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Hot rod

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For other uses, see Hot rod (disambiguation).
T-bucket with early hemi. The aluminum radiator (rather than brass), rectangular headlights, and five-spokes (rather than motorcycle wheels) mark this as a later incarnation.
3-window Deuce coupé
'34 3-window with a classic-style[1] flame job and Moon tank, very reminiscent of Chapouris' California Kid.

Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is based on high performance engine building and changing the stroke of the crankshaft, the connecting rod is a different size than stock. Another explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. . Open roadsters were the cars of choice to modify because they were light. . It was adopted in the 1930s or 1940s as the name of a car that had been "hopped up" by modifying the engine in various ways to achieve higher performance. "Hot rod" may also share a root with "hot to trod," which came from the violent Scottish-English borders hot trods, which were trips of vengeance to recover stolen goods from border raiders. These counter-raids were legal so long as they were done within 3 days of the original offense, thus the fast pace of travel. It is very easy to see where a hot trod horse gave way to the "hot rod" car—both are fast and travel without extra baggage for speed.

The term can also apply to other items that are "souped up" for a particular purpose, such as "hot-rodded amplifier".

History

Late 1930s–1950s early days

The term seems first to have appeared in the late 1930s in southern California, where people would race their modified cars on the vast, empty dry lake beds northeast of Los Angeles under the rules of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA). The activity increased in popularity after World War II, particularly in California because many returning soldiers had been given technical training in the service. The original hot rods were old cars (most often Fords, typically Model Ts, 1928–31 Model As, or 1932-34 Model Bs), modified to reduce weight. Typical modifications were removal of convertible tops, hoods, bumpers, windshields, and/or fenders); channeling the body; and modifying the engine by tuning and/or replacing with a more powerful type. Wheels and tires were changed for improved traction and handling. "Hot Rod" was sometimes a term used in the 1950s as a derogatory term for any car that did not fit into the mainstream. Hot rodder's modifications were considered to improve the appearance as well, leading to show cars in the 1960s replicating these same modifications along with a distinctive paint job.

Engine swaps often involved fitting the Ford Flathead engine, or "flatty", in a different chassis; the "60 horse" in a Jeep was a popular choice in the '40s. After the appearance of the 255 cu in (4.2 L) V8, because of interchangeability, installing the longer-stroke Mercury crank in the 239 was a popular upgrade among hot rodders, much as the 400 cu in (6.6 L) crank in small-blocks would become. In fact, in the 1950s, the flathead block was often fitted with crankshafts of up to 4.125 in (104.8 mm) stroke, sometimes more.[2] In addition, rodders in the 1950s routinely bored them out by 0.1875 in (4.76 mm) (to 3.375 in (85.7 mm));[2] due to the tendency of blocks to crack as a result of overheating, a perennial problem, this is no longer recommended.[3] In the '50s and '60s, the flatty was supplanted by the early hemi. By the 1970s, the small-block Chevy was the most common option, and since the '80s, the 350 cu in (5.7 L) Chevy has been almost ubiquitous.[4]

Post WWII origins of organized rodding

A 1949 Mercury. Note that this is not considered a 'hot rod' per se; it is referred to as a 'kemp' or, less colloquially, a custom, a style associated closely with hot rods but distinctly different as it is built for comfort, not speed.
Ford Popular
Rodded prewar British Rover 10

After World War II there were many small military airports throughout the country that were either abandoned or very rarely used that allowed hot rodders across the country to race on marked courses. Originally drag racing had tracks as long as one mile or more, and included up to four lanes of racing at the same time. As hot rodding became more popular in the 1950s, magazines and associations catering to hot rodders were started. As some hot rodders also raced on the street, a need arose for an organization to promote safety. Hot rodders including Wally Parks created the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) to bring racing off the streets and onto the tracks. They created rules based on safety and entertainment, and allowed Hot Rodders of any caliber the ability to race. The annual California Hot Rod Reunion and National Hot Rod Reunion are held to honor pioneers in the sport. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum houses the roots of hot rodding.

