From a kid in the San Fernando Valley and then making the cover of the April 1968 cover of HOT ROD at 25 years old, to the head of HOT ROD’s Automotive Group, John Joseph Dianna was the classic “basement to penthouse” ascendancy in the automotive publishing business. He died on September 28, 2016 at 74 years of age. He first came to HOT ROD’s attention at the 1968 NHRA Winternationals with his L/SA 1956 Chevy sedan delivery; but it wasn’t long before HOT ROD’s Jim McFarland hired him as a Feature Editor. That was the beginning of a trajectory at Petersen that included editor positions at Car Craft, HOT ROD, and Motor Trend. Swapping hats between editorial and sales, he took over as Publisher for Car Craft and then HOT ROD in the 1980s, becoming Group VP by the mid-1980s, and finally President of the Automotive Group through the end of the millennium. Says former HOT ROD and Car Craft editor Jeff Smith, ” (HOT ROD Publisher) Harry Hibler and I fought with JD to do the first centerfold in HOT ROD. He refused to spend the money. We talked the circulation department into funding the effort and when I showed JD the First-Run copy he looked at me with a completely straight face and said, ‘You know, I’ve wanted to do this for years…'” Dianna oversaw HOT ROD’s 50th-anniversary content and celebration, and helped transition the initial sale of Petersen Publishing to the Chicago investment group who went on to take the company public, and again when British publishing giant Emap purchased the company at the end of the 1990s. With the sale complete, Dianna left the company to start his own automotive publishing company at a time when the publishing world was consolidating. Buckaroo Communications started in Camarillo, California, with titles like Street Rod Builder, American Rodder, and Super Rod, building up a sizable list of mostly automotive titles. Moving the business to Chattanooga, Tennessee, it appeared as though Buckaroo and Dianna had beaten the odds and were ahead of forecasts, but the company quietly dissolved in 2009. Dianna maintained a low profile after the demise of Buckaroo, showing up occasionally at the SEMA and PRI Shows. Though you may not have known the man, as HOT ROD readers you’re aware of some of his hires and fires, including Jeff Smith, David Freiburger, Rob Kinnan, Pat Ganahl, Jerry Pitt, Drew Hardin, Steve Anderson; and on the publishing side Jim Savas, Doug Evans, Joe Sebergandio, DeEtte Crow, John Cobb, Jim Ryan, and Brit White. Smith said of Dianna and his ascendancy within the company, “My impression was that no matter what job title hung on his door, John never did that job – he was always aiming at the next rung on the corporate ladder.” Says Sr. VP of Automotive Content David Freiburger, “He was a polarizing figure, for sure. He yelled at me a few times, but I am grateful first to Jeff Smith and second to JD for giving me a career.” He was a controversial figure inside and outside of HOT ROD, but he left a legacy that in some cases continues right up to today.

The post HOT ROD Magazine Editor, Publisher, Group President John Dianna Has Died appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Decades before Drag Week, HOT ROD Magazine presented its own annual drag race known as the HOT ROD Magazine Championship Drag Races. From 1964 to 1969 HOT ROD’s yearly meltdown was on par with NHRA’s top events in terms of importance. Held at the historic Riverside Raceway in Riverside, California, the first HOT ROD Championship posted $37,000 in cash and merchandise, well beyond NHRA purses at that time. Conceived in conjunction with the NHRA, itself created through the pages of HOT ROD and its first editor Wally Parks in 1952, HOT ROD publisher Ray Brock and editor Bob Greene coordinated with NHRA for an early summer event to enhance their schedule. NHRA national records for Top Fuel, Top Gas—all of their top classes, could be set during the three days of racing. In that first year new Ford Mustangs were the prize in each class in addition to cash. A new Mustang was even given away in a special drawing to a lucky spectator.

Including a full field of Sportsman classes—something Parks was adamant about maintaining in all NHRA events, in 1965 the Factory Experimental cars made their first appearance, soon to become the Funny Car class. In Top Fuel Tom McEwen and Don Prudhomme dominated the 1965 race each hitting 211-plus mph in mid-7 second runs, but they were ultimately defeated by Nando Haase and John Smyser from Upland, California, in the final against Jim Warren. The 1965 event was also the subject of the HOT ROD Magazine-produced film The Hot Rod Story-Drag Racing. Narrated by Dick Enberg, it gave a comprehensive overview of the sport up to that time.

