1934 Ford Coupe

Among the most popular models to use for a hot rod project is the 1934 Ford Coupe. The original design had fourteen body options, which helps to make this a vehicle with many different avenues for a customization project. It’s general simplicity in design certainly add to its appeal.

By adding an engine upgrade, a new fiberglass body kit, or a new paint job (or even a combination of both), the 1934 Ford Coupe can go from a great classic car to a great hot rod in just a few steps. Earlier versions of the model, such as the 1932 or 1933 model year Fords are also very popular among hot rodders. Consequently, however, that means finding an original, unmodified one can be quite a project in itself.

What are your thoughts about making the 1934 Ford coupe into a hot rod, rather than preserving the classic car as it was when it first rolled out of the factory? Sometimes, deciding between these two options can be a difficult process, but of course, both can make for a fun project. The versatility of this model is certainly attractive to anyone who is considering purchasing a car with the intent to make it into a one-of-a-kind classic hot rod.

If you have a 1934 Ford Coupe that you have made into a hot rod, tell us about your favorite aspects by leaving a comment below.

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Building A Classic Hot Rod

As the weather finally begins to cooperate with all those summer projects you’ve been meaning to get started on, doesn’t it sound great to spend the day transforming your classic car into what you’ve always dreamed it could be? Navigating the world of creating a great hot rod can be confusing, so we’ve put together some tips to make your summer project run smoothly. Good luck with your car’s transformation, and don’t forget to enjoy the process. After all, this is your “baby,” right?

1) There are plenty of resources available to help find the right parts for your hot rod. Magazines, catalogs, and thousands of car restorers just like you are out there. Take your time deciding which parts are most important to you-is it an engine? Cosmetic additions? Determine which items you simply must have and which you would be willing to forgo if finances make a complete restoration a little out of reach.

2) Make a budget for your project. Restoring a classic car is an investment, and more often than not, unexpected part replacements or repairs will creep up. Make sure that your budget includes the cost of parts you want to add, and a miscellaneous category for unexpected costs. Especially for first-timers, it may be a good idea to factor in professional help. Your budget will largely depend on the condition of the car, the availability (or rarity!) of parts for the model, and the area in which you live because of various mechanic rates.

3) If you choose to make the car low-riding, make sure you remember that speed bumps, the curb at the end of the driveway, and unexpected road bumps may present a problem. Nothing is worse than realizing you can’t get the car to the mechanic without causing some serious damage.

4) Make sure the car is how you want it. No matter what others think about your paint color, you’re the one who has to live with it, right? Stay true to your own preferences and you will inevitably enjoy your hot rod much more.

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Hot Rods Equal Freedom

One of the fundamental ways that the automobile changed life in America would be that it provided a new dimension of freedom on many different levels. Imagine living in this great and vast country without a car, especially in years gone by when there was more undeveloped land.

There was a whole world out there to explore, and of course there were trains and eventually one could board an airplane to explore more of the country. But being able to get from one place to another while having transportation every step of the way to get around once you got to your destination was freedom personified.

And at the same time, young people were afforded a new opportunity for freedom when automotive ownership became within reach of everyday people. When you lived at home with your parents you were beholden to their rules and their rules alone.

But once you got old enough to get a license and buy your own car you seized a certain amount of freedom and personal autonomy.

In addition to the freedom to get around, automobile ownership provided people with the opportunity to be personally creative. This is one of the great appeals of hot rods.

If you build your own hot rod you are taking an existing vehicle and modifying it in a unique way. It is your vision that is going to drive the process, and the finished product will be something that was first conceived within your imagination.

Hot rods are the perfect reflection of the freedom that goes along with automobile ownership. You can take it to any level that you want to, and when you’re finished you are looking at a vehicle that is like none other.

This is one of the great appeals of hot rod restoration, and if you harboring an automotive dream make today the day that you actually put the procrastination behind you and buy the classic car you have always wanted!

 

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Hot Rod & Restoration Trade Show

The international spotlight was shining brightly on the city of Indianapolis yesterday while the Super Bowl was being played. It was quite a spectacle indeed, and the game itself was a dandy.

The New York football Giants were able to emerge victorious in a tight battle, and without question the city of New York has been partying in celebration while the folks from New England turn the page and look ahead to next year.

In addition to Indianapolis in general being placed on the grand stage Lucas Oil Stadium was specifically showcased. It was the building of the stadium that made a Super Bowl in Indianapolis possible and it is quite a stunning facility.

