Street Rods
It is very apparent that when Frank Mauro wants something, he has the patience to wait for it. Take this ‘38 Chevy pickup, for example. Mauro had seen it in a storage yard for many years, but couldn’t convince the owner to sell it to him. It seems that the previous owner had a handle on patience himself, as the truck had actually been sitting for 25 years.
Long before we ever saw it in person, we were familiar with the ProRides-built SR61 Starliner. We ran a rendering of the car back when it was still on the drawing board, and we heard updates on its progress from time to time. But our first real introduction to the car was at Air Ride Technologies’ Street Challenge at Putnam Park Road Course. Among the sights we must admit we thought we’d never see was that of a big-dollar, 3,800-pound ’61 Starliner ripping around a road course. Immediately, we fell in love—a car this size, this expensive, this good looking, and a builder who’s not afraid to test his work to the limits? That sounds like the kind of car for us.
When it comes to enhancing the performance and reliability of performance cars, it seems as if enough is never enough, regardless of the vehicle, drivetrain or chassis. Then again, when you consider the problems that often cripple our cars despite the inherent strengths or improvements upon them, it’s often the driver that has the most detrimental effect on everything above the pavement.
We’ve all heard stories of fellow street rodders who have searched far and wide for that special car. Weeks are spent on the Internet, days are spent stumbling through hot, dry, cold, wet, dusty or muddy swap meets, and even more time is spent at major rod runs, car corrals and cruise nights. Even with all that effort, time and expense, often times you still don’t find a particularly special car. Of course, you could do what Cecil Watts did and walk next door while your neighbor is having a barbecue for the hot rod club and say, “I didn’t know you were going to sell the Fordor—I’ll take it.” It was really that simple, and the best part is that the car is really special.
More than one technical article has been written about gas tanks. Some of these articles would lead you to believe that a foam-filled fuel cell is the only solution, and others give you the impression that any tank will work as long as you have a high-dollar, killer fuel pump. However, we believe that the truth lies somewhere between these two opinions.
Building a vintage hot rod wrapped around a modern chassis and body is a popular segment of the hobby today. Over 10 years of parts collecting went into the construction of this hot rod. The finishes on this car all look 50 years old, but in reality, the car has only been built for 5 years. It is a masterful blend of the old and the new.
Top-tier quality and a solid three-year warranty set Flaming River apart as the best in the business. Their tilt steering columns come fully equipped with an aluminum dress-up kit, featuring a turn signal arm with a Phillips screw, a tilt lever, a hazard knob with a screw, and a steering wheel hold nut. Additionally, Flaming River offers a comprehensive array of steering column accessories, including steering wheels, custom wheel adapters, floor mounts, and column drops.
While at LS Fest, we noticed several drivers spending a lot of time tuning their rides before hitting the track, dialing them in to try and gain an edge over the competition. This left us puzzled. If you’re looking for an edge, there’s no better way to optimize your performance with E85 than with a flex fuel system from Advanced Fuel Dynamics.
If you’re all about upgrading your ride’s steering game, then the Borgeson G-Body, F-Body, S10 Steering Shaft is your ticket to automotive nirvana. Designed to fit snugly into 1979-1988 GM G-Body, 1982-1992 GM F-Body, and 1982-1993 S10 pickup models, this bad boy brings a whole new level of performance to the table.
This upgrade is a perfect match for a range of Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles, including the 1971-1973 Mustangs and other full-size models from 1965 to 1977. To accommodate the new steering box input shaft, the factory steering coupler must be replaced. This ensures a perfect fit and optimal performance. Borgeson offers hose kits designed for both stock Ford pumps and their Saginaw P/S pump upgrade kits, guaranteeing seamless integration with existing power steering components.