Hot rod
Encyclopedia
Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster
that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or replacement of the camshaft(s), sometimes known as a "stick" or "rod". A camshaft designed to produce more power is sometimes call a "hot stick" or, here, a "hot rod". Roadsters were the cars of choice because they were light. The term became commonplace in the 1930s or 1940s as the name of a car that had been "hopped up" by modifying the engine in various ways to achieve higher performance.
The term can also apply to other items that are "souped up" for a particular purpose, such as "hot-rodded amplifier".
, where people would race their modified cars on the vast, empty dry lake beds northeast of Los Angeles
under the rules of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA). The activity increased in popularity after World War II
, particularly in California because many returning soldiers had been given technical training in the service. Many were prepared by Bootleg
gers in response to Prohibition
to enable them to avoid revenue agent
s ("Revenooers"); some police vehicles were also modified in response.
The first hot rods were old cars (most often Ford
s, typically Model T
s, 1928–31 Model As, or 1932-34 Model B
s), modified to reduce weight. Typical modifications were removal of convertible tops, hood
s, bumpers, windshield
s, and/or fender
s; channeling the body; and modifying the engine
by tuning
and/or replacing with a more powerful type. Speedster was a common name for the modified car. Wheel
s and tire
s were changed for improved traction
and handling. "Hot rod" was sometimes a term used in the 1950s as a derogatory term for any car that did not fit into the mainstream
. Hot rodders' modifications were considered to improve the appearance as well, leading to show cars in the 1960s replicating these same modifications along with a distinctive paint job.
Engine swaps often involved fitting the Ford flathead engine, or "flatty", in a different chassis; the "60 horse" in a Jeep
was a popular choice in the '40s. After the appearance of the 255 cid V8, because of interchangeability, installing the longer-stroke Mercury crank in the 239 was a popular upgrade among hot rodders, much as the 400 cid crank in small-blocks would become. In fact, in the 1950s, the flathead block was often fitted with crankshafts of up to 4.125 in (104.8 mm) stroke, sometimes more. In addition, rodders in the 1950s routinely bored them out by 0.1875 in (4.8 mm) (to 3.375 in (85.7 mm)); due to the tendency of blocks to crack as a result of overheating, a perennial problem, this is no longer recommended. In the '50s and '60s, the flatty was supplanted by the early hemi. By the 1970s, the small-block Chevy was the most common option, and since the '80s, the 350 cid Chevy has been almost ubiquitous.
After World War II
there were many small military airports throughout the country that were either abandoned or very rarely used that allowed hot rodders across the country to race on marked courses. Originally drag racing
had tracks as long as one mile (1.6 km) or more, and included up to four lanes of racing at the same time. As hot rodding became more popular in the 1950s, magazines and associations catering to hot rodders were started. As some hot rodders also raced on the street, a need arose for an organization to promote safety. Hot rodders including Wally Parks
created the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) to bring racing off the streets and onto the tracks. They created rules based on safety and entertainment, and allowed Hot Rodders of any caliber the ability to race. The annual California Hot Rod Reunion
and National Hot Rod Reunion
are held to honor pioneers in the sport. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
houses the roots of hot rodding.
engine in a Ford roadster to be fast. It was now possible to buy a muscle car
that outperformed just about any hot rod, with more passenger room, and without having to expend the effort of building and tuning the car oneself. After the 1973 Oil Crisis
, the public called on automakers to offer safety and fuel efficiency over performance. The resulting decrease in an average car's performance led to a resurgence of Hot Rodding, although the focus was on driving Hot Rods over racing so the term 'Street Rod' was coined to denote a vehicle manufactured prior to 1949, often with a more reliable late model drivetrain. Street Rodding as it was now known was a different phenomenon than Hot Rodding, as Street Rodding was mainly family oriented. National events were hosted by the National Street Rod Association
(NSRA), which also stressed safety as the NHRA did 20 years before, but this was safety for the street as opposed to on the race track. Each NSRA event has a 'Safety Inspection Team' that performs a 23 points inspection process that goes beyond what normal State Safety Inspections Require.
In the mid-1980s, as stock engine sizes fell, rodders discovered the all-aluminum 215 (Buick or Olds) could be stretched to as much as 305 cid, using the Buick 300 crank, new cylinder sleeves, and an assortment of non-GM parts, including VW
& Mopar
lifter
s and Carter carb. It could also be fitted with high-compression cylinder head
s from the Morgan +8
. Using the 5 liter Rover block and crank, a maximum displacement of 317.8 cid is theoretically possible.
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There is still a vibrant hot rod culture worldwide, especially in Canada, the United States
, the United Kingdom
, Australia
and Sweden
. The hot rod community has now been subdivided into two main groups: street rodders and hot rodders. Hot rodders build their cars using a lot of original equipment parts, whether from wrecking yard
s or NOS, and follow the styles that were popular from the 1940s through the 1960s. Street rodders build cars (or have them built for them) using primarily new parts.
A common factor among current owners of hot rods is to make them more noticeable. There are now many different sectors of hot rodding, some of which are:
There are hundreds of local car clubs supporting the hot rod/street rod community. The National Street Rod Association (NSRA) is the largest club in the world and sponsors many local events including the Street Rod Nationals
which serve as a showplaces for the majority of the hot-rodding and street-rodding world to display their cars and to find nearly any part needed to complete them.
Collectively they are all referred to as Hot Rods.
feature traditional hot rods and the greaser lifestyle. Underground magazines like Ol' Skool Rodz
, Gears and Gals
, and Rat-Rods and Rust Queens
cover events and people.
was one of the first to recognize the importance of hot rodding in popular culture
and brought it to mainstream attention in his book The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby
.
