Table of contents for May - June 2023 in Rodding USA

OWNER: Mark Herz – Sandy, Oregon. CHASSIS: Brizio Street Rods, stretched 1-1/2 inches. FRONT SUSPENSION: Super Bell dropped I-beam, filled ends, Brizio hair pins, Rosie springs, QA1 shocks, Wilwood brakes, Borgeson Vega steering box. REAR SUSPENSION: 9-inch Ford, 3.89 gears, Tru Trac posi traction, Brizio ladder bars, QA1 coil-over shocks. WHEELS: American Rebel. Front – 15x5, Rear – 16x10. TIRES: Front – Michelin 145SR-15, Rear BF Goodrich LT345-55/R16. ENGINE: Don Hardy Racing Chevrolet 383,460 horsepower, custom air cleaner & valve covers, ARP Fasteners, the block is powder coated. TRANSMISSION: Tremec TKO 5-speed. BODY: Brookville steel body. Seams have been modified, round tube supports, dash welded, Jack Hageman hood, firewall welded, windshield chopped 3 inches Jaguar Regency red paint by Darryl Hollenbeck. INTERIOR: Sid Chavers custom leather interior with cloth accents,…

rodding event Spokane Speed and Custom Show Each year the Spokane Speed and Custom Show gets better and better. To say that this year's show was the best ever would be an understatement. It was over the top for the quality and high level of fit, finish, and shine of the entries and the number of people attending it. Four hundred vehicles spread out over eight buildings, the most cars ever at any indoor show in Spokane and throughout Washington state. They also had the most 20’ x 20’ vehicle displays to grace the Spokane Fairgrounds buildings, adding to the show's mini GNRS feel. Celebrity guests Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and TV's Full Custom Garage personality Ian Roussel were there Friday and Saturday to talk to fans and sign hero cards…

The build-up An old saying states that a “picture is worth a thousand words,” but in this case, a picture turned into a three-year obsession to build a new/old Deuce roadster. Mike Edwards, an Industrial Machinery & Equipment Manufacturing business owner and rodder lives in Tucson, Arizona, and owns a stunning 1939 Ford coupe. One day he was cruising the internet when he saw a picture on the HAMB of a German car during a holiday in Switzerland. The German car fit the period look (1947), so the project began. Mike says, “The builder of that type of hot rod was probably a returning serviceman living in Southern California. The builder used the skills that he acquired in the military to fabricate his hot rod. In 1947, a ‘32 Ford…

When you mention “A.R.P.” to street rodders, critical engine fasteners like head studs, connecting rod bolts, and main studs/bolts often come to mind. Building powerful, reliable engines is, of course, an important consideration for most rodders. But you should know that A.R.P. has also devoted considerable energy to optimizing drivetrain reliability – eliminating fasteners as the weakest link. Let's start with attaching a flywheel or flexplate to the crankshaft flange. A.R.P.'s engineering team has developed fasteners with an exclusive, broad 12-point head for improved clamp load distribution, plus a larger-than-stock shank to provide a precise register. They're forged from premium grade 8740 steel and heat-treated in-house to assure through-hardening. Threads are rolled after heat-treat to give ten times the fatigue life of ordinary fasteners, and they are rated at 190,000…

When the 1936 Ford Cabriolet debuted, it caught the eye of the automotive market with its new styling, from updating the grille, reshaped fenders, and newly designed hood vents over past models. However, the most significant change was using the still desirable artillery wheels instead of wire wheels. Over the years, it became the perfect platform for taildraggers, 40s-era customs, and tasteful street rods. This particular Ford sat in a barn resting for several years while staying in excellent condition. Ken Brown was looking for a retirement vehicle so he and his wife could cruise around. He purchased this car sight unseen in 2000; however, it was not entirely up to Ken's standards once it arrived. Ken immediately took the car to a local shop to start the necessary bodywork…

rodding collection Denny Cissell Denny and Bonnie Cissell of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, transplanted to the desert, having moved from Temecula, CA, in 1999. Denny had sold his business, and they wanted to move to a less populated area than Southern California but be close enough to go back in four to five hours. The attraction of LHC, besides the beautiful winter weather, was the ever-growing car community. Denny has been involved in hot rodding for the last 35 years, and it is a mainstay for him and Bonnie. He purchased his first car, a 1934 Ford Tudor sedan, from builder Reed Lillard in 1988. He didn't keep it long but sold it to his brother, who still owns it. He is an active Outriders car club member and tells me…

