Table of contents for May/June 2021 in Rodding USA

Our Fuel Door kit was Hagan Street Rod Necessities first product, and over 25 years later is still our most popular item. They have been used by many thousands of Street Rod Enthusiasts and professionals to hide and/or move the fuel filler on their projects. Each kit has everything you need to complete the install including the door assembly (with hinge and touch latch), a fill-through cap, and a threaded spout for connecting a 2 inch ID hose to the fuel tank. We offer many configurations and door shapes to allow the builder incredible flexibility to achieve their vision. Step 1: First, determine your fuel door shape (oval, rectangle, teardrop, etc.) and if you want the fuel spout at a 45-degree angle (for “side” of quarter panel installations) or 90-degree…

Racing Community Loses Tucson Legend Gary “Red” Greth July 3, 1934 – April 13, 2021 Sadly, our Track Family and the racing industry lost not only a legend but a kindhearted man today. Red was instrumental in pushing our sport of drag racing into the future, long before anyone knew what the future of the sport should look like. Gary (Red) Greth, Lyle Fisher, and Don Maynard teamed up to fabricate and campaign the sleek and powerful dragster sponsored by a Tucson performance shop named Speed Sport. Red was best known for his driving, mechanical, and engineering talents as part of the Speed Sport racing team while all three drove the car. On October 20, 1957, he drove Speed Sport 1 into the record books at the Davis Monthan (Air…

ISSUE 19 (Jan-Feb, 2016) Issue 19 marked the beginning of Year 4 of Rodding USA. We began the year with a trip to Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ, then to Pomona for the Grand National Roadster Show, and then a stop at Charly’s Garage Appreciation Day in Mesa, AZ. The features in this issue included Dale Grau’s Deuce Roadster Pickup, which has been driven many times from Rice, MN, to the L.A. Roadster Show in Pomona, CA, with no top on the car. Our most unusual feature would have to be the Oscar Myer Wienermobile which happened to make a stop in Tucson. The cover car is a reproduction build of the McGee/Scritchfield Deuce Roadster. It was commissioned by the Los Angeles Roadster Club and was auctioned at Barrett-Jackson. It…

One of my earliest memories growing up was that of cars. I might have been 3 or 4 years old when one of my parent’s cars was a ‘34 3-window coupe. As my dad was washing the dust off his recent purchase, I couldn’t help but walk on the running boards and get inside to play with the steering wheel. I remember my dad saying, “ You like this one, huh?” As I replied, “yes!” he smiled and said, “well, maybe someday this one could be yours.” Those words were etched in my mind; this was MY car. Well, I am now almost 50 years old, and I understand and live with the idea that we usually must sell one to get the next one. (My son can attest to…

In talking to car enthusiasts and business people alike in 2012, I was constantly asked why I would want to publish a print magazine when everything seemed to be shifting to digital content on the internet. I grew up reading magazines and began working in the publishing industry in 1978. I knew that digital was making headway into the publishing world but I also knew the feeling of receiving publications in the mail and the excitement and joy they brought. Those same feelings could not be captured on a computer monitor or the cell phone in your hand. I also believed that many hot rodders felt the same way. I wanted Issue #1 to be unique and came up with the idea to feature a wrap-around photo on the cover…

With 50 years of history and hustle of activity signaling many years more, entering the Bob Drake facility is never a repeated experience. There is inevitably a previously missed (or perhaps a newly acquired) Ford artifact to be found, often set against a product in development or new project car begging for attention on the shop floor. No stifling taupe walled cubicles or generic corporate posters here, but walls hung with original Ford pre-war advertising and the art of Roy Jones, Tom Fritz, and Ed Tillrock, among others to offer the Drake team fresh inspiration. Large Ford neon signs and pegboards of parts marking company achievements hang tellingly over shop floors of employees assembling Drake parts and packaging boxes for the daily pickup. A mesmerizing place to visit and to…

In 2009 we installed our first RaceDeck floor system, and it held up to constant use and served us well. In talking to the folks at RaceDeck, we decided to install their new TuffShield floor, which provides a high-gloss professional look with a showroom finish. The easy-to-clean surface is also resistant to petroleum products and most chemicals. The snap-together diamond pattern tiles are available in 13 colors, measure 12” x 12”, and are shipped in 2’ x 2’ squares. Once you’ve determined the colors you want to use and have designed your pattern, it is a straightforward process to install your floor. The only tools you will need are a mallet, a kneeling pad and a table or circular saw if any cuts are necessary. Once your garage is cleared…

Although the 2021 event was postponed from the usual mid-January date to mid-April, it went off without a hitch. A few changes were implemented due to COVID 19 protocols. They included a set number of spectators allowed per day; only bidders were allowed in the auction room, masks were required both inside and outside of the buildings, but that changed later in the week when the outside area became masks optional. Despite these minor inconveniences, you could tell that everyone in attendance was happy to be back at a familiar event. HIGHLIGHTS Vehicles for Sale: 1,054 Vehicle Sales: $95 million Automobilia Items for Sale: 1,000-plus Automobilia Sales: $4.4 million Sales of Charity Auction Vehicles: $5.8 million TOP 10 SALES 1. 1966 Shelby Cobra – $5.5 million 2. 1967 Ferrari 275…