McEwen would go on to win Top Fuel in 1966, with Mike Snively winning the class in Roland Leong’s Hawaiian dragster with a 7.07 at 221.66mph the following year. Steve Carbone took Top Fuel in 1968 in the Atlas Oil Tool Special, and for its final year Larry Dixon Sr. won in the Howard Cams “Rattler.”

For those six years some great drag racing brought to you by HOT ROD Magazine and those participants and spectators attending took place in the hot Riverside sun, going down in history as one of the most significant drag racing events of the day.

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Though never considered a performance car and diluted by the many spectacular cars coming out of Detroit in the mid-1960s, the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado took the biggest leap from both an engineering and styling standpoint of any car GM ever conceived. Sure, the Chevy Volt is an engineering marvel, but styling-wise it looks like a VW Passat. What makes the Toronado such a significant symbol of GM greatness was its combination of revolutionary styling and front-wheel-drive (FWD) engineering combined into a single car.

Its styling was momentous by the elimination of any beltline, resulting in a C-pillar seamlessly tying into the rear quarter-panels. Every car built up to 1966 had some break that defined the beltline, visually separating the upper body from the lower flanks. The 1966 Toronado broke that precedent. Oldsmobile called this the “monocoque look.” Another styling break was its virtually flush side windows—or DLO, for “daylight opening.” Now without a beltline shelf for the DLO to rest upon, they were pulled out close to the body surface, something we wouldn’t see again until the Audi 100 in 1982. And finally it featured a fastback design, shared only by the Stingray in all of GM-dom.

Of course, engineering-wise the revolutionary FWD was a tour de force. It was unique among other FWD systems for its axle rubber sleeves that absorbed torque steer, sealed axle lubrication, and pre-stretched “Hi-Vo” chains, so no tensioners or any adjustment was necessary—and it was quiet, too. And no driveshaft meant no floor hump, so the Toronado featured flat floors.

Sure, it’s a 5,000-pound barge in the eyes of hot rodders. Though its 425ci engine was rated at 385 hp, its combined weight and FWD layout make it an outlier in our world. Still, as a statement of Detroit superiority and pure Americana, you should marvel at the 1966 Toronado the next time one presents itself.

The post GM’s Most Innovative Production Car—Ever appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

We’re getting warmed up for another trek to Las Vegas for the aftermarket’s Super Bowl, the 2016 SEMA Show. The only thing to surely expect at the SEMA Show is the unexpected. We thought it would be fun to go through the files from the last few years of the show to reacquaint you with the possibilities and problems the SEMA Show always provides. You can expect even more outlandishness as the economy gets stronger, past exhibitors get more confident in what they present, and designers find they need to stretch their imaginations further to grab that faucet of disposable income every hot rodder and racer seems to have flowing through their wallets. And make sure to follow HOT ROD starting Sunday November 30^th when we’ll start our sneak peek galleries and new product info, along with cool new car unveils and other fun stuff. #TENSEMA16

The post Magical, Mythical, and Mindless SEMA Shows From the Recent Past. #TENSEMA16 appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

For the 25th NHRA Hot Rod Reunion we’re seeing a swell of participants and spectators for what should be an historic reunion of old and new warriors of the infamous Famoso strip, just outside of Bako. The pits is where the action is and also where a lot of cool street cars are slotted between race haulers and teams set up to compete. We threaded through the pits to find some gems and see the action going on Friday of the three-day event. We caught some of the Top Fuel rails that will be igniting the Cacklefest Saturday night, as well as the fantastic collection of Gassers, A/FX and Altered madness. After the action at Famoso we checked into the Car Craft Magazine reunion, attended by the many alums and crazies of one of our sister publications, and so we’ve included a few shots from the mayhem that prevailed at the party. Check out the gallery, and we’ll be adding to the gallery as we capture Saturday’s action.

