Hot Rod Holiday Guide – Giving the Gift of Car Parts and Gearhead Goodies
The car show, event, and cruising season is beginning to wind down and the weather is starting to get cooler in much of the country. Halloween has come and gone, so you know what that that means – the holiday season is creeping in and will be here before we know it!
Yes, before long we’ll be putting up holiday lights and decorations, responding to party invitations, and making plans to visit family and friends. 
For most of us, there will also be gift shopping – and plenty of it. To help make your gift shopping a bit easier this holiday season, Goodguys reached out to the companies in the hot rod industry to compile a huge selection of cool parts and other gearhead gifts that will make any car guy or gal happy. There’s a little bit of everything on the following pages, from apparel and suspension parts, to wiring, EFI components, car care products, and more.
There are two ways you can use this guide. As a hot rodder who might be hard to shop for, you can share these items to your family. You might even include a reminder note with specific information about your car or truck so the gift givers in your family can have it handy while they’re ordering. Alternately, if you’re the gift giver, scroll through this page and reach out to a manufacturer or two to find the best hot rod gift for the friend or family member on your list.
Remember, while it may seem like an odd present to many, a new air cleaner, wiring harness, tool, or car care kit can help make a hot rodder’s holiday season and new year brighter. One thing is for certain – if there’s an active enthusiast on the receiving end of these gifts, you can be certain they’ll get used!
=UNDER $100=
Stroker by Medley
Here’s the ultimate stocking-stuffer for the old-school rodder in your life – the “Amazing Adventures of Stroker McGurk” comic book featuring Hot Rod magazine artist Tom Medley. It’s chock full of fun and laughs with 70 Stroker cartoons – across 56 pages – from the first mention of “McGurk” in the March 1948 issue of Hot Rod to his final strips in 1965. Included are all the gags and innovations that sprung from Medley’s fertile mind, including the first-ever race car slowed by a parachute (with humorous results).
Goodguys
The Goodguys Varsity Hoodie provides a retro college day look with the added comfort of a hood and pockets to keep your hands warm during an evening cruise-in. The black and red combo really stand out and the hoodie has cool details like the Goodguys ’32 sedan on the pocket. Available in M–3X.
Meguiar’s
Bring true joy to your car enthusiast this holiday season with the Meguiar’s Complete Kit! This package includes all the essentials for cleaning and detailing your car both inside and out. The kit was designed to deliver a “Wow!” every time and includes Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash and Wax, Hot Shine, Tire Foam, Quik Interior Detailer, Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner, Hybrid Ceramic Detailer, and a Supreme Shine microfiber towel – everything your car guy or gal needs.
Affordable Street Rods
A hot rod tee-shirt is always a welcome gift compared to a tie or a scarf! Affordable Street Rods offers a wide variety of hot rod products from the top manufacturers in the industry as well as a wide range of hot rod apparel, including their own branded shirt with a custom rod on the back. This holiday season you can receive a 10-percent discount off retail on ASR apparel with the online code “ASRChristmas”.
Goodguys
This lightweight bomber style jacket is perfect for cool evening cruises or while tailgating at a football game. With a small Goodguys PVC patch on the front complemented with a unique zipper, the light gray is very understated, but the inner lining is printed with cool car parts to make your car-guy smile every time they put it on.
Griot’s Garage
You just can’t go wrong gifting a car guy a detailing kit, especially when it’s a Ceramic Kit from Griot’s Garage! This kit is supplied with the company’s best-in-class ceramic liquids and microfiber accessories and will provide awesome stand-alone protection and can also serve as maintenance products for all professionally installed ceramic coatings. Griot’s is a great place to shop for cleaning and garage supplies for the hot rodder in your family.
Goodguys
Keep your car-guy warm and cozy with a nice-looking Goodguys hoodie. This subtle, light gray hoodie features a custom side-woven patch with understated Goodguys embroidery across the front. The soft cotton material provides comfort, and the hood can be pulled snug with the draw strings for those windy days.
FiTech
An air cleaner assembly is a fine gift for a car enthusiast and FiTech has just introduced a 14-inch round drop-base style air filter assembly in matte black and chrome finishes. Each filter features an effective woven synthetic element for optimum filtration and sits on 1.5-inch drop base for the most hood clearance. Sleek looks with performance for your hot rodder.
