mn7x95r5if5 magzus.org by Thomas Swift

Sacramento Autorama Is Back

+ NoWeldingRequired ReplacingInnerFenderPanels

LightingTheWay VintageLook,ModernLights

MaintainingOne’sCool MonsterFanGetsTheJobDone AUGUST 2022 ISSUE 23 $8.95

I N T H E G A R AG E M E D I A .C O M

PART 1: LIFE & TIMES OF BLACKIE GEJEIAN

MODERN RODDING CONTENTS

InTheGarageMedia.com

22 DEPARTMENTS

SPECIAL FEATURE

08 Starting Over................................................................................................................ Brian Brennan 10 Rodding Around .....................................................................................................Industry News 12 Parts Department ................................................................................................... New Products 89 Ad Index ............................................................................... Those Supporting Our Industry 90 Parting Shot ................................................................................................................... Brian Brennan

Hoss! Remembering Blackie Gejeian, Part 1 By Michael Dobrin, Photography by the Author, the Blackie Gejeian Collection & Tim Burman

TECH

A Guiding Light Mounting Speedway Motors’ Guide 682-C 12V H4 Headlights With Turn Signals By Brian Brennnan, Photography by the Author

FEATURES

America’s Most Beautiful Roadster Jeff Breault’s ’34 Chevy Roadster By Brian Brennan, Photography by John Jackson

When Less is More It Happens All the Time in the World of Hot Rods By Gerry Burger, Photography by the Author

As Old Becomes New Tim Crowley’s ’70 Plymouth 'Cuda By Brian Brennan, Photography by Wes Allison

Team Effort Ross Myers’ ’36 Ford Roadster & Aaron Myers’ ’32 Ford Tudor Sedan By Brian Brennan, Photography by Michael Christensen

That Old-Time Feelin’ Simon Gluckman’s ’32 Ford Five-Window Coupe By Brian Brennan, Photography by Wes Allison

Monster Fan Eats the Heat! OEM-Quality Cooling Temp Management By John Gilbert, Photography by the Author

It’s What Lies Below That’s So Important Inner Fender Panels Can Immediately Revive the Appearance of Your Project By Brian Brennan, Photography by the Author

EVENT

Capital City Cruisin’ 71st Autorama Sizzles in Sacramento By Patrick Patterson Photography by the Author & Michael Christensen

2021 RECIPIENT OF THE HRIA BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD

ON THE COVER:

Modern Rodding ISSN 2692-2371 (print) ISSN 2692-238X (online) Issue 23 is published monthly by In the Garage Media, 370 E. Orangethorpe Avenue, Placentia, CA 92870-6502. Application to mail at Periodicals prices at Placentia, CA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Modern Rodding, c/o In the Garage Media, 1350 E. Chapman Ave #6550, Fullerton, CA 92834-6550 or email ITGM at subscription@inthegaragemedia. com. Copyright (c) 2022 IN THE GARAGE MEDIA. Printed in the USA. The Modern Rodding trademark is a registered trademark of In The Garage Media.

MODERN RODDING

One of the oldest and longest running awards of the indoor car show circuit is the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster 10-foot trophy. It is handed out at the Grand National Roadster Show and this year it went to the ’34 Chevy roadster you see before you belonging to Jeff Breault and built at Devlin Rod and Customs. Photo by John Jackson

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR/EDITOR BRIAN BRENNAN bbrennan@inthegaragemedia.com

1955-57 CHEVY FIREWALL FP13-55F ......1955-56 Chevy Firewall FP13-551F ....1955-56 Chevy Smoothie Firewall FP13-57F ......1957 Chevy Firewall FP13-571F ....1957 Chevy Smoothie Firewall

1955 CHEVY GASSER 1956 CHEVY HEADLAMP WHEEL WELL ARCH BUCKET

QP13-55WA...1955 Chevy Gasser Wheel Well Arch Openings (pr)

HL13-56B ... 1956 Chevy Headlamp Bucket Assembly

1957 CHEVY QUARTER PANEL MOLDING

1955-57 CHEVY QUARTER PANELS

SEDAN AVAILABLE TOO!

NICK LICATA nlicata@inthegaragemedia.com PUBLISHER TIM FOSS tfoss@inthegaragemedia.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER & OPERATIONS MANAGER YASMIN FAJATIN yfajatin@inthegaragemedia.com MANAGING EDITOR & AD COORDINATOR SARAH GONZALES sgonzales@inthegaragemedia.com

FP13-55 ........1955-57 Chevy Hardtop Complete Floor Pan with Braces FP13-55TF ....1955-57 Chevy Hardtop Complete Floor Pan & Trunk Floor (1-pc) FP13-551 ......1955-57 Chevy Convertible Complete Floor Pan with Braces FP13-551TF ..1955-57 Chevy Convertible Complete Floor Pan & Trunk Floor (1-pc) FP13-552 ......1955-57 Chevy Sedan Complete Floor Pan with Braces FP13-552TF ..1955-57 Chevy Sedan Complete Floor Pan & Trunk Floor (1-pc)

1955-57 CHEVY FLOOR PANS

SENIOR EDITORS ROB FORTIER rfortier@inthegaragemedia.com

QP13-571ML ....1957 Chevy All 2-Dr (Exc 150) Quarter Panel Molding Lower - Drivers QP13-571MR ...1957 Chevy All 2-Dr (Exct 150) Quarter Panel Molding Lower - Pass

QP13-55LOE......1955 Chevy Hardtop Quarter Panel (No Trim Holes) - Drivers QP13-55ROE .....1955 Chevy Hardtop Quarter Panel (No Trim Holes) - Pass QP13-551LOE....1955 Chevy Convertible Quarter Panel (No Trim Holes) - Drivers QP13-551ROE ...1955 Chevy Convertible Quarter Panel (No Trim Holes) - Pass QP13-56LOE......1956 Chevy Hardtop Quarter Panel - Drivers QP13-56ROE .....1956 Chevy Hardtop Quarter Panel - Passenger QP13-561LOE....1956 Chevy Convertible Quarter Panel - Drivers QP13-561ROE ...1956 Chevy Convertible Quarter Panel - Passenger QP13-57LOE......1957 Chevy Hardtop 2-Dr Complete Quarter Panel - Drivers QP13-57ROE .....1957 Chevy Hardtop 2-Dr Complete Quarter Panel - Passenger QP13-571LOE....1957 Chevy Conv Complete Quarter Panel - Drivers QP13-571ROE ...1957 Chevy Conv Qtr Pnl - Pass

ART DIRECTOR ROB MUNOZ rmunoz@inthegaragemedia.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT PATRICIA LUDI pludi@inthegaragemedia.com EDITORIAL TEAM Wes Allison, Rodney Bauman, Gerry Burger, Tommy Lee Byrd, Ron Ceridono, Michael Christensen, Ron Covell, Grant Cox, John Drummond, Eric Geisert, John Gilbert, Joe Greeves, Ken Gross, John Jackson, Chadly Johnson, Barry Kluczyk, Scotty Lachenauer, Don Lindfors, Ryan Manson, Josh Mishler, Dale Moreau, Don Prieto, Todd Ryden, Jason Scudellari, Chris Shelton, Tim Sutton, Chuck Vranas, John Winter — Writers and Photographers ADVERTISING Travis Weeks Advertising Sales Manager Mark Dewey National Sales Manager Patrick Walsh Sales Representative ads@inthegaragemedia.com IN THE GARAGE MEDIA ON THE WEB ModernRodding.com AllChevyPerformance.com ClassicTruckPerformance.com InTheGarageMedia.com SUBSCRIPTIONS subscription@inthegaragemedia.com (833) 985-9171 BACK ISSUES InTheGarageMedia.com “Online Store” For bulk back issues of 10 copies or more, contact store@inthegaragemedia.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS info@inthegaragemedia.com Editorial contributions are welcomed but editors recommend that contributors query first. Contribution inquiries should first be emailed to info@inthegaragemedia.com. Do not mail via USPS as we assume no responsibility for loss or damage thereto. IN THE GARAGE MEDIA reserves the right to use material at its discretion, and we reserve the right to edit material to meet our requirements. Upon publication, payment will be made at our current rate, and that said, payment will cover author’s and contributor’s rights of the contribution. Contributors’ act of emailing contribution shall constitute and express warranty that material is original and no infringement on the rights of others.

CHEVS

WIPERS & RELATED!

Missing an issue? Please contact one of our resellers listed below. Want to sell one of our titles in your store or shop? Contact us at subscriptions@ inthegaragemedia.com

Nitroactive.net Orange, CA nitroactive.net

Hot Rod Paper Company Youngstown, OH (800) 676-3026 gadmak@aol.com

#NE13006

#4109959N

Electric Wiper Motor 37–54 $239–$253.50 ea 12-volt, 2-speed

Wiper Arm 31–54 • $14.50–$24.50 Stainless or Chrome

#609562P

Wiper Motor Vacuum Rebuild Service 37–54 • $176 For Trico vacuum motors

#4081915

Horton Hot Rod Parts Ontario, Canada (905) 876-2124 hortonhotrod.ca

Wiper Blade 37–54 $5–$20.50 ea Stainless or Chrome

#561094S

Pasteiner’s Birmingham, MI (248) 646-2886 pasteiners.com Reader’s World (616) 396-4600 readersworldbookstore.com

40’s

World’s Most Complete Supplier of 1937–54 Chevrolet Car Parts

RESELLERS LIST

Autobooks-Aerobooks Burbank, CA (818) 845-0707 autobooks-aerobooks.com

OF THE

#4132645

#REBUILD

Wiper Transmission 37–48 $250–$285 L&R Chrome #986984

Graffiti Publications Victoria 3450 Australia graffitipub.com.au One56 Björklinge, Sweden One56.se

#4601065

Washer Coordinator 54 • $150 New old stock Limited quantity

#4089931

Wiper Control 37–38 link & knob • $25 39 knob only • $45

1941

BILLET GRILLE 1941 • $1,800

• Less expensive than original • No expensive chroming needed • No need for hard-to-find expensive trim mouldings • Aluminum (black powder-coated with polished face.)

Wiper Cap 37–54 • $18–$30 pr Shaft caps protect the splines

The start of our 1941 sedan project! Note the beautiful grille and the pancaked hood!

BEAUTIFUL BILLET GRILLE $1800

Also available 1937–38 • $852-$2,195

CALL US TODAY! 800-952-8156 WWW.CHEVSOFTHE40S.COM FREE CATALOG WITH YOUR ORDER! SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW US ON NEED TO RETURN PARTS PURCHASED ELSEWHERE? CALL US! ALL PRICES, PRODUCT IMAGES AND AVAILABILITY ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. PLEASE CALL FOR CURRENT AVAILABILITY AND PRICES

MODERN RODDING STARTING OVER

InTheGarageMedia.com

Gasoline … Fact vs. Fiction

In this time of literally skyrocketing fuel costs, the basic question is, “What octane should I run in my car?” While this fundamental question and answer applies to your handful of family cars it also applies to your hot rod. I have seen time and time again where rodders use a higher-rated octane gas in their hot rod and this can be a waste of money. Unless you understand the benefits of higher octane and storage. Here’s the crux of the question: “Does high-octane fuel last longer in storage?”

BY BRIAN BRENNAN

Fundamentally, the answer to that question is, “Yes.” hose of us who call ourselves hot rodders are the de facto “fountain of automotive knowledge” in each of our neighborhoods. I live in a “very nice” neighborhood. My definition of a very nice neighborhood is one where the cars in one’s driveway have four wheels and tires (with air). And, when there is an oil change, the discarded oil is taken to a recycle center rather then used to kill weeds along the fence line. (I know these things because I once lived there.)

If your hot rod (or any car) can function on regular octane fuels, such as 85 or 88, then that’s what you should be using. Keep this in mind as it is crucial; hot rods throughout the country are liable to storage anywhere from one to six months, sometimes even longer. Only if your factory manual (on your family car) or the tech sheet you received with your crate engine or the builder of your engine specifies that you “must run” the 91- or 93-octane gasoline should you use the higher priced gas. This is an important decision since the premium octane (91 or 93) can be anywhere from 15 to 50 cents more per gallon, making a great impact on your fuel costs. This is particularly true for those powerplants that run on a computer and can sense the octane rating and will adjust engine timing.

There are any number of topics my neighbors continually seek me for advice. For instance: “What type of tires should I use?” “How often should I change my oil, and what oil should I use?” But the one that creates the greatest amount of conversation: “What brand and octane of gasoline should I use?” This topic has the least amount of clarity, has an immediate impact on one’s wallet, and is the current topic of conversation at every doughnut run, backyard barbecue, and weekday lunch gathering in the country. (Remember, I live in California, the land of exceptionally high gas taxes and the highest cost of a gallon of gasoline. It’s all any of us talk about.)

We do know that 93-octane fuels are more refined than their lesser octane family of fuels. These higher-octane fuels contain more refined and stable hydrocarbons. Research tells us that these stable hydrocarbons can last two to three times longer than 87-octane gas. The 87-octane gasolines can begin to degrade within three months whereas 93-octane often will last closer to nine months before degradation takes place.

As to the brand of gasoline, that’s pretty much one of personal choice. There are some aspects that do make a difference. The biggest is purchasing a gasoline that is rated “Top Tier.” If you want a gasoline that is proven to work best with fuel-injected engines, then Top Tier is your choice. Many of today’s automotive manufacturers—such as General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis—recommend a Top Tier fuel. More and more discount gas stations are carrying Top Tier products. Oftentimes these stations receive some of their monthly shipments from Top Tier suppliers anyway.

