Jumping the Shark

When is a Hot Rod No Longer A Hot Rod?

Posted October 8 2007 09:11 PM by RC_Staff
Filed under: Editorials, General Custom Rod Talk

Rodders move in different directions. That's good. That's what this hobby is all about, right? One popular direction is to load an early car (or early reproduction bodied car) with as many modern accessories as possible.

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Air conditioning and sound systems have become typical equipment on just about everything except true traditional rods. We're all used to seeing rods with big, cushy, late-model bucket seats, digital gauges, and power windows and doors (saving the driver from the torturous strain of performing these functions manually). In the past few years, we've been starting to see more stuff like cruise control, heated seats, back-up cameras and video screens, and global navigation systems, the kind of items you'd expect to find on a new Mercedes, which sometimes makes me wonder why the owner didn't just take his money and spend it on a new Mercedes.

Oh yeah, different directions.

So, when does it go over the top? You tell me. What modifications, in your opinion, cause a car to "jump the shark" and no longer qualify as a hot rod?

Tim Bernsau

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Reader Comments:

1. Agreed, I enjoy the comforts of a modern day car, but a Hot Rod has air conditioning, it's just called open windows, or a roadster top, and they also have nice sound system, it's called exhaust.

I also think that it's sad that alot of the cars with all the creature comforts, are the same cars that roll off the trailers at all the shows. If you are going to make your interior as nice as a modern german Autobhan cruiser, at least drive it for Pete's sake!

By the way if I ever saw a Hot Rod with those awful spinning wheels, I would quit my job.

ekimball - Posted October 9 2007 02:49 PM

2. For a majority of cars that point is already been arrived at with the concept of a street rod. A hot rod is a modified car that you can jump into and drive, if it breaks down, you go to the trunk and pull out some tools and start looking for parts, a street rod is a car that you take to an event in a trailer, unload and drive around. The only things in the trunk is a duster and lawn chairs. I'm not saying you can't have the power gadgets in a hot rod, but it needs to be driven. When was the last time you saw a street driven car in a show with any chance of winning?? Richard Gausco's AMBR?

jalopy45 - Posted October 22 2007 01:13 PM

3. To me it's a fine line between "hot rod" and "custom car". If you want GPS and air conditioning in your '32 "rat" that's OK with me, but real hot rods were about extracting performance out of cars on the cheap.

Customs, on the other hand, are about taking things to new and cool places, and if that includes creature comforts what's the difference?

Jol.Dantzig - Posted October 28 2007 04:08 PM

4. Good distinction between a hot rod and a custom, Jol.

R&CTimB - Posted October 29 2007 10:50 PM

5. A hotrod is a production car, before 1949,not a fiberglass custom boddied car. there is nothing wrong with a custom boddy,but when you see 4 or 5 cars at one event, is that a hotrod,or a kit car or??????????? I do not have anything againt these cars,they can be streetrods, not hotrods. I have seen and had pre48 cars with all the bells and other things and they were hotrods and they were driven a lot. I now have a hotrod A roadster that is driven a lot, I would not consider it a streetrod. Just my oppinion. JPickle

johnpickle - Posted November 5 2007 05:42 PM

6. Jol makes an excellent definition for each type. The issue here is that if a person is going to add all the bells and whistles of a modern car then it might as well be used as a modern car. It's the car you drive to work, to get groceries and pick the kids up from school. Granted it looks great but it's simply a transplanted body and has no soul.

A real "hot"rod is all about performance and speed. Pushing the limits of what an automobile can do. If it's a streetrod, it is simply the look without the muscle to most purists.

Although I must say heated seats are very comfortable. So it also depends on what a person is going for. Comfort, luxury and style or sheer speed and power.

bjarnasonerik - Posted December 27 2007 02:23 PM

7. Air conditioning is great and all, but if you ask me I am perfectly happy with my 2-50 air(2 windows rolled down at 50 miles per hour). Some people complain about that, but I'm a hot rodder and if you don't like it you can ride in my mom's Prius.

79fordgasser - Posted July 17 2008 07:00 PM

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