There are magazines that feature traditional hot rods, including Hot Rod
, Car Craft
, Rod and Custom, and Popular Hot Rodding
. There are also television shows such as "My Classic Car
", "Horsepower TV", American Hot Rod
, and "Chop Cut Rebuild
".
The culture is vibrant in Sweden
where there are many automobile enthusiasts. Meetings like Power Big Meet
and clubs such as Wheels and Wings in Varberg
, Sweden have established themselves in Swedish Hot Rod culture. Since there is very little "vintage tin" the hot rods in Sweden are generally made with a home made chassis (usually a Ford model T or A replica), with a Jaguar (or Volvo 240) rear axle, a small block V8
, and fiberglass tub, but some have been built using for instance a Volvo Duett
chassis. Because the Swedish regulations required a crash test even for custom-built passenger cars between 1969 and 1982 the Duett option was often used since it was considered a rebodied Duett rather than a new vehicle.http://hem.passagen.se/stur/pages/artiklar/duettrod/Duettrodden.htmhttp://hem.passagen.se/stur/pages/galleri/duetter/Duettrods.htmhttp://amazon.forum.bilia.se/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=25500&sid=e89d2d537977372aa45c4d0c5b7b9598http://www.garaget.org/?car=19319http://www.garaget.org/?car=16701http://www.garaget.org/?car=19319
Some 1950s and 1960s cars are also hot rodded, like Morris Minor
, Ford Anglia
, Volvo Amazon
, Ford Cortina
, '57 Chevy, to name but a few. These are known as Custom cars (sometimes spelled Kustom).
Some other common terms:
Some terms have an additional, different meaning among customizer
s than among rodders: NOS, for instance, is a reference to new old stock, rather than nitrous oxide
.
Roadster
A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or replacement of the camshaft(s), sometimes known as a "stick" or "rod". A camshaft designed to produce more power is sometimes call a "hot stick" or, here, a "hot rod". Roadsters were the cars of choice because they were light. The term became commonplace in the 1930s or 1940s as the name of a car that had been "hopped up" by modifying the engine in various ways to achieve higher performance.
The term can also apply to other items that are "souped up" for a particular purpose, such as "hot-rodded amplifier".
Late 1930s–1950s early days
The term seems first to have appeared in the late 1930s in southern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where people would race their modified cars on the vast, empty dry lake beds northeast of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
under the rules of the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA). The activity increased in popularity after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, particularly in California because many returning soldiers had been given technical training in the service. Many were prepared by Bootleg
Rum-running
Rum-running, also known as bootlegging, is the illegal business of transporting alcoholic beverages where such transportation is forbidden by law...
gers in response to Prohibition
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
to enable them to avoid revenue agent
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
s ("Revenooers"); some police vehicles were also modified in response.
The first hot rods were old cars (most often Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
s, typically Model T
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
s, 1928–31 Model As, or 1932-34 Model B
Ford Model B (1932)
The Model B was a Ford automobile with production starting with model year 1932 and ending with 1934. It was a much updated version of the Model A and was replaced by the 1935 Ford Model 48...
s), modified to reduce weight. Typical modifications were removal of convertible tops, hood
Hood (vehicle)
The hood or bonnet is the hinged cover over the engine of motor vehicles that allows access to the engine compartment for maintenance and repair. In British terminology, hood refers to a fabric cover over the passenger compartment of the car...
s, bumpers, windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
s, and/or fender
Fender (vehicle)
Fender is the US English term for the part of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle body that frames a wheel well . Its primary purpose is to prevent sand, mud, rocks, liquids, and other road spray from being thrown into the air by the rotating tire. Fenders are typically rigid and can be...
s; channeling the body; and modifying the engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
by tuning
Engine tuning
Engine tuning is the adjustment, modification or design of internal combustion engines to yield optimal performance, to increase an engine's power output, economy, or durability....
and/or replacing with a more powerful type. Speedster was a common name for the modified car. Wheel
Wheel
A wheel is a device that allows heavy objects to be moved easily through rotating on an axle through its center, facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load, or performing labor in machines. Common examples found in transport applications. A wheel, together with an axle,...
s and tire
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
s were changed for improved traction
Traction (engineering)
Traction refers to the maximum frictional force that can be produced between surfaces without slipping.The units of traction are those of force, or if expressed as a coefficient of traction a ratio.-Traction:...
and handling. "Hot rod" was sometimes a term used in the 1950s as a derogatory term for any car that did not fit into the mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
. Hot rodders' modifications were considered to improve the appearance as well, leading to show cars in the 1960s replicating these same modifications along with a distinctive paint job.
Engine swaps often involved fitting the Ford flathead engine, or "flatty", in a different chassis; the "60 horse" in a Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
was a popular choice in the '40s. After the appearance of the 255 cid V8, because of interchangeability, installing the longer-stroke Mercury crank in the 239 was a popular upgrade among hot rodders, much as the 400 cid crank in small-blocks would become. In fact, in the 1950s, the flathead block was often fitted with crankshafts of up to 4.125 in (104.8 mm) stroke, sometimes more. In addition, rodders in the 1950s routinely bored them out by 0.1875 in (4.8 mm) (to 3.375 in (85.7 mm)); due to the tendency of blocks to crack as a result of overheating, a perennial problem, this is no longer recommended. In the '50s and '60s, the flatty was supplanted by the early hemi. By the 1970s, the small-block Chevy was the most common option, and since the '80s, the 350 cid Chevy has been almost ubiquitous.
