Hot Rods What is a "real" hotrod?

Last sat night I was reasured, this is definitely my interpretation of a HOT ROD. Flux

 

The Doyle coupe was always the ultimate Hot Rod to me

 

I'd like to think my 3 window fits the description....

 

I knew that this was a rule to rave the dry lakes at some point, and I know I mongsy others that was commonly batteled, and Bobby Meeks, Pierson brothers and some other lads of the era wanted to race there white coupes on the lake.
And was allowed by one of the unions racing , but formed a club and joined another Union/rule set, opposed to the SCTA, and became legitimate in a short time.
I heard that before, but i most confess that I feel that coupes are just as big a part of the hot rod legacy as most other body types, and can't be left out.




But despite some of these cars ain't super beautiful, to me every last one of them are hot rods.
And I'm a sucker for @Austinrod s coupster survivor! Its plain and simple beautiful!

 

This thread has really turned into a good read. Gotta love the hamb!

 

I can't even make up my own mind on what constitutes a hot rod...LOL. A lot of folks will not think what I'm building is a hot rod, but to me it will be. To me, no matter if a given car is labeled by me or anyone else a hot rod, a street rod, a custom, a tuner, or what ever...if it is well done is the only measure of merit. Hopefully mine will live up to that measure.

 

Jim after thinking about it a while two things come to mind, one if you have to tell some one that it is that is because it isn't. The other is that if you won a hot rod and know that you own a hot rod and it is out running you there is a good chance that it is a hot rod.

I don't think that hot rod has ever really had any cut and dried rules. Here is my reasoning on that thought, hot rod implies rule breaker and has for at least as long as I have been alive. That being the case how can one put rules on it when it is by nature a rule breaker.

 

Let's bounce this, good pics, good back n forth and someone else has something to say no doubt.

@JimSibley good thread.

 

Here's an oxford definition.
hot rod

NOUN

1. 
   a motor vehicle that has been specially modified to give it extra power and speed.
   
   Sounds familiar doesn't it porknbeaner?

 

Sounds like something I might do, and even though I am not as picky as some I probably wouldn't bother with a Civic while trying to hit that definition.

 

By the consensus of the board members, nothing that I own is a hot rod.

 

If its got to be a Ford then a lot of hot rodders (even some of those who started this whole mess) have never owned a hot rod.

 

They are both Fords.

 

The Ol' Man built more then a few [Fords] and even owned one for a long time. He preferred MOPAR coupes and other oddities.

My favorite car that I remember that he ever owned was a hotted up Plymouth coupe with a back seat that he rigged for me and my sis. His Ford roadster was cool but I really liked the Plymouth.

 

Interesting thread.

 

I bought a 64 Chevy II once with a transplanted 327, and a 4 speed, and called it a hot rod. I know it started out life as a mundane old six but it would fry the tires till you let up. Funny thing is, I couldn't figure out where all the fine scratches in the rear glass came from. It hit me as I was limping it home after a hard night of showing out. It used to be the grocery getter that some poor old boy had to scrape ice and snow, and try to get to work in. Heck they all were, unless you had cash to burn. You took a second hand beater, stuffed a big ol motor in her and presto, you've got a hot rod. Heck, we are still doing that today. It don't really matter, cause to 90% of the [car uneducated public], what ever you build, no matter how period correct it is, it is just another street rod to them. I will call mine hot rods until some one convinces me otherwise.

 

A rod that has got so hot it turned blue

 

This thread has been a good read. Learned a little along the way. A lot of opinions seemed to be formed by the era and area you grew up in. Others read it in a book, or the rules of an event from years ago. I respect other opinions. But just like bench racing, the rib jabs can go back and forth all day. Its all in fun. Piss bucket from the pissing match gets full and somebody has to step out the back door and empty it. If a guy has 32 fenderless car with a flathead, he may think its a true hot rod by definition. Then his buddy points out the radials made in 2014, and the Chinese relay under the dash. Race car with plates is still one of the best definitions I heard. My buddy says,"yeah but..." and I say "yabutt, what the hell is that? Some kinda rodent like a wabitt?"
Dammit, somebody empty the piss bucket.

 

Yabutt...................................

 

Mine must be a hotrod! Thats what everybody calls it, even the people that HATE it.

 

You Can't be serious!! Ever who calls it a HotRod is wrong!! Thats a BADASS HotRoD!! Pete

 

I like it

 

I talked to a buddy about what makes a fast car a hot rod, and he quoted an article, I used to quote too:

A real hot rod has 60-80 % of the small budget going in engine, drivetrain and suspension. Then very few cash put in to making it look good, mostly re-arranging what you got. And removing fenders to make it lighter and faster in one easy source, and it's free.
And they only get painted when wife/girlfriend/mother goes; that piece of junk ain't going in my driveway looking like a pile of trash.
And in comes primer, and the "mr blue eye" move, "I'm close to paint it I just need to .... "

A hot rod has the potential to bring you from bed to place that brings the income, and other then that it just has to be a go-cart with room for tools, 1 friend and small stuff in the trunk.
Just has to carry more then a bike

 

LOL I was going to translate that into words that any cro-magnom man could understand but I really like it the way that it is.

Hot rods have evolved just like scientists believe that Cro-Magnon man has. But the very essence of it is drivetrain in a light body. If the body gets made purdy that is like whipped cream on a banana split, its good but the stuff underneath the cream is the important part.

I like to look at cars, old new doesn't matter to me and wonder what makes them go. Some of the cars that I see are sheep in wolves' clothing. Makes me sad, its is not so much the look for me as it is what makes it motate. I hate rust in piece cars because I know that it is just a matter of elbow grease and a rattle can to make it presentable, but if it never makes it past the rattle can stage that is good for me.

 

A few of mine might qualify, maybe?

 

How did I miss this. Yours might just fill the bill at least for the beaner.

 

All 3 of those definitely fit the bill IMO, I can't believe anyone would disagree that those are hot rods!

 

I would go as fare as clamming they are bitching, traditional hot rods, but who is the dumba$$ blocking the view to the last one

 

I'm the dumb ass... It was the first pic of the car I came across on my phone.

1. Here is a dumb ass free pic.