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Hot Rods

SAFETY FIRST

One of the most important safety features of your vehicle is the neutral safety switch, which is the mechanism that keeps your car from cranking in any gear other than park or neutral.
I will admit that this was not one of my better moments, but it did teach me a valuable lesson. While innocently sitting around one afternoon in my ’60 wagon, I accidentally hit the starter while the car was in gear. To my surprise, the engine fired, and the wagon lunged forward. Luckily, I was able to hit the brake prior to doing any damage. When I was able to breath again, I tried starting the engine again, only to find that the car would start in not only park or neutral, but in drive as well. This was an obvious surprise because when the shifter was installed, it worked properly by starting in only the park or neutral position.

Product Spotlight: Bill Mitchell Products HARDCORE Manowar Valve Covers for Small Block Ford

If you’re building a serious Small Block Ford, the details matter — and nothing finishes off an engine bay like a killer set of valve covers. Enter Bill Mitchell Products BMP D70870 Valve Covers, branded with the unmistakable HARDCORE Manowar logo. Originally part of BMP’s 600hp street engine crate program, these covers are now available individually — and at a can’t-miss closeout price.

Beech Bend’s Best at the Tri-Five Nationals 2025

This year marked 70 years since the 1955 Chevy hit the streets, kicking off a three-year run that forever changed the automotive landscape. And judging by the rows of spotless Bel Airs, hardtop sedans, wicked gassers, and full-tilt pro-touring machines, the legend is alive, well, and meaner than ever. Everywhere you turned, there was another masterpiece—whether it was a flawless restoration, a ground-shaking drag car, or a radical custom that pushed the envelope.

70 Years of Cool: The Tri-Five Chevy Turns Platinum

In 1955, Chevrolet didn’t just redesign a car—they ignited a movement. The Tri-Five Chevys (that’s shorthand for the 1955, 1956, and 1957 models) arrived like a thunderclap and never really left. These machines were leaner, lower, and louder—in both looks and performance—ushering in a new era of V8-powered excitement. The shoebox shape, the tailfins, the grille teeth…every detail had attitude. And the world noticed.

Remembering Angelo Giampetroni: The Bridge Between Detroit Speed Shops and Ford Motorsport

The automotive and motorsports world has lost one of its most influential figures with the passing of Angelo “Junior” Giampetroni. A pioneer, promoter, and passionate builder, Angelo helped shape the hot rodding and drag racing scenes from the postwar boom through the modern era. His impact can be felt not just in Detroit, but across the globe—from gritty speed shops to high-level factory performance programs. Angelo wasn’t just part of the culture—he connected it all together.

ELECTRIFYING PONY

Mustang enthusiasts Tony and Tammy Seader of La Salle, Colorado, have always wanted a classic Mustang fastback, and about three years ago Tony found this ’66 Mustang 2+2 sitting on a used car lot.

Survivor Status: The 1958 Impala That Defies Time

Nineteen fifty-eight was certainly a year of change for our nation with the formation of NASA and the launching of the United States’ first spacecraft, Explorer I. This was also a year of jet power, as Douglas introduced the DC-8 that year shortly after Boeing’s 707 went into regular service, offering transatlantic flights between New York and Europe. In addition, Elvis began his service in the U.S. Army.

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