Post WWII origins of organized rodding
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
there were many small military airports throughout the country that were either abandoned or very rarely used that allowed hot rodders across the country to race on marked courses. Originally drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
had tracks as long as one mile (1.6 km) or more, and included up to four lanes of racing at the same time. As hot rodding became more popular in the 1950s, magazines and associations catering to hot rodders were started. As some hot rodders also raced on the street, a need arose for an organization to promote safety. Hot rodders including Wally Parks
Wally Parks
Wallace Gordon Parks was instrumental in establishing drag racing as a legitimate amateur and professional motorsport. He was the Founder, President, and the Chairman of the Board of the National Hot Rod Association, better known as NHRA...
created the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) to bring racing off the streets and onto the tracks. They created rules based on safety and entertainment, and allowed Hot Rodders of any caliber the ability to race. The annual California Hot Rod Reunion
California Hot Rod Reunion
California Hot Rod Reunion is a gathering of drag racers, hot rod enthusiasts and street rodders held in Bakersfield, California. The event was created by Steve Gibbs, vice-president of the National Hot Rod Association, in October, 1992, as a one-time event to gather some of the old drag racers...
and National Hot Rod Reunion
National Hot Rod Reunion
The National Hot Rod Reunion is a gathering of nostalgia drag racers, street rodders and automotive enthusiasts based on the California Hot Rod Reunion. The first four years of the National Hot Rod Reunion were held in Bowling Green, Kentucky...
are held to honor pioneers in the sport. The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum
The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California, is located at Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Bldg. 3A, in Pomona, California 91768, USA. It houses a collection of memorabilia, automobiles and motorcycles related to the sport of hot rodding. ...
houses the roots of hot rodding.
1970s rise of the street rod
As automobiles offered from the major automakers began increasing performance, the lure of Hot Rods began to wane. It was no longer necessary to put a CadillacCadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
engine in a Ford roadster to be fast. It was now possible to buy a muscle car
Muscle car
Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a...
that outperformed just about any hot rod, with more passenger room, and without having to expend the effort of building and tuning the car oneself. After the 1973 Oil Crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
, the public called on automakers to offer safety and fuel efficiency over performance. The resulting decrease in an average car's performance led to a resurgence of Hot Rodding, although the focus was on driving Hot Rods over racing so the term 'Street Rod' was coined to denote a vehicle manufactured prior to 1949, often with a more reliable late model drivetrain. Street Rodding as it was now known was a different phenomenon than Hot Rodding, as Street Rodding was mainly family oriented. National events were hosted by the National Street Rod Association
National Street Rod Association
The National Street Rod Association or NSRA is an organization that hosts a number of Street Rod and Hot Rod shows in the United States.The shows that are put on by the NSRA are:* Through the year 2011...
(NSRA), which also stressed safety as the NHRA did 20 years before, but this was safety for the street as opposed to on the race track. Each NSRA event has a 'Safety Inspection Team' that performs a 23 points inspection process that goes beyond what normal State Safety Inspections Require.
In the mid-1980s, as stock engine sizes fell, rodders discovered the all-aluminum 215 (Buick or Olds) could be stretched to as much as 305 cid, using the Buick 300 crank, new cylinder sleeves, and an assortment of non-GM parts, including VW
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
& Mopar
Mopar
Mopar is the automobile parts and service arm of Chrysler Group LLC. The term was first used by Chrysler in the 1920s and has been in continuous use ever since. Mopar parts are original equipment manufactured parts for Chrysler vehicles...
lifter
Tappet
A tappet is the noise made by a worn cam follower, however the term is widely used to represent the cam follower itself. In mechanical engineering it is a projection which imparts a linear motion to some other component within an assembly...
s and Carter carb. It could also be fitted with high-compression cylinder head
Cylinder head
In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head sits above the cylinders on top of the cylinder block. It closes in the top of the cylinder, forming the combustion chamber. This joint is sealed by a head gasket...
s from the Morgan +8
Morgan Plus 8
The Morgan Plus 8 is a sports car built by British car makers Morgan between 1968 and 2004. Its instant and enduring popularity has been credited with saving the company and keeping the company famous during the 36 years of its manufacture...
. Using the 5 liter Rover block and crank, a maximum displacement of 317.8 cid is theoretically possible.
Modern rodding
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The hot rod community has now been subdivided into two main groups: street rodders and hot rodders. Hot rodders build their cars using a lot of original equipment parts, whether from wrecking yard
Wrecking yard
A scrapyard or junkyard is the location of a dismantling business where wrecked or decommissioned vehicles are brought, their usable parts are sold for use in operating vehicles, while the unusable metal parts, known as scrap metal parts, are sold to metal-recycling companies...
s or NOS, and follow the styles that were popular from the 1940s through the 1960s. Street rodders build cars (or have them built for them) using primarily new parts.
A common factor among current owners of hot rods is to make them more noticeable. There are now many different sectors of hot rodding, some of which are:
- Street rodCustom carA custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission. Second, a custom car may be a personal "styling" statement, making the car look...
: a very popular branch of hot rodding. Contrary to the implications of the term hot rod, street rods are a mix of hot rods, custom cars, and modern Detroit cars. Emphasis is on high-quality custom paint jobs, comfortable interiors, and modern engines and running gear. As specified by the NSRA (National Street Rod Association), a street rod must have been manufactured prior to 1949. - Pro-Street rod: a branch of street rodding featuring mildly customized sedan and coupe models not normally associated with hot rodding that have monster engines and huge rear tires inside the fender wells. They retain all the other luxury features of street rods.
