toyota hemi

French flathead...Ford design 1932/ French redesign 1950's
Japanese hemi...Toyota design 1980's

Now which is traditional and which is not....

BTW...I can't find a single TRD part on THIS Hemi...

 

And yet, Ryan, YOU posted a thread, using a FIAT, about trying to get people to think outside the box!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=115508


Using ideas from a Fiat, or Auto Union, or Talbot Lago is no more OR LESS traditional hot rod than a Toyota V8 (and BTW, I'm putting a Lexus 4.0 DOHC V8 in my '63 mercury Comet convertible).

the closed minded people who feel teh need to denigrate them here really need to learn something. And no, I'm not talking about what you might find on a Toyota or lexus forum, but how you use this and adapt it to the traditional rod scene as either actual parts or merely inspiration. Even YOU see the need to not stagnate in the hobby.

A Toyota hemi like this could easily have been used by an enterprising early '60s rodder. We have no problem with swedish rodders building Volvos as customs, or rods, and rodders in Aus will have had a considerably differnt set of cars laying around to play with.

To be honest, I think it comes down to a few racist bigots who can't handle anything Japanese, even though they can willingly discuss and accept any OTHER foreign component (and a bunch of brand new parts) on traditional style rods. I would love, however, to be proven wrong on that point...

 

I would LOVE to get ahold of one of those motors.... The key words to remember here are "traditionally INSPIRED" A little bit ago I posted about using a Jag 6 (also a hemi) motor in my truck, and that seemed to be OK..... If you are planning to put that 'ota hemi in your Corona, then this might be the wrong place for you.... If you are putting it between some '32 rails, then you are in the right spot.... I see lots of guys with Mustang 2 front suspension, T5's, etc. that are not very "traditional" but that seems to be OK.... If all of us stuck to a set of rules, this hobby would get VERY boaring.... The most important thing here is.....Can you make it look good???

 

Now that we have beat this horse, how about another? Who has heard about using the Lexus (Toyota designed) striaght 8?

 

and you can kiss my ass too.

 

No sHit! My Pontiac motor is going to look bad-ass (if and when it ever gets built!)

 

They made one?

Can you show a pic?

 

Oh well, I jumped the gun. That hugh inline I saw was not an 8, just a really big 6.

 

IMO if a rod looks traditional it is traditional - that Toyo hemi looks like a trad hemi and the car its in is traditional so then the car is a traditional hot rod - why is that so hard for people to grasp?
A lexus engine traditional - course not

 

Heres a question
Is a hot rod built in Belgium with 1940's Mercedes v8 and a 1930's French roadster a traditional Hot Rod?
What about a 1940's MG with Jag straight 6 stuffed in it? (if it fit)
What is the sound of one piston slapping Grasshopper?

 

A Toyota hemi? Maybe I logged onto the wrong message board. I am here to find out about "traditional" stuff like disc brakes, electronic ignition, radial tires, late model Chevy engines with fakey Olds valve covers, T-350's, T-5's, faux patina, etc...and there is no shortage of it here. What the hell is "traditional" these days anyway?

Cool engine. Think outside the bun.

 

Hmm,

Posts like these reveal the true nature of HAMBers I think. Those that embrace innovation, free thinking and a sense of adventure and those that dont. How is a Toyota Hemi any less traditional compared to a SBC, when you compare a SBC to a flathead? If you think about it, my 52 8BA would be concidered radically different to a hopped up banger four and mopar hemis would have blown peoples minds compared to the antiquated valve in block technology that was available at the time. Oh no, dont run that Olds motor, its not traditional! Give me a souped up Model B motor any time, lets keep it real!

If a rodder in the 40's could have gotten a toyota hemi he would have sold his soul to run it in his car. I imagine the only really TRADITIONAL thing about rodding is trying to make your car run faster with what you could afford to put in it at the time. Do you think any of the rodders we call hero's would have earned their reputation by following the old rules? Its hypocritical to piss on someone else for pushing the boundries when 90% of what you use on your car is a result of someone elses innovation. In fact hot rodding itself is a result of someones innovation.