Keep this in mind, Top Tier gasoline and octane ratings have nothing to do with each other. Top Tier standards means the gasoline has a higher level of engine-cleaning additives than non– Top Tier gasoline. Octane rating effectively means a gasoline’s ability to resist engine knocking during the combustion cycle (premature detonation). A premium fuel (91- or 93-octane) is intended for performance engines (regardless of the number of cylinders) that typically has a higher compression ratio.

Is Top Tier gasoline worth it? An independent study by the not-for profit American Automobile Association (AAA) has found that while Top Tier gas is more expensive it can, on average, help you to obtain 5 percent better fuel economy. In the long haul you are saving money and your car’s engine will run better.

It should also be noted that mid-grade (octane) rated fuels are from a bygone era and pretty much aren’t required today. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, about 88 percent of gasoline sold is regular (85 or 87), 11 percent is premium (91 or 93), leaving just 1 percent to midgrade.

Now what about the “grade” of gasoline you use? The octane rating can vary from one state to another. For instance, California typically rates its gasolines at 87, 89, and 91 octanes. Yet other states may have 87, 89, and 93. And some states have 85, 88, and 91. Some of the very large box stores offer two octane ratings of 87 and 91, and that’s where the fun begins.

MODERN RODDING

So, for those who want to be conscious of the money you spend, and right now and for the foreseeable future this is critical, on gasoline make sure to select the proper brand of fuel and the octane rating. Keep in mind driving performance and storage as these two criteria will have an impact on which brand and octane you select. MR

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

RODDING AROUND

InTheGarageMedia.com

the car’s wiring handled by Painless Performance Products. Mattson’s received the go ahead to keep things cool with one of their radiators. If you want to hang out with 3,000 of your closest Tri-Five friends, then Bowling Green is the place to be. For more information on the Tri-Five Nats and the American Tri-Five Association check them out at americantrifive.com. MR

Danchuk Tri-Five Nationals & Golden Star Classic Auto Parts Giveaway ’55 Chevy Since 2015 the American Tri-Five Association has produced the Danchuk Tri-Five Nationals hosted at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Coming soon is the seventh edition of the Tri-Five Nats that has plenty of drag racing, a show and shine area, large vendors and swap meet area, and plenty of awards. The event is now a three-day gettogether covering Thursday, Friday, and Saturday … August 11-13, 2022. (Be careful, it’s a Thursday through Saturday event, which is a bit different than most summertime rodding events.)

“Here was my thinking. A kid buys a wrecked ’62 Chevy Impala that was equipped with a 409 V-8 with dual quads. He then removes the Impala interior and installs it into a freshly repainted ’69 GM Mountain Green metallic ’55 Post car. The 409 would then be dropped into it. From here some vintage-looking five-spoke Americans wrapped with Redline tires would be added. The Nomad trim (new from Golden Star Classic Auto Parts and available from Woody’s) is a nice touch.”

Always one of the most paid-attention-to festivities at the event is the Tri-Five Giveaway that takes place on Saturday. In speaking with Chris Sondles of the American Tri-Five Association and promoter of the event, he tells all about what proved to be the catalyst for this year’s car. As a matter of course, Sondles starts with Eric Brockmeyer, having done the previous year’s cars, who then takes ideas and transfers them to paper.

Now, that was back in the day. So, what changes will occur for this year’s giveaway ’55? Thanks go to Axalta for mixing up the ’69 GM Mountain Green metallic paint that is sprayed over the Golden Star sheetmetal and then nicely complemented by the American five-spoke wheels and the Redline tires from JEG’s. Resting behind the wheel-and-tire combination are the Wilwood disc brakes at the corners as well as a John’s Industries 9-inch rearend. Inside the always-popular Impala interior was stitched by Don’s Auto Trim, Dakota Digital received the nod for gauges and all the brightwork throughout comes by way of Advanced Plating.

“In the past we have done everything from restomods to one iconic '57 Gasser called the ‘All American.’ This year’s car I wanted to be a throwback to anywhere USA in the late ’60s. A time when Tri-Fives were every cool kid’s high school ride. Of course, this car is much more than a high school kid’s everyday driver, but the theme is there just the same.” Sondles was thinking about how to approach a hot rodder back in the day on what to build. He gave us some insight into his thoughts.

There is one significant twist on the 409. In today’s modern times the LS V-8 is the powerplant of choice. So Sondles opted to use a 435hp LS from Ed Rinke Performance Parts that sports a Lokar LS Classic Series 409 conversion powered by a Holley Terminator system with all MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING NEW PRODUCTS

BY BRIAN BRENNAN

2. 2. FITECH TPI COMPUTER HARNESS

1. AUTOMETER A-BODY DIGITAL DASH AutoMeter’s latest InVision Direct Fit Digital Dash System for ’72-76 Duster, Demon, Dart, Scamp, and Valiant (PN 7009) is a one-model solution for your entire dash. Monitor the speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, oil pressure, water temperature, and volts all in one place. The InVision Digital Dash features a 12.3-inch LCD with four userselectable screens. All kits include a wiring harness and sending units for water temperature and oil pressure. This dash features an adjustable RPM range and displays in imperial or metric units. An integrated joystick allows for easy programming.

Remember the ’80s and ’90s and the Tuned Port Injection (TPI) engine sway? Now you can bring your TPI engine to the next level with a modern FiTech TPI computer and wire harness with high-function handheld programmer, thereby eliminating all the hassles and drawbacks of the ’80s technology. No laptop or chip burning required.

The FiTech TPI system is based on proven, self-learning EFI technology with speed density and wideband air/fuel ratio control, improving the performance, tunability, and driveability of your TPI (stock or highly modified). The FiTech TPI system also features lock-up control of the 700-R4 or 200-4R torque converter or is available to control a modern 4L60E or 4L80E transmission, which means no more TV-cable adjustments.

The InVision Digital Dash will help protect your car with visual or audible alarms for low fuel level, low oil pressure, high water temperature, and low voltage. The speedometer easily calibrates to OEM or aftermarket vehicle speed sensors and the tachometer is capable of calibrating to many engine types.

The FiTech ECU is compact and easy to mount and connects to the engine through a sheathed wiring harness that is terminated with OEM-style connectors for the TPS, IAC, CTS, knock sensor, injectors, and small cap computer-controlled distributor. A three-bar MAP sensor and wideband oxygen sensor are in constant control of the air/fuel mixture with parameters that are easy to set up and monitor through the supplied color touchscreen handheld controller.

For more info, check out AutoMeter by calling (866) 248-6356 or visit autometer.com.

For more info, check out FiTech by calling (951) 340-2624 or visit fitechefi.com. MODERN RODDING

3. A/C MANIFOLD FOR EASY COMPRESSOR ACCESS MetalWorks Speed Shop has designed an A/C manifold that mounts directly to an SD7 A/C compressor with the charging ports built directly into the manifold itself, which allows for easy access. This design allows for easy hookup of the charging ports, simpler A/C hose plumbing, and a cleaner aesthetic. MetalWorks A/C manifolds are machined from billet aluminum, include the port valves, and are available in both black anodized and aluminum finishes to match your car’s engine bay. Save yourself future frustration with MetalWorks’ new A/C manifold. For more info, check out MetalWorks by calling (541) 341-3372 or visit metalworksclassics.com.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

4. LATEST IN MOPAR IFS & IRS Heidts now offers front and rear suspension kits for the ’70-74 Dodge Challenger and Plymouth ’Cuda. Heidts’ new IFS kit is completely bolt in and adds a heavy-duty crossmember with tubular control arms, adjustable coilover shocks, Wilwood disc brakes, power steering, and 2-inch drop spindles. In back the IRS kit offers 800hp 33-spline CV shafts and adjustable coilover shocks. The IRS was designed around a Ford 9-inch with Currie TwinTrac third members available along with Wilwood big brake kits, adjustable sway bars, and fabricated housings. Both kits are now available and made in the USA. For more info, check out Heidts by calling (800) 841-8188 or visit heidts.com.

Summit Racing™ Pro LS Valve Covers

CARB E.O. #D-747-1

PowerPort® 175 Cylinder Heads for Ford 390-428

Vintage Hood Strap Kits

Traditional Lakester Headers

More Go for Your FE as low as $1,136.99 assembled, each TFS PowerPort 428 Heads

Retro Race Car Style as low as $279.99 kit LME Hood Strap

Dry Lakes Nostalgia and Results as low as $486.99 pair PTE Traditional Lake-Style

Super Bell Beam Axles

Green Line Analog Gauge Kits

Hidden Wiper Systems

Drop Your Vintage Hot Rod as low as $309.99 each PAJ Super Bell Axle

Original 1960s Artwork as low as $675.99 kit SWW Green Line Kit

Completely Out of Sight as low as $439.99 kit RAI Hidden

Half-Wrap Steering Wheels

Fenders

Knuckle Series Gunmetal Wheels

More Comfort and Control as low as $169.99 each BSP Half-Wrap 9

Stamped Like the Originals as low as $584.99 each UPD Fender Rear Steel

Dress Up Your Engine Bay as low as $165.99 pair SUM LS Valve Pair

Summit Racing™ Competition Steering Wheels Great Look and Feel as low as

$99.99 each SUM Competition Marker

1930s Vintage Gas Pump Drink Dispenser Refuel Your Thirst in Style GSS-1958 $29.99 each GSS 1930

UNBEATABLE SERVICE, TECH ADVICE, SATISFACTION, AND SELECTION.

Order by 10 PM EST: In-Stock Parts Shipped That Day! 1.800.230.3030 • Int'l: 1.330.630.0230 SCode: 2208MO • Prices subject to change without notice. Visit SummitRacing.com for current pricing. Typographical, description, or photography errors are subject to correction. Some parts are not legal for use in California or other states with similar laws/regulations. Please check your state and/or local laws/regulations. © 2022 AUTOSALES, INC.

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

BY BRIAN BRENNAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN JACKSON

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ERIC BLACK/e. BLACK DESIGN CO.

very year the rodding world waits to see who will win any one of the prestigious indoor or outdoor awards. Without question the longest running of the grouping is the Grand National Roadster Show’s (GNRS) America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR). For 2022 it was the ’34 Chevy roadster belonging to Jeff Breault of Wichita, Kansas, who took home the top honors from the GNRS. This is only the second time in its history that the AMBR was given to a Chevy, making it even more impressive. (The first time was in 2014 when Wes Rydell took home the top honors with his ’35 Chevy phaeton.) The perpetual 10-foot trophy is something every roadster owner and builder secretly, or not-so secretly, aspires to.

The AMBR recognition and accompanying ARP sponsorship ($12,500 check) that accompanies it is sure to have everyone in the rodding world taking notice. The award does bring recognition. That’s what’s so great about any major award—there are those who agree and some who don’t. Hot rodding is all about expressing one’s own imagination and creative abilities. The winner isn’t supposed to be a total crowd pleaser but rather make all of us think. We can

Winning the AMBR is an Amazing Feat, but for a Chevy to Win is Almost Unheard Of

FEATURE OF THE MONTH SPONSORED BY OPTIMA BATTERIES

appreciate the efforts and there are many ideas all of us can take from these types of hot rods and apply to our own builds. Tim Devlin of Devlin Rod and Customs (DR&C) worked with Eric Black of e. Black Design Co. to produce the final build you see before you. (It should be noted that Black was called upon for all the exterior design work while Tavis Highlander received the nod for engine compartment, interior, and gauge work.) Over the course of the past five months Modern Rodding has featured four (including this month) articles that showed the roadster before paint (Apr. ’22, https://inthegaragemedia.com/1934-chevy-roadsterambr-2022-devlin-rod-and-customs/), sheetmetal fabrication (May ’22, https://inthegaragemedia.com/award-winning-metal-work-1934chevy-roadster/), and the impressive LS motor that was massaged and altered to produce power and a distinctive look (July ’22, https:// inthegaragemedia.com/all-about-the-ambr-winning-roadster-andits-ls-engine/). This month will wrap up our coverage of this year’s AMBR-winning roadster with its final feature.

