Modern Rodding is dedicated to early and late hot rodes - from Model Ts to GTOs and everything in-between. It features the latest in custom builds, technical articles, new products, and special features.
It seems that the American V-8 is under attack from all sorts of directions, most notably the government. If you read this magazine, there is a good chance you grew up with more than one V-8 that fascinated you. It might have been its appearance or sound but it always comes down to performance. For me, the open hood of a ’55 Chevy in my high school parking lot was enough to bring the world to a standstill. Seeing a new fuelie Corvette with the hood popped would flat make me loosey-goosey. It didn’t matter how short that mini skirt was nearby; nothing could replace a small-block with Rochester mechanical fuel injection for my undivided attention. My gosh, that just caused my heart to flutter. Well, I did grow up…
Triple Crown of Rodding Offers Lots More! The Triple Crown of Rodding (TCR) was voted online by enthusiasts in USA Today as one of the top three events in the country. This year’s event is scheduled for September 6-7, 2024, at the Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee. More is coming to the TCR, which already includes the new $70,000 Chevy Silverado pickup customized by Alloway’s Hot Rod Shop with its beautiful black paint. It also features one-off Billet Specialties 22-inch Bonneville wheels wrapped in Diamondback speed-rated Redline tires and a one-off Alumicraft billet grille. Aside from a chance to win this truck, all registered participants have a chance to win a brand-new BluePrint LS3 valued at over $10,000. The Celebrity Meet and Greet will be held on Friday and Saturday…
1. ADVANCED THERMAL ACOUSTIC COATING The Advanced Thermal Acoustic Coating is a spray-on, roll-/brush-on, two-in-one sound and heat barrier for hot rod interiors that is quick and easy and will save you money. The unique high-tech ceramic microsphere technology dampens noise and vibration while reflecting heat up to 375 degrees F and is a waterbased coating that cleans up easily and covers up to 75 square feet. It is also non-toxic and water-soluble. For more info, check out Design Engineering by calling (800) 264-9472 or visit designengineering.com. 2. GO SPARK FiTech’s latest innovation, the Go Spark Ignition Coil (PN 90001) is engineered to deliver unparalleled spark reliability and ignite the potential of your fuel injection system. A handful of key features make the Go Spark Coil an ideal addition. The…
If I may quote Pat Ganahl from his book Dry Lakes Hot Rods, he states, “You have to remember that most lakes racing—hot rodding—was a child of the Depression. The good part of that was that all kinds of ‘junk’ was available.” As such, it was fair game to build anything if you chased the elusive goal of faster speeds. Ganahl pointed out that lakes cars came in all sizes and shapes, “not just stripped-down Ford roadsters.” But there is no denying that the Ford roadster was the center point of much of this racing. We should point out that the “lakes-style” roadster build was originally done to achieve greater speeds. These roadsters were stripped of fenders, headlights, windshields, and so on, more for aerodynamics than weight loss. Weight was…
While LS swaps remain as popular as ever, LT swaps are gaining traction as the latest in technology and factory-engineered performance—with the supercharged LT4 emerging as a popular choice. Of course, it’s the engine that powered the C7 Corvette Z06 and sixth-gen Camaro ZL1, and it is available as a crate engine from Chevrolet Performance. With a little more than 9 pounds of boost generated from an Eaton 1.7L R1740 TVS supercharger spinning at up to 20,000 rpm, the LT4 cranks out an impressive 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. “Considering the technology and performance wrapped up in the crate engine, it would be difficult for the same cost to build something comparable from the ground up,” Dean Livermore, the man behind the name at Phoenix-based Hot Rods By…
The Ford woodie, along with others, has a long and storied history as a “surf wagon” and is as much a part of the SoCal surfing scene as surfboards, baggy shorts, shore breaks, and bikinis. With that said, this month’s ’48 Ford woodie has the looks, but more is lurking under the “wood.” Owned by Ray Reinertson of the Bay Area, it should come as no shock that a good-looking Ford woodie is part of the surf and the hot rod scene he lives in. But what sets this woodie apart is the makeover he pursued with Jeff Schwartz of Schwartz Performance. What started out as the obligatory 350 small-block Chevy V-8 and Mustang II IFS would undergo a complete makeover at the hands of the builders at Schwartz Performance.…