Danny

 

what he said.

 

Now i'm afraid to drive my Canadian made Chevrolet pick up. "Chevrolet" now thats a real American name. lol

 

Danny i can see your point, salt Lake racers wouldve given their left nut to run a modern engine in their cars - shit theyd happily get rid of their jalopies altogether in a trade for a 2006 Camaro or even a GTR Skyline. But that s not the point - we are into replicating the cars they built - we can opt for modern gear - its faster and more reliable but we choose to build replicas - thats why youre running a Flathead and not a late model Chev v8 you pulled from a wrecked commodore or Falcon.

 

Just outa curiousity, does anyone know if any of the MoPar hemi valve covers will fit the 3TC Toyota hemi. It looks like most all have 6 bolt holes. It would be cool to see a toyota engine with say a Red Ram rocker cover on it.

 

Hmm, I dunno about that. That smacks of sock-down-the-pants. Kinda like the Olds valve covers on the Chevy. I could see a set of finned aftermarket Red Ram covers, but hopefully not the stamped steel kind.

Better yet - how about a '50s Toyota logo adapted to the valve covers? I'm not even sure Toyota was exporting vehicles to English-speaking countries back then, but who knows.

-Dave

 

in fact, they were. And the earliest version of the Toyota Crown was sold in the US in the 50s!

http://www.toyotaclub.org/images/brochure_gallery/Toyopet_Crown_Custom_Sedan_for_59full.jpg

I remember the stink that was raised when a customized '59 Toyopet Crown was on the cover of Custom Rodder... Our Aussie friends woudl rod cars like this with no problems, but certain Americans get a real racist stick up theri buts about it. But they could have been built back in the day by enterprising rodders. As I said before, I have a picture in Andy Southard's book "Custom Cars of the '50s" of a customized, scalloped and striped Renault 4CV on the streets of Cali in '58...

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0879387726.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

 

I like that '59 Toyota! I'd drive that thing in a second. It looks like a Rambler. I wonder how one of those Toyota Hemis would fit in there. Along with a four-speed... fun!

I don't care where they were built, I just like cool old cars done up with style.

-Dave

 

Mate,

Its hard to argue with your logic Damit!

I agree with what your saying, I just hope the spirit of ingenuity or free thinking doesnt get squished entirely in the persuit of tradition.

Danny

 

I have to laugh a bit about the traditional vs import idea. It sounds as similar to the purist vs non-purists in the Model A community at Fordbarn or the Ahooga site. When you mention street rod at Ahooga, run for the hills if you can't endure the torture of someone telling you that your taste in autos is offensive to them. It seems to be that there is always someone out there willing to express and opinion that only their opinion matters and is correct. "If it is my hot rod, then you better not speak badly of it, but if it belongs to someone else, then I have the right to tell you how non-traditionl it is."

What constitutes a hot rod, a street rod, a rat rod, a driver, a beater, a restoration of a stock Model A or any other category you wish to apply seems a bit silly in arguing that it ain't traditional if it ain't the way the traditionalist police envision it. I sort of grin when I see the argument, as it extends into the motorcycle world as well. Heck, I even think that there are some who would argue that a fenderless tudor is not a traditional hot rod either. After looking at all of my old 60'-70'-80-90-200 collection of every hot rod mag known to man, I'd have to arguably agree. This style did not show up well in the early years of hot rodding. Maybe it came in voge from the circle track era when 30's cars were really run in races and destruction derby events, but most rod books never did an article or picture spread of them. Even now, you don't see all that many as feature cars in the mags. Is it traditional? Well, no, but is sure is cool. Even the chopped and channeled ones are unique and sort of a branch of the hobby to themselves. Traditional, who cares? If it is yours, you do with it as you please and forget the traditionalists thoughts on it.