1970s rise of the street rod

As automobiles offered from the major automakers began increasing performance, the lure of Hot Rods began to wane. It was no longer necessary to put a Cadillac engine in a Ford roadster to be fast. It was now possible to buy a Muscle Car that outperformed just about any Hot Rod, with more passenger room, and without having to expend the effort of building and tuning the car oneself. After the 1973 Oil Crisis, the public called on automakers to offer safety and fuel efficiency over performance. The resulting decrease in an average car's performance led to a resurgence of Hot Rodding, although the focus was on driving Hot Rods over racing so the term 'Street Rod' was coined to denote a vehicle manufactured prior to 1949, often with a more reliable late model drivetrain. Street Rodding as it was now known was a different phenomenon than Hot Rodding, as Street Rodding was mainly family oriented. National events were hosted by the National Street Rod Association (NSRA), which also stressed safety as the NHRA did 20 years before, but this was safety for the street as opposed to on the race track. Each NSRA event has a 'Safety Inspection Team' that performs a 23 points inspection process that goes beyond what normal State Safety Inspections Require.

Modern rodding

1936 Chevrolet street rod

There is still a vibrant Hot Rod culture worldwide, especially in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Sweden. The hot rod community has now been subdivided into two main groups: hot rodders and street rodders. Hot rodders build their cars using a lot of original, old parts, and follow the styles that were popular from the 1940s through the 1960s. Street rodders build cars (or have them built for them) using primarily new parts.

A common factor amongst the current owners of hot rods is to make them more noticeable. There are now many different sectors of Hot Rodding, some of which are:-

  • Street Rods (These are a very popular branch of 'hot rodding'. Contrary to the implications of the term hot rod, street rods are a peculiar mix of hot rods, custom cars, and modern Detroit cars. Emphasis is on high end custom paint jobs, luxury leather interiors with all the amenities, modern engines and running gear.)
  • Pro-Street Rods (a branch of street rodding featuring mildly customized sedan and coupe models that one would not normally associate with hot rodding that have monster engines and huge rear tires inside the fender wells. They retain all the other luxury features of Street Rods.)
  • Billet Rods (street rods noted by many items being machined from Billet aluminum),
  • Traditional Rods (those that built according to a particular point in time and stick to those build techniques and materials),
  • Rat rods (those that are pieced together to look like old time jalopies, although some times they require more work than a show rod), and
  • Show Rods (Hot Rods created to compete in National Car Shows such as AMBR (America's Most Beautiful Roadster), and the Detroit Autorama).

There are hundreds of local car clubs supporting the hot rod/street rod community. The National Street Rod Association (NSRA) is the largest club in the world and sponsors many local events including the Street Rod Nationals which serve as a showplaces for the majority of the hot-rodding and street-rodding world to display their cars and to find nearly any part needed to complete them. Collectively they are all referred to as Hot Rods.

Debates within the car community

Hot rods are part of American culture, although there is growing controversy within the automotive hobby over an increasing trend towards the acquisition and irreversible modification of surviving historic - some even very rare - vehicles rather than the traditional hot rodding concept of the salvage and remanufacture of reusable junked parts.

New "retro Inspired" steel bodies

As the supply of original steel bodies dwindles to nothing, those who reject fiberglass replicas can buy new reproduction bodies. They are not actual antiques, but often are superior in some aspects such as build quality to original hot rod bodies. The best bodies can command a price of US $10,000 or more.

In modern culture

Lifestyle

There is a contemporary movement of traditional hot rod builders, car clubs and artists who have returned to the roots of hot rodding as a lifestyle. This current traditional hot rod culture is exemplified in a whole new breed of traditional hot rod builders, artists and styles, as well as classic style car clubs like The Road Devils, The Deacons, The Shifters, and The Dragoons. Events like Viva Las Vegas, and GreaseOrama showcase this return to traditional hot rods and the greaser lifestyle. Underground magazines like Garage, Smokin Shutdown, Ol' Skool Rodz, Car Kulture Deluxe, Gearhead, Rolls & Pleats and BurnOut showcase this return to traditional hot rods by covering events and people around the world. There are number of independently released DVDs featuring this traditional hot rod revival with names such as Mad Fabricators, Hot Rod Surf ‘All Steel All Real’, and Hot Rod Havoc.

In the media

Author Tom Wolfe was one of the first to recognize the importance of hot rodding in popular culture and brought it to mainstream attention in his book The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby.

There are many magazines that feature real hot rods, including The Rodders Journal, Hot Rod Magazine, Rod and Custom Magazine, Street Rodder, RebelRodz, Amusin' Kruisin', and Popular Hot Rodding. There are also television shows such as My Classic Car, and Horsepower TV.