The post 100 Photos: Breakage and Beauty in Bakersfield at the 2016 Hot Rod Reunion appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

When drag racing is over for Saturday at Famoso, outside of Bakersfield, and the sun has set, that’s when the Cackle cars come out at the Hot Rod Reunion. For the 25th anniversary of the event that started the whole Cacklefest craze, a select group of about 40 nitro burners were chosen for the abbreviated night’s Cackle activities. Some insurance nanny nanny has begun to exert its ugly head to save us all from the horrors of a little nitro and noise, but nothing can stop the enthusiasm from both the spectators, but also the owners and remaining drivers from back in the day that raced these bad boys down the quarter mile. While the intrusion of legal beagles can spell the end of any activity more dangerous than picking your nose, the squeaky clean record of Cacklefests over the last two decades might be a qualifier for the overbearing suits to consider. We don’t want dwell on the political shenanigans of the limited show, but we do want you to check out the shots of this historic 25th annual Hot Rod Reunion Cacklefest.

The post 2016 Hot Rod Reunion Cacklefest – All of the Cackle Cars and More appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Gone Gassers

Still resonating with hot rod and drag-racing enthusiasts more than 40 years after the category was eliminated from competition, the Gasser classes continue inspiring builders to recreate these pounding strip stormers for evil street duty. This shot at the 1965 NHRA Nationals at Indy is of Big John Mazmanian’s 1941 Willys and the same of Stone, Woods and Cook (SWC), representing the peak of the supercharged A/GS paradigm. This was the first year the 392 Chrysler Hemi became the de facto engine choice, based on Maz’s dominance with this engine the previous year, especially against SWC’s supercharged Olds.

Evil, ugly, loud, and nasty might best describe the high, hard-charging, old coupes laying waste to the quarter-mile. Maz used a succession of veteran Gasser shoes, here with Dick Bourgeous, while the SWC Willys was usually in the capable hands of Doug “Cookie” Cook, but with a couple of different cars touring the country, KS Pitman and others would also drive. Cook continued to drive when the team switched to Funny Cars in 1967. Both teams intensified the spotlight on Gassers through a run of monthly ads by their respective cam sponsors, Engle and Isky. Accusations, putdowns, and wild predictions against each other in the advertising universally aligned or agitated Gasser fans. Match races across the country further stirred the cam-wars pot, with these two teams at the center of the chaos.

1967 saw the inclusion of late-model cars for the first time in the Gasser ranks. SWC had already bailed from the class, with Mazmanian also seeing the writing on the wall. He followed to Funny Cars the next year, and before you could say “6-second quarter-mile,” Gassers were all gone.

The post Gasser Wars: Big John Mazmanian and Stone, Woods and Cook appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Something many of us have waited for to make engine swaps more hassle-free, Chevy announced at the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas their new Connect & Cruise Powertrain lineup for 2017. Now you can get a Gen I Small- or Big-Block mated to a range of both automatic and manual transmissions including T56 Super Magnum six-speeds; and 4L65-E, 4L70-E and 4L85-E automatic transmissions. Included with each combo is a transmission install kit for faster electrical hookups. You can also get a carbureted LS Connect & Cruise combo. You’ll need to check Chevy’s 2017 catalog for complete Connect & Cruise powertrain combo availability and prices, but this is great news for both garage builders and professional shops alike.

The post Wow! Chevy Just Announced Connect & Cruise Combos For Old School Small- and Big-Blocks #TENSEMA16 appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

We told you the SEMA Show, Las Vegas’ biggest show of the year, is full of fun and misadventure. There are some really great builds and new components filling the Vegas Convention halls from one end to the other. There’s also some unique, and also weird stuff, fantastical creations, and new trends popping up. These were all scooped up before the show has even started, so we’ll expect a Part II in the next day or so to fully flesh out what you want, and don’t want to see—but we’ll make you look at it anyway.

Diverters, Deflectors, Vents and Holes

As mentioned last year, we continue to see every variation of tin diverters and also vents beyond your wildest dreams. For the road race look it would seem more isn’t quite enough. Any semblance of cohesion with the design of the car is secondary to more and more vents and wind splitters. This is not a criticism but merely an observation, so behold our quick take on the vents, diffusers and splitters of SEMA.