The hobby, unlike these poor woe sayers, is not stagnant. I'll venture to bet that most of their kiddos won't really be too overly anxious to keep the old man's hot rod. They are growing up in a different generation that will be more familiar with a souped up rice rocket with loud pipes and a big ass stereo than they will with Dad's old flattie engine. The technology is changing and many of the old traditional tastes of today are going to change as well. I imagine the rat rod crowd can relate to this even more, as their avenue of taste is just now getting popular and taking a hold on the rods one can see at a show and swap or such. Low riders probably went through the same growing pains, but are pretty well established now. I also believe that the muscle car crowd had to sort of grow into their own when they fell in love with non-traditional cars and such.

Me, I have full plans on a Toyota engine for my fenderless highboy tudor. May take a bit to get all the pieces together to get it to the point of installing an engine and tranny, but a part here and a part there are being bought and saved for the project completion. Why the toy engine and not a 'traditional" one? Well, it ain't a cookie-cutter 350 or flattie that you see at every show, and it will have the power and performance to do well as a driver. I ain't looking for break-neck speed, but it can be added easily on one. I like the fuel mileage advantage, the ease of finding parts, the ability to have an engine that will last far longer than most V8 mills, and the uniqueness to be a bit different as my personal choice. Traditionalists have a right to believe what they want, but for me, I'll march to a different drum in that regard. I love the looks of them and feel they add greatly to the hobby.

Having met some guys who have actually dealt with popping them into their rods, I can tell you that they all say you will spend half your time in answering the positive comments and questions of others. The negative stuff is pretty well limited to those who choose to be the 'traditionalist police."

Is this a traditional hot rod? I saw it at the Fort Worth swap and could not decide if it was or not. I don't think it is made in the USA though, so maybe it is not really a traditional hot rod after all. Still, I'd love to have bought one for my grandkids. Just my 2 cents worth of opinion though.
Huey

 

[It looked at first glance to be an early Dodge Red Ram. If the Jap motors had been avaliable in the '50's, they would have been used, without hesitation.]

pigpen


[/quote]

I argue that point. In the 1950s if it was Japanese It wouldnt have been used WHY? WWII.

 

I argue that point. In the 1950s if it was Japanese It wouldnt have been used WHY? WWII.[/QUOTE]

I think you kinda missed the point...

 

I would compare it to a late model gm metric 305 or 350. tp

 

Ok, what about in a traditionally styled, fiberglass bodied, drive everywhere car?
Good on gas, it IS a hemi, different than a small block chevy, and reliable.
Does than sound like a good car to won?
If you already have a glass body, why not?

So many cars considered cool here have a lot of newer than
trad parts on them and few complain.
If done with trad styling, it would be ok by me.

regards,
Doug

 

I got into rodding because i didnt want to look like every one else but now with the rat scene/nostalgia scene everyone looks just like everyone else hot rodding has never been so carbon copied in its history ,i was keen on the nostalgia scene when it started but now you can stick it ! FINISH IT DONT FASION IT!RUN WHAT YOU WANT NOT WHAT THEY WNAT YOU TO

 

New guy here, there seems to be more dumbass drama on here than there is listening to my teenage daughter and her friends 'and those of you that know my kid know what I mean! The moderators seem to take care of this very well!As for the real trad stuff out there whether it be rod or custom what percentage of the parts needed to keep your trad rod ,custom or daily driver is american versus foreign made?hypocratic huh!If this motor were available to anyone out there would anyone say no thanks !? Not me! Alright let me have it ,Mike

 

UUGGGG. TOYOTA on the HAMB......Now there about to ruin Nascar. I hope GM, Ford, and Chysler leave Bill France holding his TV contracts with no cars to run.

 

GM, Ford, and Chrysler have very litttle to do with the cars running in NassCar today. The cars are really little more than spec-series race cars with different stickers on the nose.....

 

Nascar hasn't been the same since Buddy Holly died. or since the first tube chassis was allowed.