Table of contents for Volume 4, Issue 37 - October 2023 in Modern Rodding

The ’65 Buick Riviera GS is one of the most coveted starting points for any hot rod. Now, to this add some creative thinking to improve on an already award-winning design and apply today’s advancements in powertrain and suspension and you drive away with the best of all. The ’65 Buick is part of the first of eight generations. There were 34,586 Rivieras produced but only 3,354 carried the GS option. From here the Buick was thought of as both a muscle and a luxury car that could also be transformed into a remarkable custom. The Rivi succeeded at everything a hot rodder wanted and this GS hit all the marks. Jeff Mosing, of Austin, Texas, has spent a lifetime enjoying all kinds of cars, but we dare say that…

As you get into any metal repair or replacement work on your project you must always balance time versus money. Sometimes you may have more of one than the other (with rarely an abundance of both) but doing rust repair work on a vehicle can eat up a lot of time and money. Luckily for Tri-Five owners, Texas-based Golden Star Classic Auto Parts can save you a bit of both. Golden Star is a family owned/operated business that sells a huge amount of replacement parts and pieces for everything from old Ford Broncos, Mustangs, Chevelles, GTOs, A- and G-body GMs, to ’60s VW Buses and Mercedes-Benzes, but they also carry a full line of ’55-57 Chevy replacement panels to make repair work more manageable. At Orange County Hot Rods (Corona,…

At first glance this ’55 Ford Thunderbird, T-bird, or ’Bird appears to be stock, save the wheels. Yet upon closer examination you begin to see there is more than meets the eye. Stan Cox of Texas, along with the staff at Cotati’s Speed Shop out of Santa Rosa, California, joined efforts and came away with this tastefully modified and highly potent T-bird. A little more on the backstory on how Stan came away with this T-bird: “I always wanted a ’55-57 T-bird. I have been looking for a few years and never thought of a restomod. Barrett-Jackson was a bucket list thing of mine and with some friends we began about eight years ago and have bought some nice cars. In the beginning it was just us guys, but the…

The L.A. Roadsters Show, Roadster Show, Father’s Day, Los Angeles Roadsters Show & Swap, by whatever name you have come to call it, there is no denying this local show has national appeal. Hot rod owners from around the country and from oversees come each year to get a “feel” for SoCal rodding. This year’s 57th Annual L.A. Roadsters Show & Swap felt like it enjoyed a bit of a resurgence over the past five or so years. After the 50th show (2007) there was a noticeable drop-off in show attendance, with the hiccups in the economy and the pandemic creating a downward spiral. But it seems as though there was a marked improvement this year as we could see 300-plus roadsters, over 700 specialty parking hot rods, and over…

Goodguys Names the 2023 Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year Goodguys Rod & Custom Association congratulates Jon Hall and his ’27 Track T Roadster for being named their 2023 Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year. This sought-after award was announced during the Goodguys 25th Summit Racing Nationals presented by PPG in Columbus, Ohio, July 8, 2023. Hall’s roadster graced the July ’23 cover of Modern Rodding and has been featured in several build stories. The all-steel ’27 Model T body and frame from Shadow Rods of Saginaw, Michigan, is also where much of the initial sheetmetal and machinework took place. The project then went to Greening Auto Company, in Cullman, Alabama, for more details and custom components. The heavily modified Model T features a unique track-nose grille, providing…

When Alan Johnson builds a hot rod he takes design and functionality into account with every component on the car. Most of the Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop creations are built to be driven. Johnson has faithfully used Walker Radiator Works because of their durable construction and reliable performance. Vernon Walker revolutionized the street rod world with traditional brass and copper radiators that were guaranteed to cool. When Walker Radiator Works closed its doors, Johnson bought the entire operation. All the machines, patterns, and notes came with the purchase, but the name was not available, so he renamed it Johnson’s Radiator Works and moved the operation to a facility near his hot rod shop in Gadsden, Alabama. Although there has been a learning curve, Johnson and his staff have devoted many…