Street rod builder Boyd Coddington starred in American Hot Rod, a documentary series on Discovery channel until his death in 2008.

The Discovery Channel airs several shows dealing with modern interpretations of Kustom Kulture such as Monster Garage, American Hot Rod, and Overhaulin'.

Juxtapoz Magazine, founded by the artist Robert Williams, has thrived as a recent extrapolation of Kustom Kulture art. It has also begun to garner respect as an exhibitor of contemporary artistic talent that transcends Kustom Kulture's bounds.

In Sweden

Swedish hot rodders with 1960s American car at Power Big Meet

The culture is vibrant in Sweden where there are many automobile enthusiasts. Meetings like Power Big Meet and clubs such as Wheels and Wings in Varberg, Sweden have established themselves in Swedish Hot Rod culture. Since there is very little "vintage tin" the hot rods in Sweden are generally made with a home made chassis (usually a Ford model T or A replica), with a Jaguar (or Volvo 240) rear axle, a small block V8, and fiberglass tub, but some have been built using for instance a Volvo Duett chassis. Because the Swedish regulations required a crash test even for custom-built passenger cars between 1969 and 1982 the Duett option was often used since it was considered a rebodied Duett rather than a new vehicle.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Some 1950s and 1960s cars are also hot rodded, like Morris Minor, Ford Anglia, Volvo Amazon, Ford Cortina, '57 Chevy, to name but a few. These are known as Custom cars (sometimes spelled Kustom).

Language

Certain linguistic conventions are followed among rodders and customizers. The model year is rarely given in full,[5] except when it might be confused, so a 1934 model, for instance, is a '34, while a 2005 might be an '05 or not. A '32 is usually a Deuce and most often a roadster, unless coupé is specified, and almost always a Ford. A '55/6/7 is always a Chevy, unless specified.

A 3- or 5-window is usually a Ford, unless specified.

A flatty is a flathead V8[6] (always Ford, unless specified); a late (or late model) flatty is probably a Merc. A hemi is always a 426, unless specified;[7] a 426 is a hemi, unless Wedge is specified. A 392 is an early hemi.

Units are routinely dropped, unless they are unclear, so a 426 in³ is a 426, a 5 liter is a 5.0 ("five point oh"), and a 600 cfm is a 600.

  • The iconic T-bucket. Also features dropped tube axle, transverse front leaf spring, and front disc brakes.
    The iconic T-bucket. Also features dropped tube axle, transverse front leaf spring, and front disc brakes.
  • Deuce roadster featuring '32 grille shell, larger "commercial vehicle" headlights, chrome dropped I-beam axle and tube shocks. Note stock frame rails (extended frame horns), disc brakes, sprint car[41] pipes.
    Deuce roadster featuring '32 grille shell, larger "commercial vehicle" headlights, chrome dropped I-beam axle and tube shocks. Note stock frame rails (extended frame horns), disc brakes, sprint car[41] pipes.
  • Deuce roadster with bobbed frame, dropped axle, disc brakes, and coilovers. Note the contrast with the stock frame rails.
    Deuce roadster with bobbed frame, dropped axle, disc brakes, and coilovers. Note the contrast with the stock frame rails.
  • "Rat rod" "'29 Model A" coupe with a '32 grille shell, upgraded brakes, "bobbed" frame rails, body channeled below top of frame, etc. and a '48-53 Ford flathead V8 equipped with chrome carb hats.
    "Rat rod" "'29 Model A" coupe with a '32 grille shell, upgraded brakes, "bobbed" frame rails, body channeled below top of frame, etc. and a '48-53 Ford flathead V8 equipped with chrome carb hats.
  • Fiat Topolino.
    Fiat Topolino.
  • Ghost flames, a contemporary concept
    Ghost flames, a contemporary concept
  • 3 deuces closeup
    3 deuces closeup
  • A "puke can" (radiator overflow reservoir)
    A "puke can" (radiator overflow reservoir)
  • A mid '50s Chrysler 392 Hemi in a "rat rod".
    A mid '50s Chrysler 392 Hemi in a "rat rod".
  • Rat rod
    Rat rod
  • Volksrod based on a Type 1.
    Volksrod based on a Type 1.
  • '32 Bantam roadster
    '32 Bantam roadster
  • 1934 Chevrolet Standard
    1934 Chevrolet Standard
  • Red Volkswagen at the 2010 Volksfest, South Australia
    Red Volkswagen at the 2010 Volksfest, South Australia
  • Twin Ford coupes.
    Twin Ford coupes.