InTheGarageMedia.com

FEATURE OF THE MONTH SPONSORED BY OPTIMA BATTERIES

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

The foundation for this ’34 Chevy roadster is a Roadster Shop custom chassis that features a one-off IFS. Jeremy Gerber of Roadster Shop freely admits that “… this was the most labor-intensive custom chassis ever attempted to date by us.” In back we see traditional rodding fare with a Winters V-8–style quick-change with the 8-7/8-inch ring gear that runs a 3.78 ratio. The steel tubes and bells are painted while the quickchange itself features a dull nickel plating that is then polished to a brilliant finish. Looking around you will see that a Bowler Transmissions–prepped TREMEC TKO is used along with the current rodding standard, the Chevy LS. A look back at the July ’22 issue of Modern Rodding will show you that this isn’t just any ol’ LS. While everything on this roadster was massaged, there are any number of one-off items, such as the custom one-off wheels. The billet aluminum wheels give the appearance of vintage Indy Halibrand models. Look closely and you will note the cast finish comes from the shot peened finish. From here the wheels were coated in a Tungsten Cerakote while the knockoffs were, as the quickie, dull nickel plated and then polished. These specialty wheels are mounted with the always-popular hot rod tire in the Coker/ Excelsior Sport Radial measuring 5.00R16 in front and 6.00/6.50R18 in back. Hidden behind this wheel and tire combination are the brakes. The name Wilwood should sound familiar to rodders but we bet you haven’t seen them presented in their current fashion. The Wilwood discs are hidden behind the custom backing plates both in the front and the rear. Nestled behind the brakes are the Cerakote-coated coilovers at the corners. Throughout the build you will see what we can only surmise to be several boxes full of modified and polished ARP fasteners. Throughout the entire build you will see a great deal of stunning brightwork, whether it be polishing or chrome. This staggering effort fell to Jon Wright of CustomChrome Plating whose staff spent literally months working on the project to get just the right look. FEATURE OF THE MONTH SPONSORED BY OPTIMA BATTERIES

InTheGarageMedia.com

FEATURE OF THE MONTH SPONSORED BY OPTIMA BATTERIES

MODERN RODDING FEATURE We’ve spoken about the custom frame and all its trimmings but what about the “pride and joy” of any hot rod: the heartbeat that comes in the form of a highly customized LS. The power is an LS that was built for performance at Keith and Jeff Dorton’s shop, Automotive Specialists Racing Engines, with an output of 654 hp at 618 lb-ft of torque. With the potent powerplant in hand it was then off to Alan Johnson of Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop in Alabama. It was Johnson’s aim to make the modern V-8 look like something with lots of heritage. The aluminum LS heads were reworked, giving the appearance of something that might have come on an old-timey small-block Chevy. Interestingly the LS V-8 comes from the factory with an accessory drive serpentine pulley system. However, this doesn’t lend itself to the vintage appearance Jeff and Devlin were after. Johnson knew what he had to do. A traditional V-belt system was designed, necessitating that all the one-off components would need to be designed. In the end Johnson conveyed a pulley system that looked vintage but delivers the accessory belt performance that is required for today’s use. Of note are the valve covers on this LS. Johnson wanted something that not only looked vintage but would be distinctive. If you give a stare at the valve covers, you will see they have what might be considered a ’30s-era Rolls-Royce appearance. The period one-off valve covers rest over the real valve covers and it is in this “not to be

FEATURE OF THE MONTH SPONSORED BY OPTIMA BATTERIES

InTheGarageMedia.com

seen” area that the LS coil packs are placed. Modern LS-style motors have sensors, lots of sensors. In this application the idle air control motor and oil pressure sender were removed from the engine. Their new “home” rests on top of the Bowler-prepped TREMEC beneath their own inspection cover beneath the shifter bezel. Bowler supplied the mechanical part of the shift linkage, while EVOD fabricated the shift arm; the painted shift ball on top is a Lokar item. The custom intake is the mounting point for the eight-stack injection and it too hides the electronic fuel injection components. A FAST XFI ECU and the traction control (of course) are also implemented into this build. The interior features many original one-off features. As mentioned earlier Highlander received the nod for the interior design with the likes of Classic Instruments coming through with the custom gauges and panel design. The control knobs located below the gauge cluster are more EVOD machinework. The center knob serves as the ignition key. On top of the ididit tilt steering column, altered by DR&C, is a loose interpretation of a Chevy pickup steering wheel that Highlander designed and EVOD built—some 13 pieces! More EVOD handiwork comes in the form of the three pedals with the brake assembly working off a Kugel Komponents 90-pedal and master cylinder bracket assembly.

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

InTheGarageMedia.com

As for the upholstery that credit goes to Chuck and Braden Rowland of Chuck Rowland Interiors for stitching the custom seating, panels, and carpeting. However, one of the most notable modifications to the Chevy roadster is the folding convertible top. Jeff is a fan of early Corvettes and having a ’63 convertible he thought it would be cool if his ’34 Chevy roadster had a similar retractable top. Both Jeff and Devlin went to see Mike Loewengruber of American Speed Company (ASC) to see if they could get some help about the retractable top. Well, ASC not only supplied a great deal of information but also the initial top hardware and mechanism from which DR&C made the necessary modifications. Of course, DR&C had to make a custom windshield to work with the top and tie all together and make it work. The soft part (material) of the top was then covered by Scott Downey of Downey’s Auto Upholstery. The body itself is a ’34 Chevy roadster that has undergone a myriad of modifications and outright freshly created skins, such as the doors. Oftentimes we cannot really tell what’s been done when looking at a finished project. We just know something was changed but we cannot quite put our finger on it. Such is the case with Jeff’s ’34 Chevy roadster as there were so many sheetmetal modifications. So, here are some of the DR&C body modifications that they fabricated. The floor, rocker panel, and trunk flooring were all shaped to fit the contour of the Roadster Shop framerails. The original ’34 Chevy hood louvers were integrated into the freshly minted hood sides along with the new top. Moving along the rear wheel arches were reworked to match the tire/wheel profile along with the bodyline reshaped and made larger. The DR&C staff consisting of Austin Sacket, Gage Sacket, Brandon Wegerle, and Dave Wehrheim managed the sheetmetal effort, body- and paintwork. The deep blue color is based on a BASF color using R-M Diamont basecoat with a Glasurit clearcoat. If you find yourself wanting to see this amazing roadster in person, be on the lookout: the ’34 Chevy roadster should make the rounds at Goodguys Columbus for Street Rod of the Year competition, NSRA Nats in the Builders Showcase, Shades of the Past for the Triple Crown of Rodding, SEMA, and Gathering at the ROC. MR

FEATURE OF THE MONTH SPONSORED BY OPTIMA BATTERIES

O p tio n a l D u s t P la te K it fo r E a rly F o rd

Wilwood high-performance modern braking for traditional Ford solid axles, Mustang II independent front suspension and Wilwood Mustang II ProSpindles.

805.388.1188 wilwood.com VISIT OUR BOOTH AT

#24743

MODERN RODDING TECH

1. 1. Well, you need headlights on a farm truck. So, we now have headlights on our highboy Model A closed-cab Ford pickup thanks to parts from Speedway Motors (SM) and Lokar Performance Products.

BY BRIAN BRENNAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHOR

A GUIDING LIGHT Mounting Speedway Motors’ Guide 682-C 12V H4 Headlights With Turn Signals

f you plan on driving your hot rod on the street there is a real good chance that you will need (and require) lighting comprised of headlights and taillights. Our ’28 Ford extended closed-cab pickup had its taillights installed (Nov. ’21 issue), so now it’s onto headlights.

To keep the early hot rod appearance of our pickup we opted for the Speedway Motors (SM) Guide 682-C 12V H4 Headlights with Turn Signals (PN 91101020). Since our truck’s sheetmetal will retain its primer appearance along with its black powdercoated frame, the addition of the black headlights and taillights finishes off the look. To continue the lowkey early look, we added the Lokar Performance Products Anchor-Tight Headlight Braid in black (PN XHL-1900). MODERN RODDING

2. Ron McCorkle of Hot Rods by Dean handled our headlight project. Here he is

working on the Lokar XHL-1900 Black Anchor-Tight Stainless Steel Headlight Braid (PN XHL-1900). VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

Background on Headlights Without getting too carried away, a little background on headlamps might be an interesting read. So, here goes. Prior to 1939 it was pretty much the “Wild West” with regards to headlight construction and design. They were made up of a headlamp bucket with a reflector, a bulb that could be changed, and then a lens. It was in 1939 that General Electric invented the sealed beam headlamp. It was made up of a parabolic aluminized reflector, a stout glass lens, and a tungsten filament all hermetically sealed. They were immediately popular because of the significant increase in provided light. It was here that manufacturers realized the benefits and began to use it. It was also here that the Federal Government got into the picture. From 1940-56 the Federal Government standardized headlamp use, requiring that all U.S. cars use two, 7-inch round sealed beam headlights, with one lamp per side. These were “dual filament,” meaning the single light served as both the high and low beam. (That’s where the three-prong connector we are all so familiar with came into use on the back of all headlights.) It was in 1957 that the law was changed to allow the use of four sealed beam headlamps, where each lamp measured 5-3/4 inches in diameter. From 195875 manufacturers liked the idea as it enhanced their ability to come up with more stylish designs. While a manufacturer could continue to use two headlamps, one per side, the new four-light, with two per side, configuration could be positioned horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. This added greatly to what the OEMs could do design-wise. It was 1975-84 that the advent of the rectangular headlamps came upon the scene. In this case there was a two-lamp-per-side system, meaning one was for low beam and the other for high beam. The twolamp system used the 7.87-inch (200mm) lamp while the four-lamp system used the 6.5-inch (165mm) lamp. (During this time the U.S. experimented with converting to the metric system of measurement. Remember those days!) Then in 1984 until the present the Federal Government allowed the use of composite headlamp assemblies that utilized the use of replaceable bulbs—although the “old-style” sealed beam light was still used.

3. The upper

braided housing shows the headlight end fitting with the 1/2-20 jam nut. The lower braided housing shows the fitting that you could use on a grille opening, the aluminum cup washer in the middle, and the 1/2-20 jam nut on the end. (Note, in our installation we didn’t go through a grille shell but rather through a framerail.) 4. The black Guide 682-C 12V H4 Headlight/Turn Signal with wiring and its housing comes from SM (PN 91101020). We opted to use the Lokar black Anchor-Tight headlight braid instead. The headlight bar mounting hardware that comes with the headlight we opted not to use. Remember, our build is a highboy-style, hence different headlight mounting is required; SM Hi-Boy Headlight Mounts (PN 910-61019).

5. Closeup of

the SM Hi-Boy Headlight mounting cup and the mounting stud that comes off the headlight bucket. 6. The Lokar

Anchor-Tight braid (housing) comes with four internal wires. Three of the wires are for standard headlight connection while the fourth wire is for turn signals. In our case we will be using all four wires.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING TECH

InTheGarageMedia.com

7. Keep this in mind.

The headlight wiring from SM contains five wires while the Lokar Anchor-Tight braided housing comes with four. The four-wire system provides you with the correct number of wires to connect your SM headlight with turn signal.

8. The SM Hi-Boy Headlight Mounts (PN 910-61019) features stainless steel bolts and hardware. 9. The SM headlight

mounting cup attaches to the front upper shock mount. Note: the frame is a ’32 Ford frame from SM, so the headlight mounts work well with the shock mounts.

11.

10. You can see the

hole in the bottom of the headlight mounting cup to allow for the headlight stud to pass through.

10.

12.

13.

11. You can see the front shock tower, the shock positioned to the front of it, and the headlight mounting hardware behind the shock.

Guide 682-C Style 12V H4 Headlights With Turn Signals, Black The topic of this story is the SM Guide headlight that fits the early hot rod appearance. These lights came into being in the late ’30s and early ’40s. According to our research these lights were primarily an accessory light found on trucks. The Guide 682 as a sealed beam light was found on all manner of trucks from the ’40s. We haven’t uncovered (at least not yet) a manufacturer who produced assembly line vehicles with these lights. There were four Guide lights that are similar in appearance, with several having the parking light on top. Hot rodders of today like to turn these parking lots into turn signals. There was the 903-J, which had the shorter body and no parking light. Then came the 904-A, which had the parking light on top that was round but didn’t have a sheetmetal cover around it. Then there is the 682-J, which is the one with the long “pointy” bucket, making it very distinguishable, with no parking light. Lastly, and most popular among hot rodders, is the 682C, as it had a parking light on top and, interestingly, had three distinctly different parking light sheetmetal covers and lenses. You will see that this light most closely resembles the ’36 Chevy headlight, which at the time was not a sealed beam as it wasn’t invented yet. The SM black Guide 682-C headlight with turn signal (PN 91101020) is equipped with an H4 halogen bulb, is 12V operation, and has a 7-inch diameter. In this case we opted for the headlights with turn signals that are a nice touch. The parking light is now used as a turn signal and is a five LED panel configuration that lights up amber. The overall diameter of the front of the headlamp is 8-1/2 inches while the front-to-back overall dimension of the bucket is 8-1/2 inches, too. The overall height is 10-3/4 inches and that’s measured from the top of the marker light to the mounting base.

14. 14. Not all headlights are

mounted to a highboy-style headlight bracket. These instructions from Lokar Anchor-Tight depict how the mounting would work with a standard headlight and headlight bar.

12. You can see

the wires as they pass down from the headlight. A hole will be drilled into the side of the framerail so that the Lokar fittings will attach to the frame, thus allowing the wires to pass through.

15.

13. You can clearly see the Lokar Anchor-Tight Headlight Braid attached to both the bottom of the SM headlight and the side of the frame.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

15. While these instructions depict a grille shell as the medium and refer to the mounting stud as the “grille shell stud” a framerail was used as our go-between. The wiring will pass through the framerail via the Lokar Anchor-Tight braid.

NEVER SET TLE FOR LESS THAN

THE ULTIMATE Every OPTIMA® Battery is built and tested in the world’s most advanced battery facility, where precise automation is coupled with the highest quality components. 99.99% pure lead, advanced electrolytes, pure poly casing and direct ȵow cast on straps to deliver power, performance and reliability unrivaled by any other battery on the market. OPTIMA BATTERIES, THE ULTIMATE POWER SOURCE®, BECAUSE WE ENGINEERED THE QUIT OUT OF IT.

