[Star man]

In my teens my whole life revolved around Hot rods and the "culture" . Today,I still have the last one i built in the 1990's .Originally I intended to build a T bucket (loosely a Model T roadster body on a chassis using a Ford design ) with a BMW four which I was going to restyle so it looked like a Offenhauser Indianapolis engine. I then decided a Chrysler Hemi was a better idea so I sourced one from the USA. it was 1951 331 cubic inch engine from a Chrysler New Yorker. It was bored out to 354 cubic inch with 13-1 compression pistons,Isky roller style track cam shaft. The Heads were already highly modified .I made my own electronic injection and transmission using a Ford C4 and it's planetary gears.
The idea was to get some runs on South Australia's Lake Gairdner and in 1998 I took the car there ( not easy i can assure you,)and although it exploded the transmission because of too much torque from the engine I still managed 121 mph in 1st Gear!. as timed under the FIA too I might add.
I have hot rodded Plenty of cars over the years ,both mine and customers.
In India you must have plenty of USA originated cars you could use. Hot Rods traditionally were Souped up Model A and T fords because they were both common and cheap and even today there is a flourishing hobby revolving around the souping up of the Ford Four Cylinder sidevalve engine. These are known as 'four bangers',or just plain 'Bangers'.
The V8 thing really didn't get moving until after WW2 when thousands of Ford Sidevalve V8 engines were virtually laying about.
The ultimate traditional Hot rod is an Early American car ( preferably Ford) with a souped up early style engine such as Ford Banger,a Flat head V8 or one of the many American OHV v8's available before 1964.
The common Chev V8 is actually looked down upon by the real die hard traditional Hot rod guys because it represents the "easy way out "
First picture is of the Chysler Engine.I have since sold that and i have mercedes V8 in the chassis.
2nd and 3rd pics are of the car and myself ( in Helmet and driving suit) on lake Gairdner in 1998 preparing for high speed run. The white stuff is solid salt,90 miles long and 40 miles wide one othe strange things we have here.

[71Convertible]

In the late 80's, there was a Brit (Griffin) living on 100'rd in Indiranagar who worked for BAE. He was hot-rodding an amby with a Chevy V8. Since wide tires were not avail easily, he ended up using a 4 wheel set up on the rear axle (like a truck) to get enough traction down. He would get parts and get parts machined from the UK on his freq trips. He had help me design a go-kart back then. I lost touch with him when I left in '90. Wondering if anyone knows what happened to this car.

There a bit of hot-rodding in India -- though not in the classic American mould (the culture and environment are significantly different with hot-rodding in the US having a large DIY component). I know of a T-BHPian who has some wonderful creations including a rodded Reva. My cousin had a fibreglass bodied morris minor with full cage and a fast escort engine in it -- was very quick. The engine is now in a Dolphin which should be back on the road soon.

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.

[Alter_Ego]

Originally Posted by 71Convertible

I know of a T-BHPian who has some wonderful creations including a rodded Reva. My cousin had a fibreglass bodied morris minor with full cage and a fast escort engine in it -- was very quick. The engine is now in a Dolphin which should be back on the road soon.

@71Convertible Thats some good news buddy.
Pics please!!!
It would be interesting to see how a Hot rod reva looks.

[71Convertible]

Sorry! I swore to secrecy when I visited his shop. He's on the board, he can post when/if he deems fit.

[RAC]

Is this the 'rodded reva' yopu were referring to:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...5-seconds.html

[71Convertible]

yes it is. wonder how it's doing?

[john a milne]

Still trying to up load some very interesting custom cars.

[karlosdeville]

Fellow member Sabinesnubing shares this picture of a strange Hyderabad registered Hot Rod. Probably based on a Dodge?

[harit]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Fellow member Sabinesnubing shares this picture of a strange Hyderabad registered Hot Rod. Probably based on a Dodge?

For me at least this is a hot rod in India as close to a real hot rod in the sense as you see in America. Only we do not know if she has V8 power.
The shell should be from a Crysler product, cannot say for sure Crysler, Dodge or Plymouth.

[wasif]

Originally Posted by harit

For me at least this is a hot rod in India as close to a real hot rod in the sense as you see in America. Only we do not know if she has V8 power.
The shell should be from a Crysler product, cannot say for sure Crysler, Dodge or Plymouth.

Congrats Karl for posting pics of what looks like the first "indian Hot Rod" and it makes me proud to see its from Hyderabad.

Would be interesting to know who is responsible for its birth, its specs and its history.

Looks like a Chrysler product but there was a similar looking Willys Aero sedan lying in Hyd in those days without an engine that could have been the start point.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by wasif

Looks like a Chrysler product but there was a similar looking Willys Aero sedan lying in Hyd in those days without an engine that could have been the start point.

Yup, now that you mention it, it is quite likely to be something like a Willys.

[Star man]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Fellow member Sabinesnubing shares this picture of a strange Hyderabad registered Hot Rod. Probably based on a Dodge?

Attachment 157287

It's a 1938 Willys .They are tiny cars actually and that's because they were originally powered by a four Cylinder engine which was used in the Willys jeep.
In the 1950's they became very popular in the US for use as dragsters in the "gas class" where they were rebuilt with either highly modified stock chassis or Chassis designed to get the power of the huge displacement Oldsmobile and Chrysler hemi engines. One of the guys i grew up with had a business in Ventura California building Willys 1/4 mile replicas and has almost finished building one for himself. Today,The Steel bodies are so rare that it's not unusual for coupe versions to change hands for over $50,000 .
So,he bought a sedan wreck and used the remains of coupe he has been keeping for the last 20 years and built this gasser .

[john a milne]

This photo was in the Canadian "National Post" Newspaper today and thought you might enjoy another take on what you find in the world of "Hot Rods".

[suhaas307]

Saw this beauty perched atop a pavement near Jayanagar South End Circle a while back. It's pretty obvious that it has been restored and the modified, complete with Remus exhausts and a subtle body kit. This Minor would probably pass off as a Junior Hot Rod if you will!

Note: The interior has been beautifully executed. Leather and chrome bits make up the finishing touches.

[john a milne]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Saw this beauty perched atop a pavement near Jayanagar South End Circle a while back. It's pretty obvious that it has been restored and the modified, complete with Remus exhausts and a subtle body kit. This Minor would probably pass off as a Junior Hot Rod if you will!

Note: The interior has been beautifully executed. Leather and chrome bits make up the finishing touches.

What a Sweet Minor!
Thanks for posting it and it is the finest custom I have seen in India. Would be very interested in what work has been done on the engine.

My fathers very first car was a 1950 Minor Convertible and when he got a larger car my brother and I were able to do some "work" on it. One item that might be appropriate is putting full rear fender shirts on it. If the owner was to consider it then I would suggest he take a photo and past on the shirt to see how it might look. The side and top lights on the front fenders to my eye seem to take away from the elegant lines of the car. Here we have a saying "Less is More"

I would consider it more a Custom than a Hot Rod. The Rods tend to be more in your face with hotter engines.

Here in India, Rods & Customs are just beginning. As the affluence grows and the Car Culture develops more and more car lovers will want to express their individuality and I would anticipate some very interesting Customs and a few Rods.

I had suggested that this Thread be called "Hot Rods & Customs"Customs as there are so many over lapping areas.