Hot Rods in India.

[Cyrus43]

Building a hot-rod doesnt necessarrily mean you have to have a V8. There are other options too. In my opinion, why not use an indian engine and use it power a small classic? An example of an indian hot rod is that grey fiat which desimated everyone at the speed run 2 years ago. And an "INDIAN" hot rod is what we should make.

[wasif]

Yeah thats what I would do.

Get a old Fiat amd maybe fit it up with the 118 NE engine with headers, a little bit of porting, twin carbs and maybe electronic ignition and you are good to go

[the_trooper]

I ve been toying with the idea of a project FIAT for quite some time now. Although I am not a purist, I can still appreciate the love people have for "original" parts.

Most of the Faits in the 'modified Fiat thread' qualified for hotrods.

I can't agree that only cars with V8s and the likes qualify for the status of Hotrod. To me, as far as India is concerned, the rules are completely different.

[john a milne]

I am looking forward to following this thread to see where it leads to!

Some how I thought that Hot Rods, Customs and Choppers would not be of interest to you all. Boy was I wrong!

In my high school days, Rods & Customs were the "In Thing" and growing up 18 miles from Windsor Ontario with Ford and Chryslers Canadian plants there and just across the river from "Motown" Detroit, the automotive capital of the world. we ate slept and talked about cars, new, old and most of all Hot Rods. Lots of stories to tell.

My fathers very first car was a 1950 Morris Minor Convertible. He wanted to buy a Morgan 2+2 but with three kids he differed to the Minor. It was the car that my brother and I learned to drive in and got our licenses at the age of 15. When dad got a big dodge sedan it became "our car". Originally in a dark green, Dad let us customize it with a black paint job and Fords Tropical Rose as an accent around the front grill, painted the top white, dropped the rear end, put full rear fender skirts on, painted on white walls, milled the head and put a high performance Thrush exhaust system on. When going out on a date we would remove the air cleaner so the engine had a deeper sound. We have some jolly good times in that car.

My other hot rod of note was a 1954 Studebaker coupe that had a big block Chevy V8, Hersh 4 on the floor shift and a 1/4 mile drag strip rear end. The top speed wasn't so hot... BUT getting there was a real RUSH!! It was painted a light metallic blue with a rust racing strip down the middle.

I find some of the terminology here in India a little different from North America, ie Maintained verses Restored. Hot Rods were traditionally 20s & 30s cars and then from the 50s onward the craze focused on Customizing any thing that moved. More recently we have the Chopper bikes.

If this thread develops as I think it will, then separate threads could be made for "Customs" & "Choppers".

I've seen a few custom cars in Calcutta and at last years Statesman a very impressive Enfield 500 that had been transformed into a Harley.

Now that our Fiat 1100 Deluxe is nicely restored I am becoming concerned that, being our only daly driver here in Calcutta, I should find another car and have been seriously considering picking up a Padmini and making a custom out of it. Black, tinted windows, mag wheels, french the head & tail lights and put a flame paint job on the front, a nice custom interior and hot up the engine. Haven't discussed this with my wife yet but will cross that bridge when we return this November. The costs here are about 75% less than back home. With the great workshops and a little imagination and a few rupees wondrous things can happen here.

I have with me a Hot Rod calendar that I have photographed some fine examples for your viewing pleasure.

Lots more to share later!

[john a milne]

Forgot to post the cream of the cream a 1933 Ford Hot Rod

[harit]

Originally Posted by john a milne

I am looking forward to following this thread to see where it leads to!

Same here.
But, are all not all those engines we see V8's?
I believe a real hot rod must have V8 power, have a lot of good/powerful sound but in legal limits, and be colourful and generally look nice. Anything else would be a toy. I have seen pics of Fiat 500 and Fiat Topolino hotrodded cars with V8 power. Tiny cars, maximum engines.
BTW, is this the right place, the Vintage and classic car section?
Just asking and having fun.

Edit: even post 20 is V8 powered!!!
Cheers

[john a milne]

Any chance to search the various threads and transfer any examples of customized Fiats or such to post on this thread?

This old Standard had been restored and "enhanced" with the raised roof by one of India's oldest restorers and sometimes "customizer" Shashi Kanoria.

This lovely Jaguar SS1 started life out as a SS1 sedan in very poor condition so Shashi started to transform it into a SS1 tourer to match his other SS1 tourer. He sold it off many years ago as a shell with incomplete running gear no rad or lights or steering wheel. Partha bose picked it up a few years ago and continued the restoration as best he could into a very presentable car.

Don't know how one would classify this car but it is an interesting example.


I am continually amazed at the resourcefulness and quality of work done here in India.

[Nitin]

Every now and then, we have a hot rod show close to where I live. Here's a thread I started a long time ago.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...-hot-rods.html

[nitrous]

At a vintage car rally, a year or so back, I was told about one being built in Chennai using a Conti 1.8 engine.

