Return of the hot rod?

[King Herald]

safehandsgk1 said:

There's always something incredibly nostalgic about oggling a 'hot-rod'. I've been intrigued with them since my first viewing of American Graffiti.

Any idea if there's a reputable dealer and what type of cost you are looking at? It'd have to be an original though... even if the Chrysler Prowler offers a modern alternative. That said, can anyone give a decent view on the Prowler? Gimmick or decent motor?

There are several hot rod sites/forums, with 'for sale' sections, plus Ebay, plus hundreds for sale in Custom Car magazine.

As for prices, you have to know what you are looking at/for before you can even think of a price.

I sold my Morris for £3500 complete with MOT and all documentation. The court is out on how legal it was with its new chassis and drive train, but the motor size and number was all correct on the V5 and it has been through 3 MOTs in the time I had it. It took two years of my blood, sweat and tears to build it, and I genuinely shed a tear when it disappeared down the road.





And my Jago Model A went for around £6500, but it was unfinished, not far off complete, but still not finished. That was registered years before as a 'Special', or something similar, forget now.



The popular models always go for more money, but there are loads of non-so-well-known hot rods that go for reasonable money.

Again, you must have some sort of mechanical knowledge to buy/own one. There is no warranty, you don't just throw down your money, jump in and drive thousands of care free miles, unless you buy a big bucks rod. And even then, there is still some absolute cack out there, badly engineered, thrown together in a hurry etc.

[Streetrod]

King Herald said:

300bhp/ton said:

Oh yes! Apart from the ugly looking short radiator, that is/was my dream hot rod.

Or maybe this, Revenge, built in the 70's I believe, by Nick Butler.

Revenge was always a favorite of mine, in fact I have a pic somewhere that I took of Revenge pulling a wheelie at the Nationals back in the days when it was held at Thruxton.

Quick claim to fame, Nick Butler machined me up a set of brake rotors for my Rod years ago when he used to have a workshop in Richmond

[S2Mike]

Nick Butler, thats a name I link with all that was good about Hot Rods of my youth, is he still about?

[AdeTuono]

S2Mike said:

Nick Butler, thats a name I link with all that was good about Hot Rods of my youth, is he still about?

http://www.nick-butler.co.uk/index.html

I'm pretty sure one of the mags had an interview with him recently. Fantastic engineering. Anyone remember Richard Whale and his Herald?

[S2Mike]

AdeTuono said:

http://www.nick-butler.co.uk/index.html

I'm pretty sure one of the mags had an interview with him recently. Fantastic engineering. Anyone remember Richard Whale and his Herald?

.
Have to admit I quickly looked him up, Yes I remember the flip body and bonnet Herald, from one of the Alexandra Palace Custom Car Shows in the late 70's or early 80's

[300bhp/ton]

Roo said:

I ebay auctioned this one and it went for just under £20k

http://www.newport-imports.com/sold-vehicles/plymo...

Have to say the more I've read about them the more the appeal. Think I'd have to ditch the front "tash" style bumpers though. That said, I suspect you could buy/build quite a nice rod for £20k though.

I guess a Prowler could be a daily though.

[Crafty_]

safehandsgk1 said:

There's always something incredibly nostalgic about oggling a 'hot-rod'. I've been intrigued with them since my first viewing of American Graffiti.

Any idea if there's a reputable dealer and what type of cost you are looking at? It'd have to be an original though... even if the Chrysler Prowler offers a modern alternative. That said, can anyone give a decent view on the Prowler? Gimmick or decent motor?

Not really any dealers, like someone said get on the sites and mags to find something you like.
The alternative is to get something built, there are several people who will build you a turnkey car, the hard bit is deciding what car you want, what style you want and how much money you have to spend.

[300bhp/ton]

While on the topic of building. I know where you can get bodies, I know engine and transmission I'd opt for. But what about chassis rails?

I'm sadly not well enough off to build/buy one at present. But I can still dream...

So on that basis if you wanted to build a '32 can you buy pre-fabbed chassis rails and suspension in the UK at all, or is it all custom work?

