Rodding USA March/April 2020

In August of 2015, I was photographing Gilberto Porras 1940 Ford for the cover of issue 16 of Rodding USA. He and his wife Leticia drove the coupe from El Paso, Texas, to Tucson for the shoot. After the shoot, we were enjoying a nice steak dinner, along with a few Margaritas. During our lengthy dinner visit (this was the first time we’d met), Gilberto asked me if I had ever stopped to see the hot rods that a young guy named Victor Garcia had in Chiriaco Summit, California. I asked if that was the gas station on Interstate 10 near Indio. He said yes. He said he stopped for gas while driving his Deuce Victoria the previous June on his way to the L.A. Roadster Show. Victor came over…

In November of 1998, Larry O’Toole, owner of Graffiti Publications in Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia, sent a reply letter to American hot rodder Ed Belknap of Monrovia, California. Ed had contacted Larry (also the editor/ publisher of Australian Street Rodding magazine) inquiring about the fiberglass bodies being manufactured by a company named Deuce Customs in Ferntree Gully, Victoria. Ed, a Southern California hot rodder, was getting ready to build a new car, and he had heard good reviews of the Deuce Customs bodies and in particular, the ’32 2-door Phaeton. He reached out to his friend Larry, who in turn, let him know that he highly recommended the DC bodies and felt they were equal to anything in the world, and were nicely finished. Even more interesting information in the letter…

OWNER: Charlie Sumrall – Peoria, Arizona CHASSIS: Original, modified by Lime Works. Tube center section, boxed, bobbed rear. FRONT SUSPENSION: Dropped I-beam axle, F1 drum brakes, hairpins, and a Vega steering box. REAR SUSPENSION: Halibrand quick-change, Pete & Jake’s ladder bars, buggy spring. WHEELS/TIRES: Steelies, front 15x6 with 165-R15 tires, rear 16x8 with 275/70-R16s. ENGINE: 1957 Dodge Super Red Ram 325ci Hemi, 3x2 intake manifold, 97 Stromberg carburetors and custom-built outside exit headers. TRANSMISSION: Borg Warner T-10 4-speed. BODY: Fiberglass by Deuce Customs in Australia featuring only two extended doors. Original ’32 Ford grille shell, insert and hood top. Black PPG acrylic urethane base coat/clear coat paint. INTERIOR: Glide Engineering seat upholstered in black leather, custom black vinyl tonneau cover concealing storage compartments and gas tank, Stewart Warner gauges. BUILT:…

There’s a secret in the Steel Valley of the USA that needs to be told. It’s the Rockabilly Ruckus at the Trumbull County Fairgrounds in Cortland, Ohio, near the OH/PA border. With only a few years under its belt, this still-growing show is already well known for a great time with plenty to do. And it’s put on by a family, not a corporation. That means it has a natural family feel and atmosphere. A dirt track lets owners test their cars. Other on-track events are also available like their Burnout Contest and Moonshine Run. Are you brave enough? Several bands play, there are food trucks and vendors, pin-up contests for ladies and kids, and a Charity Panel Jam has pinstripers raising money for Veterans. Camping on site is available,…

When it comes to fasteners, the proverbial “red-headed stepchild” is the washer. It’s sometimes overlooked and often misused. So for a little guidance on the subject, we turned to the folks at Automotive Racing Products, Inc. —better known as ARP— the acknowledged experts in fastener technology. In terms of automotive use, you’ll commonly find five types of washers employed: flat (or plain), fender, split (or lock), star, and insert. And there’s a variation of the flat washer featuring serrations on the underside. You won’t find split washers in ARP’s catalog because they’re primarily useful with small diameter fasteners in low load conditions. The concept is that the split washer acts somewhat like a spring and puts pressure on the object being attached and the head of the bolt or a…

The 49th edition of the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction was held January 11-19, 2020, and shattered records from previous events including the over 1,900 vehicles which rolled across the infamous auction block. General Motors donated the very first (VIN 001) 2020 Corvette Stingray, which sold for charity at the incredible price of 3 million dollars.…