Hot Rod November 2021

@john.mcgann I recently received a disturbing press release announcing the production of an all-electric Superformance GT40 replica built by British electric car builder Everrati Automotive. Right off the bat here, I must admit my bias against electric cars. I suppose they have their place as commuter vehicles, but I have a tough time being excited about them as performance cars. Yes, the electric Cobra Jet Mustang is quick, Don Garlits’ electric dragster set a record a couple years ago, and Tesla’s new Plaid something-or-other out-accelerated all of the supercars MotorTrend routinely tests, but to me, they have all the engagement of a golf cart. That’s just my opinion, of course, and I’m well aware that I may find myself drowning in the looming tidal wave of electrification that seems poised to inundate…

20 Years Ago November 2001, 138 pages, $4.99 That’s Vic Edelbrock’s ’57 Chevy on the cover, and inside, Ro McGonegal relates the story of how he turned down coverage of the build of this car in 1998 because, as he says, “I’d seen enough miserable ’57 Chevys to last the rest of my life.” Fast forward three years and Ro admits to eating crow when he saw how nice that car turned out, and he says so with his characteristic wit and sarcasm. Under the hood was a stroked small-block with, you guessed it, Edelbrock heads, cam, intake, and carburetor. Editor David Freiburger tackled the cam and intake shootout that pitted an Air Gap intake against a Performer and Victor Jr. to see which design worked best with various Comp Xtreme Energy…

With big racing numbers on the doors, Torq Thrusts at each corner, and Bill Thomas’ name lettered on the front fenders, this 1962 Chevy II isn’t exactly a sleeper. However, there’s little about the compact Chevy that indicates how much Corvette Thomas stuffed inside its squarish body. Thomas built the car to go road racing, and he took aim at the fancy European sports cars he’d be dicing with by installing a fuel-injected Corvette engine underhood and the ’63 ’Vette’s independent rearend out back. HOT ROD magazine’s Don Francisco took an in-depth look at this “new, hot version of the Deuce” in the July 1963 issue, providing so much detail that you could almost build a replica using his thorough descriptions. Among the highlights: Thomas turned the 327 fuelie into a 380-inch,…

In an ironic twist, “Lefty” Randall is very solidly right-handed, with little ambidextrous skill to match the nickname given to him by his father at a very early age. Dad was an avid baseball fan who figured he could preemptively bestow upon baby Darrin an illustrious career as a southpaw pitcher simply by donning the appropriate nickname, but alas, those plans never materialized. Lefty is a righty and never attempted a career in professional sports, but what he did do is become successful in the business of hauling trash. That may not sound as glamorous as being a major league pitcher, but it’s no less noble work. He started his trash hauling company more than 40 years ago in the Chatsworth and Canoga Park areas of Los Angeles. At first, he…

Jeff Wasserman’s personal hot rod collection is diverse, including everything from ’60s muscle cars to this early ’60s style 1915 Ford T-bucket. The Model T is the earliest of Jeff’s hot rods, both in terms of production year and how long he’s owned it. The way it looks today is very close to the way it looked when he first built it. Practically every part added, and every procedure done is accompanied by a remarkable story. Jeff was a kid when he first saw Norm Grabowski’s famous Model T roadster and Tommy Ivo’s similarly-styled T-bucket—not at a car show or in a museum, but on the streets of Los Angeles more than 60 years ago. Those historic cars made an indelible impression on teenaged Jeff, who was determined that he too…

In 2019, we told you about this 1973 Dodge Challenger that Steve Strope of Pure Vision Design in Simi Valley, California, created for an unusual purpose. The Challenger had been commissioned by the Charles Schwab Corporation. The financial services company was title sponsor of a PGA golf tournament (called the Charles Schwab Challenge) and wanted a prize for the tournament champion. The traditional awards are a huge trophy, a red plaid jacket, and a mountain of money—all irresistible prizes, but Schwab figured that a high-performance muscle car from one of the country’s best builders might be cool, too. They made it a 1973 Challenger because that’s the year Charles Schwab was founded and because of the “challenge” theme of the event. They picked Pure Vision because muscle car era street…