Ford Flathead Engines


Book Description

Although not the first V-8 engine ever produced, Henry Ford's side-valve V-8, launched in 1932, certainly qualified as the first mass-produced V-8 sold to the public. Because of Henry Ford's stubbornness, the first versions were less than ideal. The technology was in its infancy and cost-cutting measures limited the output and reliability of the early models. Over time, however, the "Flattie" became the go-to powerplant for a whole generation of new hobbyists who were called "hot rodders." The engine maintained its position in the hobby well into the 1950s, even when more modern overhead-valve designs started coming out of Detroit. It's hard to overstate the impact that this simple little engine had on a whole generation of enthusiasts. Even today, people choose a flathead for period-correct builds over far more powerful options. The style and sound of a modified flathead is an iconic part of American history. In Ford Flathead Engines: How to Rebuild & Modify, veteran author Tony Thacker and flathead guru of H&H Flatheads, Mike Herman, take you step-by-step through rebuilding a vintage flathead. One of the most important steps is to actually find a good, usable core; many have been sitting for a very long time and the engine design is prone to cracking. Running changes are also an important consideration when selecting a core, and include cooling system, ignition, and transmission mount. After you have selected a core, Thacker and Herman take you through the entire process of a rebuild, including teardown, parts inspection, machine shop processes, replacement part selection, re-assembly, start up, and break-in. Also covered is a unique performance build completed at the H&H shop for legendary race car team manager and all-around enthusiast Ray Evernham. It all adds up to more than 500 color photos and insider tips on building what could be called the most iconic engine ever built, the Ford flathead V-8.




How to Hotrod Big-Block Chevys


Book Description

This guide covers all big-block engines from 1965 and later and includes 1986 heavy-duty parts list. Learn more about blueprinting, cylinder heads, tune-up tips, as well as how to repair exhaust, ignition, pistons, and more!




Lost Hot Rods II


Book Description

The history of hot rodding is filled with stories of cars that were lost for a wide variety of reasons. Some were crashed, others lost in accidents, and others simply faded away. Its the third group that Lost Hot Rods II focuses on. Many great hot rods that were once famous were simply hidden away. Some of them have been tracked down and are now found once again. As a solid follow-up to the success of the original Lost Hot Rods, this book continues the fun of discovering whatever happened to many of the great rods and customs built in the early days of the sport. Lost Hot Rods II shares the full story of each car, including how it was originally built, when it dropped off the radar, and how it was ultimately found. Photos from the past and present are included to showcase the story behind each and every one of these great cars. Industry veteran and celebrated historian Pat Ganahl once again opens the archives and pounds the pavement in order to bring you the stories on some of the coolest cars ever to appear in shows or grace the pages of automotive magazines. A perfect companion to the best-selling Lost Hot Rods: Remarkable Stories of How They Were Found.




How to Build Affordable Hot Rods


Book Description

Learn how to build an affordable hot rod following the advice of the masters! In How to Build Affordable Hot Rods, author and lifelong hot rod aficionado Tony Thacker takes you through the process of building a hot rod on a budget. Drawing on his own extensive experience of both buying and building rods, Thacker explores the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good was setting a land speed record at Bonneville, the bad was buying a rod from which the previous owner had "swapped out" the good engine, and the ugly--well, let’s just not go there. How to Build Affordable Hot Rods includes extensive how-to sections that cover step-by-step chassis builds for Model A, 1932, and 1936 Fords, including front- and rear-end setups. The in-depth chassis builds are complimented with sections on powertrain choices, bodywork and roof chops, wheels and tires, and wiring and paint. Also included are chapters on interiors and the all-important details that individualize any project to ensure that it stands out from the rest. When Henry Ford introduced his beloved Model T, he unwittingly gave the average person the means to go racing. Prior to the T, racing was mostly a sport of the rich, but that changed with the Model T. Stripped of fenders and hopped up with speed parts, T speedsters ruled, and it wasn’t long before enthusiasm on the track translated to the street and the term hot rod entered the vernacular. Of course, it didn’t need to be a Ford (and still doesn’t), but the easiest and therefore cheapest route to Hot Rod Boulevard is down the Ford road. The journey accelerated after World War II, as hot rodding boomed with the growth of speed shops, car shows, drag racing, talented and trained GIs returning home, and the launch of Hot Rod magazine to spread the gospel far and wide. More than 100 years after the original Model T, hot rodding remains alive and well in the Australasia, Europe, and (of course) its birthplace the US.

