhaust system we wanted. That decision was made when we heard a friend's '55 Chevy with a Flowmaster exhaust system. It had a unique tone that turned heads as the car cruised through a car e
more
|
Air conditioning became available in cars in the early to mid-'40s, depending upon the car manufacturer. It was available as an option in GM cars in the mid-'50s, but was very expensive, so it was generally only found in the top-of-the-line cars such as Buicks
more
|
In the July '97 issue of Rod & Custom we installed a Master Power disc brake kit on a tri-year Chevy. The kit included dropped spindles, Chevy-style calipers, and a power booster/master cylinder assembly. Since the installation was done on the bare frame, we c
more
|
With today's modern street rods, a good deal of time has to be spent on the electrical system, the interior, and the sound system. We were also trying to set a standard with the sound system and interior because we wanted them installed together so they could
more
|
I would imagine that a majority of R&C readers have owned or driven a tri-year Chevy at one time or another. They've always been popular cars and, at least here in California, you were the big-man-on-campus if you owned one in high school. My high-school ride
more
|
When we introduced this '36 Ford cabriolet, we gave you a close-up look at the old stocker and what we planned to do with it. The car spent most of its life in the San Francisco Bay Area (Castro Valley in particular), and the salt air turned it into a pretty r
more
|
Just when you think that all the early Fords are gone, you stumble across one that's a real find. Roadsters, cabriolets and convertibles have always been desirable, so it's unusual to find one that hasn't been restored or turned into a street rod. We were at P
more
|
It seems as though the supply and popularity of Classic Chevys are limitless. Street rodders and customizers are searching high and low for '55-'57 models and they keep turning up in a wide array of conditions: from engineless shells to completely restored car
more
|
With the advent of the smoothie look, rodders have been cleaning the body lines of their cars in many ways. Some of the first things to go are the door and trunk handles. Perhaps the cars to benefit most from "shaving" the door handles are cabriolets and roads
more
|
After 40 years, most classic Chevy rearends have been kicked, smashed, exploded, morphed, or otherwise mutilated. Occasionally they are treated to a wash and repainting, or stuffed with new gears for better performance. In general, however, they are the neglec
more
|
In the last few issues of R&C, we showed you how to improve a tri-year chassis with modern hot rod components. The chassis featured new springs, dropped spindles with disc brakes, new engine mounts, sway bars, and basic detailing. While the chassis was being b
more
|
In a past installment, we showed you how we detailed the Fat Man Fabrications chassis and prepared it for the installation of the '36 Cabriolet body. We're currently in the home stretch, but the finish line is still ahead in the distance. We started getting th
more
|
When we started working on this '57 Chevy, a decision was made to equip it with a Muncie four-speed transmission. Halfway through the project we realized this Chevy was going to be a really nice cruiser with power steering, power brakes, power windows, and air
more
|
The otherwise dull mid-50s were the halcyon days for Detroit's finned monsters, which we all love to hate. Since the days when these chrome behemoths rolled off the assembly lines and into the annals of American automotive history, enough time has passed for m
more
|