Old School Hot Rods

[Speedster]

I don't know about you but i have a weakness for old school Hot Rods like this one:

and old Harley Bobbers like actor Huggy Leavers old flathead:

and so does British photographer Richard Heeps.

This link is to his pictures of the Swedish A-Bombers Old Style Week-end:
http://www.richardheeps.co.uk/browse/abombers/index.html

In the menu you will also find lots of other hot-rod pictures from the UK.

And to the A-Bombers site: http://web.comhem.se/~u52224286/A-Bombers.htm

I can imagine that these cars and bikes are not to everyones taste/liking but the style of many of these machines are period correct to the Golden Era.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

There were an amazing variety of speed parts for Fords, starting when the Model T became so numerous that used ones in decent shape could be had for a song. I wonder if there were a lot of speed parts made for the other cars back in the Golden Era?

I love the hot rods of that era, when they used to run them on Muroc Dry Lake, which became Edwards AFB.

 

[BellyTank]

me Speedster

I'm into the early Rods too- have you seen the book; The Birth of Hot Rodding?
It covers dry lakes racing from the beginning to the end- 30s-50s basically.

We plan to move to Malm??(K??benhavns newest suburb...)(perhaps) next year(maybe sooner), Sweden is a much more Hot Rod friendly country than Denmark. Maybe then I'll get my '49 Studebaker Business Coupe and Model A/V-8 then...

Plenty of great colour pics of Rods, Lakesters, and weekend racers- oh and Belly Tanks too of course.

Tony in Tarzana- there were many parts available for Fords- you could get an aftermarket twin overhead camshaft cylinder head for a T engine in the '20s!

Speed parts for the other marques were mainly scratch built or cobbled together until the later years.

Hot Rod Magazine's compilation of their first year's issues is a good read too.

B
T

 

[SGB]

I'm into the early Rods too- have you seen the book; The Birth of Hot Rodding?
It covers dry lakes racing from the beginning to the end- 30s-50s basically.

We plan to move to Malm??(K??benhavns newest suburb...)(perhaps) next year(maybe sooner), Sweden is a much more Hot Rod friendly country than Denmark. Maybe then I'll get my '49 Studebaker Business Coupe and Model A/V-8 then...

Plenty of great colour pics of Rods, Lakesters, and weekend racers- oh and Belly Tanks too of course.

Tony in Tarzana- there were many parts available for Fords- you could get an aftermarket twin overhead camshaft cylinder head for a T engine in the '20s!

Speed parts for the other marques were mainly scratch built or cobbled together until the later years.

Hot Rod Magazine's compilation of their first year's issues is a good read too.

B
T

Another good book is "When the Hot Rods Ran, May 15, 1938", by William Carroll. It's a first person account of racing at Muroc complete with great photos, old programs, timing sheets etc. Small and all B&W, but really good photos. Highly recommended.
SGB

 

[SGB]

HOP UP magazine

I also read HOP UP online, they do a monthly online and publish a yearly annual. They are old school hot rod guys. This month in the Drip Pan section there is a photo and caption of my late Uncle and Dad in my Uncle's race car, my Dad had to drive it to the races as my Uncle was too young to drive on the street.
http://www.hopupmag.com/index.php?

SGB

 

[BellyTank]

Something else...

...there's a novel, aptly entitled "Hot Rod"- copyright 1950 but I don't know exactly when it was written. A good little vintage jalopy read- a bit boy-ish but fun.

I have vintage HR and HU magazine coming out my ears- love the stuff.

There's a contemporary magazine; "Magneto"- concentrating on the New England classic 'Rod scene. My sub ran out but I think it may have changed to a yearly calendar style- it was a quartlerly publication, complete with lotsa vintage colour and B&W(style)photos and of course ONLY vintage and faithful vintage styled Rods in the East Coast style. It was(is) back-pocket format too- just like the old HR mags.

Have a look.

B
T

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Excellent...

Speedster - if you ever get to the Arizona desert, look me up! I'll take you to the Barret-Jackson show in the Spring. You will salivate! Hundreds of just these types of vehicles are on display and then auctioned off. It's an incredible event and quite the spectacle. Do come! -dixon cannon

 

[SGB]

...there's a novel, aptly entitled "Hot Rod"- copyright 1950 but I don't know exactly when it was written. A good little vintage jalopy read- a bit boy-ish but fun.

I have vintage HR and HU magazine coming out my ears- love the stuff.

