Real Hot Rod, Today

[Eye of the Tiger]

Not a painstakingly re$tored '32 Ford that is afraid of a going outdoors with the slightest chance of rain.

Not a brand new Mustang GT350 with the same fear, but also doing anything that may void the factory warranty.

Not a Miata, even though it has no fears.

I'm talking about today, where has the original spirit of the hot rod gone? Not so long ago, kids were ricing out Honda Civics, and all those other Jap cars with turbos and stuff. Today, I don't see much of that.  I see more jacked-up 4x4 pickups than anything. Lame.

Hot rods used to be just whatever car, stripped of weight, with a big motor stuffed in it.

For a modern hot rod, I would like to add handling to straightline speed. So no buckets with four wheel drum brakes and bicycle tires on the front.

If I had to choose something common, cheap, easy to work on, with great potential for all around performance ...

I still might pick a Honda Civic, but pre-2001 for the best suspension and motor swaps. It is very easy and cheap to build something that can handle like a race car, and make some serious power.

I could also pick the SN95 Mustang. Despite being a pile of shit, it is a cheap, RWD, muscley car. On that note, I would choose the 1999+ 3.8 V6 and rebuild it with a 4.2 crank and a few things, which can easily match or exceed the output of the 4.6 V8, all with less weight and better serviceability. Pooprod V6 > OHC V8.

The VW 1.8T seems to be getting cheap, although engine parts are not ... maybe the older VR6 is a better choice, or maybe not.

There is always the Camry V6, or I could simply cut my balls off.

What you say?

[shp4man]

You may have liked the 74 Jensen Healy that was in the local CL. It could have been a fun and unique and fast handling ride. And it already had a 3.8 V6! 

[FoMoJo]

An old junk-bucket Mustang with a Windsor 5.0. Cheap and easy with a plethora of affordable power options; otherwise, rat-rod where you can express your individual creativity.  Scrap yard all the way.

[68_427]

gen IV F-body D'UH

[giant_mtb]

[Eye of the Tiger]

Lombax!

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

gen IV F-body D'UH

Yup!

[Eye of the Tiger]

Ford ZX2 with SVT drivetrain ...

[2o6]

EK civic comes close, with the SS Cobalt/HHR and SRT4 also being up there.

[Soup DeVille]

Oh hell no.

[Payman]

Punks are spending their budget stancing their cars and generally fucking them up.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Punks are spending their budget stancing their cars and generally fucking them up.

Fuck.

[CaminoRacer]

I figured this out a while ago - old school hot rods were cool because they were generally faster than any other car on the road. There was good motivation for tinkering with your car, the results were obvious. These days, the bar has been risen to an incredibly high level, it simply takes a lot more effort and money to hot rod a car into the fastest thing in town. Stancing is a cake walk by comparison. There are still lots of guys who build their Evo's and STI's into 450 hp rockets, but even then they aren't the fastest car and thus don't garner the same respect. They'll still get beaten by a Porsche or Corvette.

[giant_mtb]

[giant_mtb]

Oh hell no.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I figured this out a while ago - old school hot rods were cool because they were generally faster than any other car on the road. There was good motivation for tinkering with your car, the results were obvious. These days, the bar has been risen to an incredibly high level, it simply takes a lot more effort and money to hot rod a car into the fastest thing in town. Stancing is a cake walk by comparison. There are still lots of guys who build their Evo's and STI's into 450 hp rockets, but even then they aren't the fastest car and thus don't garner the same respect. They'll still get beaten by a Porsche or Corvette.

Yeah, pretty much. I'm saying today's hot rod should be balanced more towards handling than straight line speed.
I had 70 HP Civic on crummy street tires that beat Corvettes and everything else around the autocross. It may not be as overtly cool as going fast straight. It might not look fast. But go for a ride and try not to smile/barf.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Nice taxi.

[giant_mtb]

I guess I'm missing the target/idea here.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I guess I'm missing the target/idea here.

I have no idea

[Soup DeVille]

I really loved the idea when I heard they were going to make that.

But then, they made it.

[Soup DeVille]

[giant_mtb]

I really loved the idea when I heard they were going to make that.

But then, they made it.

But they only made like 12,000!

[Soup DeVille]

But they only made like 12,000!

That makes it rare, not desirable. Lots of rare cars out there that nobody gives a shit about.

(But OK, yeah, I'd buy a Marauder)

[Laconian]

I really loved the idea when I heard they were going to make that.

But then, they made it.

It was just a Crown Vic with a better intake, a mean sounding exhaust, and blingy wheels, right?

[Soup DeVille]

It was just a Crown Vic with a better intake, a mean sounding exhaust, and blingy wheels, right?

Also the DOHC mill from the Mustang Mach 1.

The concept car used a supercharged version.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I really loved the idea when I heard they were going to make that.

But then, they made it.

LOL

I'm listening ...

[MX793]

Also the DOHC mill from the Mustang Mach 1.

The concept car used a supercharged version.

Wasn't the concept also a full-size convertible?

[Eye of the Tiger]

The best Ford concept vehicle was the Splash



Which later became a pointless Ranger trim.

[Soup DeVille]

Wasn't the concept also a full-size convertible?

Well yeah, but nobody really believed they would make That. At least I didn't, but the engine seemed plausible.

[Soup DeVille]

LOL

I'm listening ...

http://www.fourwheeler.com/features/1504-1990-ford-crown-victoria-trophy-ltd/