Design Engineering, Inc.
Design Engineering’s Boom Mat Damping Material solves the problem of noise, vibrations, squeaks, and rattles that come from roads, stereos, engines, and more. The material is easy to install with a worry-free, no-snag adhesion to any interior surface, even in extreme temperatures. Boom Mat is a premium damping material that any car enthusiast will be excited to unwrap and put to good use to quiet their interiors.
Goodguys
You just can’t beat a comfortable flannel shirt to layer up in for a cool morning at a cruise or working in the shop. This black and charcoal buffalo-check flannel from Goodguys features custom metal snap buttons and the embroidered ’32 sedan. Sizes available from small to 3X!
=UNDER $250=
Lokar
Parts that enhance the details with improved function are welcome gifts your car guy might overlook. Lokar’s RestoMod series of throttle assemblies and pedal pads are the perfect addition for ’50s classics to ’70s muscle cars. Styling cues from the OEM versions keep them clean and simple, while modern touches give them a contemporary look. Machined from aluminum, Lokar’s throttle assemblies are a direct fit for most popular applications and are available in brushed or black anodized finishes.
Coker Tire
A set of wide whitewall tires will add the finishing touch to nearly any classic cruiser! Coker Tire invented the world’s first wide whitewall radial tire nearly 30 years ago and now offers a great selection of sizes for restored classics, hot rods, customs, and classic trucks. With tires available to fit 14-, 15- and 16-inch wheels, the Coker Classic product line combines vintage styling with the ride quality, tread life and safety of a modern radial.
FiTech
Give the gift of high voltage with FiTech’s Go Spark CD Ignition. The increased spark energy will improve the performance of any engine while smoothing out the idle and perking up the throttle response. The Go Spark CDI is compatible with distributor-triggered engines including 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinders running a carburetor or fuel injection.
UP Car Parts
Bring some light into your hot rodder’s life with a set of UP Auto’s Ultralit retro-styled LED headlights. These headlights feature a vintage front lens pattern to retain the charm of a classic car yet illuminate with a brilliant 2,700-lumen high beam (four LEDs) and a 1,200-lumen low beam (single LED). They come with a dual-color white/amber halo ring, complete with an automatic amber override and are a direct update for classic 7-inch headlights.
Made-4-You
Made-4-You’s All Plumb, Brake Line, and Racer Clamp kits are the perfect solution to clean up and secure brake lines, cables, and everything in between. Molded from nylon, these clamps will not fade, stain, or discolor and are impervious to automotive fluids. Each kit contains a variety of T-Clamps designed to help keep cables in place, as well as stainless steel hardware and a durable plastic storage case – all at a great price!
American Autowire
Hot rodders want cool new parts for the holiday season and one nice upgrade they can make over the winter months is to clean up their wiring with American Autowire’s new Banked Relay Panels. These useful systems provide a powerful platform to safely add more electronic accessories. Each panel comes fully assembled and is supplied with fuses, 30-amp relays, color-coordinated labels and detailed instructions.
LeCarra
Each LeCarra steering wheel is handcrafted in the USA, including their new Trans-Am and Truss Style steering wheels. Both are machined from aluminum and are offered in polished or black powder coated finishes. With 12 color choices of hand-stitched genuine leather wraps and nearly 500 different spoke and leather color combinations, you’ll be sure to find a LeCarra steering wheel that you’re your hot rodder’s car or truck perfectly.
Ididit
Ididits’s all new Push to Connect Quick Release steering wheel hub is a completely new, rugged design that comes in 3-, 5-, 6- or 9-bolt patterns, with or without the horn option. These Quick Releases offer incredibly smooth engagement with an audible click when seated properly while the keyed center spline ensures the steering wheel goes on correctly every time. Ideal as a theft deterrent or to ease entry and exit into tight interiors.
Classic Performance Products
Performance handling components make great gifts and CPP’s adjustable high-clearance sway bars fit tight to the chassis allowing the use of wider tires. Rod ends eliminate the fixed-position end link bushings found on traditional sway bars which limit the tire size. Front and rear bars are available in 1- or 1.25-inch diameters and will fit both stock and aftermarket rearends. Kits come complete with gloss black frame mount brackets and hardware for an easy install.
