Compact Cars
There are many ways to finish the bottom of any car. Whether you are building new, from the ground up or even detailing a rebuild that is not the off-the-frame type, you have options. And regardless of the extent of the refurbishing, you could even leave the underside in some shade of primer as it is easy to touch up, and the fenderwells and underside often become marked with use.
For many of us, the culmination of money and time spent on our street rods comes through experiences with our friends, whether it’s at the corner drive-in on the weekend or at a national event with thousands of people. It’s there we can share stories, laughs and the fruits of our labors, namely, the cars that bring us together in celebration of history, creativity and realized possibilities.
When news of the Show Car Buildoff began circulating, the team at DuPont Hot Hues saw it as an excellent opportunity to not only become involved, but also to provide a sound platform to help all of us better understand what is involved in painting a car. The color selection is a process in and of itself, but having a better understanding of the characteristics of the materials used, how to use them and what is involved in using them is helpful as well.
We all know itʼs what lies beneath the paint that really matters—a good chassis, great metalwork, and great design. Yet, having said that, the paint job still remains the single most important element of any rod or custom. After all, even if the groundwork has been laid, your bodywork is straight and great, your design is fine and your mechanicals are flawless, a poor paint job can spoil it all.
Magna Charger may not be a name immediately familiar to most Ford owners, but if your Camaro-owning buddy beat you out at the track during your last grudge match, Magna Charger may be the reason.
If you’ve ever imagined a time when you could simply pick up the phone or send an e-mail to General Motors and order the engine of your dreams, pull it out of a box delivered to your door and plug it into the car of your dreams, then stop dreaming as that time has come. While it’s not new information that GM Performance Parts provides an assortment of engines to choose from, it’s never been easier to select the one that is best for your budget and the intended purpose of your car.
Everyone is talking about old-school-this and old-school-that, but we here at The Auto Builder don’t really care about old school, true school or new school. What we do care about is bringing our readers the best damn cars from around the world. Whether we are featuring drift, show, street or drag cars, one thing is certain: we will bring you the best cars that are out there. And sometimes the best is simple and to the point, as if you built the whole car in your garage.
No matter where you live or who you are, if you could get your hands on an authentic Nissan R34 GT-R Skyline, you would. The GT-R Skyline has been called the “Holy Grail” of imports and is the car that all tuners wish they owned. If you are fortunate enough to own one, you are the envy of enthusiasts on the streets and at all of the shows.
Low in its architecture and functionally beautiful, the LS2 engine is an ideal replacement for a previous generation of Chevy powerplants. It offers good
performance, greatly improved economy and plenty of support from an industry leaders.
When GM introduced the Gen III small block in the F-body, it rekindled a dying performance flame with its new-generation small block. While the Gen I small block actually kick-started the hobby and got it into gear, it’s the latest family of small-block engines that has grabbed the attention of enthusiasts everywhere—and for good reason.