There's a contemporary magazine; "Magneto"- concentrating on the New England classic 'Rod scene. My sub ran out but I think it may have changed to a yearly calendar style- it was a quartlerly publication, complete with lotsa vintage colour and B&W(style)photos and of course ONLY vintage and faithful vintage styled Rods in the East Coast style. It was(is) back-pocket format too- just like the old HR mags.

Have a look.

B
T

I have boxes of old car mags from the 50's, my late Uncle was an early hot rodder. I also have the program from the 2nd Annual Oakland Roadster Show, with a different Uncle listed as showing his Belly Tank lakester racer. Must have about 20-25 books on Hot Rodding and early Drag Racing, neat stuff.
SGB

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

...there's a novel, aptly entitled "Hot Rod"- copyright 1950 but I don't know exactly when it was written. A good little vintage jalopy read- a bit boy-ish but fun.

Henry Gregor Felsen was the author of that and a bunch of books about young fellows and their hot rods. I don't know if his books are still in print, but they're great vintage reads.

I had to laugh in the 1980s when all the manufacturers were coming out with DOHC "16 valve" engines like it was some kind of ultra-modern technology. I think it was Peugeot in 1911 or so that first built one. lol

And look up Harry Riccardo, he invented a lot of high-performance engine technology in the early 20th Century.

 

[Speedster]

I'm into the early Rods too- have you seen the book; The Birth of Hot Rodding?
It covers dry lakes racing from the beginning to the end- 30s-50s basically.

We plan to move to Malm??(K??benhavns newest suburb...)(perhaps) next year(maybe sooner), Sweden is a much more Hot Rod friendly country than Denmark. Maybe then I'll get my '49 Studebaker Business Coupe and Model A/V-8 then...

Plenty of great colour pics of Rods, Lakesters, and weekend racers- oh and Belly Tanks too of course.

Tony in Tarzana- there were many parts available for Fords- you could get an aftermarket twin overhead camshaft cylinder head for a T engine in the '20s!

Speed parts for the other marques were mainly scratch built or cobbled together until the later years.

Hot Rod Magazine's compilation of their first year's issues is a good read too.

B
T

I know the book BellyTank, but i don't have it (yet). It is and has been for a long time on my wish list but so far my wife has not felt the same urge to give it to me as i have to own it. But i shouldn't complain too much because she has after all given me a Rough Wear Contract 27752 A2 (ELC), a Rough Wear Contract 17756 B2 cap and other nice things. But i guess i will have to buy it myself oneday.

I can fully understand why you are tempted to move to Malm??. I have several times tried to persuade my wife to move to Malm??, but so far without luck at all. Much cheaper houses, much cheaper cars, much cheaper general living costs and the more government friendly attitude towards hot rods. And it is very close to Copenhagen.

Tony in Tarzana, there were plenty of go faster parts available back then.
Check these out: N.W. Vintage Speedsters, Portland, ORE: http://www.nwvs.org/index.shtml "a club dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and enjoyment of 1934 and earlier 4 cylinder speedsters and race cars of any make and model". And their technical section (lots of old articles, catalogs etc.): http://www.nwvs.org/Technical/Technical.shtml

Thanks very much for the offer Dixie Cannon. I would very much like to be able to go and see the Barrett-Jackson one day.

And SGB, those old magazines are very good for reference and lucky you to have uncles who was into the early hot rod / racing scene. Back then most people in Denmark used bicycles, and cars were for the few and wealthy. I guess the closest i will ever get to owning a BellyTank is the one that is permanently attached to my waist.

I used to buy loads of car and bike magazines, but due to house, family etc. i'm now down to only one: Classic & Sports Car. But i guess i will have to check out some of these concentrating on the early hot rods.

 

[Dinerman]

Rolls and pleats is my favorite little book hot rod mag. It's based out of France I think, but it's all old american hot rods, and rat rods. great stuff there. I used to read DeLuxe Magazine, but it was bought out, and has just gone downhill since then

 

[Speedster]

1929 Ford A Tudor

Just saw this one for sale here in Denmark:

http://www.smallblock.dk/modules/MyAnnonces/index.php?pa=viewannonces&lid=28774

Only wish i had the money to spare...

BellyTank, go get it!

 

[Twitch]

Old roadsters of all types are escallating in value rapidly. Anyone desiring such should act NOW before they get out of sight in price. As it is you can expect to spend $25-30,000 to get a decent one.