- Billet rod: street rods featuring many items being machined from billetBar stockBar stock, also colloquially known as billet, is a common form of raw purified metal, used by industry to manufacture metal parts and products....
aluminum - Traditional rod: built according to a particular point in time and stick to those build techniques and materials
- Rat rodRat rodA rat rod is a style of hot rod or custom car that, in most cases, imitates the early hot rods of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. It is not to be confused with the somewhat closely related "traditional" hot rod, which is an accurate re-creation or period-correct restoration of a hot rod from the same...
: constructed to resemble an old time jalopies, although they may require more work than a show rod - Show rods (created to compete in national car shows such as America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR), and the Detroit Autorama).
There are hundreds of local car clubs supporting the hot rod/street rod community. The National Street Rod Association (NSRA) is the largest club in the world and sponsors many local events including the Street Rod Nationals
Street Rod Nationals
The Street Rod Nationals is the world's largest Street Rod gathering. It is hosted, annually, by the NSRA . Every year that it has been held in its current location, in Louisville, Kentucky, the event has topped more than 10,000 cars. All of these cars are "Pre-49" .Tens of thousands of spectators...
which serve as a showplaces for the majority of the hot-rodding and street-rodding world to display their cars and to find nearly any part needed to complete them.
Collectively they are all referred to as Hot Rods.
Debates within the car community
Hot rods are part of American culture, although there is growing controversy within the automotive hobby over an increasing trend towards the acquisition and irreversible modification of surviving historic - some even very rare - vehicles rather than the traditional hot rodding concept of the salvage and re-use of junked parts, something that the reproduction fiberglass body market has attempted to ameliorate.New "retro inspired" steel bodies
As the supply of original steel bodies dwindles to nothing, those who reject fiberglass replicas can buy new reproduction bodies. They are not actual antiques, but often are superior in some aspects such as build quality to original equipment bodies. The best bodies can command a price of US$10,000 or more.Lifestyle
There is a contemporary movement of traditional hot rod builders, car clubs and artists who have returned to the roots of hot rodding as a lifestyle. This includes new breed of traditional hot rod builders, artists and styles, as well as classic style car clubs. Events like GreaseOramaGreaseOrama
Grease-O-rama is a weekend long Hot-Rod, Rat-Rod, Rockabilly convention which occurs annually in Kansas City, KS. With the focus of the convention being rockabilly/ physcobilly culture. The convention is considered to be the second largest Rockabilly convention in the United States, second to Viva...
feature traditional hot rods and the greaser lifestyle. Underground magazines like Ol' Skool Rodz
Ol' Skool Rodz
Ol' Skool Rodz is a magazine published by Geno DiPol and Koolhouse Publications, featuring Kustom Culture lifestyles, Pin-Ups, Rat Rods, Kustom Cars, and Artwork. This magazine has a huge cult following and is considered an informative view of the Modern Kustom Culture lifestyle...
, Gears and Gals
Gears and Gals
Gears and Gals is a work produced by Steve Giangreco documenting Hot-Rods, Rat Rods, Rockabilly and Pin-up culture. Primarily shot in the midwestern United States, Gears and Gals magazine presents photos and articles relating to restored Hot-Rod and unrestored Rat-Rod automobiles presented in...
, and Rat-Rods and Rust Queens
Rat-Rods and Rust Queens
Rat-Rods and Rust Queens is a quarterly international magazine dedicated to Rat Rod, Rockabilly and pin-up culture focusing primarily on unrestored "Rat" style automobiles with each issue pairing a specific Rust Queen with a featured car...
cover events and people.
In the media
Author Tom WolfeTom Wolfe
Thomas Kennerly "Tom" Wolfe, Jr. is a best-selling American author and journalist. He is one of the founders of the New Journalism movement of the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life and education:...
was one of the first to recognize the importance of hot rodding in popular culture
Popular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
and brought it to mainstream attention in his book The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby
The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby
The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby is the title of Tom Wolfe's first collected book of essays, published in 1965...
.
There are magazines that feature traditional hot rods, including Hot Rod
Hot Rod Magazine
Hot Rod is an American monthly magazine devoted to hot rodding, —modifying automobiles for performance and appearance.-History:Hot Rod is the oldest magazine devoted to hot rodding having been published since 1948. Robert E. Petersen founded the magazine and his Petersen Publishing Company...
, Car Craft
Car Craft
Car Craft is a magazine devoted to automobiles, hot rodding, and drag racing. It is published by Source Interlink Media. It was first established in 1953...
, Rod and Custom, and Popular Hot Rodding
Popular Hot Rodding
Popular Hot Rodding is a monthly American automotive magazine from Source Interlink media dedicated to high performance automobiles, hot rods, and muscle cars built from 1955 to the present day- though there is an emphasis on cars from the 1960-mid 1970's....
. There are also television shows such as "My Classic Car
My Classic Car
My Classic Car is a television show originally broadcast on TNN and now airing on Speed Channel about classic automobiles, hosted by Dennis Gage...
", "Horsepower TV", American Hot Rod
American Hot Rod
American Hot Rod is a reality television series that originally aired between 2004 and 2008 on The Learning Channel and Discovery Channel. The show documented the crew at Boyd Coddington's car shop and their personal struggles to build hot rods and custom vehicles under extremely tight deadlines....
, and "Chop Cut Rebuild
Chop Cut Rebuild
Chop Cut Rebuild is an automotive television series seen on the Speed Channel. Hosted by Dan Woods....
".
In Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
where there are many automobile enthusiasts. Meetings like Power Big Meet
Power Big Meet
Power Big Meet is the world's largest classical car show and is held in Västerås, Sweden for American cars . It is held each summer during the first weekend of July and is a major event for raggare from all over Sweden and the world.The Power Big Meet begins on Friday, when the cars drive around...
and clubs such as Wheels and Wings in Varberg
Varberg
Varberg is a locality and the seat of Varberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden with 26,041 inhabitants in 2005.Varberg and all of Halland are well known for their 'typical west coast' sandy beaches. In Varberg the coast changes from wide sandy beaches to rocky terrain that continues north into...
, Sweden have established themselves in Swedish Hot Rod culture. Since there is very little "vintage tin" the hot rods in Sweden are generally made with a home made chassis (usually a Ford model T or A replica), with a Jaguar (or Volvo 240) rear axle, a small block V8
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, and fiberglass tub, but some have been built using for instance a Volvo Duett
Volvo Duett
The Duett is an automobile from Volvo that was in production from 1953 to 1969.The name Duett was intended to signify a car that could be used as a delivery vehicle during the week and as a comfortable sedan away from work....
chassis. Because the Swedish regulations required a crash test even for custom-built passenger cars between 1969 and 1982 the Duett option was often used since it was considered a rebodied Duett rather than a new vehicle.http://hem.passagen.se/stur/pages/artiklar/duettrod/Duettrodden.htmhttp://hem.passagen.se/stur/pages/galleri/duetter/Duettrods.htmhttp://amazon.forum.bilia.se/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=25500&sid=e89d2d537977372aa45c4d0c5b7b9598http://www.garaget.org/?car=19319http://www.garaget.org/?car=16701http://www.garaget.org/?car=19319
Some 1950s and 1960s cars are also hot rodded, like Morris Minor
Morris Minor
The Morris Minor was a British economy car that debuted at the Earls Court Motor Show, London, on 20 September 1948. Designed under the leadership of Alec Issigonis, more than 1.3 million were manufactured between 1948 and 1971...
, Ford Anglia
Ford Anglia
The 1949 model, code E494A, was a makeover of the previous model with a rather more 1940s style front-end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille. Again it was a very spartan vehicle and in 1948 was Britain's lowest priced four wheel car....
, Volvo Amazon
Volvo Amazon
The Volvo Amazon was a mid-size car manufactured by Volvo Cars from 1956 to 1970, and introduced in the USA, as the 122S at the New York International Auto Show in April 1959....
, Ford Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
, '57 Chevy, to name but a few. These are known as Custom cars (sometimes spelled Kustom).
Language
Certain linguistic conventions are followed among rodders and customizers:- The model yearModel yearThe model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
is rarely given in full, except when it might be confused, so a 1934 model is a '34, while a 2005 might be an '05 or not.- A '32 is usually a Deuce and most often a roadster, unless coupéCoupéA coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
is specified, and almost always a Ford.
- A '32 is usually a Deuce and most often a roadster, unless coupé
- A 3- or 5-window is usually a Ford, unless specified.
- A flatty is a flathead V8Ford Flathead engineThe Ford flathead V8 was a V8 engine of the flathead type, designed by the Ford Motor Company and built by Ford and various licensees...
(always Ford, unless specified); a late (or late model) flatty is probably a MercMercury (automobile)Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
. - A hemi ("hem ee") is always a 426, unless displacement (331, 354, or 392) is specified; a 426 is a hemi, unless Wedge is specified.
- A 392 is an early hemi.
- A 331 or 354 is known to be an (early) hemi, but rarely referred to as such
- Units are routinely dropped, unless they are unclear, so a 426 cubic inch (in³) engine is simply referred to as a 426, a 5 liter engine is a 5.0 ("five point oh"), and a 600 cubic feet per minute (cfmCFMCFM is an abbreviation for cubic feet per minute which is a measure of flow for liquids and gases, like air or water. CFM may also refer to:*Calea Ferată din Moldova, the Moldovan State Railway...
) carburetor is a 600. Engine displacement can be described in cubic inches or liters (for example, a 5.7 liter engine is also known as a 350 {"three fifty"}); this frequently depends on which units the user is most comfortable or familiar with.
Some other common terms:
- 3/4-race — high-performance flatty camCamshaftA camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
, suitable for street and stripDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
use - 3 deuces — arrangement of three 2-barrelVenturi effectThe Venturi effect is the reduction in fluid pressure that results when a fluid flows through a constricted section of pipe. The Venturi effect is named after Giovanni Battista Venturi , an Italian physicist.-Background:...
(twin-choke) carburetorCarburetorA carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
s; distinct from Six PakChrysler LA engineThe LA engines are a family of pushrod OHV 90° V-block gasoline engines built by Chrysler Corporation and factory-installed in passenger vehicles, trucks and vans, commercial vehicles, marine and industrial applications from 1964 through 2003...
and PontiacPontiacPontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
and OldsOldsmobileOldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
Tri-Power (also 3x2 arrangements) - 3-windowThree window coupeThe three window coupé is a style of automobile characterized by two side windows and a backlight. The style was popular from the 1920s until the beginning of World War II. While many manufacturers produced three window coupés, the 1932 to 1936 Ford is a particular favorite of hot rodders...
— 2-door coupé; so named for one door window on each side plus the rear window - 5-window — 2-door coupé; so named for one door window and one quarter window on each side plus the rear window
- 97s — “ninety-sevens,” a reference to the model number of Stromberg carburetorCarburetorA carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
s - A-bone — Model A coupé
- Alky — alcohol (methanolMethanolMethanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol...