Tire Trends

Though colored tire stripes have been around for decades, we have seen maybe half-a-dozen applications of this on low profile, big diameter tires. And not to be outdone, the brands of the tire manufacturers, similar to the raised letter tires of the 1970s, are also gaining traction, no pun intended. Maybe this is Firestone’s road race tire or Goodyear’s NASCAR tire identification finding its way onto street tires, nevertheless we’ve seen countless examples this year—especially with yellow lettering.

Pipe Porn

Tubing used for frame reinforcement, as bumpers, or just for the heck of it—SEMA 2016 has become the pipe porn capital of the world. Rather than trying to explain, we’ll just show you, and then you be the judge.

Show Me Your Chops

Welding is an art form, there’s no denying that. But now we’re seeing cars that have chopped tops or other major body mods with the welds left exposed, rather than ground down and finished. Maybe this is an expansion of the Steam Punk/Rat Rod/Patina trends, or maybe not?

The Death of the Truck Bed

For 100 years the bed of a pickup truck was the functional end of what amounted to almost a farm implement you could also drive on the street. It was always left empty, unless it was carrying a load of dirt, hay, saddles or a million other things. As a lifestyle vehicle, it became the place to haul your skis, Seadoos, bikes, and boards. But at SEMA 2016, it is apparent that the bed no longer is used for hauling, or anything. It’s there, but it’s covering something secret that we haven’t figured out what that might be. Now you have to haul your stuff on top of the bed, not in it. Or you eliminate it altogether and rig up a flatbed-type attachment for special needs, which we’re not sure what needs this fulfills that the original truck bed didn’t.

Parts Printing

No, not the 3D printing of components, but more like the water transfer you see on Facebook posts where the part is dipped into the vat and is slowly pulled out covered with skeletons or wood grain or fancy prints. You knew it was coming to wheel and air cleaners and such, and indeed the 2016 SEMA Show has lots of examples.

Got It? Flaunt It

You used to see water cans or gas cans hung onto the back of Jeeps. Remember? Well now we are seeing components, oil coolers, and who knows what appendages tacked onto the outside of vehicles. Mostly seen on trucks, we are stymied as to what is taking up the space inside of the truck bed that warrants hanging stuff outside of the vehicle.

Free the T

For decades T-bucket builders followed a rather rigid approach to building a Fad T. But we have seen a few at this year’s show that have completely thrown out all of the rules and done their own approach to T-bucket bliss.

More Dore

Rick Dore, out of Encinitas, California, has been on a roll building these Fagoni and Falacshi-type convertibles for rocker James Hetfield. We found two new ones so far at the 2016 SEMA Show, and are expecting him to conjure up a few more while the show is going on, or something. With Marcel and Luke Delay pounding out the handmade bodies, we are surprised at how prolific Dore has become for such a labor-intensive project, or projects.

Freaktasticness!

And finally, we have some of the first freaks of the show. As mentioned, the show hasn’t even opened so this is just our first casual assemblage of some of the unique and freakish stuff we’ve seen so far. One thing we notice is that there are more and more of the Ford Model A-type sedan bodies being used for these builds, and why not. Let’s be honest; these bodies are fairly cheap, and as bare bodies without the rest of the car, they are worth even less. Why not take them and make something fun and freakish? So check out what we’ve assembled and see if you agree.

The post GALLERY: Freaks, Failures, and Fantastical Finds at the 2016 SEMA Show PART I #TENSEMA16 appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

For 2017 Chevy wants to enhance their factory-built Camaro racecars for NHRA’s Stock Eliminator classes. Chevy unveiled the 2017 COPO Camaro with a few added surprises at the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The COPO LT engine starts with Chevy’s production-based 6.2 LT block, stuffed with a hotter cam, all-forged rotating assembly, CNC-ported heads, and a Holley Hi-Ram intake. Taking things a few steps farther is the revised COPO 427, which uses the stouter LSX iron cylinder block. Because this is an LS-based block, available as a bare block and even semi-finished for you to do final machining, all of the Gen IV heads, cranks, oil pans, cams and accessories still bolt on it in case you’re thinking of building a similar engine for your own racecar.