=UNDER $500=
Speedway Motors
The SoloSwap LS mockup block will help make your LS swap a breeze. The block replicates all Gen 3/4 LS/LT blocks and even accepts all the bolt-on components such as intakes, headers, oil pans, timing cover, water pump, and accessory brackets so you can test fit everything for clearance. Best of all, the short block of the SoloSwap weighs only 18 lbs. while the long block is just 35 lbs.!
Woodward-Fab
Woodward-Fab makes it easy to learn how to create beads and ribs in sheet metal panels with their Super Bead Bead Roller. The tool will strengthen and add custom flair to any build and features an extra thick frame, 18-inch throat depth, T-handle up and down tension adjustment with an extra-long handle. The Super Bead includes a free seven-piece die package including a shearing die.
Auto Metal Direct
If you have a C10 truck fan in the house, Auto Metal Direct now offers a complete line of interior restoration parts for ’73–’87 Chevy and GMC pickups. One of the company’s latest offerings is a premium vinyl-wrapped dash pad. The black vinyl, which can easily be painted to match your interior, is a direct replacement for the factory dash pad. AMD can help finish the new dash with their bezels, A/C vents, and other restoration components.
California Car Cover
A car cover is an excellent holiday present, and the California Car Cover company offers a long list of custom-fit covers! The company’s Customweave cover combines polyester knit with Lycra/Spandex technology that provides excellent stretch with a 100-percent cotton terry loop felt liner woven into the fabric for a soft, luxurious finish. The cover includes a free matching storage bag and is made in the USA and backed with a four-year warranty.
Summit Racing
Bring some performance and racing fun into the house this season with the Victory Slot Car Set from Summit Racing. This 1:64 scale slot car track is Auto World’s longest track with 36-feet of four-lane high-speed fun! Bluetooth-enabled wireless remotes keep you in complete control of the four X-Traction Ultra-G stock cars plus the adjustable power pack ramps up voltage from 9- to 24-volts to take you from beginner to pro speeds for serious competition.
Classic Performance Products
Help your car enthusiast finish their EFI swap with a Complete EFI Fuel Tank Install Kit from CPP. This kit provides everything needed to install the fuel pump in the tank. Each Kit includes a fuel pump (255- or 340-LPH), fuel filter regulator, sending unit (30 or 90 ohm), and complete fuel injection push lock rubber line kit with all the required -6 AN fittings. Stainless line kits are also available.
FiTech
Fitech EFI’s Force Fuel Delivery Systems will make swapping to EFI easier while providing consistent, reliable fuel pressure. FiTech offers three different Force Fuel systems to support engines making 600-, 800- or up to 1,600-horsepower. Elevate your performance with advanced technology that ensures optimal fuel supply, making every ride smoother and more powerful.
Auto Metal Direct
Do your favorite Chevy truck owner a favor by helping them move the gas tank from behind their seat to the under the bed with a new gas tank relocation kit for ’63–’72 Chevy and GMC C/K Pickup Trucks. The kits come complete with a high-quality, stamped and coated fuel tank, straps, j-bolts, and a stainless steel 0-90-ohm sending unit. Moving the tank from the interior is a welcome upgrade!
=UNDER $1,000=
Classic Performance Products
Steer your favorite hot rodder down the right path with a Classic Fit Premium Steering Column From CPP. These columns are designed as direct bolt-ins for specific cars and trucks, featuring the appropriate length and mounting locations, four-way flashers, and wiring installation. Available in satin black or chrome finishes with column or floor shift (in most applications) for Tri-Five Chevys, Chevelle, Nova, C10, F100, and Bronco.
Total Cost Involved
For the Nova fan in your family, be sure to check out TCI’s new aluminum core support panel for ’62–’67 Chevy Novas. Proudly made in the USA, this core support is crafted from lightweight 10-gauge aluminum and includes all the necessary mounting hardware. Weighing in at just 11.5 lbs., it saves 5 lbs. from the factory piece. The assembly bolts directly to the frame, fenders, and mud buckets, just like the original.
