Hot Rod terms that are no longer in common usage

Shaggin wagon, for a tricked out van.

 

And of course, NAILHEAD

 

I use it when I am too lazy to type distributer. LOL
I actually first heard the term when I was real little by an Irishman that used to come around the old man's shop. But al lot of the language used down under comes from the British isles more then from the US. he also called a hood a bonnet and a trunk a boot.

I have heard two different explanations of 3/4 and full race cams. One has to do with a cam company that made a 3/8 cam that was healthier than its 3/4 cam which I have basically discounted as a marketing ploy and the other was told me by a fella that is an old cam grinder who said it has to do with the duration, based on 360 degrees being a full circle. basically 270 or so duration being 3/4 and full race being in the 280 degree up range.

Mostly it is just an old school description of how healthy a cam is full race not considered streetable and 3/4 being a pretty lumpy street cam.

Ok has anyone mentioned bump stick for cam shaft?

 

I didn't read through all 26 pages so my apologies if I repeat any. These are just a few of my favorites.

Jiggler- OHV
Shove sticks- push rods
Chicken stick- brake pedal
Go getter- gas pedal
Fire wires- plug wires

 

Lake pipes - kick stand

 

"Race prepared by J.C. Whitney"......

 

I remember my grandpa always saying it was ''boon-doggled'' under the hood when it wouldn't start!

 

To my ear the ZZ Top Manic Mechanic lyrics are "I done put the coon tune on this Vette" meaning he put the "race" tune-up on his Corvette. I mean it is a song about getting a car ready for a race.

To me it wouldn't make any sense if it was "I done put the coon tune on this bet" because (A) why would you need to "coon tune" a bet? And (B) what would the connection be between origins of rock 'n roll and a bet.

Listen to it again about 5-6 times and I bet you will hear "Vette" too (heh).

 

"Wound her up till the pistons
were swappin' holes!"

 

Wow, you guys talk funny

 

Back in the day When my uncle and I would go to the drag races after a car left the line and smoked the tires we would call it boiling the hides.

 

Or cookin' the casings!

 

Political correctness says we can't use "Dago" in reference to food or axles, or anything else for that matter.

By PIONEER PRESS | news@pioneerpress.com
PUBLISHED: June 23, 2007 at 11:01 pm | UPDATED: November 14, 2015 at 7:34 am

W.H. Tyrone Terrill who, as director of the city of St. Paul Human Rights Department, stands vigilant over the urgent inequality and implied discrimination of say, an Easter basket in City Hall, has now issued a warning to DeGidio’s Restaurant at 425 W. Seventh St. It came to Terrill’s attention – how, we don’t know – that DeGidio’s has a “hot dago” sandwich on the menu.

” ‘Dago’ is a highly offensive, derogatory and disparaging term that denotes an ethnic slur to individuals of Italian ancestry and origin,” Terrill wrote to the restaurant, ordering them to remove the word from the menu and to cease and desist all use of the word in its advertising.

Mr. Earl P. Gray, attorney of at least some Italian ancestry, he said, informed Terrill of the rather obvious fact that the phrase “hot dago” refers to a sandwich.

In other words, it is a menu offering and does not at all refer to a specific waitress, for example, for whom the phrase might be flattering, if impolitic, for purposes of flirtation.

“The people in this town and surrounding area know the ingredients of a ‘hot dago’ sandwich by the name ‘hot dago,’ ” Gray wrote back to Terrill.

Terrill pins the hope of his alarm on Section 183.07 of the St. Paul Human Rights Ordinance, which provides that it is illegal to discriminate with respect to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations of a place of public accommodation.

Gray, who doesn’t easily wilt, said, “I am glad I am getting old,” or words to that effect.

“Doesn’t this guy have anything to do?” Gray said of Terrill. “If the sandwich is consumed by people of Italian descent, it doesn’t stand to reason that they are being denied anything.”

Reason must not have anything to do with it, for Terrill’s interpretation of the ordinance almost makes it seem as though you could have a “hot dago” sandwich but you best not enjoy it.

 

“I just love it when guys peel out”

 

It is SAND and buff, not "cut and buff". I hate that phrase so much I can barely stand to read a paint thread any more. I'm on my geezerly way to codgerdom I guess...

 

anybody say rod yet? seems like everybody referred to em as their rod back in the 50s not their hot rod just their rod...i dont hear guys sayin that as much if at all these days

 

Had an old timer walk into my garage during a garage sale and saw a model a roadster body I had and asked if "the bug" was for sale.

 

Probably in the thread somewhere in 18 pages. Pics, though.

Brain bucket. Skid lid.

Pop up pistons^. Slugs.

Greaser, Hoodlum.
Can someone tell me if this guy qualifies as a ''drape"?

^ Oops, tiny image. Pumpkin, jackpot.

 

[QUOTE “Doesn’t this guy have anything to do?” Gray said of Terrill. “If the sandwich is consumed by people of Italian descent, it doesn’t stand to reason that they are being denied anything.” [/QUOTE]

According to the definition of "Dago" in the Urban Dictionary, it appears that the only people who could legally purchase and consume the "Hot Dago" sandwich would be those of Italian, Spanish or Portuguese descent. Any person of ethnic origin other than those three attempting to purchase said sandwich would be liable to the fullest extent of the law. This line of thinking will of course result in the incarceration of those not of Italian, Spanish or Portuguese descent who indulge in the wine known as "Dago Red". I, personally, have been incarcerated as a result of drinking the aforementioned wine and I am not descended from any of the "Dago" nationalities. I'm sure that was not the main reason for my incarceration.

 

Terms, phrases recalled:
"He's a Legend - in his own mind!" and
"Stops on a dime, and gives you 9¢ change."

 

"Traditional"
That was so yesterday!
Next week, next month, next year.......who can say.

 

Alan Berry would tell of adding 'Kickapoo juice' to level the final coat of paint.
(brew of slow thinner, to elim. overspray)

 

This is quite the interesting thread to read through...times change ....fads , slang , styles they all change...but while reading through this thread I have noticed the one thing hasn't changed....is that you can answer any questions or have a comment on anything and there is always the other guy that has the same answers or comments as you do...but he feels that his are better or more correct than yours ...even though what was asked for didn't require a right or wrong answer....
Also .....going by some of the words or slang that I hear now days in the car world, mostly brought on by movies and video games, used by the younger ones today...if you where to ask this question again in 20-30 or so years down the road it's kind of scary, is that still used, to think of what some of the answers are going to be....Sick!
And if we don't keep the history of Hot Rods and Customs alive by keeping and making our hobby inviting and interesting to the up and comings ...than in the future if this question was to be asked again the only answer your going to get will be Daaaahhhhh...wwwhhhhassatttt....
Ok...time to "Haul Ass Out of Here "...."Tire Frying" ....all the way in my " T - Bucket " ...East Bound and Down....We Gone...

Sent from my SM-T387V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

This is a fun thread. I read all and didn't see some stuff from my early impoverished years like: "It'll get 2nd gear scratch", "Couldn't pull the hat off your head", Stovebolt, One-wheel peel, Fork-ed four (early flathead), "Out and out race car"... 'Sorry, this is not really hot rod terminology, just stuff from the sixties and earlier... "Handles like a pig on ice", Sunday driver (someone not aware that he should be driving more briskly), or some ones from my mother's childhood in the 20's and 30's: "Goin' like 60", or "Taking his half out of the middle" (of the road) or"If you want to live to 70, don't look for it on the speedometer." I also didn't see "pot" for carb.

 

Dizzy, - Been used here for as long as I can remember, 35 plus years. Just part of the culture.
Not sure why it is so offensive to some.

 

A friend of mine used the word "dizzy" when ever his wife would come out to the shop and ask him to do something for her....never failed..just seemed like every time he would get started on something..she would open the shop door poke her head in and say Roooggeerr could you do something for me...and then slams the door shut...then Roger drops what he was doing walks over to the stereo..turns it up a bit more ...then returns to what he was doing as he is yelling ,because of the stereo being louder , Never fails every time someone comes by or I just get going on something that f;:'n":; " Dizzy " bitch has to poke her head in..... I am pretty sure he wasn't talking car parts and if she heard him she probably would have been offended by it....or not...they are still together and I have known him and been hanging out in his shop off and on for 40+ years and if I were to go there tomorrow...I'm pretty sure it would be the same......

Sent from my SM-T387V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

"Goes like stink"!

 

OK. I'm going to rant a little bit. "Big Block". Most over used term. If your are a serious car person, you know what a 440 Mopar is, a 390 Ford is, a 348-409 is. We never used the term "big block" to describe any of these. "Bubble Top" again it was used to describe a "62" Chevy roof line, because there where 2 different roof lines. Everything else is a 2 door hardtop. I know I stepped in it, but that's ok. My old neighbor used to use all the old catch phrases, "flip flop paint, 4 gear, dump tubes, built to the hilt, pick-em-up truck". Made me grit my teeth. OK I'm Done. Thanks for your time.

 

^^^^^^^ You’re right about the “bubble top” reference,makes me crazy to hear 61 Impalas
called bubble tops.

 

< It's a "210 Sedan" not a Bel Air.