Classic hot rod fans have every reason to visit Indianapolis and its fantastic new stadium on March 22-24 of this year. This is when the 14th annual Hot Rod & Restoration Trade Show will take place, and it promises to be one of the most exciting events of the year for classic hot rod fans.

There will be all kinds of training sessions and workshops, and this is a unique opportunity for classic hot rod fans to gain knowledge in the ideal environment. There are also going to be countless exhibitors putting on display just about anything a hot rod or muscle car enthusiast could be interested in.

This is the place to be if you want to gain information, shop around for products that are of interest to classic car fans, and rub elbows with people who are in the industry. There is no substitute for face time with people who share the same interests with you, so if you’re involved in hot rodding on any kind of a professional level this is an event that you absolutely must attend.

Visit the Hot Rod & Restoration Trade Show website to get complete information.

 

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Hot Rod Lincoln

I’m gonna tell you son, you’re gonna to drive me to drinkin’ if you don’t stop drivin’ that hot rod Lincoln.”

If you came of age during the 1970s you probably heard the above lyrics that are a part of a song called “Hot Rod Lincoln” blaring through your speakers after you popped in the eight track tape.

The version that most people would be aware of was recorded by Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen in 1972. The song was actually quite a big hit and climbed all the way up to number eight on the Billboard charts at the time.

However, the history of the song dates back even further. It was inspired by a song called “Hot Rod Race” that was credited to Arkie Shibley and his Mountain Dew Boys. It became popular back in 1951, and then in 1955 Charlie Ryan and W.S. Stevenson wrote “Hot Rod Lincoln” as a response to “Hot Rod Race.”

Enough about music…the Lincoln automobile dates all the way back to the founding of the company in 1917 by a fellow named Henry M. Leland. Prior to this Leyland was responsible for the founding of the Cadillac company, so in a very real sense the man could be called the godfather of the American luxury car.

Lincoln has made some cars with big powerful engines over the years and many models can make for good hot rods.A 1937 Lincoln Zephyr would make an extraordinary rod and if you were to find one you’d be shelling out a pretty penny because these are some rare vehicles. Another cool model to turn into a hot rod that falls under the Lincoln division would be a 1950 Mercury hardtop. And of course there are many more and you are only limited by your imagination.

Hot Rod Lincoln is the quintessential song for hot rod fans, and the cars themselves are not too shabby either.

 

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Hot Rod Heaven

It can be challenging to find the hot rod that you are looking for if you simply shop around the area that is local to you. This is also true of parts. There are only so many hot rod enthusiasts and resources in any given town so you may have to branch out.

Going to car shows and joining hot rod focused collectible car clubs are ways to do this. Another good way to find hot rods for sale, parts, general information and other resources is to visit the right websites.

Along these lines, if you are not already aware of this pearl in a sea of oysters you would do well to visit the Fossil Cars website sooner rather than later.

The site is really hitting its full stride right around now and the people behind it put in a lot of effort to make sure that it has everything that the classic hot rod fan could possibly need. There are countless listings of classic cars for sale including some incredible hot rods, and the roster is added to every single day as different individuals put their hot rods up for sale.

This is great for buyers, but of course if you are looking to sell a hot rod the site is perfect for you as well. It provides you with wide exposure and you get to take advantage of all the resources that the folks at Fossil Cars devote to continually building on their already massive traffic flow.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find more classic cars for sale in one place than you’ll find at the Fossil Cars online marketplace. But don’t take our word for it— swing by the site right now and it is likely that you will be drawn in just like we were.

 

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AMC Javelin Hot Rod

There are certain muscle cars of the 1960s and 70s that were often enhanced for added performance, and many of these were utilized on racing circuits. One such car was the AMC Javelin and we’ll take a look at it here in this post.

A lot of people who are younger fans of hot rods may not be that familiar with the AMC brand. AMC was the American Motors Corporation, and it was founded back in 1954.

Early on it was led by a man who went on to become governor of the state of Michigan named George Romney. The brand was bolstered during its earlier years by the popularity of the AMC Rambler.

AMC went out of business in 1988 but the company was able to distinguish itself with a few vehicles that caught the imagination of the American auto buying public. One of these that is of particular interest to many classic hot rod fans is the AMC Javelin, a car that fits into both the pony car and muscle car categories.

