|
Brass Car Era - Antique Car Era - Vintage Car Era - Classic Car Era - Muscle Car Era
Hot Rods were born when backyard mechanics discovered how much fun it is to customize a discarded Model T Ford. And when they cut off the top the roadster was born. Hot rods and roadsters have been the trademarks of street racers and speed buffs since the first V-8 engine and continue to be both a popular pastime and commercial enterprise.
The Model T Ford became known as the 'T-Bucket' and from those days forward they have had an irresistible allure to 'grease monkeys' and 'gearheads'. As the original parts became impossible to find, new companies surfaced to meet the challenge. Today, you can purchase a Model T fiberglass body and build a brand new hot rod from scratch. But the hot rod was not limited to the Model T. Every hand-made custom car that favored speed can be called a hot rod, or just 'rod'.
T Bucket
Vehicles built in the 1940's and 1950's have been particular favorites. And as car bodies were 'Chopped', 'lowered', 'sloped', 'raked' and 'channeled' the 'roadster' evolved as a favorite hot rod style. Big-block engines, loud headers and big rear tires are hallmarks of a classic hot rod and the more chrome the better. Sun, surf, drive-ins, rock-n-roll and music from the Beach Boys are all part of the hot road scene and many therefore feel Southern California was the birthplace of this now worldwide craze. Today, a hot rod could be any vehicle from the Antique, Vintage or Classic Car Era that has been modified for appearance and performance.
|
