Table of contents for Volume 5, Issue 41 - February 2024 in Modern Rodding

1. ’78-88 CHEVY G-BODY DIRECT-FIT GAUGE CLUSTER Classic Instruments now offers a ’78-88 Chevy G-body direct-fit package. It is an all-electric cluster featuring a speedometer, tachometer, clock, and fuel, oil, temp, and volt gauges in an OE style, available either with or without overdrive. Hybrid LED lighting offers the feel of the original perimeter lighting and the visual benefits of backlighting: even illumination and clear nighttime readability. Turn signals and high beam indicators are in the original locations and the kit includes new check engine and high beam sockets with LED bulbs. The kit also includes a wiring harness, push-button speedometer calibration for ease of setup, a new acrylic lens, and built-in ECM signal filter switch. The fuel gauge is programmable for many ohm ranges with a selector switch on…

There’s nothing quite like topping your tank and hitting the road with a tattered map in hand while cruising to a destination to meet up with like-minded automotive enthusiasts. Crafting a hot rod or custom capable of taking on the long haul requires a special talent, especially when fusing the level of dependability needed with an equal amount of allure to make sure your ride stands out among the rest. The seductive ’53 Chevy 210 mild custom laid out across our pages belonging to Matt Hayes of Dundas, Ontario, Canada, has been a fixture on the scene across the U.S. and Canada for nearly two decades, racking up well over 100,000 miles, which is milestone-worthy. By blending an iconic look with a classic performance formula he’s been able to travel…

We previously looked at how the crew at Rad Rides by Troy, through the efforts of Adam Banks, scratch-built a body for Ross Myers’ ’36 fenderless roadster. While a new (or modified) body is most often fitted to an existing frame, they took a different approach here: waiting to design the frame until the shape of the body and grille shell were finalized. This allowed them to do an exceptional job of integrating the fit and contours of the two components. The grille itself was completely scratch-built from steel, and while it retains the “flavor” of a stock ’36 grille, it is sectioned 4-1/2 inches, and a complete shell has been built from 18-gauge steel to surround the grille. As you’ll see in the photos, this was a massive undertaking.…

In our last installment of brake system upgrades on this ’63 Impala, we swapped the single-pot master cylinder for a Classic Performance Products (CPP) power brake setup with a dual-reservoir master cylinder. While the booster and master cylinder provides safety and reduced pedal effort, the Impala’s owner wanted better braking performance. For this, he opted for a disc brake conversion from CPP to make simple work of the weekend project. The drum brakes were still operational, but they would often cause the car to dart under hard braking. This can sometimes be the result of a swollen brake hose, but it was time for a brake overhaul to offer reliable service for many years to come. The kit used on the Impala is CPP’s front brake system (PN 5564WBK-SO), which…

It is a fact that the cars of the ’50s feature timeless styling that many of us thoroughly appreciate to this day. Roger Ritzow, of Wisconsin, owns this ’55 Ford Fairlane Victoria as one such example. The Tri-Five (’55-57) era of OEM cars has captured the minds and hearts of hot rodders for a very long time. Once again, the winning combination of the blend of craftsmanship, imagination, and the best in aftermarket products has led Roy Brizio of Roy Brizio Street Rods and the tried-and-true staff (Jim Vickery, Jack Stratton, Dan Hall, Len Ernani, Andrik Albor, Danny Carrol, Jair Valle, and Carry Buck) to build a timeless hot rod. This ’55 Ford Fairlane Victoria features all of what we like of the era and none of the modern-day alterations…

Over the years Jason Scudellari has built several muscle cars and classic trucks and he often displays his talents in Modern Rodding technical stories. But despite his lengthy involvement in most things hot rod, he’s never built a traditional roadster of his own—until now. When it comes to hot rods, few are more traditional than what is often described as an A/V-8, a Model A Ford body on a ’32 Ford frame—in this case the body is from Brookville and the frame is from Speedway Motors (PN 91657007). This amalgamation does require some tweaking to make the two come together, in this case the necessary modifications to the shape of the framerails were made by Old Anvil Speed Shop. In addition, they reinforced the framerails with Speedway’s boxing plates (PN…

