Table of contents for Volume 5, Issue 48 - September 2024 in Modern Rodding

We have had the good fortune to cover this fantastic creation of a one-of-a-kind 1936 Ford roadster belonging to Ross Myers at Rad Rides by Troy. As with any worthwhile project, there is always someone who has a “master” vision and makes sure the project stays the course. Adam Banks found his time consumed by the fabrication of the body, chassis, suspension, and steering. (Editor’s note: For those who have followed along, you will notice we have used artwork occasionally, and, yes, Banks provided us with the pencil sketches. Can you say talented!) In this case, everything is under the watchful eye of Banks. While much credit goes to him, it takes the proverbial “shop” to build any project requiring this much expertise and creativity. The shop is called Rad…

The primary tenant of Pro Touring is building track-capable handling into a vintage vehicle, and that’s exactly the plan of the 1969 Camaro project we’ve been following at Phoenix-based Hot Rods By Dean. And the Detroit Speed & Engineering QuadraLink rear suspension is just the right call. In addition to a supercharged LT4 crate engine and TREMEC Magnum six-speed transmission, the car is also receiving a complete, front-to-rear chassis-and-suspension makeover using mostly Detroit Speed components. Our previous installment showed the LT4 engine being nestled into its new home within a Detroit Speed hydroformed front subframe. It was stronger than the original but was the foundation for an all-new coilover front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering system. That was the first half of the chassis and suspension upgrades. The project moves rearward,…

Birthday presents are always fun. However, receiving a hot rod for your birthday must be right up there with the “best of the best” in presents. Such is the case for Don Nickleson of Memphis, Tennessee, who built this 1959 Corvette for his wife, Denise. It’s not just any ’59 Corvette but one that has a long list of accomplishments highlighted by a 2022 Goodguys Top 5 Street Machine of the Year selection at their Columbus Nationals, a Top 25 at Shades of the Past also in 2022, invited to the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Cup competition, and a Builders Showcase invitation at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals. The list goes on, but you get the idea. Frequently, vintage Corvettes of this era (C1) are highly prized for restorations. While that is…

History. That conjures up all sorts of thoughts as everyone and everything has its “history.” And the world of hot rodding is no different. However, early history is based on the actions before World War II, and then there is modern hot rodding where it becomes fun. It is often credited with starting in the early 1970s through a movie that came out in the early 1970s about the summer of 1962 in Modesto, California (central California), about 70 miles south of San Francisco. The movie was American Graffiti, and the car is the brilliant yellow 1932 Ford five-window coupe—the Milner coupe, as it is so often called. Call the movie what you wish–coming of age, a summer of fun, a documentary of graduating high school students—still, there’s no denying…

There was a time, many years ago, when rewiring a hot rod meant patching up a dilapidated wiring harness with scraps of wire and handfuls of butt connectors. The results were seldom satisfactory—trouble-prone at best and a fire hazard at worst. Today, a better and safer alternative is a complete wiring system like those available from American Autowire (AAW) in their Universal, Factory Fit Original Reproduction, and Classic Update series kits. As the name implies, the Universal Series of harnesses are for custom applications and are available with various circuits. AAW suggests deciding on a “wish list” of electrical system accessories planned when choosing a wiring harness, always keeping in mind you may want to add some accessories later, so plan accordingly. It’s better to have a circuit that isn’t…

In the world of hot rods, it is rare to have a project built “on time” or in a timely manner. It’s not for lack of trying; it’s just a matter of life being life and slowing down our best intentions from sprinting to shuffling. Such was the case for Irvin Henry of Grain Valley, Missouri. It was back in 1999 that Irvin got the “bug” to build, and this 1939 Buick Special came into his life, and that’s when life took over. We have all heard the stories and experienced most of them ourselves about marriage, family, jobs, and life being life. Irvin was no different. He would wait until retirement in 2015 before really finding the ample time this project would require. Fortunately for Irvin, he now had…

In past issues of Modern Rodding we looked at the outstanding chassis on Gerry Kerna’s Rebel A Sedan, built by Roadster Shop, and the initial body modifications. This time, we’ll dive into the ton of special details work that was done at Creative Rod & Kustom in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania. They brought the car to completion with its superior level of fit and finish. Model As have their own appeal, but some elements can certainly be improved. The sedan doors fit flush on the front edge, but the back edge overlaps the quarter-panel, creating a “hiccup” that would be out of place on a smooth car like this one. It takes a lot of work to fabricate an accurately sized recess in the quarter-panel, allowing the door to fit flush, but…

1. AMSOIL CAR CARE PRODUCTS AMSOIL now offers premium car care products engineered to help vehicles shine brighter. The company has applied the same commitment to quality and formulation expertise to its car care products: a High-Foam Car Shampoo, Ceramic Spray, and Interior Detailer. AMSOIL High-Foam Car Shampoo features a unique hybrid technology of surfactants, cleaning agents, and degreasers. This antistatic, high-foam formulation lifts dirt and contaminants away while being gentle on coatings and finishes. It prevents water spots and can be used to wash by hand with a bucket or with foam guns or foam cannons. AMSOIL Ceramic Spray with advanced Si02 ceramic technology enhances gloss and protects plastic and painted surfaces for up to 12 months. It is designed with extreme hydrophobicity to repel water, enhance gloss, prevent…

Hot rodders recognize that under every amazing paintjob is a tremendous amount of bodywork, and then comes the meticulous paint application. An exceptional paintjob can be ruined by less-than-impressive bodywork. Rodders grasp this basic principle. But when we see a “finished” hot rod in its “full metal jacket” (so to speak), it is impressive, and we find ourselves going over the effort much more closely. Such is the case for Eugene Bothello of Bermuda (the country) and his 1959 Chevy Impala, which is currently being built via Troy Gudgel of BBT Fabrications. We had the good luck to see this car several times, but the showstopper occurred at this past Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale when the ’59 Chevy Impala, clothed in its whole metal appearance, competed for the Barrett-Jackson Cup—and…

Since the days of the Model T, hot rodders have been finding ways to make Fords go faster. Ironically, as those efforts became more successful, it became obvious that old Fords needed to stop more effectively as well. Although Henry Ford’s mechanical intellect was staggering on one hand, on the other hand his conservative nature often influenced his decisions. When the Model As for 1928 were introduced, they were equipped with four-wheel mechanically operated drum brakes. Certainly, it was an advancement compared to the Model T, which only had a pedal-operated single brake band inside the planetary transmission and lever-actuated “emergency brakes” on the rear wheels. However, Ford continued to use mechanically operated brakes long after other manufacturers had made the change to hydraulics; Duesenberg introduced hydraylic brakes in 1921,…

The classic GM G-bodies (1978 to 1988), Cutlass, Regal, Grand Prix, and, of course, the Monte Carlo were the last of the company’s intermediate body-on-frame cars. They had suspension and braking technology little changed from the muscle car days. It all worked quite well in the later 1970s through the 1980s, but to be honest, that was the era when not even the highest output of the brands’ respective “performance” models even cracked 200 hp. For example, the high-profile, undeniably sharp-looking, and NASCAR-influenced Monte Carlo SS looked like it could shred rubber from Daytona to Talladega. Still, its 305-inch small-block managed only a meager 180 hp. That meant it was pretty hard to squeak even a smidge of rubber in a Cracker Barrel parking lot. Not surprisingly, enthusiasts have spent…