The COPO 427 includes an all-forged rotating assembly, high-flow LS7-style heads, and a Holley Hi-Ram intake able to produce high RPM power. The last engine option, returning for 2017, is a 350ci supercharged LS engine. All engines are backed by an SFI-approved ATI TH400 three-speed automatic transmission. These engines are also available individually outside of the COPO Camaro program should your project/race car necessitate a bump in power.

The post Chevy Lifts The Veil On The 2017 COPO Camaro At #TENSEMA16 appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

If you’re looking for some of the best, new pre-1972 builds, the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas is where to find them. Builders from all over the US and Canada have converged on Vegas with some new and improved OG projects we are featuring here with over 100 pics. Old school, new tech, steam punk, and rat rod—they’re all here. The takeaway from seeing these early rides is that overall the envelope continues to be pushed; with ever more elaborate modifications and components used—or in many cases made, which can almost obscure the original car’s origins for some of these oldies. In many respects we get the vibe builders feel they have to go nuts with mods and details to even catch a quick glance by the somewhat jaded SEMA hordes. Take a look and see what we mean.

The post GALLERY: The Best OG Builds at 2016 SEMA Show #TENSEMA16 appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

We’ve canvassed the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas and uncovered some fantastical creations beyond those from our first freaks post. You didn’t see Freaks Part I? Not all of the examples in this batch are freaks, but all are crazy creations that we’ll give you just a glimpse of. The quality of the builds and craftsmanship presented are in most cases stunning. The SEMA Show brings to the surface some of the best individuals and shops that our industry has to offer. We may do more in depth individual posts for a couple of these builds, so check back to the HOT ROD Network over the next few days while we present all that we see and more from the 2016 SEMA Show.

The post GALLERY: Freaks and Crazy Creations 2016 SEMA Show PART II #TENSEMA16 appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

The mainstay of the SEMA Show has always been Muscle Cars. We have scoured the 2016 Show to bring you a gang of traditional and techie Muscle Car builds. LS/5.7-6.4 Hemi/Mod Motor/Coyote swaps are all the rage, and why not? With the plug-and-play swap kits from all the manufacturers, swapping to the later EFI and electronic transmissions provides the best of both worlds; an authentic Muscle Car with all of the advantages of late model motoring. Even Hellcat conversions have gotten easier just since last year. Factoring in the later suspension swap kits, and rack and pinion steering, you get a whole new driving experience from your old heap.

Do we sound like cheerleaders for swapping out original stuff for late-model madness? Yes, so check out both the original and modified versions of your favorite Muscle Cars in our gallery.

The post GALLERY: 2016 SEMA Show Muscle Car Mania #TENSEMA16 appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Some of us dismiss drifting as figure skating, with cars instead of skates. Sure, it looks like fun, but so is drinking beer, and there aren’t serious competitions for that, right? There doesn’t seem to be actual competition between cars, like traditional racing. And like figure skating, three judges score the performance so there’s no conclusive winner—it’s subjective—or so it seems. At the 2016 SEMA Show, the chances of going to a display and finding drift cars are up exponentially over last year. And Ford has been drifting cars in the SEMA lot outside of the show for years, with crowds surrounding the course all day, every day. Chevy has got to be jealous.

It appears drifting is taking over the whole of SEMA. So we’re going to go in with all of our prejudices and stupid questions and find out the what’s, where’s, and how’s of drifting, with this vid we call Drifting For Dimwits. We have assembled Sam and Doj from our sister pub Super Street, and Angelo from HOT ROD Garage, who did drifting professionally on the East Coast. With Thom Taylor as the dimwit, an easy position for him to take, we dive into drifting, catching a ride at the Ford display and then asking our experts the dorky questions, to drill down to get the drift of drifting.

The post WATCH: Drifting For Dimwits at 2016 SEMA Show #TENSEMA16 appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Why did Ford kill one of its best-looking models of the 1970s—the Ford Torino Sportsroof Fastback—after only two years? It’s amazing to envision all of the tooling and manufacturing complexity, the logistics of selling and marketing a special car, and then see it last only 24 months. With all of that effort comes an expectation for great rewards and a long shelf life. What forces dashed those plans? I have no inside info on why, but for the Torino Sportsroof, the era in which it was manufactured and the numbers suggest a pretty simple answer. First, though, the 1972 Ford Torinos were all new and inclusive, with a variety of handsome body styles that included two-door and four-door hardtops, and the fastback Sportsroof we are focusing on here, plus station wagons, and venerable Ranchero trucks. Total sales for its first year were more than 500,000. Wow! Of those, more than one-tenth were Sportsroofs.