15X MORE VIBRATION RESISTANT

3X MORE LIFE

OPTIMABATTERIES.COM

A CLARIOS BRAND

880 COLD CRANKING AMPS

MODERN RODDING TECH

InTheGarageMedia.com

Wiring the SM Loom The SM light comes with a five-wire loom. It’s traditional headlamp wiring that many of us have seen time and time again. Remember, the headlight bucket is a metal housing and needs to be properly grounded. From here the “green” wire handles the headlight low beam, the “red” wire handles the highlight high beam, the “black” is for ground, the “white” is for the top marker light low function, and the “brown” is for the top marker light high function. Anchor-Tight Headlight Braid To add a bit more of a finishing touch we opted for the Lokar Anchor-Tight Headlight Braid. The Lokar Anchor-Tight Headlight Braid in black (PN XHL1900) is a non-kinking stainless steel braid. This is Lokar’s design technology for “U-Cut-to-Fit,” nonkinking stainless steel headlight braid. Designed with threaded steel studs to ensure that you won’t experience any of the typical separation between braid and fitting that shows the internal wiring. The braid kit is supplied with two 14-inch flexible braided stainless steel, Teflon-lined housings, threaded steel studs, billet aluminum fittings, aluminum grille shell washers, and four 26-inch headlight wires. Wire Anchor-Tight Headlight Braid It has four wires. Three are used in conventional headlight wiring (power, high, and low beam) and the fourth wire is for parking light/turn signal use. You can remove this wire if you aren’t going to use it. Well, you are going to need light to enjoy those long, nighttime drives or maybe it’s a very early morning cruise to grab some coffee and doughnuts. Whatever it is, let there be light. MR

19.

16.

17.

16. Here is the

final working example of the Lokar braid attached to the framerail with the wiring encapsulated inside. 17. Our SM black

Guide 682-C 12V H4 Headlight/ Turn Signal is finalized and mounted, ready to light the way. 18. The clear lens

turn signal is a five LED panel that lights yellow when in use. 19. Overall, our

18.

SM headlight with turn signal and our Lokar Anchor-Tight braid are now installed and working. 20. Couldn’t

resist, here is our extended closed-cab Model A pickup sitting on an SM ’32 frame; now it has its own front and rear lighting. Very, very close to driving.

20.

SOURCE SPEEDWAY MOTORS (800) 979-0122 speedwaymotors.com

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

Invest Wisely!

A Morrison Chassis Will Add Value To Your Build Not only will a Morrison chassis add superior

That’s because AME has established a reputation for

handling, ride comfort and a contemporary stance to your

excellence in design, engineering and craftsmanship going

car or truck, it’s also a rock-solid investment. Check out

back over 50 years. Many of the nation’s top professional

the sales data from leading auction houses like Barrett-

builders rely on Morrison chassis, and they’re also well

Jackson —you’ll see that cars and trucks equipped with

suited to Do-It-Yourselfers. AME’s GT Sport chassis are

a Morrison chassis are bringing top dollar.

bolt-in and require no welding. Check out our website!

Jeff Hayes and American Speed Shop in Indiana has established a reputation for building exemplary machines, and this stunning restomod 1967 Corvette, based on an AME GT Sport chassis, sold for an astounding $808,000 at Barrett-Jackson’s 2022 Scottsdale auction.

Call:

866-808-4759

www.ArtMorrison.com email: sales@artmorrison.com

Download the 2022 catalog at www.ArtMorrison.com or request a free printed copy.

AME’s bolt-in GT Sport chassis for the C2 Vette is one of a dozen popular applications.

MODERN RODDING EVENT Big winner of the Sacramento Autorama was the ’56 Olds belonging to Jeff Hess as he took home the Custom D’Elegance, sponsored by ARP and the Sam Barris Memorial Award. This ’59 Chevy El Camino belonging to Jerry Monroe was awarded top honors in the Custom Pickup class.

Cruisin’ Capital City

71st Autorama Sizzles in Sacramento

Marty Bettis took home top honors in Semi Hardtop/Sedan with his ’59 Chevy Impala. MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

The ’40 Merc belonging to Joey Monaco brought home the Custom D’Elegance awards for Outstanding Display and one for Outstanding Interior. Dave Ciccante took home multiple awards with his ’47 Buick Sedanette Super, starting with King of the Kustoms and two Custom D’Elegance awards, one for Outstanding Detail and one for Outstanding Paint.

Eddie Tovar was in the running for the Custom D’Elegance and did take home the Johnny D’Agostino Award of Excellence for his ’40 Merc.

BY PATRICK PATTERSON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHOR & MICHAEL CHRISTENSEN

he second longest running car show in the country didn’t disappoint after taking a two-year hiatus. The postpandemic 71st edition of the Sacramento Autorama, presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts, with the Custom D’Elegance sponsored by ARP, was a home run as things idle back to normal in the high-performance world. Bolstered by full buildings For Hess the journey started in high school. His first car was a ’56 and a robust drive-in turnout, the event was deemed a success by Olds Super 88 ’vert. It left an indelible impression. Here he was some 60 years later taking home the D’Elegance crown. Working promoter and participants alike. A smashing success. closely with Mike Filion of Pro Design Hot Rod, the Olds was molded Custom car stylists come here far and wide to compete for the Custom into perfection during a multiyear build. The car is awe inspiring. D’Elegance Crown—an award steeped in prestige. There is also the Taking parts and style from many different makes and models, coveted “Big B awards.” Paying homage to Sacramento custom legends it’s flawlessly finished in House of Kolor “Way Past Midnight” blue. H.A. “Baggy” Bagdasarian, Sam Barris, Joe Bailon, and Dick Bertolucci, While we won’t share the entire mod list, consider this; it sports a 354ci Chrysler Hemi, ’54 Corvette grille, ’56 Packard taillights, and the Big B awards are presented to the best of the best. a Continental Kit. A killer custom through and through and 100 Displayed together in the upper concourse, this year’s Custom percent worthy of the big prize. D’Elegance crop featured five heavy hitters: Dave Ciccante’s ’47 Buick Roadmaster out of the Lucky 7 stable, Joey Monaco’s ’40 Merc, Eddie Fellow competitors held their own with Ciccante’s Buick Roadmaster Tovar’s ’40 Merc (a restyled Barris Kustom from 1951), Jeffrey Hess’ taking home the King of Kustoms. Following up on its Al Slonaker award ’56 Olds out of the Pro Design Hot Rod Shop, and Joe Cusumano’s ’54 at the Grand National Roadster Show, Pat Gauntt’s ’32 Ford coupe took Merc. While all were turned out and polished to perfection, the Hess home the Dick Bertolucci Award of Excellence while Jerry Logan’s ’41 ’56 Olds Sled took home the D’Elegance crown (as well as the Sam Packard took the H.A. Bagdasarian Memorial Award. Not to be outdone, Joe Ortega’s pristine ’63 Impala won the Joe Bailon Memorial Award. Barris Memorial award), the big cup, and the cash that goes with it. MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING EVENT

InTheGarageMedia.com

This ’51 Plymouth convertible belonging to Art Gonzalez took home First Place in the Radical Custom Convertible class. Recently winning the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster 10-foot trophy, sponsored by ARP, from the Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) was the ’34 Chevy roadster belonging to Jeff Breault.

This ’69 Camaro was awarded top honors in Street Touring to its owner Jesse Lindberg. Another GNRS winner is the Slonaker-winning ’32 Ford three-window coupe belonging to Pat Gauntt. Joe Cusumano won a Custom D’Elegance Outstanding Engineering award for his ’54 Merc.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING EVENT

InTheGarageMedia.com

Bob Florine brought home the First Place award for his ’72 Plymouth Scamp in the Hardtop/Sedan category.

Tim and Chrissy Lohrey had their ’79 Chevy El Camino in fine shape and took home First in Full Custom Pickup. Bill and Barbara Chrisman had their ’58 Chevy Delray Sedan Delivery present, resting on an Art Morrison chassis and powered by a 630hp LS3.

Taking home top honors in the Full Sports class was the ’57 T-bird belonging to Bud and Marilyn Wolfe. Grandpa Tim and Jack Frey brought home the top award in Radical Custom Rod convertible for their ’36 Ford Club cabriolet. MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

& '

(

! " # $ ! %

012 1 2 13 4

)*++,)- . - /

MODERN RODDING EVENT

InTheGarageMedia.com

With over 500 cars filling eight exhibit buildings, there was plenty of hardware to go around. You can visit hotrodshows. com to see the dazzling list of all class winners. A special exhibit that caught our eye in Sacramento was a fantastic display of lowriders. Known as the Lowrider Showcase, hosts and coordinators Raj Reddy and Jay Walding gave us something to sink our teeth into. Candy paint, etched plating, wire wheels, and all the lowrider trappings got our boulevard blood pumping. Gary and Deborah DeVine were awarded First Place for their ’32 Ford roadster pickup in the Altered Street Roadster class. Ross and Beth Myers had their ’32 Ford roadster at the Sacramento Autorama. Lots of history here as it was once featured on the cover of Hot Rod in November 1959 then belonging to Lee Titus, an L.A. Roadsters Club member.

Larry and Linda Tremaine were awarded First Place in Mild Hardtop/Sedan for their ’55 Pontiac Catalina Star Chief. Bringing home Second Place honors in the Altered Street Roadster class was this ’32 Ford highboy roadster belonging to the father and son pair of Rick and Mike Merri. MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING EVENT

InTheGarageMedia.com

This red beauty belongs to Ken Fontes; his ’56 Chevy pickup took home First Place in Radical Pickup class as well as Outstanding Interior Truck and Outstanding Truck.

Another goodlooking Deuce roadster competing and receiving an award in the Altered Street Roadster class is the orange highboy belonging to Don Sylvia. This good-looking ’32 Ford three-window highboy coupe was presented by owner James Forteiny.

Placing in the Full Pickup class is this ’57 Chevy, which also brought home Outstanding Individual Display for Jay and Robin Greenwall. Sweepstakes Truck award and First Place in Full Pickup went to this ’57 Chevy Cameo owned by Pat Graham. In the Semi Pickup top honors went to Clifford Mattis for his ’69 Chevy C10 as well as Outstanding Individual Display and one for Outstanding Paint.

Robert Tilton took home Outstanding Street Machine/Competition and Outstanding Interior Street Machine/Competition for his ’70 Chevy C10. Oh, did we mention he also took home First Place in Pro Touring Truck/Van?

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

Details Matter! It’s What Sets Award-Winning Builds, Like Wes Rydell’s Gorgeous ’41 Chevy Apart From Others Troy Trepanier’s handiwork needs no introduction. His creations have been winning major awards for years… most recently the Goodguys “Street Rod of the Year” for Wes Rydell’s impressive 1941 Chevrolet. For years, Troy has relied on ARP fasteners as an important finishing touch to his builds —for engines, drivelines and even the undercarriage. ARP’s polished stainless steel and black oxide finished 8740 chrome moly fasteners are nominally rated at 180,000 psi tensile strength —a full 20% stronger than Grade 8 hardware. They’re available by engine, individual application or by size in handy 5-packs. Check out ARP’s 5,000-plus fastener kits online or request a free printed copy of the new 180-page catalog.

All operations are done in-house at ARP’s California facilities to the industry’s highest standards. With over five decades experience, the company remains family owned and operated through three generations.

800-826-3045 www.arp-bolts.com ENGINE & DRIVELINE

Over 5,000 fastener kits are available. Check them out online, or geat a free printed copy of the latest ARP catalog

CHASSIS & ACCESSORY

MODERN RODDING EVENT With spring sunshine and temperatures in the low 80s, the Autorama Drive-In, presented by Modern Rodding along with our sister publications Classic Truck Performance and All Chevy Performance, saw hundreds of local rides roll through the gates and post up throughout the spacious Cal Expo show grounds. With a cut-off year of 1973, everything here was from the golden era of automotive production. It’s always a kick in the rumble seat to see a nitrous-fed ’67 GTO parked next to a Westergard-styled ’36 Ford parked next to a Hemi-powered Model A next to a terrifying Tri-Five. With bugs on the grille, and heat waves coming off hoods, these rides were all drivers. No trailers in sight. The indelible impression stamped on this event included sheer joy at seeing car guys and gals come together again. It was spiritual. It was like we were all healing. Like-minded passionate people driven by their love for vintage cars make it seem like another 71 years of the Sacramento Autorama is possible. MR

InTheGarageMedia.com

Steven Wilk took home Second Place in Lowrider Custom as well as Outstanding Use of Color Design for his ’64 Chevy Impala. Taking home First Place in Lowrider Custom was Dominic Carollo for his ’65 Buick Rivi. The Autorama Drive-In is a big hit with plenty of local rodders who show up and park within the events grounds. This ’32 Ford highboy roadster belongs to Charles Matus and sports a Stan Wanlass windshield with its “laidback” posts. Lots of attitude.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

BY BRIAN BRENNAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ALLISON

As Old Becomes New

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

’Cuda are two distinctly different cars, yet both use the E-body platform. Without looking, and measuring, the casual muscle car aficionado might think they are the same; they aren’t. The Challenger is a slightly larger car.)

ne of the all-time muscle cars is the E-body platform that the ’Cuda was built on from 1966-71. Of this generation, the ’70 Hemi ’Cuda is often considered the most desirable and sought after of the run. Tim Crowley of Roseville, California, has always wanted a ’60s-era hot rod but to be outfitted with a modern suspension and powertrain. His ’70 ’Cuda fits the build sheet and his wishes have come to fruition. Keep in mind that there were only 652 ’71 Hemi ’Cudas built, making an original a highly valuable ride. Tim’s Plymouth ’70 ’Cuda, while not an original Hemi, is most assuredly a Hemi in its current configuration. To arrive at this street rocket, he teamed up with Ron Cambra of Cambra Speed Shop (CSS).