No question, when someone builds a hot rod it will have an impact on the few if not the many. James Wolk of Leavenworth, Kansas, has taken his ’34 Ford three-window coupe from a distinct dry lakes–appearing racer to that of an attitude-adjusted street hauler. When originally built, the ’34 Ford coupe had a distinct “dry lakes” look with its aggressive chop, patina-esque finish (achieved by sanding the glass gray originally applied), stance, and the “416c” scribed on the doors by James’ daughter, Ellie. But that was back in 2020 and within a few years the “itch” to make a change and enhance the appearance led to the single-stage urethane Dupont Gray giving the hot rod a much more finished look. A Russ Nomore Streetrods fiberglass ’34 Ford three-window coupe…

Anyone who has been around performance vehicles recognizes the name Wilwood Engineering. Founded by Bill Wood in 1977, Wilwood is a leading manufacturer of cutting-edge, high-performance disc brakes and related components. One of their newest products is the Electric Parking Brake (EPB) system that eliminates cables and conventional actuation levers. Wilwood’s EPB kits include calipers, pads, brackets, hardware, control module, switch, wiring harness, and detailed installation instructions. It’s interesting how the description of some automotive parts has changed over the years. As an example, the term emergency brake was once used to describe the system that was originally intended to be used in the case of a main brake system failure (not to mention Brennan by name, but lots of older editors still call it the emergency brake). Of course,…

1. BUCKLE DOWN Reduce underhood weight or solve a packaging problem with Detroit Speed’s battery relocation kit that comes with (PN 120107DS) or without (PN 120106DS) hardware. It includes stainless steel fasteners and height adjustability to fit your battery. This kit is designed to relocate your battery to the trunk while providing a lateral removal method rather than needing to lift the battery out of a recess. It accommodates Optima, Odyssey, and Group 34/78 batteries. CNC machined out of 6061-T6 billet aluminum, the entire battery mount is a simple, strong, and great-looking way to hold your battery anywhere. Six mounting holes provide added flexibility. The dimensions of the battery mount are 11-1/2 x 8-1/2 x 7-1/2 inches tall. For more info, check out Detroit Speed and Engineering by calling (704)…

In part I we tallied the prodigious Tommy Hrones’ body of work, his apprentice years in his uncle’s autobody shop, his roots in Oakland, and his early customs. Here, the Tommy Show unfolds with theatrical flourishes, his collaboration with builders like Joe Bailon, and a gallery of cars bearing his unique accents. December 1994. Tommy is closing his shop in East Oakland. There’s one last car being masked for final spray. “Oh, hell, he can wait,” Tommy growls. His office is bare, with an unvarnished desk and a filing cabinet. He pulls out the desk drawer, spreading out dozens of snapshots—all young, very attractive women in ’40s-style Betty Grable swimsuits. Wistfully, he sighs. “Yeah, we had a good time in those days. Go down to Forest Pool in the Santa…

Work continues at Ironworks Rod and Kustom on Danny Schaffer’s ’57 Ford Ranch Wagon. The interior of this car has been completely redesigned, from the custom headliner to the numerous CNC-machined components on the dash, doors, and console. Each component is unique but crafted to have an OEM character. Using a ’60 Thunderbird as inspiration, most of the interior was fabricated from scratch, with Tavis Highlander, from Highlander Concept Rendering, making dozens of sketches for details, large and small, before the fabrication commenced. This design utilizes bucket seats both front and back. A steel Thunderbird dashboard was modified to fit the cowl area of the Ranch Wagon, and all the details were custom designed, including the gauge cluster, the glovebox door, and the bezel for the radio faceplate and center…

Looking back at history, it’s easy to see that Chevrolet’s designers hit a homerun when it came to the fourth generation (1965-70) of the Impala, especially with the refreshingly elegant body lines of the sport coupe and convertible. The model was so good that the manufacturer’s all-time annual industry sales records were smashed with over 1 million units sold in the U.S. alone. Add in details like their exclusive, new, full-perimeter frame with coil suspension as well as choices of inline six-cylinder, small-block, or big-block V-8s and it’s easy to see why it was a hit among consumers and hot rodders alike. The stunning ’65 Impala SS convertible owned by Michael Frotten of Charlotte, North Carolina, is a perfect example of a fullsize performance car fusing its factory pedigree with…