The Javelin was first introduced for the 1967 model year and it was widely acclaimed for packing such a large punch for such a moderately sized vehicle. The most powerful engine that was offered for the Javelin of 1967 was a 343 cubic inch V8.

The original Javelin was offered in just one body style, a two-door hardtop, and in addition to the standard base model there was also an upscale Javelin SST available. On the low-end you could purchase a 1967 Javelin when it was new for just over $2700.

Richard Teague designed the car for American Motors, and his efforts were widely praised throughout the automotive intelligentsia at the time. The car remained in production through the 1974 model year and many specimens have been restored and retooled by classic hot Rod fans over the years.

 

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2012 Hot Rod Power Tour

Being able to circle your calendar and look foreword to an epic good time provides you with an extra reason to get up every morning. Classic hot rod fans have a lot of opportunities to do this every year because there are so many fun events that revolve around these incredible vehicles.

The only problem lies in the fact that you probably want to go to every event that you hear about and if you’re like most people your vacation time is limited. But of course, considering the fact that most of the events are on weekends you can participate in a lot of them if you’re willing to hit the road and explore your region.

If you are in a position to spend about a week on the road with a bunch of fanatical hot rod fans just like yourself you may want to take a long hard look at the 2012 Hot Rod Power Tour. This is the 18th year of the annual tour and it kicks off on June 2 exactly where any automotive adventure should begin: The Motor City, Detroit, Michigan.

The road trip continues on to Muskegon, MI; Champaign, IL; Madison, IL; Miami, OK; and Stillwater, OK before coming to a close in Arlington, TX on June 8 and 9.

The 2012 Hot Rod Power Tour is going to be one of the highlights of the year and if you can possibly make all or even part of the tour it will be a truly unforgettable experience that will probably turn into an annual thing for you. To register for the tour and make hotel reservations all you have to do is click right here.

 

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Street Rodder Street Rod Of The Year

Since you are into classic hot rods you are probably someone who can’t get enough information about your favorite pastime. One of the things that makes being a hot rod fan so much fun is the fact that you can take it to any level that you want to.

If you’re someone who really wants to dig in there and understand every nook and cranny of these vehicles as you restore them from the bottom up you could spend a lifetime building on your expertise. And if you prefer to collect these cars after they have already been restored there are limitless possibilities as well as you constantly scour every available avenue looking for your next big score.

With the above in mind a great resource to tap into for extraordinarily dense coverage of all current hot rod information is Street Rodder magazine. Simply put, Street Rodder has it all, including events and news, technical information, an online community where you can interact with other like-minded hot rod fans, a classified section, parts for sale, and much more.

Street Rodder recently named its 2011 Street Rod Of The Year, and the winner was a mind blowing 1932 Ford highboy coupe that is the property of Durham, Connecticut resident Doug Bredbury. Doug built this car himself as the culmination of some 40 years of collecting parts and immersing himself in the street rod community.

He took home the big prize as a reward for all of his efforts and that certainly must be an unbelievably satisfying feeling. He is the proud recipient of a custom trophy and a leather sleeve jacket and his car will be featured in the May 2012 issue of Street Rodder.

Congratulations to Doug Bredbury who is an inspiration to all classic hot rod fans!

The National Street Rod Association

If you are a big fan of classic hot rods you want to be plugged-in to all the latest news and information that you can get, and this is understandable. Now that we live in the age of the Internet we can indulge our passion to some extent with a simple click of a mouse, but there’s no substitute for personal interaction with people that love hot rods is much as you do.

With this in mind there are a number of hot rod clubs out there that you may want to consider joining and we will make it our business to provide some information about them here on the Classic Hot Rod Fan blog. The group that we are going to highlight here is the National Street Rod Association, and this bunch of hot rod enthusiasts are about as serious as it gets.

A simple visit to the website of the National Street Rod Association is kind of like a kid visiting a candy store. You can see photos galore of some incredible classic hot rods, and this alone makes the site well worth visiting. But they also have information on how to join, complete event listings, information about their safety inspection program, NSRA merchandise for sale, a parts department, a classified section, and much, much more.

Events that are coming up during the first half of 2012 include the Southwest Street Rod Nationals that are being held at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on April 13-15 and the Western Street Rod Nationals in Bakersfield, California on April 27-29.

Without question, the National Street Rod Association is a great organization that every hot rod fan should consider joining!