The ’70 ’Cuda we are looking at today is powered by a modern modular Hellcrate 6.2L supercharged Gen III V-8 that features an iron block and aluminum heads and pumps out 700-plus horsepower. Cambra built the custom headers out of 1-7/8-inch tubing that dumps into 3-inch tubes with V-bend clamps. From here a pair of Black Widow mufflers with resonators are used. The Hemi backs up to a TREMEC Magnum six-speed in conjunction with a McCleod clutch; note the wooden pistol-grip shifter. Did you expect anything else?

The early era ’70 Hemi ’Cuda was reported to reach 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds and cover the quarter-mile in 14 seconds at 102 mph. While those may be pedestrian numbers by today’s standards those were retina-detaching numbers back in the day. (A note for the uninitiated: The ’70 Dodge Challenger and the ’70 Plymouth

MODERN RODDING

This ’70 ’Cuda is Stuffed With Today’s Power, and it Shows … Through the Seat of Your Pants

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

in the day, was removed and the sheetmetal was immaculately prepped for the flawless black paint. The stock hood was fitted with a ’Cuda Shaker air inlet, a sure sign of performance back in the day.

The suspension is attached to a custom frame that features a custom Magnum Force (the Mopar people) K-member that was installed at CSS. CSS handled the frame and with the Magnum Force crossmembers then came the Magnum Force tubular control arms, spindles, coilover shocks. From here you will see a sway bar and ididit rack-and-pinion with Wilwood 14-inch rotors and four-piston calipers in the front and rear as well as a Wilwood master cylinder. In back a Ford 9-inch rearend with 31-spline axles is used along with a Watts link setup. Rolling stock is made up of Schott wheels measuring 18 and 20. Mickey Thompson rubber, measuring 245/40R18 and 29x18x20, find themselves wrapped around the wheels. To handle the massive rear rubber and wheels a set of tubs were fabricated at CSS.

The interior, while looking striking as it would have back in the day, features several custom touches. The factory dash is now wrapped in leather and houses the Dakota Digital instruments and Vintage Air A/C that are wired for use through a Coach Control wiring kit that is fired by an Optima battery. The wiring itself was handled at CSS. The factory wheel was replaced with a Grant three-spoke reminiscent of the original. While the rear seating is factory the front seats come from Procar by Scat and are reworked to look more like their original counterparts. All seating, panels, and headliner are stitched in black leather by Bill’s Auto Upholstery.

The bodywork and stunning PPG black paint was handled at CSS by Hitoshi Umekage and Osmar Mata. Some of the subtle sheetmetal changes include flush mounting of the rear bumper and tucking in the front bumper tight to the body. Also, the vinyl top, common

MODERN RODDING

There’s no mistaking the ’70s look but the performance is all today, making for an unbelievably good-looking and appealing hot rod. MR

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING TECH

Less Is More It Happens 1.

All the Time in the World of Hot Rods BY GERRY BURGER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHOR

ur project ’36 Ford phaeton is making steady progress. After painting it at home (Modern Rodding Apr. ’22 issue; https://inthegaragemedia.com/ inflatable-spray-booth-makes-it-easier-to-paint-likea-pro/) we cut, buffed, and started assembling the body. However, we had not addressed the dashboard, mostly because we were determined to be done with the bodywork and because the dash will be a different color than the body.

The dashboard would be our first step in building the interior. In my humble opinion, the ’36 Ford open-car dashboard is overly plain, heading toward ugly. It should be noted, closed cars had a better dash. Since the roadsters and phaetons had this plain-Jane look, it was perfect material for a little hot rod enhancement. We decided to ditch the stock ’36 Ford gauges in favor of a ’47 Ford speedometer and clock. We liked the larger size and the art deco look of the later gauges. Since this is a very traditional car, we decided black Stewart-Warner gauges, fresh off SpeedwayMotors.com, would be the perfect mate for our ’61 vintage, black face Stewart-Warner tach.

1. A bit of glovebox reduction will provide the required space for our new gauge layout. Some straight-forward metalwork gets the job done. 2. This how it all began, a circa ’61 Stewart-Warner tach and some swap meet ’47 Ford gauges. That combo will get you in trouble every time. 3. After leather-wrapping our ’36 Ford steering wheel and modifying the horn button, in our opinion the stock dash was looking a bit mundane, boring, and sleepy. Time for a little hot rod influence. MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

4. With the dash back out of the car we enlarged the speedometer hole and added about 3/8 inch to the bottom of the dash to make room for the new speedo. At the same time, we decided to eliminate the original step up in the center of the dash. Our T-5 shifter won’t need the clearance.

5. Installing the dash back in the car told us we were on the right track. Notice how large the glovebox is and you will also notice even Ford couldn’t get the gauges to look straight on the curvaceous ’36 dashboard.

8. A quick pass with the trusty die grinder cut the door down to the desired opening size. This is just the first cut; it will be shortened once more.

8. 6. This is our basic marking, we found a horizontal centerline as a guide and decided to shorten the door approximately 2-1/2 inches. Both the door and the dashboard were marked for the new size.

7. Tape measures are nice but we like to see things, and so some simple templates were cut out and taped in place. The verdict was in; it was time for some glovebox reduction … a not-so common cosmetic procedure.

9. This is the initial cut, note we also cut the rod that constitutes the very simple hinge arrangement on an early Ford glovebox.

10.

10. We reinstalled the door for a quick visual and liked the look. Next, we need to shorten the door one more time to make room for the corners.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING TECH

11.

InTheGarageMedia.com

12.

11. We shortened the door and hinge rod the amount of the cut-off corner piece. We simply held the cut-off piece in place, marked the door, and shortened it. Then some careful fitting and clamping completed the operation. 12. Back for a test-fit we were pleased so far. Our bottom gap was nice and straight with an even gap. The lower gap is a bit larger to allow the hinge to work.

13.

13. We repeated the same procedure for the top corner. Again, careful fitting and trimming always pays. To our eye, the shorter door forms a more pleasant shape.

14.

14. Now the trick is to move the stock corners over to form the dashboard opening. We like to use tape to mark cut lines, and the arrows indicate which side of the tape to cut … not that we have ever cut on the wrong side!

15.

15. That small piece above the dashboard is the cutout piece we will use for the corner. Note we cut above the actual inside glovebox mounting tab; we will need that tab later.

16.

16. Here we test-fit the corner piece with tape. Certain it would fit properly we used more tape to mark the cuts along the upper dash to permit the corner piece to be fitted in place.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING TECH

InTheGarageMedia.com

17. After cleaning the old paint off the corner piece we carefully fit it to the new opening and tack-welded it in place.

17.

18.

18. We repeated the process, tackwelding the lower corner in place. Once satisfied with the fit, we finished welding and dressed the welds. We are pleased with the new shape and the extra gauge room.

19.

19. The next step is forming the actual box portion of the glovebox. We used posterboard to form a template. Notice how those original mounting tabs come in handy.

20.

20. Using our template we did a quick clearance check. That’s a Vintage Air heater peeking through our new opening. We had plenty of room.

Armed with that decision we took out our tape measure and quickly ran out of room for the gauges. It seems the glovebox was consuming a disproportionate amount of the dashboard; it was more like a footlocker than a glovebox. To make everything fit, the glovebox would need to be shortened. We have seen hot rods with the glovebox eliminated, but felt we needed all the weathertight (relatively speaking) storage we could get in our topless tub. So we set about a glovebox reduction program, along with building a new steel glovebox in place of the cardboard unit from 1936. Like most metalworking projects it was a matter of working slowly and measuring twice … cutting once. Our reduction in size was dramatic, yet with the dashboard back in the car it looked quite proportional, and chances are the untrained eye could assume it is a factory glovebox. (We may even start a rumor about the super-rare, “small glovebox ’36 Ford phaetons;” only five were built, all on April 1, 1936. One known to survive.) (Editor’s note: This is what happens when you are living on an island off the coast of Georgia! —B.B.)

21.

21. We formed the corners with a simple metal brake and bending the relatively thin 20-gauge metal around a piece of pipe. Yes, 20-gauge is thin, but this a glovebox, not a motor mount, and remember the stock one was cardboard.

22.

MODERN RODDING

22. After forming the four corners (no two are the same) we trimmed the piece for a neat overlap joint and clamped it place before tack-welding it together.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

Dries the best

MODERN RODDING TECH

InTheGarageMedia.com

Because of the taper of the dashboard the glovebox door is not square, rather it follows the contour of the dashboard. To reduce the opening and then fill it with a door involved cutting it both vertically and horizontally. The glovebox door accents these tapers for a very pleasing look. We managed to make cuts that saved the factory mounting tabs for the actual glovebox, again adding to the illusion of a factory unit. The glovebox door hinge is a rudimentary unit made of a rod that rotates in two simple brackets. We shortened the rod and used one original hinge hole and drilled a second hole to complete the hinge. We drilled a hole in the center of the door and used a cool chrome knob from Lokar to complete the early hot rod look. After the glovebox project was complete, we had the desired extra room for our gauges. We will show you the completion of the dashboard and gauges in the next issue. But for now, let’s take a closer look at reducing and reshaping our ’36 Ford glovebox. MR

24. Looking inside the glovebox we were pleased with the final shape and even the size is still suitable for what is supposed to be in a glovebox … gloves.

23.

24.

23. Once again a simple posterboard template came first then we formed the back piece from sheetmetal. We added those little bend-over tabs to help hold things in place; they probably weren’t needed.

25.

25. We couldn’t resist this comparison shot; ole Henry didn’t plan on his cardboard gloveboxes lasting 83 years.

26.

26. We opted for a simple magnetic latch to hold the door closed as there is little room for the factory-style spring clip on the bottom. The metal pad on the door contacts the magnet and those two holes in the corners of the opening are for the factory rubber bumpers.

27.

27. Here it is, an allnew, small glovebox for the ’36 Ford. The chrome Lokar knob is the perfect touch for our vintage ride. Next up, smoothing the dash and mounting all those gauges, switches and more … stay tuned.

SOURCES LOKAR (877) 469-7440 lokar.com SPEEDWAY MOTORS (800) 979-0122 speedwaymotors.com

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

BRING ON the RUST HELPING SAVE MORE DODGE & PLYMOUTHS THAN ANYONE.

888 . 255 . 3907

AUTOMETALDIRECT.COM

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

hen we hear of a father and son team building a hot rod, we can conjure up all sorts of builds. In this case we have Ross Myers (dad) and Aaron Myers (son) who each have their own ideas on what a hot rod should be. Ross has the ’36 Ford roadster that is built in a restomod look with a hint of its rodding heritage in the five-spoke Americans and Firestone rubber with plenty of sidewall showing. Aaron, on the other hand, shows off his ’32 Ford Tudor sedan with more of a hot rod appearance seen through the chopped top, plenty of louvers on the hood and rear pan, and the slotted mag-style wheel also from American. But the secret to both hot rods lies under the sheetmetal. There is plenty of modern-day hot rod hardware to be seen. And it is here that we see the “family” influence; but, as the old saying goes, “To each his own” comes into play.

fit custom specifications by Jack Stratton of Roy Brizio Street Rods (RBSR). The front suspension is based on one from Kugel Komponents that features mild steel tubular A-arms (57-inch hub-to-hub width) in a powdercoated satin black, front-mounted rack-and-pinion, sway bar, QA1 coilover shocks with Eibach 11inch 250-pound coil springs, and Wilwood dual-piston disc brake package. Other brake components include a Wilwood master cylinder and Brizio pedal assembly.

The rear suspension is based on a Kugel Komponents IRS that is centered around a John’s Industries 9-inch centersection with a limited-slip differential and 3.70 gears, Kugel axles, and a 57-inch hub-to-hub width. It also has a 4.5-bolt pattern with 1/2-20 studs. It too utilizes dual-per-side QA1 coilover shocks with Eibach 10inch springs rated at 175 pounds and inboard Wilwood dual-piston disc brakes. The chassis rides around on a set of American Racing ’36 Ford Roadster The foundation for Ross’ ’36 Ford roadster is based on a Total five-spoke mag wheels that measure 15x6 and 16x7 with Firestone Cost Involved set of framerails and from here it was altered to 205/65R15 and 235/75R16 rubber.

BY BRIAN BRENNAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL CHRISTENSEN

Ross & Aaron Myers Produce Their Own Father-Son Builds MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

Resting on this RBSR custom chassis is a factory steel ’36 Ford roadster that has a 3-inch chopped windshield and top/irons with a stock hood. The body- and paintwork was all handled by Darryl Hollenbeck of Vintage Color using an Envirobase waterborne PPG Honduras Maroon paint. This was followed up with pinstriping by Real Ralph. Inside the original ’36 Ford roadster dash was used. From here it was modified by RBSR to accept the Classic Instruments gauges (with Brizio logo inscribed). Next up the dash was fitted with a Juliano’s steering column with a Juliano’s banjo-style wheel. All the prerequisite wiring was handled by Jim Vickery of RBSR. Other interior appointments include the Lokar shifter and brake pedal along with the “spoon” throttle. Seating comes by way of Glide Engineering and is covered in tan leather and stitched by Sid Chavers Co. Chavers also handled the carpeting and mats in a German square-weave material.