Learn from the best and get started building your affordable hot rod today!




How to Hot Rod Volkswagen Engines


Book Description

Fire and ice . . . that’s what you get when you take the cool looks of the Volkswagen Beetle, Bus, Karmann Ghia, Thing, Squareback or Fastback and unleash the hot performance of the air-cooled VW engine. How to hot Rod Volkswagen Engines gives the real skinny for breathing-on, blueprinting and bulletproofing your air-cooled Vee-dub. Street, custom, kit car, off-road, or full-race, this book gives you all the air-cooled engine-building basics to find and put to the pavement hidden horsepower. Includes tips on carburetion, ignition and exhaust tuning, case beefing, cylinder-head flow work, camshaft selection, lubrication and cooling upgrades, 6-to 12-volt conversions and much more. Plus there’s a natty 6-page history of the origins of the first air-cooled VW engines. Go ahead. You deserve it! Double or triple the output of your air-cooled Volkswagen. Or add 10-15 horsepower with easy bolt-on mods. Mild or wild, do it the right way—with this book. More than 300 photos, drawings and charts to guide you through your VW’s innards. And don’t look back.




Old Hot Rods Scrapbook


Book Description

This book has almost 600 old photos taken from hot rodders albums that show the greatest days of hot rodding; the 1930s to 1950s. The photos show the ideas and modifications that went into the hot rods of over 50 years ago. Here is an excellent reference to learn about the hot rods of the past. Hardbound - 192 pages - 597 photos




Hot Rod Pin-ups


Book Description

David Perry, Foreword by Robt. Williams. For as long as young men have been channeling, chopping, and hopping up rods and customs, women - whether loyal girlfriends or trouble-seeking "bad girls" - have been an integral to their scene. In this unique portfolio evoking great 1950s pin-up artists like Vargas and Elvgren, talented photographer David Perry depicts models in and out of cherry-picked rods and customs wearing painstakingly chosen period dress and hairstyles. More than 100 photos present these modern-day pin-ups under three themes: Garage, Cruising, and Race. In addition, essays explore each topic and are also accompanied by pulp novel covers, period mags, and ads that place the photography in a historical context. Captions identify the car owners, photo location, and, where appropriate, interesting car specs and histories.




The Best of Hot Rod Magazine, 1949-1959


Book Description

HOT ROD Magazine has defined more than one generation of car and racing enthusiast in its 50-plus years of existence. This reprint of the best from the decade 1949 to 1959 is a unique look back to the great old days of hot rodding and dry-lake racing. Includes all original advertising and editorial material for a nostalgic visit to the beginnings of American racing and hot rod culture. Also features Stroker McGurk cartoons, Hot Rod of the Month articles, Parts with Appeal features, articles about Bonneville, the Indy 500, and other historic races, and much more. A nostalgic look at one of the richest eras in hot rodding history from the leading magazine of the time.




How To Build a Cheap Hot Rod


Book Description

The ever-escalating cost of building or buying a hot rod is leaving more and more would-be hot rodders behind. This book will get those hopefuls off the sidelines by showing how a hot rod can be built for less than the cost of, say, a new Hyundai. Author Dennis Parks documents his own project--building a quintessentially cool Model T roadster from a "Track-T" kit--showing in step-by-step detail how to turn a pile of parts into a rockin hot rod. He provides a detailed, easy-to-follow guide for building a car of your own. The advice and instructions cover every aspect of an affordable hot rod build, from establishing the target vehicle and budget, to finding parts, building the car, and fine tuning the finished vehicle on the road. With Parks' money-saving tips and photo-supported how-to sequences, virtually anyone with minimal mechanical skills and the will to use them can be sure of building their hot rod right, and for the right price. The book also includes a full resource guide and recommendations for further reading.