HARD CHARGER
November 15, 2024
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THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
THE CHEVELLE’S FINEST HOUR
June 1, 2023
Curves, Chrome, and Legacy: Fat Attack 2026
February 17, 2026
GRAND DADDY
It doesn’t matter whether this event is held in Oakland, San Francisco or San Mateo—it still gives builders the incentive to strive to win the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) title. For the past two years, the Grand National Roadster Show has been held in San Mateo, just south of San Francisco and across the bay from Oakland. This year there were 300 vehicles on display, and a good percentage of them were high-quality, creatively built roadsters. Along with the roadsters, there were closed street rods, customs, street machines and custom trucks. The show also is well known for displaying some of the finest motorcycles in the country, and this year there was a separate room just for the two-wheelers.
Broncos Storm Pigeon Forge
The 3rd Annual Great Smoky Mountain Bronco® Stampede thundered into Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on August 15–16, 2025, and for two days straight the LeConte Center was wall-to-wall Broncos. Old, new, stock, modified, lifted—if it had a Bronco badge, it had a place in the herd.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: 6.5L Turbo-Master Wastegate Controller
More is always better, until it’s too much. The wastegate is responsible for keeping the turbo from continuously building boost until it pops. By allowing exhaust gas, the driving force of the turbocharger, to bypass the expeller (turbine), it will stop the impeller from sucking in air, creating boost.
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: VDOG® by Flaming River
Get The Right Angle With this Steering Solution from Flaming River
We’ve all been there—slamming a monster LS, Coyote, or Hemi into an old muscle car or hot rod and hitting that inevitable roadblock: how the heck do you get the steering shaft through that tight engine bay? The answer, my friends, is the VDOG® from Flaming River. You’ve probably heard the name tossed around, but let’s dig into why you need this in your arsenal.
What the Heck is the VDOG®?
First off, VDOG® stands for Variable Degree Operational Gear. Think of it as the ultimate 90-degree angle gear specifically designed to handle those tight steering angles. Created by the brainiacs at Flaming River Industries in Berea, Ohio, the VDOG® is a hybrid of a universal joint and a gearbox, bringing the best of both worlds.
Here’s the lowdown: one end of the VDOG® has a fixed ¾”-36 spline shaft, and the other end has a variable degree gear with the same spline size. What sets it apart is its ability to rotate 360 degrees at a +/- 35-degree angle thanks to a universal joint inside. The heart of this beast is a hardened gear drive system, giving you a solid 1:1 steering ratio from one side to the other. No chains, no sprockets, just pure, unadulterated reliability. Plus, it’s pre-lubricated, so you can set it and forget it.
Real-World Applications
We’re not just talking theoretical here. Flaming River has put the VDOG® through its paces in some serious builds. Take their 1949 Dodge Pickup Truck, for example. They mounted the VDOG® by the rack and pinion, showing it’s not just a firewall trick. Then there’s their 1954 Chevy Pickup, where they used it at the firewall to nail that tight turn. And get this—some customers have even run two VDOG® units: one at the firewall and another at the steering box for the ultimate custom ride.
This thing isn’t just for specific setups either. It’s versatile enough for everything from cab-overs to classic muscle cars. If you’ve ever tried to squeeze a big ol’ LS engine with aftermarket headers into your ride, you know what a game-changer this can be.
Accolades & Awards
The VDOG® isn’t just all talk. It cleaned up at the 2019 SEMA Show, bagging the Best Engineered Product and Best New Street Rod Product awards that we previously covered in our article 20 NEW Product Innovations at the 2023 NSRA “Nats”. That’s right, two trophies from the biggest stage in the industry. It’s a testament to the VDOG®’s killer design and rock-solid performance.
Bottom Line
If you’re serious about your builds and you want to avoid the headache of steering issues with modern engine swaps, the VDOG® from Flaming River is your new best friend. It’s the kind of innovative solution that makes you wonder how you ever lived without it. Keep the VDOG® in mind for your next project and steer clear of those tight angle nightmares. CLICK HERE to learn more about the VDOG® or go to Flaming River’s website.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Flaming River
800 Poertner Drive
Berea, OH 44017 USA
(800) 648-8022