Painless Performance
Since the holiday season takes place in the off-season of cruising, it’s a great time to replace a crusty old wiring harness with a new harness from Painless Performance. Painless has got any application covered with their universal customizable harnesses as well as many direct-fit kits for popular applications. Each Painless harness is USA-made and comes with detailed, full-color instructions to make rewiring a classic car or truck easy and PAINLESS.
Detroit Speed
Detroit Speed’s Selecta-Speed Wiper Motor provides the performance and convenience of a late-model wiper system in a package that easily and cleanly mounts in your classic vehicle. The low-profile motor features seven speeds with five delays, a switch, adapter plate, and complete wiring harness. Bolt-in kits are available for C10s, F100s, second- and third-gen Corvettes, Mustangs, Camaros, Chevelles, and many more.
FiTech
Unleash 400hp effortlessly with FiTech’s Go Street EFI System. Experience user-friendly electronic fuel injection that optimizes engine performance and enhances throttle response and power. Ideal for street rods, muscle cars, classic trucks, and more, the Go Street EFI system redefines your driving experience with cutting-edge technology for vintage engines.
Total Cost Involved
This Parabolic Leaf Spring kit offers a modern take on traditional leaf springs, with fewer leaves and varying thickness along a parabolic curve. This design reduces inter-leaf friction, resulting in improved ride quality and reduced stiffness compared to multi-leaf springs. Additionally, it provides a 28-percent weight savings over the previous five-leaf kit. These American-made springs are available for ’37–’54 Chevy trucks and ’48–’64 Ford pickups.
Auto Metal Direct
For anyone restoring a Ford pickup, All Metal Direct offers an all-new OE-style premium hood tailored for ’67–’72 Ford F100, F250, and F350 trucks. These hoods merge classic design with modern craftsmanship and promise unparalleled quality with aesthetic precision. Your Ford fan will think of you every time they get behind the wheel of their truck and look across their smooth, new hood.
=OVER $1,000=
Flaming River
Flaming River offers quality steering columns that are engineered with all new components and proudly made in the USA. Each column, floor shift or column shift, incorporates state-of-the-art technology to provide the best driving experience and makes a terrific gift for hot rodders. Columns are available with or without an ignition switch in paintable mill, polished stainless, black powder coat, or custom powder coat finishes.
CarCapsule
The SC1 ShowCase by CarCapsule USA is a perfect gift for the super car enthusiast on your holiday gift list. The SC1 preserves, protects, and presents like no other vehicle storage product. No tools are needed – it inflates in minutes and stays inflated while accessing your vehicle. The Capsule has an aggressive rake design, C.O.B. lighting, an IntelliCharge battery backup, and unique carbon fiber look. The base mat is also chemical resistant! Available in 16- and 18-foot lengths.
Aldan American
Upgrade your classic muscle car or truck to adjustable coil-overs and shocks with Aldan American’s Road Comp Suspension Kits. Aldan’s team of suspension experts will help guide you to the best suspension on the road. Aldan American kits are designed to use factory shock mounting locations for an OEM-quality fit to improve your vehicle’s stance and performance. Guaranteed to fit and made in the USA with a 100-percent satisfaction guarantee.
Classic Instruments
Shopping for a squarebody truck enthusiast? You can’t go wrong with an all-new, fully electronic instrument cluster from Classic Instruments. The gauge package arrives ready to install directly into the stock dash of ’73–’87 trucks, Suburbans, and Blazers. Simply replace the factory connector with the supplied connector, install the new sending units, and you’re good to go! Seven different design styles are available, and a new lens is also included.
Flaming River / Microsteer
If you’ve heard your car guy complain about manual steering, help them out with a Microsteer Electric Power Assisted Steering system from Flaming River. The Microsteer unit can easily be fitted to virtually any vehicle without the need to change the steering rack or manual steering system. This kit includes the motor unit, ECU, potentiometer, and wiring harness to complete the installation. Power up your steering with the Flaming River Microsteer!
Holley
Holley makes it easy for your favorite gearhead to upgrade to Electronic Fuel Injection with this new Sniper 2 EFI Master Kit! The Sniper EFI is a self-tuning, easy-to-install EFI conversion for common four-barrel (4150-flange) carburetors. Master kits are available with a black or shiny throttle body, a drop-in fuel pump module, a 3.5- or 5-inch touch screen, and power distribution module options.