Federal bumper regulations went into effect in 1973 for front ends, necessitating a restyle to accommodate the ugly locomotive bumpers we like to tuck and trim today. Sportsroofs dipped to 50,000 units that year in spite of the attractive facelift, with total 1973 Torino production dipping slightly to 481,442. With federal rear-bumper standards mandated for 1974, my guess is that 1) integrating an attractive 5-mph bumper for the rear of the Sportsroof was impossible, and 2) with the hardtop selling so well and Sportsroof sales slowing, Ford planners decided not to complicate production and marketing—and the extra parts needed at the dealer level—for a body style that would maybe see an additional 30 to 40,000 units.

As with most everything, it all comes down to the numbers. Today 1972 and 1973 Sportsroof prices tend to run on the high side for cars of that era for the obvious reasons that they have weathered the years well and are a surprisingly rare sight these days. While most Ford-natics gravitate to the Mustang, these lesser-seen Fords are every bit as cool and collectible—when you can find one. They also ran in NASCAR Grand National racing, with Bobby Isaac’s 351 Cleveland-powered Sportsroof the example seen here. And don’t forget Mercury had its own Montego Sportsroof models, which also raced the Grand National circuit, to make this pursuit even more interesting if you find yourself drawn to one of the better-looking Fomoco muscle cars of the era.

The post What Killed the Sportsroof? appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

The expanse of racing and modified cars was built upon the shoulders of giants. So, too, was HOT ROD. Within that world of stories and information founded by Robert Petersen was a unique character that was Petersen’s first employee: Tom Medley. Tom was a gifted writer and photographer who could build an entire car from scratch—even the upholstery—and show how to do it in the pages of HOT ROD. But he brought to HOT ROD something else truly unique. Listed as “Cartoon and Humor Editor” in only the second issue of HOT ROD in 1948, Tom presented funny one-liners to lighten and brighten HOT ROD’s content, as well as a character who was the embodiment of hot rodding: Stroker McGurk. Stroker was a character in a monthly cartoon drawn by Tom, but he was also a philosopher and sage helping to both teach and tickle. Stroker represented hot rodding in Tom’s make-believe world, and in many ways, Tom represented hot rodding in the real world.

From our 2017 perspective, it’s hard to understand how important a simple monthly cartoon was to the 1948 world of hot rods. Hot rodders were considered deviants—hoodlums with dangerous machines. Even the term hot rod was code for a bunch of bad dudes. Tom’s humor and cartoons significantly lightened that reputation on the outside while teaching lessons in building and expanding the modified and racing-car paradigm to hot rodders themselves. It brought laid-back entertainment to a magazine many depended on for information and also to define what a hot rod and hot rodder were.

Besides his activities at Petersen Publishing, Tom, along with his son, Gary, were involved in go-kart racing for decades—up into his 90s—and he loved college basketball. He had a full life with family and friends that gravitated around a mostly racing base of pursuits.

As HOT ROD expanded, so did Tom’s responsibilities with the magazine and Petersen itself. He wore many hats during the 1960s that included advertising, marketing, and setting editorial content. By the late-1960s he had essentially taken over Petersen’s Rod & Custom magazine, changing its direction to become the house organ for the coming street rod revolution. Older modified cars had been pushed to the sidelines with the popularity of muscle cars and increase in drag racing. Tom saw there was more than enough interest to focus R&C’s content around pre-1948 hot rods. He, along with good friend and former HOT ROD staffer Tex Smith, and the R&C staff, helped create the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) and the Street Rod Nationals; both still going strong almost 50 years later.

Tom stayed with Petersen for almost 40 years before retiring in the 1980s to become a hot rodding ambassador of sorts. He also found time to build his 1940 Ford coupe with some help from builder Kent Fuller and a cast of friends, which spoke to Tom’s advanced building talents. Around 2010 it was involved in a garage fire that damaged nearly every portion of the coupe. Many friends, acquaintances, and even strangers touched by Tom’s many contributions over the decades pitched in to completely restore the Ford back to how it was when Tom first completed it. This was a tribute to Tom, but also a source of pride by the street rod family that allowed them to return something back for everything Tom did to touch their lives.