MODERN RODDING

A good-looking hot rod isn’t any fun if there isn’t the prerequisite response to follow one’s “mashing” of the throttle. Resting under the stock hood is a 400-plus horsepower Roush Performance V-8 based on a Dart block (402 inches) and then filled with an assortment of performance items. The aluminum heads are topped with “Cobra Powered By Ford” valve covers that are polished and detailed with body-matching paint. Other “go-fast” goodies include the Edelbrock intake with a “Born-Again AFB” (as it is referred to from its Carter heritage) in the AVS 2 Series four-barrel carb. It’s fed its fuel through a Carter fuel pump and covered with a Mooneyes air cleaner. It too is polished and trimmed in matching body color. The V-8’s electrics fall to MSD in the form of the electronic distributor, coil, and plug wires. Other electrical accessories include the Optima battery and a polished Powermaster starter and alternator. More appointments include a polished Edelbrock water pump and a Vintage Air electric fan. The Ford V-8 backs up to a GM 700-R4 with the Lokar shifter and a B&M trans cooler.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

Exiting the spent gases are a set of Sanderson 1-5/8-inch tube headers and from here Stratton of RBSR built the remainder of the stainless steel exhaust system that runs through a pair of stainless mufflers. Well, that wraps up dad’s hot rod, now let’s move onto the son’s ride.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

’32 Ford Tudor Sedan Aaron opted to go the more-traditional hot rod route with his choice of a ’32 Ford. To be specific, a ’32 Ford Tudor sedan that is painted in a true hot rod color—orange. Once again, the Myers influence can be seen in their choice of chassis. Here, Aaron selected a pair of Total Cost Involved framerails, which was then shipped over to RBSR to make the necessary changes. It was Jack Stratton who massaged the ’rails and then fit the front and rear Kugel Komponents independent suspension. The IFS is based on a Kugel system with Kugel front spindles and sway bar, rack-and-pinion steering, QA1 coilover shocks, and Wilwood disc brake system based on polished Dynalite two-pistons calipers. Should be noted that Aaron likes his brightwork as there is plenty of chrome and polished metal spread throughout this build. The IRS is more Kugel goodies but this time the centersection is based on a Winters quick-change. It too is loaded with plenty of polish and chrome but this time it features dual QA1 coilover shocks and springs per side and more Wilwood dual piston Dynalite calipers/ rotors assembly. Note the brakes are set up as inboard à la the old Jag IRS setups.

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

InTheGarageMedia.com

electronic fuel injection. The stack injection has a vintage Chevy appearance and is fed its fuel demands through an Aeromotive fuel pump. The engine control management system is a combination of Hardy and Autotrend EFI custom wiring harness. The coils are GM (hidden beneath the valve covers) while the plug wires are from Hardy. The exhaust is, once again, based on Sanderson 1-5/8-inch primary tube headers with the remainder of the exhaust system based on 2-1/4-inch stainless tubing all fabricated by RBSR’s own Stratton. Other engine appointments include the polished Powermaster starter and alternator, an Edelbrock water pump, Optima battery, and Cooling Components electric fan. Transferring the power rearward is a TREMEC fivespeed that utilizes a Modern Driveline flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate with a Lokar shifter.

Rolling stock consists of polished American Rebel slotted wheels reminiscent of the old Halibrands and then outfitted with Diamond Back tires. The wheels measure 15x5 and 16x8 while the rubber is 165R15 in front and 255/70R16 in back. Probably the single biggest difference between dad’s approach and son’s approach on their hot rods is the choice of powerplant. Aaron went for the current-day V-8 of choice: the Chevy LS— although we must say that this is one LS that has all the earmarks of a vintage small-block Chevy, right down to the Corvette finned valve covers. Aaron’s choice of motorvation is a 600-plus horsepower 6.2L LS with aluminum block and heads. The Don Hardy–prepped LS features several internal mods to enhance horsepower, but the single eye-grabbing accessory is the Kinsler

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

The ’32 Ford Tudor sedan had its roof whacked 3 inches by Andrik Albor of RBSR while the muchlouvered aluminum hood was handled by Jack Hageman who also punched the rear pan. As for the bodywork it was handled along with the paint by Joe Compani of Compani Color. (If this name sounds familiar it’s because Compani spent 18 years as the in-house painter at RBSR.) Compani mixed a custom orange using Glasurit, which included the primers, basecoat color, and clear materials. As with Dad’s hot rod, the pinstriping was applied by Real Ralph. Inside the factory Deuce dash was modified to accept a SO-CAL Speed Shop Auburn-style panel with an engineturned insert. From here the Classic Instruments Hot Rod-style gauges, with the Brizio logo, are present. The Classic Instruments Rocket Tach is affixed to the LimeWorks steering column. Controlling the steering chores is a Mooneyes four-spoke Sprint Car–style wheel. All the necessary wiring was handled at RBSR by Jim Vickery, which includes getting the Vintage Air system up to cooling capacity. The front buckets come by way of Glide Engineering while the rear bench seat is custom. All were upholstered in black leather by Sid Chavers Co. and then accompanied by German square-weave carpeting along with a charcoal mohair headliner. Well, there you have it. Your basic father and son build—except each has his own car reflecting his own ideas and wants. Two jobs well done. MR

MODERN RODDING TECH

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

BY JOHN GILBERT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHOR

eginning at the dawn of the automobile, cars were among the first mass-produced products to be recycled and restored on a large scale. It’s a trend that continues to this day, thanks to the automotive aftermarket where car models long out of production are not only made serviceable again, but they are also upgraded and offer improved fuel mileage, lower emissions, peppier performance, and better creature comforts. Computers and 12V electric motors have evolved and advanced significantly since 1966, the year our subject vehicle was brand new. In the second decade of the 21st century a classic car done restomodstyle is oodles more sophisticated than meets the eye. A case in point is this ’66 Chevelle Malibu that took First Place in Restored Class at the 2022 Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California. Right from the get-go the plan was to make this Chevelle appear as stock as possible while incorporating little tweaks to the theme that would make it hard to finger why it looks better than a person’s recollection might be of a ’66 Chevelle—plus to create a car infinitely more refined than rolled off Chevrolet’s assembly line in 1966. At the top of the list, restoring this ’66 Malibu beyond back to bone stock was sending it to Harold’s Hot Rod Shop, in Enid, Oklahoma, for concours-quality fit and finish that culminated spicing up its factory original Tropic Turquoise color and burying it under PPG clear. For creature comfort this Chevelle is air conditioned with a Vintage Air SureFit kit designed specifically to convert a nonair ’66-67 Chevelle into having A/C. The power to drive the air conditioning compressor comes from a Vintage Air Front Runner serpentine drive system installed on a Chevrolet ZZ454 big-block engine disguised as a ’66 396 engine.

1. Veteran custom car builder Don Lindfors demonstrated Vintage Air’s Monster CustomFit Fan assembly can be mounted on the radiator and then installed, or installed with the radiator left in the Chevelle. 2. Here are the basic dimensions of the Vintage Air Monster Fan.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING TECH

InTheGarageMedia.com

3. Radiator-left-in-place method; all mounting bolts removed except the driver side lower bolt, which is loosened but not removed, allowing the radiator to tilt upward at the passenger side.

4. Removing the Duralast Group 24DLG battery, Lindfors utilized the space in the passenger side fenderwell behind the headlights to mount the temperature-based Lingenfelter fan relay controller.

6. 5. Radiator-left-in-place method; all mounting bolts removed except the driver side lower bolt, which is loosened but not removed, allowing the radiator to tilt upward at the passenger side. 6. Compatible with most aftermarket controllers, Vintage Air Monster CustomFit fan/shroud assembly (PN 280481) fits small- and big-block engine applications for ’64-67 Chevelle cars.

7. It’s a tight squeeze with a Front Runner on a big-block, but installed at this angle with the radiator dropped down minus three bolts the Monster fan/shroud assembly will fit. 8. Here’s a different view of the angle necessary to cock the Monster fan/ shroud assembly at to install with the stock OE configuration radiator left in the car. MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING TECH

InTheGarageMedia.com

9. The Monster CustomFit fan/shroud is pushed all the way angled down and then lifted up back into position to align the shroud’s four mounting holes with the four mounting holes on the radiator.

10.

10. Lindfors inserted the fan/shroud mounting bolts at the top of the driver and passenger side on the fan/shroud first followed by inserting the fan/ shroud lower two mounting bolts. 11. Delivers maximized cooling airflow when you need it. At full speed 4,000-rpm pulling massive air past fins, the Vintage Air Monster CustomFit fan/shroud sounds like a hurricane.

11.

Vintage Air as a manufacturer is all about continuing to innovate and expand its product line, and this brings us to discussing Vintage Air’s recently released addition: CustomFit brushless fan kits. Designed for the ’64-67 Chevelle range, it is called the “New Monster Custom Fit” brushless fan assembly and it brings previously unheard of modern computerized features to classic Chevelle cars.

12. Vintage Air OEM-quality means extended longevity with dependability. This OE-style plug connects the SPAL brushless motor to a (included) heavy-duty, six-gauge wiring harness.

Quoting Vintage Air: “New Monster Custom Fit Brushless fan assemblies are the ultimate bolt-in solution for the most demanding cooling needs. Brushless motor technology delivers high-performance operation with superior longevity. Pulse width modulation control provides soft start, demand-driven variable fan speed to maintain consistent engine temperature in all driving conditions. Kit includes 850watt 19-inch SPAL brushless fan, high-temp thermoformed ABS shroud, powdercoated tubular mounting frame, and six-gauge wiring harness with 80-amp MIDI fuse with several control options available.”

12.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING TECH It’s the on-demand-driven variable fan speed that as it increases or lowers rpm the engine temperature is kept unvarying to maintain the engine running not too cold or overheated, which translates into less engine wear, better fuel economy, lower emissions, and perhaps the most important being all-peak horsepower available at all times. MR

13. Compatible with many aftermarket controllers the Lingenfelter VSFM-002 was used for this application. Fully adjustable Monster fan can be dialed in to cure hard-to-cool cars. 14. This ZZ454 396 look-alike employs a Front Runner. That said, the Monster fan/shroud assembly works just as well with V-belt and OE-spec alternators.

SOURCES VINTAGE AIR (800) 726-04 vintageair.com HAROLD’S HOT ROD SHOP (580) 548-3033 haroldshotrodshop.net

14.

InTheGarageMedia.com

13.

MODERN RODDING SPECIAL FEATURE BY MICHAEL DOBRIN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHOR, THE BLACKIE GEJEIAN COLLECTION & TIM BURMAN

HOSS! Remembering Blackie Gejeian

MODERN RODDING

The quintessential showman in his element, in this case the Grand National Oakland Roadster Show in 1992. Michael “Blackie” Gejeian attended every single day of every Oakland show since its inception in 1949.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

aulin’ north on the 99, November 1967. Headed for the last drag race, a Super Stock showdown between “Dandy” Dick Landy in his blueprinted Hemi Dodge and Butch “The California Flash” Leal in his Coronet street Hemi. The race would run at Fresno Dragway in Raisin City, California. I was ending a long national tour as the advance man for Landy’s Dodge factory racing team, and I had a date with the Dragway promoter, one Michael Gejeian.

Landy handed me his phone number. “Call him Blackie.” The noonday meeting took place at a rural roadhouse with high ceilings, leather booths, and worn oaken veneers. The place was packed with dozens of working men in working clothes, eating, smoking, playing cards, and drinking red wine out of stubby glasses. A shimmer of sun cut the dust and a commanding figure walked in; he wore Levis and a torn, mud-streaked T-shirt. His curly, coal-black hair crowned a brow covered with sweat. He was animated; his voice alone commanded the smoky proceedings. He was unlike any promoter I’d met across America. He’d gotten off his tractor and we could do our business tomorrow. Just call. One final impression: he had golden tiger eyes that glowed with ethereal intensity.

“Nobody beat me on tonnage per acre or the quality of my raisins,” boasted farmer Blackie. Ever competitive, he devoted tons of energy to his spread near Fresno. He’s framed here by a gutted ’35 Ford coupe, his vineyard spreading to the horizon. Ranchin’ and racin’. From 1953-55, Blackie was a consistent short track hardtop winner at races between San Jose and Fresno. His fast #7 Ford coupe was sponsored by local Bowes Seal Fast distributor and Fresno racing official, Smokey Hanoian.

When I called, a woman answered. “Is Blackie there?” “Murgadich, he’s not here.” The next day, I began, “So, Murgadich, how’s it goin’?” Oh. Oh. Golden tiger eyes shot a bolt. “You little [expletive], if you ever call me that again, I’ll kill you.” Rule one. Fail to understand Blackie at your own peril. Later, I’d discover that it was Blackie’s mother, Ossanna, who answered, and, yes, she was a prankster. Murgadich (phonetically) is Armenian for “the Baptist.” Her little joke almost got me killed. Blackie was a legend, both in his native Fresno and far beyond. For more than 51 years, he produced the Fresno Autorama. It was his show. He scoured the country; he picked the cars, gave the awards, and orchestrated the painterly spectacle. “I was the first showman to color code the cars,” he said. His legacy in Fresno is celebrated by a plaque at the Fresno Convention Center and a permanent exhibit at The Big Fresno Fair. His hand and eye helped shape several landmark show cars, three of which won the coveted AMBR trophy at the Oakland Grand National Roadster Show: The “Ala Kart” (with Richard Peters and George Barris), only two-time winner (1958/59); the ’29A “Emperor” (with Chuck Krikorian, 1960); and his ’26 T roadster, the “Shish Kebab Special” (1955). The Shish Kebab would stand as a symbol of Blackie’s life of speed, style, and showmanship over seven decades. Chrome undercarriage aside, the T was the real deal: A dead-run hot rod that clocked out many a blacktop racer on Fresno backroads.