[john a milne]

Originally Posted by harit

Same here.
But, are all not all those engines we see V8's?
I believe a real hot rod must have V8 power, have a lot of good/powerful sound but in legal limits, and be colourful and generally look nice. Anything else would be a toy. I have seen pics of Fiat 500 and Fiat Topolino hotrodded cars with V8 power. Tiny cars, maximum engines.
BTW, is this the right place, the Vintage and classic car section?
Just asking and having fun.

Edit: even post 20 is V8 powered!!!
Cheers

Hot Rods relate to time and place so I wouldn't say they have to be big V8s, nice but not necessarily necessary.

For india we need to create our own expression with what we have available and rather than put big engines we can soup up those that are redly available, reliable and fixable. Something that can be driven often and enjoyed rather than parked and worshipped. Also we don't have the roads that their are in N.A. certainly not here in W.B.

With the great body shops here and the CHEAP labour costs, in N.A. shop time in the better shops runs $65-100 per hour. They have the skills and equipment to be productive but in the end it boils down to basic skills and the vision and direction given by the owners.

Google Customs and Hot Rods and you will find lots of great cars to refer to and then transpose some of the ideas onto what cars we have on hand.

The Limousine Business is big in N.A. and I was toying with the idea of doing a stretched Padmini. A number years back I was at a British Day Car get together and saw a stretched 8 passenger Austin Mini. Blew me away!!

Another car that blew me away that I didn't get a good look at as it passed me going in he opposite direction quickly appeared to be going backwards at about 50 mph. In retrospect it must have been built to look that way as it was going so quickly. I am still am Spooked!

Another type of car that is also popular are "Sleepers", look stock but have lots of muscle under the hood.

Lots of things that could be done here and then the joy and pleasure of driving around and seeing the reaction and response of people. I've driven close to 800 km here in Calcutta in our Fiat and their are very few cars that stand out so much and are so endearing. Anyone can spend big bucks for a big car, but they are few and far between and all they do is say "Look at how important I AM".

As I am writing this the Restorer/Collector who sold me our Fiat has an old Fiat, forget the model but will post the photo, that is with out an engine.

MY WHEELS ARE TURNING!

[john a milne]

Originally Posted by Nitin

Every now and then, we have a hot rod show close to where I live. Here's a thread I started a long time ago.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intern...-hot-rods.html

What a great collection of cars!

Would recommend everyone interested in this aspect of "Car Mania" check this thread out again.

[john a milne]

Here's my al time favorite "custom" Rod designed by Edsel Ford in 1934 for his personal use.

Sold at a RM Auction for $1,700,000!

[Nitin]

Originally Posted by john a milne

What a great collection of cars!

Would recommend everyone interested in this aspect of "Car Mania" check this thread out again.

Every summer,there's a show that takes place at the same location. I'll keep my eyes open for the next one,and go for it. Its one amazing feeling,when some of those hotrods are cranked up.The air reverberates with the sound of HEMIs et all!

[RandomUsername]

Originally Posted by wasif

It was exactly the same as the 51 Mercury made famous by Jimmy Dean.
.

That was a '49, not a '51.

the '49 - '51 Mercury's where popular as custom cars in the 1950's,
i've attached picture of a 1949 Mercury that was customized(chopped top, fadeaway fenders, etc) when brand new:
more info here: Sam Barris' 1949 Mercury - Kustomrama

[godog]

Originally Posted by TuffRyder

Dont know if I'l be making a fool of myself here, but how about an Ambassador for a hotrod project?

Did you say Ambassador? I'm in. What next?

Originally Posted by autopsyche

I have always been very fascinated with the hot rod culture. Its on my top priority list in the future...

Originally Posted by Cyrus43

Arush in a Classics thread!! We have now seen everything!!! Please...

You can say that again

Originally Posted by wasif

...We in Indai have all these talented body guys, painters and mechanics around. The labour cost is I guess still reasonable so it would be a great idea to look at rodding. It need not be as radical as it is in the states today but for starters souped up engines in old fiats would do.

Can you guys imagine a Fiat with a thumping big V8 in it with twin four barrel carbs sticking out of a slot in the bonnet. totally radical.

Lets discuss this concept further.

Coincidentally, I used to imagine the underpowered Matiz like so... carbs, burble, the works. Call me a dork. :( now I miss the matchbox.

Originally Posted by Nitin

Good thread. It would be wonderful if more hot-rods were made.
We used to talk about doing something like this,when were in college. A few of us motorheads even came up with an idea:
Get an Amby/any other car from the 60s-70s; re-do the chassis,and reinforce the structure; source a big a** engine from the US and put them all together. Well,it all stayed as thoughts!

There are so many talented mechanics & body-work people,that getting things done really isn't tough.The right ideas,and the right parts and this can be done.

And I've been thinking on these lines for the past few months. Coincidentally! I'm inclined on being a tbhp test mule for a project like this.

I'm in collegeright now. I'd like to convert thought into action. Should we start hunting for the right donor Amby? What say, Arush?