When old cars were plentiful and cheap to buy we passed up ones that were too rusty or had been modified so much that they were considered beyond repair. As time passed we began to consider saving old hulks that had been deemed unsalvageable now that reproduction parts were available for many of the popular… Continue reading Salvaging Old Cars with Reproduction Parts by Jim Clark , Hot Rod M.D.

“Fit and Finish” is a term used to describe how the components align and function when a vehicle is assembled. Particularly when discussing things like door gaps and fender alignment on cars and trucks. The standards for “Fit and Finish” on today’s new vehicles is extremely high; something that was seriously lacking on cars produced… Continue reading Installing Reproduction Doors by Jim Clark, The Hot Rod M.D.

Fabricating a Deck Lid Latch & Mounting Bracket.By Jim Clark (The Hot Rod MD) Building a hot rod requires the design and fabrication of many different components. Some of those components must be created from specific types of materials and be strong enough to perform in a safe and reliable manner. Others just perform a… Continue reading Installing a Trunk Latch by Jim Clark

Stripping Paint  by Carl Brunson The 1st rule in painting is:A quality paint job can not be put over bad paint… period!If you want a quality paint job the bad paint has to come off. Seeing as I am goofing off this holiday weekend I thought I would write up a little “how to”. Using… Continue reading Stripping Paint by Carl Brunson

Here’s a little technique that the folks at Welder Series have found to be useful to keep that cold air inside your rod. If your car is as drafty as a wiffle ball, you can blow as much hot air into it as you want, but it will always feel cold. The same goes for… Continue reading Keeping The Warm Air Inside Your Car

HushMat installation in a ‘32 Ford coupeCool, Quiet & ComfortableBy Mr. Al Knack, Cotter, Arkansas   These are the HushMat products and suggested tools needed to install Hushmat in any type vehicle. A tape measure, scissors, utility knife, straight edge, and small hard roller are essential, but the gloves are optional. The edges of the foil… Continue reading Installing HushMat Sound Deadening and Insulating Product in a 32 Ford.

Master Cylinder Access DoorsBy Jim Clark (The Hot Rod MD) Many early model cars used to build hot rods have the master cylinder mounted on the frame beneath the floorboards. This makes filling or checking the brake fluid level difficult unless there is some form of access to the unit. Some of these early vehicles… Continue reading Installing an Access Door for your Master Cylinder by Jim Clark

Paint Basics What: At one time everyone has painted something. Around the home it usually is done with a brush or roller. Some larger jobs are done with a spray gun. Small jobs can be done with spray cans. None of these experiences prepare us for the complex job of painting a car. This task is… Continue reading Paint Products Overview by Jim Clark, The Hot Rod M.D.

Earlier model cars and pickup trucks were boxier shaped than the ones produced in the ‘50s and ‘60s and not very aerodynamic. To lower that profile dry lakes racers, and hot rod builders mimicking the look of racecars, cut the roof off of the vehicle and reattached it after removing part of the sheet metal… Continue reading Chopping A Top

Repairing rusted panel damage or installing panels like gas filler doors can create a lot of panel distortion and necessitate a lot of additional finish body work when the seams between the panels are butt-welded together. A flanged panel that overlaps where it is welded creates a double-thickness of material and a seam with little… Continue reading Patch Panels by Jim Clark, The Hot Rod M.D.