) racing fuel - Anglebox - British Hot rod slang for a 1959-68 Ford Anglia 105-123E
- Awful Awful (mainly North American) — AA/FA ("double A" Fuel Altered) drag racerDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
- Blower — mechanically-driven supercharger; excludes turbochargers. Commonly a RootsRoots type superchargerThe Roots type supercharger or Roots blower is a positive displacement lobe pump which operates by pumping fluids with a pair of meshing lobes not unlike a set of stretched gears. Fluid is trapped in pockets surrounding the lobes and carried from the intake side to the exhaust...
. - Blown —
- An engine equipped with a supercharger (a "blown hemi"); rarely used in reference to turbocharged engines
- A vehicle equipped with a supercharged engine (a "blown higboy")
- A wrecked engine or transmission
- Blue oval — FordFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
product (for the Ford badge) - BondoBondo (putty)Bondo is a brand of two-part putty manufactured by 3M. Originally used mainly for automobile body repair, Bondo has been widely used by carpenters to repair wood. The Bondo brand of filler or putty is composed of a polyester resin that, when mixed with a hardener or catalyst, turns into a putty...
— brand name for a body filler puttyPuttyPutty is a generic term for a plastic material similar in texture to clay or dough typically used in domestic construction and repair as a sealant or filler. Painter's Putty is typically a linseed oil based product used for filling holes, minor cracks and defacements in wood only...
, often used as a generic term for any such product - Bored — increasing the diameter of the cylinders in order to increase engine displacement
- Bottle — nitrous
- Bowtie — ChevroletChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
product (for the badge) - Bugcatcher (or bugcatcher intake) — large scoop intake protruding through hood opening, or on cars with no hood.
- Bumpstick — camshaftCamshaftA camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
(for the lobes) - Cam — camshaftCamshaftA camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
- Cammer — most commonly, the SOHC (single overhead camshaftOverhead camshaftOverhead cam valvetrain configurations place the engine camshaft within the cylinder heads, above the combustion chambers, and drive the valves or lifters in a more direct manner compared to overhead valves and pushrods...
) version of the 427 Ford V8.- sometimes, the Ford Racing Power Parts 5 liter.
- rarely, any engine with overhead camshaft(s).
- Cherry — like new
- C.I.D. (sometimes Cubic Inches or Inches) — cubic inches displacementEngine displacementEngine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...
- Crank — crankshaftCrankshaftThe crankshaft, sometimes casually abbreviated to crank, is the part of an engine which translates reciprocating linear piston motion into rotation...
- Cubes — CID
- Cubic inches — CID
- Deuce —
- '32 Ford Model BFord Model B (1932)The Model B was a Ford automobile with production starting with model year 1932 and ending with 1934. It was a much updated version of the Model A and was replaced by the 1935 Ford Model 48...
(most often a roadsterRoadsterA roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
); now commonly on A frame railChassisA chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
s - Chevy II Nova
- '32 Ford Model B
- Dual quads — two four-barrel carburetors
- Dragster —
- broadly, any vehicle modified or purpose-built for use on stripDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
s. - specifically, specialized racers (earlyFront engine dragsterThe front engine dragster is a race car purpose built for drag racing.Now considered obsolete, the "rail", "digger", or "slingshot" dragster is now used mainly in nostalgia drag racing. Models range in length from in wheelbase. They were originally used in the highest class of drag racing, Top Fuel...
or recentTop FuelTop Fuel racing is a class of drag racing in which the cars are run on a mix of approximately 90% nitromethane and 10% methanol rather than gasoline or simply methanol. The cars are purpose-built for drag racing, with an exaggerated layout that in some ways resembles open-wheel circuit racing...
types, in gas, alky, or fuel varieties)
- broadly, any vehicle modified or purpose-built for use on strip
- Elephant — Chrysler hemi
- Fat-fender — 1934-48 (U.S.) car
- Flatty — flatheadFord Flathead engineThe Ford flathead V8 was a V8 engine of the flathead type, designed by the Ford Motor Company and built by Ford and various licensees...
engine (usually refers to a Ford; when specified, the Mercury-built model)- 3/8s by 3/8s — lengthening the stroke and increasing the cylinder bore 3/8 inch. A term only applied to flattys.
- Frenched — headlight slightly sunken into fender or to install as such ("she frenched the taillights")
- Fuel —
- most commonly, nitroNitromethaneNitromethane is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest organic nitro compound. It is a slightly viscous, highly polar liquid commonly used as a solvent in a variety of industrial applications such as in extractions, as a reaction medium, and as a cleaning solvent...
(or a mixture of nitro and alky); also, the top drag racing class - broadly, gasoline (petrol)
- most commonly, nitro
- Full-race — high-performance flatty cams, suitable only for strip use
- GasserGasser (car)A gasser is a type of hot rod originating on the dragstrips of the United States in the late 1950s and continued until the early 1970s. Gassers are based on production models from the 1930s to mid 1950s, which have been stripped of extraneous weight and jacked up using a truck beam axle to provide...
— car used in gasoline-only drag racingDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
classes in the 1960s (as opposed to alcohol or nitromethane fuels), where the front end of the car is raised along with the motor. Characterized by a body that sits well above the front wheels. Distinct from hiboy. - Gennie — genuine
- Goat — GTOPontiac GTOThe Pontiac GTO is an automobile built by Pontiac Division of General Motors in the United States from 1964 to 1974, and by GM subsidiary Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006. It is considered an innovative, and now classic muscle car of the 1960s and 1970s...
