All automobiles, whether it be a hot rod, a custom, a production car, or a Bonneville streamliner, begin with a design. It could be scribbles on a napkin, a drawing on an artist’s sketchpad, or an intricate blueprint created on a CAD computer program. Before
We profiled the prolific, wacky, and brilliant automotive journalist Gray Baskerville a while back. But Gray did more than pen memorable pieces in Rod & Custom and Hot Rod magazines, he also owned – and drove! – a full-fendered ’32 Ford hot rod roadster. The
Sometimes, to recast a cliche, the spanner doesn’t fall far from the toolbox. In other words, who you came from influences who you become. A genetic imperative, as the scientists say. One clear example of this truism is Roy Brizio, the esteemed hot rod builder from
The 1936 Ford falls between the 1929-1934 models favored by go-fast hot rodders and the classic, swoopy 1939-40 editions. Still, as hot-rod fodder, the ’36 Ford was no slouch. Case in point – the legendary custom three-window Calori Coupe, built by Jack Calori, has been
When George Poteet died July 16, the hot rodding world not only lost an incredibly active enthusiast, a prolific car collector, and a champion of land-speed racing. We also lost a tremendous advocate for our hobby and industry – a monumental force who influenced the
If the post-World War II Southern California hot-rod renaissance had a signature ride, it would undoubtedly be the Ford highboy roadster, ’29s and ’32s being the most popular. Many versions have earned our Hot Rod Legend status over the years. Heck, even cartoon character Stroker
P.J. – Two Letters that say it all, Parnelli Jones Imagine F1 star Max Verstappen squeezing in a World of Outlaws dirt race between Grands Prix. Or IndyCar standout Scott Dixon jumping into a World Rally machine. Or 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Antonio Fuoco
Uh oh, not another one. The Hot Rod Legends page is guilty of fawning over famous Deuces this side of Bigalow's. McMullen’s, Doane’s, Edelbrock’s, etc. That said, it recently dawned on us that we had ignored the acclaimed Bob McGee roadster, the era-defining ride that
It seems like we say this a lot, but Southern California in the 1940s was a veritable petri dish of speed-part savants, and one of the very best was Barney Navarro. While perhaps not as well known as the Iskys and Edelbrocks, his influence was
It’s not often that a historic hot rod draws its inspiration from a high-school advanced physics class. Sure, Einstein and Oppenheimer were motivated by unique discoveries they discovered in class – but theirs focused on sub-atomic particles, not modified vintage vehicles. High school brainiac Steve Scott
