In past articles, we have examined several aspects of the BBT Fabrications 1959 Impala. This time, we will focus on the extensive work done underhood. Virtually every piece of metal around the engine has been custom fabricated, with great attention p

Steve Frisbie owns and operates Steve’s Auto Restorations (SAR) in Portland, Oregon. His love of cars harkens back to working in the shop with his father. Over the years, many fantastic projects have come his way, including building a car that won th

Although manual transmissions have all but disappeared in new production vehicles, they remain popular with performance enthusiasts who appreciate the greater feeling of control that comes with manually shifting gears. There are indeed several manual

The 1967 Ford Mustang is one of the most popular muscle cars from an era widely accepted as the “greatest generation of muscle cars.” The 1967 Ford Mustang saw nearly 500,000 cars manufactured, making it one of the most common Mustangs. The 1967 Ford

When a diehard 1962 Chevy fan wanted someone to build an Impala convertible unlike anything seen before, Old Anvil Speed Shop got the call. The task was to build a car that could drop to the ground one minute and carve corners the next, house 21- and

The engine hum seemed to sing a melody from a bygone era, a tune that spoke directly to the soul of anyone with oil in their veins and a passion for classic 1932 Ford steel hot rods. Darby Milner’s surname wasn’t just a part of his identity. It was a

It was 1964 and you could feel that Detroit was searching for something to give to the growing segment of youth buyers who wanted more—more performance, more power, just more. That’s precisely what Russ Reiter’s 1966 Pontiac GTO is … more performance

Some of the most recognizable and iconic hot rods are based on the roadster pickup—a Ford Model A, Deuce, fendered, or highboy. The 1932 Ford roadster pickup belonging to Scott Simpson and built at Jimmy White’s Circle City Hot Rods has a very cool 1

Billet Specialties is excited to announce the release of its new valve cover adapters (PN 95025) designed specifically for small-block Chevrolet enthusiasts looking to achieve a classic look on their modern Gen V LT motors. These adapters allow the s

Lil John Buttera is no stranger to drag racing, Indycars, street machines, and street rods. He is no stranger to Modern Rodding, appearing in our Parting Shot column in late 2022 (honored here for the second time). What gave rise to this month’s reap

Borgeson Universal Company, a leading manufacturer of premier aftermarket steering components based in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, has announced the acquisition of the assets of JJ’s Rods E-Z Firewall Boots (Wingate, North Carolina). Their steeri

Regarding automotive events, every seasoned hot rodder can agree that things were better when car shows had more energy. People were willing to drive long distances and work on their cars along the way; the result was a level of excitement that’s har

Brian Limberg of Tin Man’s Garage in Sycamore, Illinois, is no stranger to building top-level street rods. Of the many awards he has received, he is particularly proud of the Eric Black Design Award at The Gathering in Oklahoma last year for their te

The 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle is one of the most popular, made from 1964-1977. In 1970, the sheetmetal revisions produced a car with more of a “Coke” body style along with redesigned interiors. (It should be noted that the 1970 Chevelle and Buick Skyla

Every builder in the customizing business has a knack. Whether they’re known or unknown, they’ll add their unique touch to set a car apart from the crowd. Somewhere along the way, identifiable styling cues will give away whose hand touched it. In the

Our project 1936 phaeton is making steady progress. Like most things in hot rodding, the dashboard project has taken on a life of its own. We could have installed gauges in the existing factory holes, but that would have been way too easy, or as one

Heralded as “The Great One” in advertising brochures for 1969, Pontiac focused on separating its GTO from the heavy competition for muscle car supremacy by showcasing its wide-track performance and road-hugging capabilities. This was further personif

Another great weekend in SoCal in Pomona, California, as the O’Reilly Auto Parts Grand National Truck Show rolled into town for its second year, showcasing the West Coast’s most stunning collection of trucks, vans, and SUVs. The Fairplex excitedly we

Two of the most recognizable names on the contemporary hot rod scene are Mike Finnegan, host of Finnegan’s Garage and co-host of the Road Kill television series, and “Blasphemi,” his supercharged Hemi-powered 1955 Chevrolet gasser. Recently, Finnegan

While only in its second year, the Triple Crown of Rodding (TCR) presented by PPG Refinish event has proven it is made of the “right stuff.” The car and truck count (3,224) and spectator gate (over 20,000) doubled from last year, while the automotive

I remember the first time I encountered the name Dean Jeffries. It was on the glossy pages of car magazines, especially the revered Rod & Custom. At the time, I was just a kid with a heart full of dreams, captivated by the world of custom cars. Then,

The 1936 Ford three-window coupe is a good-looking car, but it has often been pushed aside just a bit and is thought of as a “sleeper.” The 1936 Ford coupe, Model 48, was an update beginning in 1935 over the previous 1933-1934 (Model 40). It was caug

The bustling atmosphere of the Pomona Fairplex echoed with excitement as car enthusiasts gathered for the 74th Annual Grand National Roadster Show. Vibrant colors and polished chrome, but one build caught everyone’s eye—a stunning, striking masterpie

The 1959 Impala built by BBT Fabrications is exceptional in many ways. Some of the most sensitive work was perfecting the fit and finish of the car’s dozens of pieces of stainless trim. If you have ever worked with stainless trim, you can appreciate