(not the FerrariFerrari 250 GTOThe Ferrari 250 GTO is a GT car which was produced by Ferrari from 1962 to 1964 for homologation into the FIA's Group 3 Grand Touring Car category....
) - Hair dryer — turbochargerTurbochargerA turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
(for the shape of the casing) - Hairpins — radius rodRadius rodA radius rod is a suspension member intended to control wheel motion in the longitudinal plane. The link is connected on one end to the wheel carrier or axle, on the other to the chassis or unibody of the vehicle.Radius rods typically are mounted ahead of the wheel...
s - Hopped up — stock engine modified to increase performance
- Huffer — superchargerSuperchargerA supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
, - Inches — CID
- Indian (also "Tin Indian") — PontiacPontiacPontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
(for the grille badge) - Jimmy (or Jimmy Six) — GMC straight 6
- Any GMC product, such as a compressor used on 2-stroke diesels used as a superchargerSuperchargerA supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
.
- Any GMC product, such as a compressor used on 2-stroke diesels used as a supercharger
- Lakes pipes — exhaust pipes running beneath the rocker panels, after use by lakes racerLand speed recordThe land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
s - Lunched — wrecked; caused to be wrecked ("lunched" the transmission)
- Mag —
- magnesium wheel, or steel or aluminum copy resembling one such
- magnetoMagnetoA magneto is a type of electrical generator.Magneto may also refer to:* Magneto , permanent magnetic alternating current rotary generator* ignition magneto, magnetos on internal combustion engines...
- Merc — MercuryMercury (automobile)Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
- Mill - any internal combustion engineInternal combustion engineThe internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
- Moons (or Moon discs; incorrectly, moon discs) — plain flat chrome or aluminum disc hubcaps, originally adopted by land speed racers. Smaller examples are "baby moons". Named for Dean MoonDean MoonDean Moon , raised since childhood in the Norwalk area of southern California, he was an avid "car guy" and mechanic heavily involved in dry lakes racing and speed equipment with a keen sense for business...
. - Mouse — small-block ChevyChevrolet Small-Block engineThe Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
- Mountain motor — large-displacement engine. Named for their size, and for being constructed in the mountains of TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. In organized automotive competition, the term commonly references a V8 engine displacing more than 500 cubic inches; informally, a V8 engine displacing more than 560 cubic inches - Nail - any car used as a daily driver
- Nailhead — Buick V8, so named because the relatively small diameter valves
- Nitro — NitromethaneNitromethaneNitromethane is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest organic nitro compound. It is a slightly viscous, highly polar liquid commonly used as a solvent in a variety of industrial applications such as in extractions, as a reaction medium, and as a cleaning solvent...
, used as a fuel additive in some drag cars - Nitrous — nitrous oxideNitrous oxideNitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or sweet air, is a chemical compound with the formula . It is an oxide of nitrogen. At room temperature, it is a colorless non-flammable gas, with a slightly sweet odor and taste. It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic...
- NOS — Nitrous Oxide System (a.k.a. laughing gas, liquid supercharger, , nitrous, "the bottle"): apparatus for introducing nitrous oxide into the air intake of an engine prior to the fuel entering the cylinder.
- Pop — a mixture of nitro & alky. Also British shorthand for a sit-up and beg Ford PopularFord PopularThe Ford Popular is best known as a car from Ford built in England between 1953 and 1962. When launched, it was Britain's lowest priced car.The name Popular was also used by Ford to describe its 1930s Y Type model...
. - Plod - British hot rod slang for body filler. Also slang for the traffic police (after PC Plod in Enid Blyton's Noddy Series).
- Pro Street — street legal car resembling a Pro StockDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
car. Some are very thinly disguised racers. - QJ — QuadrajetQuadrajetIn automobile mechanics, the Quadrajet is a four-barrel carburetor made by the Rochester Products Division of GM that was widely used in General Motors motor vehicles until 1990...
(RochesterRochester Products DivisionRochester Products Division was a division of General Motors that manufactured carburetors, and related components including emissions control devices and cruise control systems in Rochester, New York...
4-barrel carburetor) - Q-jet — Quadrajet
- Rail (or rail job) — dragster with exposed front frame. Usually refers to early short-wheelbase cars, and not usually to Altereds.
- In drag racing, also refers to the guardrail
- Rat — Chevy big blockChevrolet Big-Block engineThe Chevrolet big block is a series of large displacement V8 engines that were developed in the USA during the 1950s and 1960s. As American automobiles grew in size and weight following the Second World War the engines powering them had to keep pace...
engine - Rockcrusher — Muncie M22 4-speed transmission so called because of the audible differences in operation between the model M-22 and its lower strength but quieter cousin, the M-21
- Rocket — OldsmobileOldsmobileOldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
, in particular their early V8s - Rolled pan - Contured sheet of metal that covers the space where the bumper used to be
- SB — small-blockChevrolet Small-Block engineThe Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
(Chevy) - Shoebox — '491949 FordAfter sticking with its well-received previous model through model year 1948, Ford completely redesigned its namesake car for 1949. Save for its drivetrain, this was an all-new car in every way, with a modern ladder frame now supporting a coil spring suspension in front and longitudinal...
-'541952 FordThe Ford line of cars was again refreshed for 1952, although remaining similar to the all-new 1949 Fords. This time, curved one-piece windshield glass joined a new "Mileage Maker" straight-6 engine with 101hp...
