RODS ON THE RIVER
May 8, 2025
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
MOOSETANG
Lots of people know what they want, at least generally—as in, “I want a car” or, more specifically, a performance car. A slightly more motivated person might narrow it down to a late-model car, as opposed to an old car, or even refine his goal further to a Ford car. The ability to thoroughly define your goals is generally the province of the mature individual who, with the wisdom of a few years under his belt, has come to truly know what winds his clock.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: 6.5L DIESELSITE 2011-2016 Ford 6.7L Fuel Filter / Water Separator
The Ford 6.7L engine was outfitted with a completely new type of common rail system from the lift pump, high pressure fuel pump, injectors and fuel filters. What we have discovered (and so have many others at their expense) is that the fuel system components are very sensitive to water and debris, much more so than previous fuel system designs. The Dieselsite 2011-2016 Ford 6.7l Fuel Filter/Water Separator protects your fuel system from being damaged by water and debris.
Right Rod
If you attend car events in California, such as NHRA’s California Hot Rod Reunion in Bakersfield, the West Coast Kustoms show in Paso Robles or the L.A. Roadster Show in Pomona, you will notice that rat rods are a growing segment of the hot rod hobby. Years ago, when they started becoming a common sight at many of the shows, the mechanical aspects of most of the cars were scary at best. You could see cars with no springs, some without floorboards, and many constructed with less-than-desirable stick welding. It is this type of construction that created the name “rat rod.” Fortunately, over the past few years there has been an attempt to upgrade the construction of rat rods, even though the enthusiasts want to use as many original parts as possible.
Spotlighter
BUILD A BENDER
An Economical Way To Get the Bends You Want
Bending irons have been used in the industry for many years. We first became aware of how handy they are during a 10-year stint in the can industry.
Author
Lane Anderson
Story & Photography
Why Use Bending Irons for Metal Fabrication
This type of bending is totally portable and can generate tremendous force. While these irons are not good for sharp 90-degree bends, they are excellent for most radii. We made these irons specifically for the 1/8-inch-thick material used while making our convertible top-anchoring strap. We made the jaw sections larger and thicker than necessary for bending 1/8-inch material because the irons will be reworked for 3/8-inch round stock for our next project.
Building Your Own Economical Metal Bender
For our heavy-duty bending irons, we used 3/4-inch-diameter round stock that was 18 inches long. The jaws were fabricated from 3/4-inch-thick steel plates, and we cut and milled the jaws on our vertical milling machine. If you do not have access to such a tool, you can use a band saw or hacksaw and a drill motor to make the slots.
Versatility of DIY Bending Tools
The portability of the bending irons is another plus. When the job is too tough for bare hands and too small for the vise and hammer, the bending irons fill the gap. With larger slots, the irons can be used for round stock, such as the curved framework of the new center console you’ve been thinking about building. Take a look as you show you how simple this process really is