MODERN RODDING

Blackie and his daughter, Diane, pose with another hardtop racing trophy, circa 1954. Flag emblem lettering C.B.C.R.A. indicates California Bay Cities Racing Association, part of the Bob Barkhimer-Jerry Piper hardtop racing circuit in Northern and Central California in the ’50s and ’60s. VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING SPECIAL FEATURE Hardtop racing poster from the early ’50s featured Blackie as a main event draw but misspelled his name–Gejian.

He was a daring and sometimes reckless race car driver whose fiercely competitive spirit in the heyday of Central Valley hardtop racing shaped his sense of showmanship. He learned how to run big events and put the fans first.

Blackie’s T roadster in its 1947 iteration. Early side valve block was equipped with a Thickstun two-carb manifold. The young woman passenger is Blackie’s wife, Mary Huston.

He was 90 when his high-revvin’ engine finally gave out in September 2016. Blackie touched thousands and each has a story. There were elements of his life that might shed a timing light on the engine that drove the Blackie legend: his farm, his time racing hardtops, and his Armenian brotherhood in Fresno.

Blackie won two successive Hanford 500-milers (1954 and 1955). He’s shown here with his trophies and B. L. “Bircha” Marchbanks, a Texas cattleman who owned the track, which was alternatively known as Marchbanks Stadium and Hanford Motor Speedway. Marchbanks built the three-turn Big Car course on his sprawling cattle ranch in 1950. Another Gejeian racing victory, this at a Kearney Bowl main event in 1954. Fellow racers and enthusiasts are Ed Welch, Fresno (standing), and kneeling left to right, Blackie, Archie Tucker, and Jack Frost, the latter two from Tranquility.

The Gejeian ranch, a 40-plus acre vineyard near Easton, was in the family since 1909, when a first wave of Armenian immigrants came to the Central Valley. His parents fled the Armenian genocide after World War I. The immigrant experience shaped Blackie’s early life. He remembered his large, extended family at the ranch house; grandparents, cousins, uncles, and aunts, and the gatherings on the veranda for music, food, and wine when the heat of the day began to recede. Writer William Saroyan would come out to talk life, people, and Armenian soul. “He was truly a farmer,” Carol Cusomano of Clovis says. She and her husband, Joe, were top ISCA show car winners; she staged the world class tribute to Blackie at Fresno’s Convention Center in September 2016. In Blackie’s later years, the Cusomanos escorted him to shows, SEMA and rod and custom gatherings. “On our way to events, he’d talk about the soil, the orchards, the vineyards. He loved the earth,” she recalls. Eugene Sadoian, “Clean Gene” to Blackie, was a lifelong and steadfast friend. The retired chief federal probation and parole officer, now 87, lives in Las Vegas. He remembers his first encounter at the ranch in 1948. “So, there I am, meeting the famous Blackie at his headquarters, but even more impressive was his father. Charles wore bib overalls, no shirt, always with a shovel in his hand and no shoes. “The next time I was out there, Blackie was tearing around like a dirt tracker in his dad’s Model A. He spun and wiped out three rows of vines. Uh oh! Here comes dad with shovel in hand, storming barefoot through the vineyard. Blackie took off and didn’t come home that night.” For a time, Ossanna had a psychic-hypnotist, Hyrkos, living at the ranch. According to Sadoian, his psychic powers seemingly passed to Blackie’s daughter, Diane. Blackie’s day began at 3 a.m. when he fired his tractor and began tilling the vineyard. Then onto business, his show, track preparation, race car prep, racing. Restart. Seven days a week.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

Central Valley circle track racing in the ’50s was a bang ’em up chase around tight quarter-mile circuits from San Jose to Fresno’s Kearney Bowl. All-time regional hardtop racing champ Al Pombo (car #3) is nerfing an unidentified racer with his championship Chevy-powered hardtop.

The orange ’40 Tudor hardtop that Blackie drove to a big win at Hanford in 1954. He steered the entire race in a supine position after the car’s roof was crushed when he went over the top of the wall during qualifications. Marshall Sargent, of Salinas, CA, was a hard-charging and consistent race winner in early California circle track racing. He and Fresno champion Al Pombo always put on a daring wheel-towheel show at dozens of small circuits up and down the Valley.

George “Ziggy” Snider of Fresno and Bakersfield in his hardtop racer, late ’50s. Snider went on to compete at the Indianapolis 500 a record 22 times and in the late ’70s and early ’80s was a USAC Champ Car winner. Fresno’s Al Pombo was without a doubt the king of Central Valley circle track racing in the ’50s and ’60s. He’s shown here with his #13 small-block Chevy-powered hardtop at Clovis Speedway, 1960.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING SPECIAL FEATURE

InTheGarageMedia.com

Blackie with the Emperor, which in 1995 was part of his impressive collection.

Blackie points to the site of his first racing enterprise, “Blackie’s Speed Shop, 1948,” that was etched into a concrete slab at the Gejeian ranch near Easton. Photographed, 1995. Herman Hutton of Selma, running the Sno-White Drive-In Special at Kearney Bowl, late ’50s. Hutton sold Blackie and Richard Peters the original ’29 Ford T roadster pickup that would become the Ala Kart two-time AMBR winner at Oakland.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING SPECIAL FEATURE

InTheGarageMedia.com

Another landmark show car that was part of the Gejeian collection in 1995, the Mod Rod, which was created by Mike Haas and Art Himsl for the Larivee show car circuit in the ’70s.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

inthegaragemedia.com/subscribe/

PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS STARTING AT $35 PER YEAR

DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS STARTING AT $15 PER YEAR

USING YOUR SMARTPHONE, SCAN THE QR CODE FOR EASY ACCESS SUBSCRIPTIONS

MODERN RODDING SPECIAL FEATURE

InTheGarageMedia.com

This is the probably the earliest view of the ’26 T roadster that would not only become known as the Shish Kebob Special, the 1955 AMBR winner, but the car that would be perpetually identified with Blackie’s long dedication to the motoring arts. He’s shown here in Fresno with his best racing and rumblin’ buddy Amos Torosian, circa 1944-45.

Clyde Palmer, of Mt. View, CA, with the Goularte Brothers hardtop racer, late ’50s. Herman Hutton of Selma sold Blackie the ’29A Ford roadster pickup that would become the Ala Kart, the only two-time AMBR show winner at the Oakland Roadster Show.

“He came along to rival Billy Vukovich as a favorite son,” recalled late circle track racing promoter Bob Barkhimer. In 1949, “Barky” and fellow midget racer Jerry Piper, organized an intense Central Valley hardtop racing show on half- and quarter-mile dirt and paved tracks from San Jose to Clovis.

Hardtop racer Clyde Prickett.

“Blackie drove an orange Ford coupe, (he) was a handsome devil with flashing eyes and black, curly hair . . . he had charisma galore, waved his arms all the time, and was excitable on and off the track. The fans loved him.” Sadoian recalls a lot of those races. “He polarized the crowd. He brought them out to races even if he played the villain. I always worried because as a fastest qualifier, he started at the back. When the flag went down, he’d charge fearlessly through the pack; crash or no crash, he’d win. He put flaring bellows on his tailpipes and the noise alone would fire up the crowds.” Next time we will cover Blackie’s growing organizational skills in producing and promoting motor racing events, his grand Fresno show, and his willingness to assist other motoring enthusiasts, all in part driven by his hard charging Armenian motoring brotherhood in Fresno. MR MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

POWER STEERING CONVERSION KITS & BOXES CPP’s high quality, compact 400 Series™ & 500 Series™ quick ratio power steering boxes utilize late model steering technology, OE-Style inverted ﬂare hoses, and are ready to bolt to your frame. Complete conversion kits directly replace the original manual box and keep perfect alignment with the OE or aftermarket column for a 14:1 true bolt-on power steering solution! SP

Tri-Fives

OR R ATIOT !

NEW UNITS!

K QUIC ! R ATIO

30"% 3&"%:

NOT REBUILT

Thunderbirds 1955-59 CHEVY KIT SHOWN

1967-72 C10 KIT SHOWN

TRUE BOLT-0N

POWER G STEERIN NS! SOLUTIO

COMPLETE CONVERSION KITS $ starting at 539*/kit BOXES ONLY starting at $379*/ea

FOR MOST POPULAR CHEVY APPLICATIONS AND FOR MANY FORD CARS & TRUCKS

GM A-Bodies COMPLETE CONVERSION KITS $ starting at 649*/kit BOXES ONLY starting at

WE ALSO CARRY STEERING COMPONENTS FOR ALL POPULAR APPLICATIONS!

Classic Performance Products, Inc.

379*/ea

FOR MOST POPULAR CHEVY APPLICATIONS INCLUDING G-BODY

866-882-6882 MR 0720

378 E. Orangethorpe Ave. Placentia, CA 92870

CLASSICPERFORM.COM

#Classicperform

*Prices subject to change without notice, please inquire. Also, please note that kits and prices may vary between certain applications.

= estimated at prices due to current rapidly changing costs.

L A N I G I R O N O I THE T A L U S ND IN

U O S & T HEA

om t ThermoTec.c a r e rd o r u yo 0 for 20% off

ODROD2

Enter code M

(800) 274-8437 www.ThermoTec.com

Available at:

Classic Fords

'3".&4t$3044.&.#&3 ,*54t #"34

No one covers more applications than Fatman!

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

BY BRIAN BRENNAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY WES ALLISON

n the world of hot rods there is something special about the ’32 Ford. Whether it be the roadster, phaeton, coupe, sedan, or truck, each has its fans. While the roadster will always rank at or near the top, the coupe, especially the three-windows, are special, too. But the fivewindow coupe has a look all its own, and when done properly it truly is an exceptional-looking “hot rod” in every sense. We think Simon Gluckman of Los Angeles has all the boxes checked with his ’32 Ford five-window coupe that is chopped, channeled, and sans fenders. The idea for this hot rod began as a tribute to Eve, his late mom. Simon thought he would do something that she would “get a kick out of.” Well, the next step was to build an “old time, East Coast hot rod” that would meet his dreams and make his mom smile. The ’32 Ford coupe began life under Brit Jay Dean of the Nostalgia Ranch (home of the RPM Drags). From here Simon brought the car closer to home and partnered up with a good friend and builder who he has worked with on several occasions—Troy Ladd of Hollywood Hot Rods (HHR) in Burbank.

There’s Something Special About a Choppedand-Channeled Deuce Coupe … Sans Fenders

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

Simon began with a Deuce coupe body that needed a great deal of metalwork. The most severely damaged sheetmetal ran along the bottom of the body; typical. Since he wanted a channeled car the bad metal along the bottom wasn’t as big an issue as it might have been. This would be cut off in prepping for the channeling portion of the build. All this fit his narrative of a ’50s-’60s East Coast–style hot rod. These dreams were “kicked back and forth” between himself and Ladd. And what you see are the results of those “brain drain” sessions. Another friend to the rescue; Jim Aust (longtime hot rodder, magazine guy, and now shop owner) of Sussex County Customs in Delaware, stepped up for the body- and paintwork. Simon was able to get the ’32 Ford coupe back to Aust where he handled his part of the process with a custom mix coming up with flat ice blue hue. As Simon is apt to say, “Aust and his team did an incredible job turning this ugly duckling into a swan.” The custom sheetmetal work was handled at HHR. The all-steel Deuce was chopped 5 inches and channeled 6 inches over the frame. From here the roof was filled and a rollcage was added. (Turns out Simon likes to race the car at such events like the RPM Drags.) A Deuce grille shell minus hood and Guide 682-C headlights and ’50 Pontiac taillights are used.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING FEATURE

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

and rebuilt. Ladd stepped up and helped his friend by redoing the V-8 on his own “ticket.” (Pays to have friends.) The Olds sports 9.5:1 compression with a Ross Racing polished 4.71 roots-style supercharger. An Olds recurved distributor by Kent Weaver (using cloth-wrapped wires) is used along with four Stromberg 97 carbs resting on an intake drawn up by HHR. HHR also fabricated the custom exhaust running from the headers to the cutouts to the tubing that flows back to a pair of mufflers and then dumps near the rearend. Vintage Offenhauser valve covers and breathers are also used to add a bit of distinction.

The chassis is based on a set of custom-built ’32 reproduction ’rails that feature a Model A front crossmember (drops the frontend an additional inch) and rear crossmember to accommodate the Speedway Engineering quick-change rearend running a combo 3.78/4.34 gears. In back the quickie is held in position with a transverse Model A spring, Pete and Jakes chrome tube shocks, a pair of ladder bars, and Ford drum brakes are used. The undercarriage continues the “hot rod” theme with flat black paint and raw metal quick-change housing. The aluminum driveshaft does link the quick-change and the Muncie four-speed, a nod to vintage speed parts. The flywheel is an Olds with a Performance Racing clutch. In front the chrome and drilled I-beam axle comes by way of SO-CAL Speed Shop with a pair of SO-CAL chrome tube shocks, a Model A transverse leaf spring, and chrome split ’32 Ford wishbones. A Vega-style box directs the early Ford spindles, which center up the Ford drum brakes outfitted with Ford drilled backing plates. The Deuce rolls on Wheelsmith Ford 16-inch steelies in gloss black with Spider caps at the corners wrapped with Firestone/Coker bias-ply 5.00-5.25x16 rubber in front and 7.50x16 rubber in back.

