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Custom Meets Prefab

If you have spent any amount of time working on street machines, you are well aware that “bolt-on” parts do not always bolt right on. Still, it’s often a lot easier to modify those parts than to fabricate your own. The same holds true for such items as rollcages. Nobody pretends that a prefab cage is going to drop right into place without having to trim a single tube. That’s mainly because the economies of scale dictate that manufacturers make a single design fit as many cars as possible. Unfortunately, a cage that fits many cars probably fits no car perfectly.

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Product Spotlight: Borgeson Street & Performance Series OBS 12.7:1 Power Steering Box

Expanding on their wildly successful Street & Performance Series of steering gears, Borgeson Universal now offers the only quick ratio power steering box to replace the Delphi 800 series in the 1988-1998 Chevrolet and GMC OBS trucks. This all-new power steering box has a quick 12.7:1 ratio with firm modern steering feel. The Borgeson Street & Performance power steering box will bolt directly to the stock location and fit to the original power steering pitman arm, steering shaft and power steering hoses.

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It’s a Gas!

Experience the thrill of Project Tin Can, a neighborhood sensation turned adrenaline-pumping amusement ride! With its roaring 283 engine and close-ratio Muncie four-speed, this car is a showstopper. Hear the laughter, witness the stares, and feel the excitement as Tin Can leaves a trail of awe wherever it goes. Discover how a modest 283 engine transformed into a powerhouse, making this car a 13-second wonder. Join us as we bid farewell to Project Tin Can, but stay tuned for occasional updates and adventures. Thank you to all who contributed to this unforgettable journey. Old-school enthusiasts, rejoice!

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Cool Breeze

When Tony Gonzalez says that it is his business to be cool, he really means it. Gonzalez owns an air conditioning repair and installation company, but what gets him hot in his spare time (read, winter) is to build and ride in his 1995 Chevy Silverado.

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PUTTING THE “HAUL” BACK IN HAULER

Learn about McGaughys Suspension Parts’ innovative airbag spring helper kit designed specifically for the 2002-2005 Dodge Ram 1500 series, enabling truck owners to use their street trucks for hauling tasks while still enjoying the benefits of lowered suspension.

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Barn Fresh

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.

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CUSTOM STOPPING POWER

If you own a Ford or Chevy, most of the parts you will need to build a street rod are readily available, and from a variety of suppliers. We have written numerous stories about kits for these cars in our family of rodding magazines, and some of them were a direct replacement for the original. By and large, they worked perfectly and bolted right in, as designed. These types of kits are convenient for many street rod builders, as well as street rod shops, and they are part of what has helped grow our hobby into such a broad special-interest group. But in addition to the “normal” and most popular rods, there were many other great cars made in the pre-war era, and some of them can be a real challenge to street rodders because there are no pre-manufactured parts, and no kits that make them easy to build. Sounds like the old days, right? Well, that’s the modern world for you–even our hobbies have become targets of convenience.

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A UNIQUE CLASSIC

Simi Valley, California, holds the record as having more cars per capita than any other city in the country. As a hard-core car enthusiast, I am constantly on the lookout for cool cars in the neighborhood, and since I moved to Simi myself, I have seen quite a few great-looking rods and classic cars, and I have met some really nice enthusiasts who have introduced me to other owners of top-quality cars.

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Tasty Taillights

If you are building a street rod, sooner or later you will have to select the taillights you want to use. As with so many other parts, the taillights should match the style of the car you are building. A smooth, high-tech rod should have taillights of the same style, perhaps flush-fit diode lights that match the shape of the body. If you are building a resto rod, the stock taillights are generally used, stalk and all. Internally they can be updated with bright bulbs or a diode kit. If you are building a nostalgic or a traditional rod, there are several different lights that were used by builders in the ’50s and the ’60s. The rod seen in this story is being built in a traditional style, so there were many lights to choose from.

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