How to Build Period Correct Hot Rods

The photos in this edition are black and white.

Vintage, retro, or classic hot rods have been an enduring element of the hot rod hobby. These vintage roadsters, sedans, and coups have become very popular because they are the bedrock of the hot rodding culture. However, many rodders have built a rod dedicated to a particular decade, era, region, flavor, or style, but these have lacked all the period correct details, and it's crucial to get all the details (ie parts) right. If some parts are not of the complementary or the package does not faithfully replicate a particular style or era, the theme of the hot rod can be ruined.

Hot rod veteran Gerry Burger explains how to identify, buy, or build the parts to create a faithful period correct hot rod--a car that you will be proud of and will gain the respect from others in the hobby. The book showcases all the parts that make a faithful and consistent hot rod of a certain era, flavor, or style. The book covers 50s and 60s style, both East Coast and West Coast. It details the wide range of stock parts and popular high-performance parts from a particular era. He discusses when they were first produced and when they were in popular use. Once you decide on the theme and time period for your hot rod build, Burger discusses how to choose the period correct engine for your chassis, valve covers, intakes, and carbs that also match the period from Edelbrock, Offenhauser, and others. Similar chapters also cover, interiors, wheels and tires, frames, suspension, and all other components.

When it comes to putting together all the pieces to create an attractive, accurate, and fun hot rod from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, no other book is a better guide than How to Build Period Correct Hot Rods.

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Perfect Plan: The Recipe for Building a Period Correct Hot Rod

Finding the Right Rod

Tracing the History

Barn Find 1937 Ford

Old Car Hunter Gary Moore

Chapter 2: Period Power

Ford Flathead V-8

Cadillac Motors

1949–1964 Oldsmobile V-8

Ford Y-Block 

1957–1966 Buick Nailhead

Chrysler Hemi

Pontiac Motors 

Small-Block Chevrolet 

W-Head Chevrolet 

Oddball Stuff 

In Summary

Chapter 3: Rolling Stock: Choosing Wheels, Tires and Accessories

Wire Wheels

Steel Wheels

Birth of the Mag Wheel

Mag Wheel Manufacturers

Hubcaps

Evolution of the Whitewal 

Selecting The Right Vintage Tires

Other Visual Options

In Summary

Chapter 4: Building a Vintage Chassis

Boxing Plates

Motor Mounts and Brackets

Suspension Choices

Rear End Choices 

Brake Choices 

Steering Choices

A 1933 Plymouth Reconstruction Project

In Summary

Chapter 5: Interior: Real Hot Rods Have Upholstery

It’s the Last Step 

Fitting the Driver to the Car 

Mounting Gauges and Switches

Carpeting 

Seats 

Upholstery

Dashboard 

In Summary

Chapter 6: Body and Mods: Selecting the Right Sheet Metal for an Era

Body-Style Choices

Body Modifications

Fender Choices 

Reproduction Bodies

Chapter 7: Choosing the Right Paint, Pattern, Texture and Finish

Choosing the Proper Finish

Lacquer Paints 

Enamel Paints

Urethane Paints 

Special Effects

Picking the Final Finish

Chapter 8: The Vintage Car Gallery 

Reviving the Youngblood Roadster

The Class of ’59

A+ for Flavor

Dream 1940

T-Time

The Shoaf Roadster 

’40 Found

Chapter 9: Cool Old Parts

Source Guide

• Buy the eBook from Amazon Kindle
• Buy the eBook from Barnes & Noble