[Trommel]

300bhp/ton said:

I'm sadly not well enough off to build/buy one at present. But I can still dream...

No need to dream - just buy a PT Cruiser.

[300bhp/ton]

Trommel said:

No need to dream - just buy a PT Cruiser.

Why? You too aren't miss reading and making up bullst that you "think" you read earlier in the thread are you? Please tell me you aren't that stupid.

[S2Mike]

aeropilot said:

Streetrod said:

Wondered how long before a photo of Jim's '32 would appear on here

.
Jim is a friend of a friend who builds these beauties in Poole.
I would think anyone interested in a HotRod would do well to speak to him.

[Trommel]

300bhp/ton said:

Why? You too aren't miss reading and making up bullst that you "think" you read earlier in the thread are you? Please tell me you aren't that stupid.

Of course not. Just like the Neon, the PT Cruiser is an awesome performance car combining superb engineering, style and driving enjoyment. It's just a shame that ignorant Europeans can't see what they're missing.

[S2Mike]

You guys keep him talking I will call the men in white coats to collect Trommel!

[Hugo a Gogo]

I remember around the early 90s you could get a Model A kit to add Cortina running gear and engine to - Street Machine magazine built a pick-up and gave it away

I suppose that's not available any more?

found the car: https://www.creative-engineering.com/index.php?opt...

[Streetrod]

300bhp/ton said:

So on that basis if you wanted to build a '32 can you buy pre-fabbed chassis rails and suspension in the UK at all, or is it all custom work?

Yep, go to these guys, probably the best in the country

http://www.homegrownhotrods.co.uk/

[Crafty_]

300bhp/ton said:

While on the topic of building. I know where you can get bodies, I know engine and transmission I'd opt for. But what about chassis rails?

I'm sadly not well enough off to build/buy one at present. But I can still dream...

So on that basis if you wanted to build a '32 can you buy pre-fabbed chassis rails and suspension in the UK at all, or is it all custom work?

So there are a number of ways for the frame..
Cheapest is buy some box section steel and build it, won't look as nice as a "proper" frame though.
You could get one of the aforementioned builders to put a chassis together for you.
You could buy the outer rails from the states and bring them in, then add / make you own crossmembers.
Or buy an entire frame from the states, anything from a bare frame to a roller.

As far as the suspension goes what do you want ?
Main choices are going to be: I beam, tube, independent for the front
For the rear ladder bars ? buggy spring ? parallel 4 bar ? triangulated 4 bar ? or again independent ?

Once those choices are made you then need to pick a given type, for example for an i beam front are you going to have a solid beam ? drilled ? dropped 2" ? 4" ? radius rods or hairpins ?

You need to pick all this stuff carefully, independent stuff is a no-no for a trad car for example. You need to pick the right bits for the style of car you want, try and be consistent too, so you carry the style all through the car. For example, if you are going to run fenderless a box section chassis will be on show and look a bit poo, but if you were going to run fendered or channel the body it wont really be seen, so who cares? won't affect the look of the car.

You could adapt stuff from a road car. I've seen a '32 built on a FX4 taxi chassis! You could maybe use lotus 7 type suspension for the front..

There are UK retailers, builders and fabricators that can help you out over here, or you buy stuff in the states and get it shipped, that might sound expensive but there are some people who run shipping services - the one I use I ship to New Jersey, the guy sticks it all in a container which ends up in Luton and I pick up from there. They'll ship anything and the guy this end is a long time rodder so doesn't rip people off.

[HorneyMX5]

Pics from this years Wheelsday.


IMG_4618.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4638.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4667.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4668.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4683.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4720.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr


IMG_4709.jpg by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

[Streetrod]

My next project is going to be based on one of these steel reproduction bodies:

Edited by Streetrod on Thursday 16th August 19:49

[Crafty_]

nice! don't chop it, looks real nice just like that.

[Streetrod]

I have no intention of chopping it, hoping to build a 60's style car. I have offered an early Hemi in good nick for decent money which will be going in. Still need to collect a load of parts though