The fire threatened much of the art and design Tom fastidiously kept over the decades, stored in a shed attached to the burnt garage. Surprisingly, none of it was seriously damaged. Uncovering these forgotten treasures was the spark that started the book Tom had dreamed of doing for years. Says Gary, “When he saw that some of his art and photos could have been lost—and he had 10 photos for every one piece of art—he realized he should get started on the book he always wanted to do. So, ironically, the fire is what kicked him in gear.”

Gary and Tom spent months going through the boxes of hot rod history, right up to when Tom died in 2014 at almost 94 years young. Gary has compiled much of Tom’s art and stories for the book that has become a tribute to the life of his father, and what he did to help establish, enhance, and define what we all do in our garages and on racetracks today. Now you’ll be able to read about and see Tom’s talented output in a new book published by his son, Gary.

Called “Stroker,” it covers more than 70 years of Tom’s artistic and humor side, with familiar illustrations and rare sketches and artistic layouts that pointed the culture of hot rodding to very definite directions. It goes back further to his WWII infantry days with lavishly illustrated letters sent to home, to future wife Rosemary, and for Army publications depicting the good and bad of those years.

The post New Book On the Life of HOT ROD Magazine’s Tom Medley appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Holiday Gift: Selling the American Muscle Car by Diego Rosenberg

We all know the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” mantra of the Detroit car manufacturers, but what makes Diego’s book “Selling the American Muscle Car” so much more is that he tells the story of how the car companies helped the racers, and how the racers provided fodder for marketing, which in turn helped both the racers and the manufacturers. It’s a scrambled stew of goodness starting with A) the high performance versions of the manufacturer’s cars, then B) what the racers did to and with those cars to win, and finally C) what marketing did to capitalize on the performance car goodness and the racers’ results. Each manufacturer’s offerings are covered, along with images and background on who was racing what, and then promotional material used by the manufacturers to get the word out on their successes. Inside documents, rare promotional material, and of course great shots of many of the muscle cars and limited edition racing versions are included to provide complete look at the selling of American muscle cars.

The post Selling the American Muscle Car appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Everyone loves Jeeps. If you live somewhere in the world that doesn’t have them, or you can’t afford to own one, then crafty hot rodders will make their own, as we see here.

The post Freak Day Friday: Homemade Jeep appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

1964

Out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the crew for the Nibbler II Top Fuel Dragster, waiting for tech inspection at the 1964 NHRA Nationals at Indy.

The post Throwback Tuesday: The Nibbler II Top Fuel Dragster appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Fords are the most popular early hot rods for the simple reason they made gazillions of them, which made parts plentiful and cars cheap. That’s the hot rod way of doing things. Which makes the popularity of 1933-36 Willys in the Gasser ranks of drag racing such an oddity. They were cheap when new, with the added bonus of being lightweight—because they were compact and cheaply made, but they were anything but plentiful. Here’s why.

By mid-1932 when the compact 1933 Willys 77—what became drag racing’s go-to Gasser, was ready to make its debut, the Willys-Overland Company filed for bankruptcy for a second time. Labor problems and the Depression meant “reorganization”, with the added twist that a Federal court order stipulated deposits in 5000 car allotments be received before a production run could start. This is not how to fill the pipeline with product. Willys was hamstrung. But they followed the order, and sold only 12,820 of the diminutive coupes, sedans, and pickups in 1933, 13,234 in 1934, 10,644 with the addition of a panel delivery in 1935, and 30,825 in their final year. That’s not a lot of volume for a mass produced car in the mid-1930s, but somehow the company was out of receivership by February 1936. The next year started the beginning of production of the other iconic Gasser, the 1937-42 Willys coupe, pickups, and sedans. Obviously enough of the 2000-pound “77” coupes wallowed in junkyards awaiting their rebirth as the terrors of the quarter mile.

The post Why the Rare Willys Is the Go-To Gasser appeared first on Hot Rod Network.