This Months Hot Rod Top 20 Motors of All time

Wow, the readers of Hot Rod sure have some wierd ideas of the greatest motors. I mean REALLY? What the hell is the Clevland motor doing on there, what a hung of shit(and I'm a hard core Ford man), but the y-block didn't rate. And the LS shit made the list, but not the 235/261, or the GMC 302. The Boat anchor 3rd Gen caddy made the list but the first gen didn't.

 

It isn't because of the fact that it's a reproduction body. I think it's awesome they're reproducing the '57. Heck, if I could afford it, I'd buy Brookville bodies. Those are reproduction bodies just the same as the '57. I would rather a Chinese reproduced steel body that fits and aligns nicely over the American steel body where none of the body parts work with each other.

I think the car overall comes off as a poser. The stance doesn't do it for me. The article points out that there isn't a single used part in the whole build.. AKA off-the-shelf parts. To me, the car doesn't seem to have character. Not knocking the owner's taste but I see a lot of things on that car that I would change.

However.. I do like that there is a 396/Muncie in it. I can't deny that would be fun to romp on around town in.

It's like art to me. I'm always criticizing other cars in my mind, thinking whether I like so-so or not, what I would change, what I think the subjects lack. I do the same to my cars. I'm always constantly adding to the to-do list on each of my cars. In other words, I'm a perfectionist. Let's leave it at that.


iPhone - TJJ app

 

I like the 57 repo or not,there are somethings like you I would have done different,chassie painted black and rear wheel wells radius

 

I feel stupid now... Well than... I just saw top 20 motors... Open mouth insert foot...

 

Ah yes, I still yearn for a decent ,relevant magazine.

 

Everybody's a critic. Some just won't admit it, right?

We can all agree that if HRM had asked on here, that list would be nowhere close to similar to what they have now. Right, fellas?


iPhone - TJJ app

 

Funny how everyone jumps on HOT ROD for missing the mark or getting it wrong - but it was actually done as a SURVEY by Readers, in other words a bunch of car guys - so yes it was a popularity contest. You can tell the readership is heavily Chevy oriented - I mean come on, the Rat motor in 2nd and the flatty 10th
Bunch of booger eatin goobers must have voted

 

Street rodder sucks,only reason I get hot rod is they made me a deal I coudnt refuse.I do like Hemmings and rod and custom and some of the old school rat stuff is just to out there for me looks like somebody watched Mel Gibson Road warriors to much it damn sure isnt the way it wasBut it is good thing when a guy can put together a ride with out havein a million $ in it ,this is a big plus

 

I just dont get #2 thru #20 but, dang, #1 is a no brainer. .... I just dont get it.

 

Sometimes I wonder just how many people here on the HAMB that think the flathead ford engine is the end all be all of hot rod power plants, has ever owned and driven a flathead powered car, and by driven, I mean left your city limits behind. I don't think the Hot Rod list is too far off myself, and I have owned and driven flatheads, nailheads, SBF's, GM inline 6's, and several (*$^^% aircooled flat 4's.....well, disregard that last one....You guys want to know what's in my current cars ??? SBC's in both.... Of course, it's all personal opinion...I'd just like to know how well educated some of those opinions are.

 

I would also put the SBC as number one ... but the rat as number two is just wrong, and the 426 hemi ahead of the 392 family, again wrong. The flathead spun heads (bank robbers and moonshiners love 'em) when first introduced and held its own for many, many years .... in my mind the flattie should be right behind the small block chev. ... or a close tie for first.

 

They know very little.

Holden inline sixes.

 

Packard?

All big 3 V8. Nerds.

 

Yes, Dickheads and Nerds indeed...."20 Best V8's" How dare they not include inline engines

 

Don't blame the editors? What a crock, the readers are voting on what the editors have been covering, and they are readers because they like what is covered.

 

Bingo...content=readership demographics=advertising=$$$

 

Wait, I'm confused....does Hot Rod intentionally cover what their readers like, or do readers like it only because Hot Rod covers it ??? What comes first ? The content, or the likes/dislikes of the reader ?

 

If you read the article it is broken down into catagories.
#1 preformance potential
#2 Historical significance
#3 looks cool
#4 affordability to build today
#5 easy to work on
all of these are worth a max of 5 points and the results are what you read earlier.
I would love to have a nail head or a MEL but rebuilding those is not cheap, and lets face it cost is a big factor to most people.

 

So... inline sixes should be ranked in the "Top 20 V-8 List"?

When it comes to articles, threads, or the written word in general, ya gotta read em, 'cause they won't talk to ya.

Hot Rod Magazine is an American tradition and the price they charge, for those that subscribe to it, can be less than a buck an issue, mailed right to your door. Frieghburger and the folks are doin' a pretty fair job over there now adays. Ya'll might want to check it out.

 

Am I alone here??? What does it matter what other people think from a magazine that forgot it's roots decades ago and is still trying to be all things to all men but succeeds in being not much to a few and totally irrelevant to the grass roots real hot rodding world of the HAMB....

 

You're not alone in your perception, but Hot Rod Magazine has always covered current trends, with a look back at historical stuff too. So when they cover current powerplants, new vehicles, etc. it doesn't mesh with the "Traditional" theme of the HAMB.

That doesn't mean it is irrelevent to grass roots, it just has a broader view and covers a wider topic than just pre-65.

 

Ok. So let's start our own list. But instead let's call it the "20 alltime coolest hotrod engines" And not in any particlar order.
I'll start.
Any hopped up Flatheads, Nailheads, Hemi's or GMC inline six's.
Oh, and how about any Overhead valve 4 banger conversions.
What's next.
Karl.

 

No complaints from me...........cool to know, still on the winning team...

 

:OK. So I win 'Tool of the week' Award.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXdWJMbBL1E&feature=related

^ GlassThamesDoug- see your point. That's ace.

 

The cleveland is junk? Really!!!! You need to either own one or read this article. They were badass small blocks back in the day!!!!

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/hrdp_1001_muscle_car_engine_shootout/viewall.html

 

Inline sixes were for grammas car. Y blocks were for grampa. Early hemis, nailhead buicks, and yes the small block were the best in the day.

 

I see a brilliant marketing plan here, this is the most we have talked about the HRM in a long time. Interesting! Just a thought. ~sololobo~

 

Well, in all honesty, I think the editors were trying to do a reasonable job. They KNEW they'd create controversy-that's what sells magazines. And the HAMB members,by and large, aren't the Hot Rod magazine demographic-so the editors don't seek your opinion for the most part.

They made an attempt to rank the engines not only on historical significance and coolness-but also on parts and cost-the recent posts on the Lycoming Cord engine showed a REALLY cool motor-but only folks in Leno's income bracket can afford one.

Finally, Hot Rod costs less than $10 year. You can bitch about it all day, but IMO,you aren't much of a car man if you can't find something in a car magazine that interests you for half the price of one of your Starbucks Latte's or one of my beers.

 

Actually I read the magazine. They have been sending it to me since about '93. You may have to read between the lies here if you catch my drift.

Anyway no one will talk to me when I am in the "reading room" so i have to have something.

The deal on the best engines is that it is a reader pole and not anything that actually rates the engines. Lots of their readers are not "traditionalists" some of the engines I would have ranked higher than what they were ranked by the readers.

I do like the SBC as everyone knows, never the less I probably would not have ranked it number 1. I see no reason to go into a reason for my personal ranking. It just wouldn't not have been the highest engine on my list.

 

I think the new LS motors are going to become the new "small block" .
I guess thats what makes a horse race..... a difference of opinion.