Return of the hot rod?

[rolymo]

During late 1960's I was racing a Daimler(dart)250 sports car in production sports class at places like Brands-Hatch, Mallory- Park and not having much success with the track handling.This car was designed as a fast touring machine and just did not have the potential in the chassis to accept a big increase in power and torque so by subsituting the motor with a dry sumped 4.7litre Magestic V8 fitted with downdraft IDA Webers I successfully destroyed any hope of staying on the road on bends or rough surfaces.With a spare chassis and front suspension to hand a new type of car constuction was commenced . A HOT-ROD Thunder saloon.
The new coke bottle shape Vauxhall Viva HB had just been released on the market and everyone appeared to love the new style shape.The local Vauxhall dealer was very cooperative and obtained a new body shell in white for me so I built a full tube safety cage to strengthen the chassis frame and add some stiffness to the whole assembly.

[rolymo]

The axle from the Daimler SP250 had no LSD and inferior brakes so that was trashed and was replaced by the complete independent assembly from a series Jaguar E Type which gave me inboard disc brakes and a wide variaty of axle final drive ratios for the diff.I was lucky to come across a set of GT40/LOLA mag wheels and matching size green spot tyres. while the construction continued I searched for "goodies" and came up with a really tasty engine :- Pontiac Le-mans 421 cubic inch V8 High- perf block fitted with the famous TRI-CARB fuel set up with progressive linkage.The factory horse- power rating for that engine ex works was 420bhp , this was matched to close-ratio 4speed manual trasmission

[Matt Harper]

Mini1275 said:

t runs an electric water system.

In some photos you can see the pump behind one of the lights.

Where's the radiator?

[CapriV6S]

To Rolymo,
Thanx for post, this is so interesting, such a change from reading about Lexus-lit body kitted Novas.

[dmulally]

AdeTuono said:

I've got a couple and a rat.


Group photo...

Looking at Scraps the jack russell for comparisson it looks like you have pedal cars!

Love it.

[AdeTuono]

dmulally said:

AdeTuono said:

I've got a couple and a rat.


Group photo...

Looking at Scraps the jack russell for comparisson it looks like you have pedal cars!

Love it.

I just hate that puppy stage. Fortunately he's grown up now and has attained correct dimensions.

[vdubbin]

v8will said:

As an aside, a chap on Retro rides owns a rat Landrover, and I dare say it's a marmite creation but I quite like it.



What does everyone think of this??

Eleven million thumbs up from me, I love this car. Given the amount of work gone into it, both by the current and previous owners, it's defintiely a Hot Rod.
Looking forward to seeing it this weekend at The Gathering.

Edited by vdubbin on Monday 13th August 12:20

[Cledus Snow]

v8will said:

I think Hot Rod is a fairly flexible term these days much as the term supercar is.

The traditional notion for me would be a 1920s-40s American steel body car, Deuce, T bucket etc. Fenderless and running a suitable sized V8. But that is a very loose view of it IMHO. I'd really love to build one or my own interpretation but fear of actually getting the thing on the road is putting me off a little.

As an aside, a chap on Retro rides owns a rat Landrover, and I dare say it's a marmite creation but I quite like it.



What does everyone think of this??

Built using a '48 Land rover to confuse the Pre '49 only rule IIRC.

[Ari]

rolymo said:

During late 1960's I was racing a Daimler(dart)250 sports car in production sports class at places like Brands-Hatch, Mallory- Park and not having much success with the track handling.This car was designed as a fast touring machine and just did not have the potential in the chassis to accept a big increase in power and torque so by subsituting the motor with a dry sumped 4.7litre Magestic V8 fitted with downdraft IDA Webers I successfully destroyed any hope of staying on the road on bends or rough surfaces.With a spare chassis and front suspension to hand a new type of car constuction was commenced . A HOT-ROD Thunder saloon.
The new coke bottle shape Vauxhall Viva HB had just been released on the market and everyone appeared to love the new style shape.The local Vauxhall dealer was very cooperative and obtained a new body shell in white for me so I built a full tube safety cage to strengthen the chassis frame and add some stiffness to the whole assembly.

That's awesome! Imagine trying to get a Vauxhall Insignia body in white these days...

[Ari]

v8will said:

I think Hot Rod is a fairly flexible term these days much as the term supercar is.

The traditional notion for me would be a 1920s-40s American steel body car, Deuce, T bucket etc. Fenderless and running a suitable sized V8. But that is a very loose view of it IMHO. I'd really love to build one or my own interpretation but fear of actually getting the thing on the road is putting me off a little.

As an aside, a chap on Retro rides owns a rat Landrover, and I dare say it's a marmite creation but I quite like it.



What does everyone think of this??

Thats... bizarre!

[Downton Mini]

v8will said:

I think Hot Rod is a fairly flexible term these days much as the term supercar is.

