Tabla de contenidos para Volume 6, Issue 57 - June 2025 en Modern Rodding

We all want to unearth our next project tucked away in a museum just waiting for us to bring it back into the open and start fresh. Even though Bill Hill from Jackson, Tennessee, didn’t purchase this 1959 Chevy Impala directly from the Chevyland USA Museum in Nebraska, where it was from 1973 until 2018, it originated from that collection. The museum was previously owned by Monte Hollertz, a local farmer with a deep passion for his cars. According to the story, the car was given to Hollertz’s daughter, who later decided to sell it. Although the immaculate machine was ready to hit the road, it wasn’t suited for the demands of hot rodding. That’s where Riveting Rides Hot Rod Shop, under the careful direction of Madison Alexander, comes into…

For at least one of Modern Rodding’s senior staff members (we won’t mention the editor by name) the memory of Ford introducing the Mustang fastback 61 years ago is vivid. Unfortunately, over the past six decades, many of those ponycars that were once the desire of many young enthusiasts have suffered from use and abuse. But thanks to Golden Star Classic Auto Parts, just about every piece of sheetmetal necessary to make any early Mustang as pristine as it once was is readily available. As we’ve noted before, Mustangs were introduced in April 1964, initially as hardtops and convertibles, with the fastback appearing a few months later, in August that same year. While these early cars were often called 1964-½ models, Ford classified all 1964 and 1965 Mustangs as 1965…

Pure nostalgia and a tribute to Scott Simpson’s dad, Rob, are more than enough reasons to make this 1965 Ford Ranchero a lifelong passion. What can a young car enthusiast growing up in Southern California, immersed in the car culture of the 1950s and ’60s, expect? Scott shares that he often imagined how thrilling it must have been to cruise American Graffiti style in hot rods or take family cars to the drive-in. Like many of us who inherited the “car gene” from our dads, Scott is no different. His father was a Ford enthusiast, so Mustangs were always parked in the driveway. When Scott turned 15, his dad helped him buy his first car, the 1965 Ford Falcon Ranchero that you see before you, from a family friend in…

This is high on our list of indisputable facts: roadsters and phaetons look great without a top. Riding fully exposed to the elements can be enjoyable or torturous, depending on the conditions, and if your journey is long enough, you will undoubtedly experience hefty doses of both. Taking on that long-distance trip without a top is something almost every roadster owner does at least once. It’s a rite of passage, an initiation into the coveted “real roadster guy” club. Heck, some hardcore roadster and phaeton tours even prohibit tops. While some hot rodders opt to go topless multiple times or don’t have a top at all, for others, it seems reasonable to seek shelter. If possible, the decision to have a top on your roadster or phaeton should be made…

Bonneville Road Tour Jerry Dixey is excited to announce the Bonneville Classic Road Tour, which is set to begin this summer. This tour will follow the successful Classic Road Tour from Scottsdale to Pomona. Not one to slow down, Jerry Dixey has planned another bus adventure this summer. Travelers will gather in Lincoln, Nebraska, at the Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. The group will dive into the museum’s captivating exhibits all day Wednesday. On Thursday, participants will board the bus and journey west, with Cheyenne, Wyoming, as their first overnight stop. Here, they will explore authentic cowboy and western attractions. On Friday afternoon, the tour will arrive in Salt Lake City, where headquarters will be set up for the weekend. During Saturday and Sunday,…

There is a new process for forming sheetmetal panels that we believe will soon gain traction in the specialty car market. This process, known as Digital Sheet Forming, utilizes a powerful computerized machine that presses a moving stylus against a sheet of metal backed by a urethane pad. The stylus starts by pushing against the outermost profile of the part and progressively moves inward with each pass, spiraling toward the center of the panel. The machine can shape various types of metal, including aluminum up to 10-gauge thickness and steel up to 14-gauge. Its maximum panel size is 47x63 inches, and it can form to a depth of 15.7 inches. Larger parts can be formed in sections and subsequently joined by welding. The digital file needed to operate the machine…

It’s often repeated: Corvettes are factory hot rods and will forever hold a place in automotive history. This is remarkably accurate for the 1963 Corvette coupe, famously known as the “split-window.” Casey Shires, from Texas, and his father have been longtime Corvette enthusiasts, with a special fondness for the 1963 split-window, a unique, one-year-only design. However, while maintaining its classic aesthetics, the split-window needed to incorporate modern performance and personal features to fulfill Casey’s dreams. The Corvette, an older restoration, originally came into Casey’s hands through a friend. Over time and happenstance, Casey brought the split-window to Jason Smith of Hot Rod Garage (HRG) in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Casey spoke with Smith and decided to let Smith and the staff at HRG “go for it.” Smith enlisted the help of…

