So being that I am only really familiar with muscle cars and have no idea where to start researching Traditional Hot Rods. What should I look at? I've Been Reading The Rodders Journel.( pretty much what started my lust for a hot rod.) But are there any books? Movies? I know I just need to get out and see what is being done. But I would also like to know what I am looking at. What part is what. what is common, etc. thanks Matt
"How to Build a Traditional Hot Rod" by Mike Bishop and Vern Tardel "Hot Rod Kings" by David Perry and Kevin Thomson There's a lot more, but that'll get you started. There will be test next week, study hard.
You've already found the best source there is, the H.A.M.B. is available 24/7, and constantly updated. You could sit here all day, every day, and not read every new post here, let alone the archives. Do lots of searches, then do some asking, you'll find it all right here. Check out the Jockey Journal, too, if you like motorcycles.
The Bishop/Tardel book listed above is kind of gospel for traditional hot rods. I also got a lot out of and frequenly refer back to Tex Smith's 'Hot Rod Chassis' fairly frequently.
NOT a picture book by any means...you'll have to use your imagination...and you must READ them, but my books tell the tales of the crazy1960's in the Midwest...at the beginning of the muscle cr movement...check out my website for excerpts from both books and/or to order. Whoever said "if you remember the 60s' you weren't there" is a liar. R-
Good advice. I review my copy of Hot Rod Pin-ups on a regular basis. Oh yeah, there are some cars in there too...
Not a book source, but some helpful advice that we live by...... big tires go on the back, little ones on the front.
"SO-CAL Speed Shop: The Fast Tale of the California Racers Who Made Hot Rod History." Loved this book. Great history of how it all started in LA. It is not all So-Cal history, a lot of it is how So-Cal grew within the context of all the Hot Rod developments during the 30s to the 60s. Amazon has it for $26.00. 2cents
Rodder's Digest magazine, and Hot Rodder's Bible by Gerry Burger and Steve Hendrickson. Hendrickson was on here pretty regularly until he passed away a short time ago. For movies, just for inspiration, check out World's Fastest Indian to get taste of Bonneville, and check out the SCTA website and get a SCTA rule book. -Brad
Books to buy for a crash course in Trad Hot Rodding..... The Birth Of Hot Rodding, the Dry Lakes Era Dry Lakes & Drag Strips Hot Rod History Book 1 & 2 Hot Rod Milestones (1999) Hot Rod Milestones (2005) Ford Hot Rods Classic Hot Rods Hop Up The first 12 issues & Hop Up Annuals TRJ
The BEST source of info on traditional rods is OLD MAGAZINES. You can find them on eBay, you can find them at swap meets. Trust me, you'll pick up more genuine info on the good old days from 2 or 3 1950s magazines than from every issue of Rodder's Journal ever published. (And you'll find out that a lot of "traditional" stuff that is currently popular was NOT popular at that time!) Each one is like a time capsule. The slang is sometimes difficult to translate into human English, but the photos alone are a gold mine of info. If you're just starting off, hit a range of titles and years to get a feel for the range of rods and kustoms over time and from region to region. Having said all that, Motorbooks International publishes some very good books on rods and kustoms.
Any early 60,s Popular Hotrodding magazine.Full of gassers,got me into it and were never bettered!I,m loathe to mention American Graffitti AGAIN,but it was such an inspirational film(though some are now going to bite my head off)
The Jalopy Journal