I decided to take a drive up north from Tucson to Scottsdale to see what may have changed at a Goodguys show now that COVID restrictions are being peeled back. We attended the November show, and the total number of people allowed on the grounds at any given time was restricted, and masks were required both on the grounds and in the vendor tent. Fast forward five months, and the outdoor mask mandate had been rescinded, and they were only required while in the tent. The spectator crowds grew, and the car count was about average for the spring event. We could see the enjoyment in the faces of all in attendance, and we look forward to more of the same in the coming year.…

OWNER: Glenn & Jeannie Anderson - Otis Orchards, WA. CHASSIS: Pete & Jake’s Hot Rod Parts. FRONT SUSPENSION: Mustang II independent front suspension, tubular control arms, coil-over shocks and disc brakes. REAR SUSPENSION: 9-inch Ford with disc brakes. WHEELS/TIRES: Front – 15x4.5 American Rebel Starburst wheels with 145-15 Michelin tires. Rear – 16x8 American Rebel Sprint wheels with 255-70/16 Goodrich tires. ENGINE: 383 ci Chevy, 400 hp, aluminum heads, and dual exhaust. TRANSMISSION: GM Turbo 350. BODY: Body and paint by CG Customs in Otis Orchards, WA. Axalta “Bad Tan” paint mixed by National Coatings Supply in Spokane, WA. INTERIOR: Leather interior and carpet by Bidle Upholstery in Pullman, WA. Stewart-Warner gauges, Vintage Air ac/heat, ‘40 Ford-style column, and a Corvette-style steering wheel.…

At first glance, you might think there isn’t much difference between these father and son-owned Model A pickup’s apart from the noticeable differences like paint, front bumper, badges, and some chrome parts. However, a quick look inside James Jensen’s green, black fendered pickup might give you a clue there was a significant difference lurking somewhere under the sheet metal compared to his dad Phil’s blue one. Of the two of them, it was Phil who first started building his Model A truck. A diesel mechanic by trade, it wasn’t long before he was tinkering around with cars in his garage at home. The first car he owned was a 1949 Chevy Coupe which he paid $150 for and as he says, driving it around with a big hole in the…

If you were going to describe the quintessential hot rod, Art Goldstrom’s black and flamed, 1932 Ford roadster would check most of the boxes. I would think that even a person with minimal interest in cars would see this Deuce going down the road and would say to themselves, “now that’s a Hot Rod!” We would have the same thoughts. In the late 90s, Art Goldstrom, proprietor of Nostalgia Street Rods in Las Vegas, decided that his growing collection of street rods and race cars needed to have that “quintessential” hot rod in the collection. He collaborated with his team, and this is the car they came up with. They started the project with an aftermarket chassis and fit it with a dropped I-beam axle and hairpins up front and…

After owning a succession of muscle cars consisting of several Corvettes, a Chevelle, and even a ‘65 Shelby GT Mustang, Gary Diehr decided he wanted a hot rod after he retired and moved to Lake Wales, Florida. Gated retirement communities are not often suited for a hot rod builder, and they frown on late-night pounding on metal and the flicker from torches and welding. And as we all know, not everyone has the tools and skills to build a car. Those who cannot build a car are left with little choice but to purchase one. After settling in at his new home, Gary met a few car enthusiasts and spread the word he was searching for a hot rod. One of his new friends found this ‘34 Chevrolet cabriolet on…

Doug Jerger, proprietor of Squeeg’s Kustoms in Chandler, Arizona, was born in 1969, several years after his dad Squeeg had sold a 1932 Ford 5/w coupe which was accumulating awards at indoor shows in and around Ohio. As he grew up, he saw photos and remembered hearing about the legendary candy apple red coupe customized and painted by his dad. The car was a real hit on the indoor show circuit and was featured in the May 1962 issue of Hot Rod. In 2019 Doug had sold a personal hot rod and came across a killer deal on a new Brookville ‘32 roadster. He had the cash, and it soon ended up in the back of the shop. He was planning on building the car for himself and ordered a…

VINTAGE PARTS OF ARIZONA WE are proud to announce that we are returning to our roots. April 1st, 2021, we began transitioning from the SO-CAL Speed Shop name and returned to Vintage Parts of Arizona. Founded in 1974, Vintage Ford Parts of Arizona has supported the classic car and hot rod community by carrying a wide range of parts, hosting events and seminars, and offering top-notch service. We will continue to offer the same range of quality parts and excellent service for all your vintage car and truck needs. We stock tens of thousands of parts ranging from the 1920s to the 1980s for Ford and Chevy cars and trucks. The shelves are lined with parts for restorations, daily drivers, pro-touring, customs, and more. We are located at 3427 E.…