Every hot rod has a story, whether it's been on the road for forty-four years or is a fresh build that is some rodders dream ride. The story on this old mid-70s Tucson, Arizona hot rod is that it was found as a channeled car with no floor. A Tucsonan acquired the car, installed a new floor, and painted it dove gray before getting it on the road in 1979. During its early years, it went through a few owners and was worked on by many notable rodders in Southern Arizona. It is powered by a Chevy small-block V8 and a Turbo 350 automatic transmission. I remember the car from the mid-90s when local hot rod upholsterer and long-time friend Eddie Salcido purchased the car from a Phoenix area rodder.…

A few years back, enthusiast Elmer Rossi had Steve Huntzinger/Huntzinger Restorations built this pure nostalgia 1941 Ford pickup; you know, the kind that would jerk your memory and bring back those days gone by. Unfortunately, Elmer passed away not long after, never getting the opportunity to enjoy his dream. When it turned up for sale, Jim Alford immediately stepped in, fully aware of the effort put in by both Elmer and Steve, vowing to let the dream live on. The chassis has been completely rebuilt, using a Magnum 3-inch dropped tube front axle, Columbia rear end, and ‘39 Zephyr gears in the ‘41 transmission; everything has been liberally coated in black. The tear-at-your-heartstrings flat motor started life as a ‘48 Ford engine and has been fully tricked out by Bob…

1932 FORD ROADSTER Joe Rebozzi and his wife have been longtime Bay Area Roadsters Club members and, in 2018, decided it was time for a new roadster. Joe and hot rod builder Roy Brizio have been friends for over 40 years and have worked on many projects over that span. He contacted Roy, and they devised a plan for the new 1932 Ford roadster. There were five specific items for the build; 1 – It would be powered by a high-performance small-block Chevy. 2 It would have a five-speed manual transmission. 3 – The front suspension would consist of a Super Bell dropped I-beam axle and hairpins. 4 – The color of the car would be a shade of red. 5 – Joe's longtime friend Sid Chavers would do the…

rodding museum Peterson Automotive Museum A recent donation to the Petersen Automotive Museum will ensure that generations to come can enjoy one of the quintessential American hot rods. Renowned car collector Bruce Meyer recently handed over the keys to his 1932 Ford “McGee Roadster” to Terry L. Karges, executive director of the Petersen Automotive Museum. Constructed by noted hot-rod builder Bob McGee, the McGee Roadster introduced an aesthetic that quickly became nearly ubiquitous in the roadster community. The popular hot rod will become part of the Petersen's permanent collection. The Petersen Automotive Museum and the McGee Roadster share an origin story that stems from Hot Rod Magazine, founded by Robert E. Petersen in 1948. The McGee Roadster's popularity skyrocketed after appearing on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine, the first street…

By now, you have already seen the cover of Issue 62, and when I came up with the concept, I knew that Tom Richards had a bare metal Brookville 3/W coupe in his garage. So I contacted Tom to tell him of my plans, but to my dismay, he told me he had sent it off to Prescott, AZ, to get chopped. Fortunately, I had five weeks before our deadline, and Tom said it would return in three weeks. I asked him if he thought it would be done so quickly, and he assured me that Dave Ivcrson, “the chopper,” didn't waste any time completing his work. Sure enough, 18 days later, I was informed that the car was done and would return four days later. Tom says, “This car…

roding event The 7th Annual Havasu Deuces/The Deuce Show took over Lake Havasu City in Northwest Arizona from March 2-4, 2023. Unfortunately, the weather forecast for midweek wasn't promising, and Mother Nature threatened to curtail the show. But luckily the winter storm front came through with a vengeance Tuesday night and all-day Wednesday, ahead of the start of the show on Thursday. Wind, rain, hail, and a high temp of 45 chilly degrees canceled the optional breakfast cruise to Parker and the Pirates Den restaurant on the banks of the Colorado River. What a surprise when the clouds lifted on Thursday morning to see the mountains surrounding the city covered in snow which was a beautiful sight. The show downtown on Main Street (McCulloch Boulevard) began at noon, the skies…

Social media can be great for gathering opinions on almost everything. However, many of those keyboard warriors are quick to give an answer based on their own experience (good or bad) but are slow to provide the reasoning behind their answers. When you do not understand the reasoning behind something, a simple matter can become quite confusing. Additionally, if someone provides you with an answer that does not work well for you, you probably will not know how to remedy the situation. A common question on many automotive forums is how to set the pinion angle on a hot rod. To eliminate vibration and prolong the life of your u-joints, the output shaft of the engine/transmission should be parallel to the input shaft of the differential. Many do not understand…