For many automobile racing fans some of the most unique series of events were the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Trans-Am races that began in 1966. Despite the name of the sponsoring body the real stars of the show weren’t imported sports cars, rather it was the made in the USA “pony” cars in the production class that got everyone’s attention. The sight and sound of these cars battling door to door sparked intense brand loyalty, something that was not lost on the manufacturers. And there’s no question that the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” strategy served them well. To compete in the Trans-Am production class manufacturers had to go through the homologation process, which meant a certain number of “race” cars had to be available to the…

It seems doing a complete chassis swap has become SOP (standard operating procedure) for many shops. And while there is something to be said for a completely re-engineered chassis for your vintage ride, in many cases it simply isn’t needed, isn’ in the budget, isn’ available, or all the above. In that case it may be time to rescue that old frame. Before any rescue and repair can be done to that original chassis you must first determine if the chassis is in fact repairable. Extensive rust, damage from a prior collision, or excessive cutting from previous modifications may make the frame beyond repair. The team at Hot Rod Specialties determined the frame under Terry Thompson’s ’34 Chrysler was in overall good condition except for the passenger side lower framerail.…

Kevin Hart Partners with Holley’s Detroit Speed & Engineering Holley Inc. and Detroit Speed & Engineering unveiled their latest celebrity car restomod at the 2023 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. The three-year project, commissioned by comedian and actor Kevin Hart, involved a complete custom rebuild of Hart’s ’69 Pontiac GTO, transforming the classic muscle car into Pro Touring excellence with powerhouse performance. Hart’s ’69 Pontiac GTO features a Chevrolet Performance LT5 6.2L supercharged 755hp engine, Bowler Performance T56 transmission, and JRi adjustable coilover shocks. The vehicle is equipped with HRE Valkyrja wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S performance tires. The front and rear bumpers, hood, front valance, and spoiler are just a few of the modifications made by the Detroit Speed & Engineering team to achieve the desired aesthetic…

Whether it came from the bone-dry desert or the heart of the Rust Belt, corrosion is the bane of every piece of vintage metal. Even if it’s not immediately visible in the quarter-panels or rockers, there’s a good chance water found its way to the crevices deep inside the body, in the toeboard panels at the front of the floor, in the plenum area in the cowl, and, very likely, beneath the trunk mat, turning the floor into sheetmetal Swiss cheese. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule, and we’ve all been amazed to discover rot-free steel, but if you or your preferred resto shop is planning a thorough reconditioning of your favorite chunk of Detroit iron, a measure of rust repair will more than likely figure into the project.…

With regard to the bitchin East Coast–styled ’34 Ford channeled coupe, it was originally built by Jerry Flanagan of Lawrence, Massachusetts. It was the perseverance of Charlie Waitt, of Cape Neddick, Maine, that brought the long-lost hop-up back into the limelight. For Charlie it all started with an Aug. ’61 issue of Car Craft magazine where a full feature of the car appeared, followed by it sharing a cover of Car Craft in August 1963. Often wondering whatever happened to it led to a quest for the Holy Grail lasting six years. Acting on a whim with help from his nephew Joe Waitt, the pair finally tracked down an address for Flanagan and paid a visit where a knock on the door got the pair an easy introduction. Have you…

Young girls, like young boys, have cool car dreams–hot rodding is truly inclusive and isn’t the exclusive “right” of one gender. Sometimes we, the guys, just don’t see what’s obvious. Dawn Smith of Missouri grew up with many memories of her dad taking her for “white knuckle” drives. What these memories of her holding onto the dash grab bar did was engrain in her mind that someday she would own a ’67 Pontiac GTO. Here is what she tells us. “In 1997, 27 years later, I purchased my GTO. I spent $11,000 through a bank loan and began making the payments. This ’67 GTO had the original 400 under the hood and was in fair condition. The family joked that it was a good 50-footer.” Dawn goes on to tell…

Isky’s Tribute Roadster Shown at SEMA One thing is for sure, our industry has its share of personalities with each having an endearing character trait that makes them easily and immediately recognizable. Many find themselves familiar with the nickname “Isky,” a stand-in for the moniker Ed Iskenderian of Isky Racing Cams fame. As famous as our centenarian hot rodding friend is, his highboy, a turtledeck ’23 Ford roadster, often called the original hot rod, may be more famous. But all of us who know Isky and know his famous call out, “Hiya, pal!” will always chuckle a bit. But I am getting ahead. On these pages, there are appealing photos of the original ’23 roadster and alongside are the engaging photos of the Isky tribute roadster. The Isky tribute ’23…