The traditional notion for me would be a 1920s-40s American steel body car, Deuce, T bucket etc. Fenderless and running a suitable sized V8. But that is a very loose view of it IMHO. I'd really love to build one or my own interpretation but fear of actually getting the thing on the road is putting me off a little.

As an aside, a chap on Retro rides owns a rat Landrover, and I dare say it's a marmite creation butevery time I I quite like it.



What does everyone think of this??

I love this car!! Is this the one that was in PPC?

I've only just started to appreciate Hot Rods and American Cars in general. I love seeing them on the road they make a change from all the boring boxes on the road. I don't like the PT Cruiser I just think it looks wrong every time I see one all I can think is it looks like a Herse

[toon10]

I'm not a huge hot rod fan but it's nice to see interesting cars on the roads rather than the normal bland plastic stuff we see everyday. I'd still stop and show interest and have a chat about the car if the owner was about. I'd probably open with the universal car appreciation line of "what'll it do mister?"

[S2Mike]

Mr2Mike said:

Hugo a Gogo said:

a hot rod is an old car, pre-war or pre-49 styling really, built from a car with separate wings - it is not just 'a modified car'

Where is this defined?

.
Sorry been away the weekend,I was miss quoted as saying all modern cars were samey, but in my original post I also said there were some exceptions, PT Cruiser is one of the exceptions, not a nice one but it is different.
There used to be a magazine in the 70s for those folk into the scene called " Custom Car & Hot Rod" the definition is pretty much as Hugoagogo says. The magazine had to list both types as there is a particular style and definition of each. A modern as in post 60's would be Customized and previous to 60's with major mechanical changes would be termed as a HotRod. But the boundaries are flexible. Not so far as to take a 2 year old car put spoilers and and fancy paintwork on . . That is modified.
Give me a 32 Deuce or an 'A' everytime.

Edited by S2Mike on Monday 13th August 14:32

[S2Mike]

Cotty said:

Mini1275 said:

Hot Rods are my favourite type of vehicle.

Nothing like a '32 coupe .

Im more of an A man myself. Somethig like this

.
.This is a HotRod, and a real beaut!!

[Streetrod]

300bhp/ton said:

Hugo a Gogo said:

a hot rod is an old car, pre-war or pre-49 styling really, built from a car with separate wings - it is not just 'a modified car'

It's like saying you like Blower Bentleys and that sort of thing and then arguing that a new M5 is exactly the same

So something like this isn't a rod then?

Hugo is correct, a Hotrod is defined as a pre 49 car with separate wings. The 55 Chevy shown above is classed as a "Street Machine". Other categories include "Customs" or "Kemps" as they are sometimes referred, Resto Rods which was a 70's thing etc etc.

So here are a few examples, this was my first car which I still own 30 years later, although it looks like a Hotrod, it is actually a Custom/Street Machine because it is based on a 68 Beetle



These are Hotrod as they are pre 49

My mates old Willy's



A very nice custom



And another kick arse Hotrod



And now for something a little different, this is a Street Machine

[King Herald]

Dilligaf10 said:

Check my profile pic for my latest toy, ridding is the way to go!

Cool motor!

My previous toys:

A simple little box on wheels I built in the Philippines some twelve years ago. A 400hp 350 Chevy, Powerglide, and little else. It was brutally quick in a straight line, but handled like poo.



1934 Morris Eight, home built chassis, Rover V8 powered, 3 inch top chop, built everything myself. I did 5000 miles in it then sold it to start a new project...



Jago Model A, 'glass body, I built most of the chassis and running gear, fitted a 390 Ford V8, but never finished it as we emigrated and has to sell it.







Current project, replica 1928 Model A pickup. Again, all the chassis and suspension etc built by me.





Next project, an Austin Healey replica, screaming out for a V8 power train.

[King Herald]

300bhp/ton said:

LiamM45 said:

A PT Cruiser is not, and never will be, anything other than the butt of jokes in the Hot Rod world. Awful things.

Why? What is so different about them from all the other mundane and normal cars which are then hot rodded? Answer - sweet FA.

PT Cruisers were built to look like a hot rod, but it is a shame they didn't at least put a V8 in, and rear wheel drive. They aren't a bad looking car, but could have been so much more. I saw one at a show a few years ago that had the full on hot rod drag race rear end treatment, replete with huge tyres and wheelie bars, but it was still front wheel drive.......
Just saying.

Same with the Plymouth Prowler, only came with a V6 motor???? WTF. Big mistake.

[Earl'Dingleberry]

The PT Cruiser is related to hot rods like the McDonald's menu is related to food.

[Upatdawn]

Fuel prices and insurance for modified vehicles killed hot rodding, every copy of Custom Car had a rod, custom or muscle car on the cover (with a leggy blonde), MPG was a dirty word and Nick Butler was God.

[300bhp/ton]

@Streetrod

Curious to know how you'd classify something like this: