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History HOW TO: Build Your Own HOT Roadster - EASY 26-Point Checklist!!!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by KIRK!, Apr 20, 2010.

  1. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    [​IMG]


    To say that I'm obsessed with vintage car magazines and books is an understatement. I have most of a double-door closet dedicated to just pre-'70 hot rod and custom-related literature. The books are categorized by year; the periodicals by****le, month and year. If it was published before 1970 and features hot rods, customs or drag racing, I bet I have it! From magazines to yearbooks to handbooks to novels and everything in between.

    While I love having my treasure trove of paper pleasures, I sometimes forget what I have and come across a hidden gem. This is what happened last night when I started digging through my flathead-souping archive for reading material on the new '40 and it's stock flathead.

    Between my original copies of "How To Hop Up Ford & Mercury V8 Engines" and "Souping The Stock Engine" I came across the "Speed and Power Handbook" from 1949. Since I opened it I've been totally sidetracked by this tome and it's wealth of subjects - most of which fall just short of having enough information to be useful. Nevertheless, the reading is quite entertaining with sections like: Moisture Injector Plans, Hollywood Styling and Clear Plastic Tops, sprinkled in with the prerequisite speed tips (which, unfortunately lack any technical data).

    I don't remember where I got it or what I paid, but it was worth it for the entertainment value. I'm not sure I could say the same if I'd paid the $2.50 asking price in 1949.

    So anyway, here's the checklist for building your own "HOT Roadster".

    [​IMG]

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    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2010
  2. Kona Cruisers
    Joined: Feb 4, 2007
    Posts: 1,104

    Kona Cruisers
    Member

    sweet!!! I like the "28 T body"...
     
  3. Hitchhiker
    Joined: May 1, 2008
    Posts: 8,507

    Hitchhiker
    Member

    so awesome! It looks so easy.:D
     
  4. AJofHollywood
    Joined: Oct 3, 2008
    Posts: 641

    AJofHollywood
    Member

    "#5 - Weight of car 1200 lbs. approx."

    I guess they never bothered to weigh an actual '28 "T" bodied HOT Roadster before the writing.
     
  5. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 35,913

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    2.50 was a pretty stiff tariff for a hot rod book in that period of time. I don't have that one but I do have a few that I've picked up over the years.
     
  6. ...my treasure trove of paper pleasures....

    Nice , reading.
     
  7. cadillacoffin
    Joined: May 30, 2007
    Posts: 1,128

    cadillacoffin
    Member

    is #15 turning valves to a 30 degree rather then the stock 45 degree a common thing?
     
  8. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Oh, it is!
     
  9. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,626

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    Make me a shirt of that logo on the cover please. Very cool*****, and I have some of that so far!!!!
     
  10. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    I may.
     
  11. Is that the book you used to build the Legion Special and didn't tell us about til it was done?
    Later,
    Dick
     
  12. Babyearl
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 610

    Babyearl
    Member

    KIRK, You are the Man,,,,,
     
  13. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Don't tell anyone.
     
  14. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Yeah, I'm not sure what that translates to today, but it was a lot.
     
  15. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    That's pretty much how the whole book is - entertaining, but not super useful.
     
  16. the-rodster
    Joined: Jul 2, 2003
    Posts: 6,960

    the-rodster
    Member

    Yeah, there's no way, with those parts, it would be that light.

    The flatty and******* will weigh 700 lbs.

    My car is nothing but the "basics" and it weighs in at 1800.

    Kirk, what's the Legion weigh?

    Rich
     
  17. hemi
    Joined: Jul 11, 2001
    Posts: 1,959

    hemi
    Member

    That book is full of*****. It says nothing about skulls or plastic rats or farm tools... hell, the roadster is way too high and the rear isn't even lower than the front. What did they know back then??
     
  18. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    I told you it wasn't very informative.

    Seriously though, it supports the point that just because something is from "back in the day" doesn't make it good or right. The real challenge with "traditional hot rodding" as a category is gaining the knowledge and intelligence to pick and choose what "worked" mechanically and visually in the past and try to do ONLY those things today. It's an ongoing challenge that is most of the fun.

    There were*****-ugly cars (Barris cars after Sam) built back then and stupid technical advice, "real" hot rodders try to tell the difference and omit the stupid***** from the past.

    It was a time of experimentation, and when you experiment not everything works, but it IS hilarious to see people redo the mistakes from the past just because they see it in an old magazine or photo.
     
  19. hemi
    Joined: Jul 11, 2001
    Posts: 1,959

    hemi
    Member

    A shirt or poster with the cutaway drawing and no text, just the numbers would be awesome....
     
  20. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    I'm not saying to not appreciate it, but from a designers eye, some things look good and others don't. That is interpretive, of course, but on the mechanical side, things either work or they don't.
     
  21. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Agreed. But, by what has come before us we can evaluate what to do and what not to do by how well it has worked.

    Also, disagreeing is perfectly fine. I'm sure as hell not right all the time.
     
  22. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Sho 'nuff! I love a good debate.
     
  23. Scott B
    Joined: Dec 31, 2002
    Posts: 549

    Scott B
    Member
    from Colorado?

    Is all of that stuff about experimentation more secret code talk?

    I can never tell...
     
  24. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Yes. Got your call today. Come by sometime.
     
  25. OoltewahSpeedShop
    Joined: Oct 18, 2007
    Posts: 3,103

    OoltewahSpeedShop
    Member

    Quick change transmission.....? I love reading the stats in the old magazines. People musta been way more stupider back then;).
     
  26. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Order yours today!
     
  27. freebird101
    Joined: Feb 13, 2009
    Posts: 1,203

    freebird101
    Member

  28. Billet
    Joined: Oct 13, 2008
    Posts: 275

    Billet
    Member

    Well that clears up a lot.. What was I thinkin'?
     
  29. -Brent-
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 7,830

    -Brent-
    Member

    If that was just the beginning I'd love to see the rest of it. It's like the pre-Bishop/Tardel book.

    Thanks KIRK!
     
  30. thunderbirdesq
    Joined: Feb 15, 2006
    Posts: 7,091

    thunderbirdesq
    Member

    It really is just that easy! I put mine together last night.:D
     

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