Modern Rodding

Big news on the Triple Crown of Rodding event, which is slated for September 8-9, 2023 (weekend after Labor Day) at Nashville Superspeedway. PPG is now the Presenting Sponsor for the Triple Crown of Rodding. LMC is now the Official Truck Parts Suppli

So, I find myself at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, working on the “Cup” project for a magazine article when I stumble across the original (#1) SO-CAL Speed Shop ’32 Ford highboy roadster. This is the two-tone red with white scal

It’s been called the Golden Era of automotive design, and this is especially true in the eyes of hot rodders everywhere. The Tri-Five era, 1955-57, has achieved “favorable status” among hot rodders with the major Detroit OEMs. There can be no doubt a

Work continues on Greg Heinrich’s outstanding ’35 Chevrolet coupe being built by Ironworks Speed & Kustom. This time we’ll focus on the extensive body modifications. The body is lengthened, chopped, wedge-sectioned, and all the fenders are extensivel

Donn Lowe started out hammering on metal at a young age in Connecticut in the ’60s. It was a mecca of customs and hot rods and there were plenty of Mercs and other makes that needed chopping. Donn quickly learned the best way to do that to where the

Every now and then, even old hot rodders come upon a car that we’d agree just shouldn’t be modified. Even so, we can’t help ourselves, can we? Out here in Northwestern Montana we’ve had The Flathead Ford Museum to enjoy for many years. Its curator, L

There can be no denying that the postwar Chevrolet designers got it right with several of their designs. The Bel Air two-door hardtop, introduced in the ’50s, is a favorite with hot rodders everywhere. We believe the second-generation Fleetline, made

Our ’64 Ford Galaxie (named “Project Lara Lor-Van”) belongs to Eddy Cebreco and has a great deal of sheetmetal work that is needed. We have already begun by replacing the firewall, now comes the upper and lower cowl areas. This is going to give us al

One look at a “hot rod” and it will tell you what the owner’s intentions were. Steve Harvey, of Costa Mesa, California, all along wanted a mid-’50s-themed hot rod that he would build in his own garage. His goal was to use iconic parts, such as the po

When it comes to traditional customizing techniques, sectioning a car is arguably the most complicated. The process involves removing a horizontal band all the way around the car’s body to thin the profile—kind of like chopping a top, only you’re cho

It was up to MetalWorks Speed Shop to find a solid-bodied ’55 Chevy–and they did, allowing John Wise of Indiana to build his high school vision and have his dream hot rod. His vision was to have a Pro Touring build with all the modern handling and pe

The late Bill Carter is a custom painting legend. Standing on the shoulders of giants like his mentor, Larry Watson, “Wild Bill” invented processes and forged styles that evolved to fit countless Funny Cars, boats, choppers, and dragsters over the de

When I think of a ’40-41 Willys the first image that generally comes to mind is the nose-high gasser with the storied names on the doors, such as Stone, Woods, and Cook (although it says “Cookie” on the door, sometimes), the Big John Mazmanian gasser