DEFCON 3

This Rusted Out 1963 Chevy II Becomes An Epic ProTouring Ride.

Inspired by Greatness

This Pro Street 1978 Mercury Zephyr is a Gen-Xer’s Missing Link

What Is Octane Creep?

New engines on the dyno and regularly refreshed race engines run OK with higher static compression ratios compared to otherwise similar, regularly driven, identically-fueled street engines.

CANDY APPLE CHIEF

Hot Rodding A 1955 Pontiac Chieftain

Contemplating the Gen III Hemi Swap

I received a press release a few days ago that sparked an interesting line of thought. Holley recently announced a new line of products for Gen III Hemi swaps into older vehicles, namely D100/D150 pickups and 1966 to 1972 B–Body cars.

The Lokar/Street Rodder Road Tour '34 Ford

Precision Hot Rods Builds A Three-Window Coupe For the 2020 Road Tour

The HOT ROD Archives

20 YEARS AGO August 2000: 154 pages, $3.99

Shop Talk Project Car Update

As this is written, we are all stuck at home, hiding out from the coronavirus, and if there is an upside to be found in all this, it’s that we have some extra time to work on personal projects.

FLASHBACK 1964

This was an exciting time, as the speed equipment aftermarket’s penetration of Motor City really began to take off. The classic example is Hurst, whose floor shift-conversion business exploded after Pontiac anointed the four-speed shifter as standard equipment on 1961 Super Duty Catalinas. Not coincidentally, cofounder George Hurst worked harder at self-promotion and was better at it than any of his peers.

Three Mopar Survivor Cars Back on the Road: Two Have Hemis the Other is a 6BBL!

Plymouth technician Ted Robinson owned these drag race, day two Plymouths. His daughter and family friend got them running again.

SCARLETT NOIR

This Stunning Corvette Rides on a Handmade and High-Tech Tube Chassis

LOOKING FORWARD

Last month, I wrote about ways people can cope under a quarantine situation, and it’s my hope that all who read this are safe and well. This is a very difficult time, and it’s impossible to see what the outcome will be.

FAST & FURIOUS

Behind the Wheel With NHRA Funny Car Champion “Fast Jack” Beckman

Wrap Your Ass in Fiberglass

I love fiberglass—it’s easy to work with and it smells really good. I’m okay as a steel fabricator, but when it comes to gluing a car together, my experience goes back to 1960 when I was 8 years old and built AMT’s 1⁄25 scale 1932 Ford 3-in-1 kit as a fenderless highboy with a blown 392 Chrysler for power— Hemi Firepower that is.

Cadillac Rescue

Reviving a ’60s 390 Cadillac Engine

HIDDEN & FORGOTTEN

Hidden since 1974, Ronnie Belletieri’s 1969 Dodge Daytona is set to undergo a full OE restoration.

MUROC 1940

In the early days of California’s hot rod culture, serious racing was done at a small group of dry lake beds in the Mojave Desert named Rosamond, Harper, El Mirage, and Rogers.

SUPERMAN

The Last Unshackled American Muscle Car

The Great Garage Clean Out

I’m writing this on April 15, 2020—perhaps significantly, as it’s the anniversary of the Titanic sinking and that seems allegorical of humanity these days.

COOKIE'S 32

When he was a kid, William Lind would often sneak out of his house to a bakery across the alley and ask if he could have a cookie. The little guy did it so often the bakers nicknamed him Little Cookie.

PERSEVERE!

This is a tough one to write. More than a month into quarantine from this virus that threatens to crash the world’s economy, what could I possibly say to help, inspire, or support anyone who is struggling?

Hammer Time

LEARNING HOT ROD BUILDING FROM MASTER CUSTOMIZER GENE WINFIELD

DODGE STORIES

The Ever-Evolving Chase for the Story Behind This Very Rare Mr. Norm–Built 1965 Dodge Coronet 500

Bolt-On Boost

A FEW POUNDS OF PROCHARGER-INDUCED AIRFLOW DELIVER 177 REAR-WHEEL HORSEPOWER FOR THE SIXTH-GEN CAMARO SS

How Do I Prevent Low-Speed Overheating on a 500HP, GM LS3-Powered Datsun 240Z on 110-Degree Summer Days?

Mike Mileski from Tucson, Arizona Asks…

The Homeless Hemi, Part 1

WE ADOPT A MOPAR IN NEED AND FEED IT SOME SPEED

Take Five: John Hotchkis

THE PERFORMANCE SUSPENSION PIONEER DISCUSSES HIS ROOTS IN DESIGN, RACING, AND THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF THE PERFORMANCE AFTERMARKET

Shop Talk: How to Check Piston to Valve Clearance

In all but the most mild engine builds, taking extra time to check piston-to-valve clearance is good insurance. In any four-cycle gasoline engine, there is one point in the combustion event where the piston and valves can be very close to each other—at top dead center (TDC) of the exhaust stroke.

ONE OF A KIND

BRETT HANKINS OWNS THIS HAND-BUILT ALUMINUM-BODY WILLYS

Build a 501-Inch Ford Big-Block Torque Monster

In the five decades since Ford’s “Lima” series V8 first debuted with 460 cubic inches under the hood of the 1969 Lincoln Continental Mark III, the mighty canted-valve big-block has earned a solid reputation for durability and ease of modification. Though factory high-performance development maxed out in 1971 with the 370hp 429 CJ-R, you don’t need a rare muscle car core engine to get plenty of power.