Tabla de contenidos para July - August 2023 en Rodding USA

Growing up in the 80s, we were into skateboarding, BMX, and punk rock. When my friends and I started driving, we got into mini trucks and "Cal Look Bugs." When clubs like the Lucky Devils, Sacred Karts, Road Zombies, Auto Butchers, and the Shifters hit the scene in the mid-80s, it was like: Oh, I don't need to have paint and upholstery and a perfect body worked car. I can get a model A or T and throw it together, and I've got a hot rod. And that was my first hot rod, a '30 coupe on '32 rails. My friends and I started getting into early hot rods because all the older guys were throwing away the traditional components. They wanted independent front suspension, air conditioning, power steering, and…

Car Trailers play an essential part in our car culture hobby, whether they are used for getting your project to the painter during the build, bringing home a new project or getting your car to a car show. We won’t get into the debate of cars being driven or trailered; that’s for the owner to decide what works best for their particular situation. The root of this article is to share the new Rodding USA, JIMGLO (Kingman, AZ) enclosed trailer and some upgrades we have performed to its ease of use and making sure it doesn’t fall victim to the ever-growing problem of trailer theft nationwide. JIMGLO TRAILERS The enclosed trailer is a 20-foot JIMGLO Elite model, which features an aluminum frame and a sleek composite one-piece floor, walls, and…

rodding event Midwest Roadster Run 2023 In 2018, Mel Lawyer created the Midwest Roadsters (formerly Roadsters of America) page on Facebook and invited roadster pilots to join him on a cruise originating in Alton, Illinois. That first-year event drew about 45 roadsters and Cabriolets from as far away as Maryland and Texas. The event has continued to grow, with more participants and states represented each year. As you might imagine, when Mel announced early this year that he and his family had too many other obligations to host this popular run, the page followers were disappointed. We all know that roadster pilots are a hardy bunch that enjoy a good time, so it was no surprise that several guys and gals asked if they could take up the slack to avoid…

rodding event 6th Annual Deuces of the Bluegrass Shelby’s Way hosted its Deuces of the Bluegrass event in Lexington, Kentucky, on Sunday, June 25, 2023. This is the primary fundraising event for the Kentucky-based 501c3 non-profit organization that brings awareness to suicide prevention by ending the stigma of discussing mental health. Hot rodders from Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania traveled to support the cause. The Deuces of the Bluegrass has always been held on Sunday, but traditionally many of the participants arrive in town on Friday or Saturday. To spend more time with his hot-rodding brethren, Shelby’s Way founder/president Mark Cain has led a scenic tour through the beautiful, horse-farm-laden countryside around Lexington for the last few years. A tour of the Buffalo Trace Distillery was included to add…

rodding event 57th L.A. Roadster Show The 57th edition of the L.A. Roadster Show was an overwhelming success, and beautiful weather accompanied the event. Saturday began with the typical “June Gloom” Southern California overcast that burns off by late morning/early afternoon. It was 60 degrees at 8 am but warmed to the low 70s. Saturday was different, with bright sunny skies warming to the mid-80s. That’s about as perfect as it can get for a show. The swap area sold out and was filled to capacity with everything from complete cars to project cars and all the imaginable parts to build or finish a car. We spotted quite a few Ford Model A parts, projects, and finished cars for sale and at reasonable prices. The vendors seemed to be doing brisk…

If your special interest vehicle is insured with a standard car insurer, which form of comprehensive or collision coverage do you have? Is it actual cash value, stated value, or agreed value? Ask yourself, will I get the actual cash value or the agreed value of my Street Rod? Rods and customs are unique. The difficulty is in determining their value. The insurers must dig deeper into the mechanical and aesthetic modifications, horsepower, suspension system, paint scheme, etc. Quality of the parts and workmanship are essential factors. In some cases, a premium is put on cars built by well-known or famous builders. If you build all or just part of your car, make sure that you maintain a detailed record of the parts, i.e., the name of the parts producer,…

When the new design for the 1949 Ford model year of cars was introduced, it was an instant hit that many credited with saving the struggling Ford Motor Company. Like its Mercury cousin, the ‘49-51 Shoebox soon became a favorite with young hot rodders with its sleek design and optional 100 hp flathead V8 engine. The woodie wagon would prove popular among families of the day, later becoming the surfing icon we all know and love. Enter this 1950 Ford Woodie wagon belonging to Colorado natives Bart and Candy Pruett. Bart’s family’s story of the 1950 Ford, affectionately named “The Bomb,” begins on Valentine’s Day, 1952, when his grandfather ‘Mac’ McClain brought the car home to his family in Raton, NM. Mac traded his Ford pickup and $1,060.50 for the…

A while back, my friend and fellow Bay Area Roadsters member Dennis Varni put a bug in my ear. A veteran of rallies worldwide, Dennis wanted me to join him on a timed-stage race south of the border known as the Chihuahua Express. At first, all I could think of was Dennis and I “disappearing” in Mexico, ya know what I mean? But learning more about the race, it seemed like it was a passionate group of cool guys and great drivers with a solid set of rules, logistics, and a great host hotel. And after all, racing cars beats work, right? We made our plan, booked the time off work, and went for it. THE CAR Our race entry was a 1949 Nash Dennis acquired some years back. Outfitted…

In recent years, the incidence of interesting “barn finds” has increased dramatically, but to find one of these long-forgotten jewels in pristine condition is quite unusual. But such is the case with this sweet little 1924 Ford Model “T” roadster pickup hot rod, built in the early 1950s by John Lane of San Leandro, California, and forgotten in an old storage barn for over half a century. Frank Brown, who has a keen eye for unique cars, spotted the “T” at the SuperNationals car show in Albuquerque in 2007 and became intrigued with the long and storied history of the little hot rod. The car had been brought to Albuquerque by Mr. Lane’s granddaughter in 2005, given a good clean-up and some mechanical attention to make it operable again, displayed…

If it weren't for my 1956 Ford Pickup, I never would've found these two cars. My great friend who owned a shop, Mike de Matteo's Street Rods, let me use it to get some work done on the truck. It was a Tuesday in April 2017, and I called him up and told him I needed to put a kick down on the truck, and he called the parts house to order one for me. He told me that it might be a while until it was in. I didn't want to wait for it, but it was the same price as ordering it online, and I preferred to support the local business. By Friday, the parts house called and said they could deliver the kick down to Mike's shop…