I like 4 tail lights I think 6 looks busy. Just my opinion. That said I would be more than happy to have the red corvette in my garage 6 lights and all.
I like the California Rake - as low in front as you can get (within scrub line guidelines) and the rear tire centered in the wheel opening. Open wheel cars with the rear lowered enough that the tire no longer follows the fender bead line looks wrong to me...oh, and for fendered early cars, the smallest 15" tire (like a 125 or 135R15 or like-sized bias ply) and a Steadfast-style front end setup (flattened crossmember, C-notched rails and a 45" wide, 5" dropped axle) is about perfect, like this... On that note, the biggest issue for me when it comes to raking a hotrod is when an owner runs front tires with more sidewall height than his rear tires - completely blows any chance of looking good, regardless of other mods. You get that aspect ratio wrong and it looks like you had the guy at Walmart's auto center pick your rolling stock for you...
It depends on the machine, most of may cars have a pronounced nose down stance, or as my pal Howard from Manchester, UK calls it , "A big, fuck off rake". 20200516_171356 by Mike posted Jun 26, 2020 at 3:05 PM 20200516_193454 by Mike posted Jun 26, 2020 at 3:05 PM 20171118_071402-jpg by Mike posted Aug 30, 2018 at 11:55 AM 20180331_131907-jpg by Mike posted Aug 29, 2018 at 1:51 PM 20180606_192719 by Mike posted Jun 26, 2020 at 2:35 PM 20200530_105552 by Mike posted Jun 26, 2020 at 2:51 PM 20180704_072524 by Mike posted Jun 26, 2020 at 2:39 PM My two '57 Chevies have a gasser style stance, up a bit and pretty much level. 20161212_153338-jpg by Mike posted Aug 29, 2018 at 1:36 PM My '63 Impala has a Super Stock style stance, a bit higher at the front. 20190518_081817 by Mike posted Jun 26, 2020 at 2:45 PM
Back in the day in Palatka, FL. I have to pass through Palatka every time I go to and from Gainesville to St Augustine. Lol
This is the stance I'm going for on my '29 A. I'm planning on ditching the fenders but yours looks great!
Just finishing up my "36 Cabrio...I know the "custom guys" will hate the California Rake, but I'm just not a taildragger kind of guy
My Anglia - great stance and doesn't even have an engine or trans in it yet PLUS needs a smaller front tire...
Hello, If this photo were to be taken in 1960-63, this is how my friend’s 57 Chevy Bel Air Hardtop would have looked to many local hot rod teenagers. If it were on Cherry Avenue, taillights were common to see if an encounter happened. Dual quads, 283, 4 speed, 4:11-4:56 Positraction, headers, Traction masters bars and mild head work. The lowered rake was popular in most hot rods and customs at the time. It just looked right and gave off a intense look to the already cool 57 Chevy sedan. Jump up 56 years and cruising down a major OC street, comes this cool Chevy sedan with some attitude. The color was different, but the stance was there for all to see the style. My wife sighted the 57 Chevy in her outside rear view mirror. But, I used my digital camera to shoot across her forward vision out of her window. Jnaki For most hot rods, the standard height is fine. But, for some other old cars, the lowered rake look just gives the extra look of being fast without having to go fast. The one problem we encountered as teenagers was that if more than two people were inside of the 57 Chevy Bel Air Hardtop on the lowered rake, some bumps had to do the “slow crawl dance.” While other times, if a CHP or local police had their choice or attitude, we got stopped for being too low in the lowered rake stance. So, there is that!!! In modern times, the lowered rake stance still looks the best! YRMV During the 1960-64 teenage cruising era… even during the winter holiday jobs to earn extra cash for more speed/custom parts… My friend’s white 57 Chevy Bel Air was on a lowered rake and had many different jobs in our community. The coolest job was during the Christmas Seasons in our junior and senior years of high school. Custom Christmas trees, green or color flocked and delivered to your living room, was our specialty on the busy lot in Bixby Knolls.
The Jalopy Journal