Auto Body Specialists in Manchester, New Hampshire, has a long history of beautifully crafted Pro Touring builds. The owner, Jay Doerfler, aims to make each project a bit nicer than the last. We will follow the build of Pat Floyd’s 1969 Camaro, which showcases remarkable detail work at every glance. This time, we’ll focus on the exceptional work done on the core support and front wheelwells. While these may seem like simple components, the effort devoted to perfecting the shape, fit, and finish is truly unmatched—as you’ll see in the photos. The core support had serious issues, so the first step was to repair all the damaged sections. Next, several reinforcements were added and all incomplete areas were capped or boxed in. Finally, every surface was perfectly polished to perfection…

The death of Gene Winfield (June 16, 1927-March 4, 2025), a true icon in the world of hot rodding, marks a day of great significance. Gene embodied the spirit of hot rodding like no one else. While his heart belonged to custom cars, his passion for racing at the Dry Lakes and Bonneville was a strong second. For those who experienced Gene “after hours,” he had a deep love for dancing. He never turned down a good party and always enjoyed himself with his fellow hot rodders. But beyond his remarkable contributions to automotive culture, Gene was a beloved friend. He had a unique way of connecting with everyone he encountered, always sharing a smile, offering a handshake, and forging new friendships at every event he attended. His life was…

1. DRIVE BY WIRE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM Dakota Digital offers the VCM-100 Series, a drive-by-wire cruise control system for modern GM, Ford, and Mopar vehicles. It is specially engineered to work seamlessly with OEM OBD-II and CAN systems and aftermarket EFI systems featuring electronic pedal control. Dakota Digital’s proprietary setup wizard is at the heart of the VCM-100 Series. This intuitive feature guides users through the installation and configuration process, ensuring that setting up and operating the cruise control is smooth and straightforward. The VCM-100 Series offers features, including compatibility with drive-by-wire throttle bodies and pedals. For those who appreciate real-time diagnostics, onboard monitoring is provided through built-in seven-segment and LED indicators. The Velocity Commander further enhances functionality by monitoring speedometer and tachometer information via OBD-II, aftermarket EFI CAN data,…

We wanted to have some fun with our Canadian hot rod friends and their accents, so we playfully called the “Model A” the “Model Eh.” We’re pretty sure J.F. Launier, the owner of JF Kustoms in Canada, wouldn’t mind if we refer to his 1929 Ford highboy roadster as a Model Eh. Before you is his ride, a Model Eh roadster brought here a few years ago to the Grand National Roadster Show to compete for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) award. Known as “JF,” he is no stranger to building incredible hot rods and winning prestigious awards. While his 1929 highboy roadster didn’t win the AMBR award, he built a Ridler-winning car in the past, solidifying his reputation as a top builder. The backstory of this highboy roadster is…

When it comes to the vintage homologation specials for SCCA’s Trans Am racing series, the Mustang Boss 302 and Camaro Z/28 typically get all the attention—but Chrysler had its own dogs in the fight. The Dodge Challenger T/A and Plymouth ’Cuda AAR were strong competitors on and off the track, with the street-going versions featuring a unique, Six-Barrel version of the 340 small-block—although the racing cars used destroked engines displacing 305 ci. Significantly, the “T/A” engine was more than a 340 with a trio of two-barrel carbs. It was comprehensively engineered for highrpm performance and featured a unique, strengthened block casting and unique cylinder heads with offset intake rocker arms that made room for larger intake runners. The induction system consisted of three Holley two-barrels mounted atop an Edelbrock aluminum…

The 1963 Buick Riviera, owned by Thomas Duty and his wife, Eileen Papas, holds sentimental value as it was the first car Eileen learned to drive. Friends Cale Kern (of Cale Kern Hot Rods), Bryan Barlow, and Jack Davis also contributed to the construction of this car. It’s important to note that Eileen selected the wheel and tire combination, as well as the body color and interior details, and she expressed a wish to retain the original Nailhead engine. The vehicle features a 1963 Buick Riviera body with subtle custom enhancements, including 1967-68 Firebird taillights and rear wheeltubs widened by an inch. The front and rear bumpers have been modified and closely tucked into the body. Bedford Body Shop handled the bodywork, and Jack Davis painted it in a BMW…