Ford (for the slab-sided apppearance) - Souped (souped up) — hopped up, performance improved (more common in '40s and '50s)
- Steelies — stock steel rims
- Stovebolt — Chevy straight 6Chevrolet Straight-6 engineThe Chevrolet inline 6 was Chevy's main engine from 1929 , through 1954, and was the base engine starting in 1955 when they added the small block V8 to the lineup. It had finally been completely phased out by 1990 in North America, but Brazil held on to their fuel-injected straight-6 through the...
- Street legal — dual-purpose car, capable of performing routine duties as well as weekend racing. Some cars described as such, such as Pro Street cars, are very thinly disguised racers.
- Street-strip — dual-purpose car, capable of performing routine duties as well as weekend racing. Some cars described as such have very marginal off-track utility.
- Strip —
- drag stripDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
. - More broadly, cars or parts used or intended for racing only. Thus "street-strip" is a dual-purpose car.
- drag strip
- Stroked — increased stroke, to increase displacement; usually by adding a longer-stroke crankshaft
- Suicided — changed from front- to rear-hinged ("suicide doorSuicide doorA suicide door is a car door hinged on the trailing edge, the edge closer to the rear of the vehicle. Such doors are rarely used on vehicles in modern times because of their disadvantages....
") type - Tin Indian — PontiacPontiacPontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
(for the grille badge) - Toploader — Ford 4-speed manual transmission so named because access to the transmission internal was made via an access panel located on the top of the transmission housing
- Track T — Model TFord Model TThe Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
roadsterRoadsterA roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
built in the style of a dirt track race car - Tunneled — deeply sunken into fender
- Wombat — A nickname for the General Motors W series engine 348-409 cubic inch, manufactured circa 1958-1964
- Wrinkle walls — drag racingDrag racingDrag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
slicks - Zoomie pipes (or zoomies) — short exhaust pipes with no mufflers, used for racing, or just for show (not street legal)
Some terms have an additional, different meaning among customizer
Custom car
A custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission. Second, a custom car may be a personal "styling" statement, making the car look...
s than among rodders: NOS, for instance, is a reference to new old stock, rather than nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas or sweet air, is a chemical compound with the formula . It is an oxide of nitrogen. At room temperature, it is a colorless non-flammable gas, with a slightly sweet odor and taste. It is used in surgery and dentistry for its anesthetic and analgesic...
.
See also
- Automotive restorationAutomotive RestorationAutomobile restoration is the process of repairing the degraded aspect of a car to return it to an overall "authentic" condition. To renovate a car without updating or upgrading it by keeping in line with how it would have appeared when first offered for sale...
- Custom carCustom carA custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission. Second, a custom car may be a personal "styling" statement, making the car look...
- CutdownCutdownA cutdown is a customised scooter with parts of the bodywork removed or cut away. Cutdowns were popular amongst skinheads and scooterboys during the mod revival of the 1970s and 1980s...
- Flame job
- Hot hatchHot hatchHot hatch was originally an informal automotive industry term, shortened from hot hatchback, initially coined by the British motoring press in 1984, for a high-performance derivative of a car body style consisting of a three- or five-door hatchback automobile.Vehicles of this class are based on...
- Import sceneImport sceneThe Import Scene or Import Racing Scene or Tuner Scene refers to the subculture that revolves around modifying imported brand cars , especially those of Japanese brands, for street racing.-History:...
- KustomKustom (cars)Kustoms are modified cars from the 1930s to the early 1960s, done in the customizing styles of that time period. The usage of a "K" for "Kustom" rather than a "C", is believed to have originated with George Barris.-Styling:...
- Lead sledLead sled-Automotive Usage:Originally, the lead sled referred to extensively repaired/modified cars due to the use of lead as body filler and was, for the most part, an insult....
- List of automotive customizers
- LowriderLowrider]A lowrider is a style of car originated by Chicano communities that sits lower to the ground than most other cars. Many lowriders have their suspension systems modified so that their ride can change height at the flip of a switch...
- Muscle carMuscle carMuscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a...
- Plymouth ProwlerPlymouth ProwlerThe Plymouth Prowler, later the Chrysler Prowler, is a "retro" styled production car built in 1997 and 1999-2002. The Prowler was based on the 1993 concept car of the same name.- Design :...
- a modern take on the "hot rod" concept - Pro StreetPro StreetPro Street is a style of street-legal custom car, usually built for drag racing. Cars of this type typically feature a narrowed rear axle coupled with oversized rear wheels for maximum grip, and large capacity V8, V12, V10, V6, I6 engines, often supercharged or turbocharged....
- Rat rodRat rodA rat rod is a style of hot rod or custom car that, in most cases, imitates the early hot rods of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. It is not to be confused with the somewhat closely related "traditional" hot rod, which is an accurate re-creation or period-correct restoration of a hot rod from the same...
- Stock carStock car racingStock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
- Three window coupeThree window coupeThe three window coupé is a style of automobile characterized by two side windows and a backlight. The style was popular from the 1920s until the beginning of World War II. While many manufacturers produced three window coupés, the 1932 to 1936 Ford is a particular favorite of hot rodders...
- one of the classic hot rod styles - Tuner
- Volvo T6Volvo T6The Volvo T6 was a concept car from Volvo presented in 2005 at SEMA. There was just one hand-built copy, although there was some discussion about a limited production run. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter inline 6-cylinder engine from Volvo S80 giving and a top speed of . The engine...
- a VolvoVolvo CarsVolvo Car Corporation, or Volvo Personvagnar AB, is a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded in 1927, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo was originally formed as a subsidiary company to the ball bearing maker SKF. When Volvo AB was introduced on the Swedish...
concept car with obvious hot rod inspiration - Volksrod