See also

References

  1. ^ Fortier, Rob. "25th Salt Lake City Autorama", in Street Rodder, 8/99, p.51cap.
  2. ^ a b Street Rodder, 1/85, p. 72.
  3. ^ Street Rodder, 1/85, p.72.
  4. ^ See any issue of Street Rodder, for instance.
  5. ^ For instance, Street Rodder, 8/99, passim; Rod Action, 2/78, passim.
  6. ^ American Rodder, 6/94, pp.45 & 93.
  7. ^ Geisert, Eric. "Tom's Fun Run", in Street Rodder, 8/99, p.149cap.
  8. ^ Street Rod Builder, 7/03, p.126.
  9. ^ PHR, 7/06, pp.22-3.
  10. ^ Fortier, p.53cap.
  11. ^ Fortier, p.54cap.
  12. ^ Fetherston, David, "Track Terror", in Rod & Custom, 7/95, p.35; Emmons, Don, "Long-term Hybrid", in Rod & Custom, 7/95, p.52; & Baskerville, Gray, "Tom Brown's '60s Sweetheart", in Rod & Custom, 9/00, p.162.
  13. ^ Bianco, Johnny, "Leadfest" in Rod & Custom, 9/00, p.86.
  14. ^ Hot Rod, 12/86, p.85 caption.
  15. ^ Scale Auto, 6/06, p.15 sidebar.
  16. ^ Ganahl, Pat, "Swap 'til you Drop", in Rod & Custom, 7/95, pp.68 & 70.
  17. ^ Geisert, Eric. "The California Spyder", in Street Rodder, 8/99, p.34; Mayall, Joe. "Driving Impression: Reproduction Deuce Hiboy", in Rod Action, 2/78, p.26; letters, Rod & Custom, 7/95, p.10.
  18. ^ Fortier, Rob. ""A Little Pinch Here, A Little Tuck There", in Street Rodder, 8/99, p.136.
  19. ^ Hot Rod, 2/87, p.38.
  20. ^ Hot Rod, 12/86, p.52 caption.
  21. ^ Burhnam, Bill. "In Bill's Eye", Custom Rodder 1/97, p.17; reprinted from Goodguys Gazette.
  22. ^ "Mr. 32", in Street Rodder, 2/78, p.40.
  23. ^ Fortier, p.51cap; Bianco, p.82.
  24. ^ Ganahl, p.70 & "Coupla Cool Coupes", p.74.
  25. ^ Mayall, Joe. "Joe Mayall's Driving Impression: Reproduction Deuce Hiboy", in Rod Action, 2/78, pp.28 & 29; Hot Rod Magazine, 11/84, p.6.
  26. ^ Hot Rod Magazine's Street Machines and Bracket Racing #3 (Los Angeles: Petersen Publishing, 1979), p.65.
  27. ^ Hot Rod, 2/87, p.43.
  28. ^ According to IHRA Executive VP Ted Jones, in Car Craft, 1/91, p.16.
  29. ^ Popular Cars, 12/85, p.51.
  30. ^ Hot Rod Magazine, 11/84, pp.46 & 50.
  31. ^ Hot Rod Magazine, 11/84, p.7.
  32. ^ Hot Rod Magazine's Street Machines and Bracket Racing #3 (Los Angeles: Petersen Publishing, 1979), p.33.
  33. ^ Rod & Custom, 7/95, p.143cap.
  34. ^ Yunick, Henry. Best Damn Garage in Town: The World According to Smokey.
  35. ^ Street Rodder, 12/98, p.292.
  36. ^ Rod & Custom, 7/95, pp.26-7 & 33.
  37. ^ Tann, Jeff, "Two-Timer" in Rod & Custom, 9/00, p.58.
  38. ^ Street Rodder, 2/78, p.43.
  39. ^ Street Rodder, 7/94, p.145.
  40. ^ Hot Rod, 2/87, p.47, & 12/86, p.33 caption.
  41. ^ Street Rodder, 12/98, p.47; Rod & Custom, 7/95, p.29.
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