Beneath the chopped top you will find a ’32 Ford dash, but it is now dressed in a ’33 Dodge gauge panel and instruments plus a “kneeknocker” 8-grand tach. The Centech wiring harness was positioned through the efforts of HHR who handled all the wiring. The straight tube steering column highlights a ’40 Ford steering wheel and column-mounted turn signal. The custom bench seat showcases pleated black leather upholstery stitched by J.C.’s Fine Upholstery along with racing-style lap belts.

Keeping the vintage look alive and a stout performer is the use of a ’56 Olds 324 V-8 that Simon picked up in pieces while the blower components came from Ross Racing. Unfortunately, it turned out that the motor was not as it should have been. It had to be taken back out

Well, there you have it; a current recreation of the always-popular vintage looks in this ’32 Ford five-window chopped-and-channeled fenderless coupe. This coupe is destined for lots of road miles and the occasional appearance at the vintage drags. MR

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING TECH

1. 1. Geoff Jones of Hot Rods by Dean helped us with the Golden Star Classic Auto Parts front inner fender panels; both sides.

It’s What A Lies Below That’s So Important

BY BRIAN BRENNAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHOR

nyone working with vintage sheetmetal, something that is more than 30 years old, will most likely have to deal with corrosion, packed-on dirt, cracks, dents, and other impacts. Our ’65 Chevelle is no different. While swapping out powerplants it became obvious that the inner fender panels needed help. So, a quick call to Golden Star Classic Auto Parts was a great solution to quickly solving our problem.

Inner Fender Panels Can Immediately Revive the Appearance of Your Project MODERN RODDING

The Golden Star OEM-style inner fender panels (PNs IF03-64R-RH and IF03-64L-LH) are designed to protect the engine bay and other related sheetmetal from corrosion. These panels come stamped to match what was there from the factory and come with a protective coating that can be left as-is or can be prepped for painting.

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

InTheGarageMedia.com

2. We ordered a driver side and passenger side replacement inner fender panel. They come coated and ready to use (PNs IF03-64R-RH and IF03-64L-LH). 3. Here is our ’65 Chevelle engine bay with the old panels already removed. (Note we are dropping in a Chevrolet Performance LT1 for power.) 4. With the original inner fender panel removed you can clearly see the suspension. Here we have upgraded the IFS with the latest from Classic Performance Products: brakes, spindles, and control arms.

5. After a little head scratching, we decided it was much easier to remove the respective fender and fit and conform the new fender panel to the fender on the shop floor.

6. We used fresh hardware, which included the Chevelle rocker kit (PN RP03-64MH). You want to test-fit to make sure all the original holes and new inner fender panel holes match up.

7. The two overlapping holes; original factory hole (beneath) in the fender and the new hole (top) in the Golden Star inner fender panel were slightly off on one of the mounting holes.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MODERN RODDING TECH

InTheGarageMedia.com

8. We determined what we needed to do to make the holes align. The tape line shows what material could be easily trimmed off the new inner panel and both holes will then align. You don’t want to enlarge the holes to match as this will create alignment problems.

9. Using the new hardware from Golden Star we test-fit once to ensure our holes now properly align.

10.

11.

12.

10. Part of the Golden Star rocker kit includes these clips that contain their own threads and will hold themselves in position.

13.

14.

11. Here is a backside view of the rocker kit clip showing its “captured” threads.

In our ’65 Chevelle project we looked at fitting the inner fender panels while the sheetmetal fenders remained on the car. It didn’t take us long to realize that the removal of the hood and fenders would make the project go more smoothly. So, off came the factory sheetmetal, hood, and both front fenders. Our Chevelle, while sporting lots of patina, is in truly good condition. The factory inner fender panels did their job and have sacrificed themselves to save other components throughout. Once the hood and fenders were removed, we fit each inner fender panel to its respective fender. The initial fit was very good and required a minimal amount of fitment. Remember we are dealing with a car that is 57 years old and over time things change. It was to be expected that the mounting holes from the new inner fender panel to the original sheetmetal fenders matched up very closely.

12. You can see the original factory fender sheetmetal (patina) and the new Golden Star sheetmetal (black) and how they bolt back together. 13. While changing the inner fender panels we performed several other projects, such as installing the new Eddie Motorsports hood hinges in black anodized. 14. These billet aluminum hinges utilize sealed bearings and stainless steel nitrogen gas struts. They are available in raw machined or bright polished finish.

MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

MAGNUM SIX SPEED / TKX FIVE SPEED

Smooth Shifts

REM Finished Shift Rails

Improved Shift Feel & Durability

5- AND 6-SPEED FEATURES Updated Aerospace Polymer Fork Pads

Cerakoted Case (Optional upgrade)

REM Finished Gear Set Average of 10 Decibels lower gear noise

Updated Carbon Blocker Rings

BENEFITS OF THE BOWLER CARBON EDITION THE SIX SPEED ALSO OFFERS: • Improved Shift Feel • Reduced Torque Loss & • Updated 2nd Gear • Eliminated Break-In/Run-In Improved Rotating • Upgraded 1-2 Synchronizer Hub • Increased Life of Gears & Efficiency • Nightstick Billet Shifter • Reduced Operating Temps • Internal Pump Upgrade (Optional Upgrade) bearings • Reduced Lubrication Req. • Increased Bearing Life

WWW.BOWLERTRANSMISSIONS.COM

• Reduced Vibration / Noise • Dyno Tested

10885 MAY CHAPEL ROAD LAWRENCEVILLE, IL 62439 (618) 943-4856 INFO@BOWLERTRANSMISSIONS.COM

MODERN RODDING TECH

InTheGarageMedia.com

15.

16.

We did find that one hole needed a bit of massaging. Now, the first reaction might be to elongate the original mounting hole and possibly the new inner fender panel hole. Don’t. This can cause fitment and allow the panels to move on their own, introducing new fitment issues. As you go through the accompanying photos you will see how we trimmed a small portion of the new Golden Star inner fender panel, thus allowing the new hole to align with the factory original mounting hole. From here it was a simple matter of aligning and completing the project. At this time, we also installed our new hood hinges that came directly from Eddie Motorsports. We opted for the billet aluminum hinges that utilize sealed bearings as well as stainless steel nitrogen gas struts. While these hinges come in an assortment of finishes, such as bright polish, raw machine, or anodized, we opted for the black anodized versions.

15. Here our original passenger side fender, Golden Star inner fender panel, and the Eddie Motorsports hinge are all bolted together for a test-fit.

17.

16. Another side project was to make an aluminum panel that will hold electronic engine control hardware. It attaches to the new inner fender panel as well as the factory sheetmetal fender (driver side). 17. Overall view showing the new aluminum panel crafted by the Hot Rods by Dean staff is in position. 18. On the passenger side with the inner fender secured in position we can now install our new battery tray and continue with other projects.

18.

Well, there you have it. Follow along with the photos for this truly easy-to-perform inner fender replacement project on our ’65 Chevelle. MR

SOURCES EDDIE MOTORSPORTS (888) 813-1293 eddiemotorsports.com GOLDEN STAR CLASSIC AUTO PARTS (972) 315-3758 goldenstarauto.com HOT RODS BY DEAN (800) 362-9709 hotrodsbydean.com MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

HEINZMAN

MR AD INDEX ADVERTISER

PAGE

A PLUS ROD & KUSTOM ........................................67 AFFORDABLESTREETRODS .................................. 57 AMERICAN AUTOWIRE ..........................................33 ART MORRISON ENTERPRISES ............................ 27 AUTO METAL DIRECT ............................................ 51 AUTO REVOLUTION ONLINE .................................87 AUTOMOTIVE RACING PRODUCTS ....................... 37

t "MVNJOVN %BTI 1BOFMT t $VTUPN .BDIJOJOH

BOWLER PERFORMANCE TRANSMISSIONS ........87

Heinzman Street Rods is a full service fabrication and restoration shop. Our experienced craftsman can tackle everything from the smallest hot rod repair job to a top chop, a complete traditional Hot Rod or Classic Truck build or a Muscle Car “G-Machine” engine and suspension conversion.

CHEVS OF THE 40’S ................................................ 7 CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS ..........................................9 CLASSIC PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS .......... 4-5, 77 CLEANTOOLS ........................................................ 49

Give us a call and we'll be glad to discuss your project. • Flathead, GM, LS and Ford Coyote engine specialists • Custom chassis, suspension and brake fabrication • Complete custom sheet metal, body work and paint • Custom upholstery and final assembly.

CONTROL CABLES ................................................. 77 DAKOTA DIGITAL ................................................... 91 DYNAMAT.............................................................. 39 EATON DETROIT SPRING ......................................87 ENGINEERED COMPONENTS ................................ 89 FAT MAN FABRICATION ......................................... 77 FITECH EFI ............................................................. 57 FLAMING RIVER INDUSTRIES ........................75, 92 GOLDEN STAR CLASSIC AUTO PARTS .................... 6

1928-70 Fords, 1934-81 Chevys, Muscle Cars and Classic Trucks • PARTS • CHASSIS • COMPLETE BUILDS • CUSTOM FABRICATION

Made In the U.S.A QIPFOJYNBDIJOFMMD DPN

E8787 Steinberg Ln, New London WI 54961

HEINZMAN FRAMEX CHANGE Bring us you old tired early Ford, Chevy or Classic Truck frame and we'll return it better than new with IFS, Brakes, 9" Ford rear, reconditioned and ready for paint. This is a great way to kick start your project. Check our website for details!

www.heinzmanstreetrods.com 402-886-2275 • FAX: 402-886-2998 1305 North C Road, Phillips, NE 68865

GRANATELLI MOTOR SPORTS .............................. 51 HEINZMAN STREET ROD SHOP ........................... 89 HOLLEY PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS .................. 49 JJS ROD & CUSTOM .............................................. 89 LOKAR ................................................................ 2, 31 METALWORKS CLASSIC AUTO RESTORATION & SPEED SHOP ...................................................... 19 NATIONAL STREET ROD ASSOCIATION ................47 NEW PORT ENGINEERING .....................................75 OPTIMA BATTERIES ..............................................25 PAINT OVER RUST PRODUCTS ............................ 63 PHOENIX MACHINE PRODUCTS ........................... 89

ENGINEERED

COMPONENTS inc. EST. 1980

Hot Rod Brakes & Brackets 40+ years manufacturing the most complete line of hot rod brake systems and components available anywhere!

POWERMASTER PERFORMANCE ......................... 63 RARE PARTS ......................................................... 65 SCOTT’S HOTRODS ................................................67 SPEEDWAY MOTORS .............................................35 STEVE’S AUTO RESTORATIONS ............................ 73 SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT............................... 13 THAT’S GREAT NEWS ............................................87 THERMO-TEC AUTOMOTIVE ................................. 77 TUFF STUFF PERFORMANCE ACCESSORIES ........ 73 VINTAGE AIR ........................................................... 11 WILWOOD ENGINEERING ...................................... 21 WOODY’S HOT RODZ ............................................ 65

860.872.7046 hotrodbrakes@sbcglobal.net ECi HotRodBrakes.com

PARTING SHOT

InTheGarageMedia.com

How About a Massaged ’37 Chevy? BY BRIAN BRENNAN

ARTWORK BY BO ZOLLAND DESIGN

ere’s your last chance to wrap up another issue packed with lots of ideas for your current or future projects. The ideas you will see here might just give you the spark you will need for that future build.

We thought it a good idea to tap the fertile mind and computer programs of Bo Zolland, a longtime hot rodder and friend. His business offers their customers many variations on all things cars (and trucks), whether they be for the street or racetrack. His first look for us is a ’37 Chevy presented in several iterations as to what could be done. First a little background. In 1937, the Chevrolet was beginning to undergo some subtle but important changes. Designed as the Series GA and GB, the 113-inch wheelbase wrapped around a 206-inch OHV six-cylinder. It was also at this time that all GM cars began sharing the “corporate” appearance resulting from the efforts of Harley Earl (you know that name) who headed up a group referred to as the Art and Color Section. There was the new master who now replaced the lower-priced Standard Six. The Master DeLuxe was loaded with accessories or upgrades that also drove the price upward. Outward the ’37 Chevy Master featured different external to trim and equipment it was the Master DeLuxe that ushered in the IFS while the Master retained the vintage beam front axle and leaf springs. Zolland was working on a ’37 Chevy for a client and it was the intention that the Chevy have a Ridetech suspension with the obvious choice of power being an LS with accompanying 4L60E or 4L80E overdrive transmission. Moving rearward, the rear suspension would be based on the venerable Ford 9-inch with Wilwood disc brakes and Schott Rallye wheels used within open wheelwells. There is also an example what it might look like with chrome reverse wheels and fender skirts for a nice custom touch, as well as different stances such as lowered, chopped, and extended rear. Bo is in favor of using the appropriate computer software as it allows him to play around with colors, wheels/tires, stance, and sheetmetal work with a series of well-placed computer commands. The interior will feature the obligatory compilation of Vintage Air A/C, working in unison with plenty of under the carpet Dynamat insulation, and appropriate stereo and other internal electronics all linked together with Painless Performance Products. Look at these two presentations, street rod and custom, in varying colors and see if this doesn’t spark something you would like to be driving. MR MODERN RODDING

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 23 • 2022

The new traditional

Retrotech direct-fit instrument systems: cutting-edge technology housed in a traditional aesthetic.

App for Configuration

Selectable Colors

Entry Screen Odometer

CALL TOLL FREE 1.888.852.3228

mn7x95r5if5 magzus.org

Articles inside

Parting Shot ................................................................................................................... Brian Brennan

Starting Over ................................................................................................................ Brian Brennan