Even though I didn’t get through all the pictures in my slideshow during the presentation, we have the technology to post them on the Internet for all to see. Our tech session this year was a slideshow of pictures of neat things on hot rods. Hopefully you’ll be able to use at least one idea on your current project, or even a future ride!
These heat shrink hose clamps clean things up and spread the clamping surface over a wider area. One negative is they’re not reusable.
A drawer was installed under the seat in this F100 pickup to make the space more accessible.
A diagonal locator works like a Panhard bar, triangulating the rear suspension. If a Panhard isn’t easy to hook up, this might be a good option.
An overhead console can clean up your floor, allowing you to mount things like a CD player, and some little cubbys.
An overhead light from a late model car can sometimes blend in well, depending on the theme of the car.
This is a really clean coilover install on a solid axle front end. The builder also used Allen head bolts on the four link brackets… very clean!
It adds a bunch of connections, but running brake lines through the frame rails is a way to clean up the underside.
The transmission lines are also run through the rails on this ’32.
Another clean coilover install on a solid axle front end.
The slight radius on the rear spreader bar makes all the difference to this ’32- it’s highly detailed.
An under-dash shelf in a roadster is a good way to make use of the space. A ‘secondary’ dash drops down from the main dash with the same curve.
Custom wiper arms!
Welding a 3/8″ plate under the body mount holes in the frame rails gives you some fudge room. You can set the body on the rails, drill through the body mount holes into the plate, then tap the plate and your body mount holes will be in the exact location.
Mocking up your dash with paper templates is an easy way to lay out gauges and switches. Just remember to make the template as large as the biggest part of the switch- sometimes the ‘brains’ of the switch will be larger than the switch itself.
A rolled grille shell, neat nerf bar, and a zillion other neat things are on Ron Wiggins’ RPU.
Ron counterbored his axle then painted the inserts with a hammertone to set off the “holes”.
Ron fabricated the firewall himself, as well as the air cleaner… it’s exhaust tubing sectioned in half and welded together.
The steering wheel matches the two-tone interior.
A torsion bar sits inside the frame rails, and the arm fits into a slot in the hairpins.
32 Build: this little disc functions as a brake pedal return spring holder and a brake light switch activator.
Running flex lines to the master cylinder lets you drop it to fill without opening the system, as well as giving the option of adding a booster.
Buying a four link kit ready-to-weld offers the advantage of ‘aiming’ the frame brackets at the rear end without trimming them.
Instead of a tilt column, how about a tilt steering wheel?!
I wanted to hide the fan wires…
I lengthened the wires, then ran them on the inside of the fan guard.
They exit the fan and tuck behind the grille shell.
To measure a gap (in this case, for weatherstripping), stick a ball of silly putty on the gap, then close the door.
The result will be a perfectly measured “gap”!
To level the exhaust tips, we mounted one side then used a bottle jack and a digital level to bring the other side up until it was level. Hangers can then be made.
I wanted to match the size of the button heads on the caliper brackets to the caliper bolts, and install them from the engine side instead of from the wheel side (like the one on the right).
The spacer on the stainless bolt is the same diameter as the machined head on the black bolt. The cone nut has the same taper as the black bolt head. Basically, I’m reversing the direction of the bolt and changing the thread pitch.
Looking from the wheel side, you can see the tapered nut that the stainless bolt is threaded in to. The threads were cut flush to the plate.
A late model dash can be modified to fit in a hot rod.
Looking through my pictures, I found this one… if it’s your car, please check the driver side motor mount- it was missing a nut.
A Dave Lane built ’32 Delivery has a bunch of neat touches- he used simple textured rubber floor mats that are functional and neatly accomplished.
A Chip Foose built ride… I couldn’t find the fan wires! Maybe it’s bluetooth… 😉
A Ridler car is a study in neat things… I like that the end of the ball joint threads are polished!
To shave the diameter of this little aluminum bracket, I drew two lines around the inside of the hole with a Sharpie. As I filed the hole, I could tell how much I’d taken off by the disappearing lines.
The spreader bar bolts have been machined down to be slimmer than the standard 1/2″ button heads (on the right).
To get a thin length of weatherstripping, just slice a solid piece with a razor blade.
I painted the horizontal grille bars on our ’32 grille so the blend in with the black radiator.
To increase the diameter of something in a pinch, try using duct tape.
A simple, functional speedometer sender (Ford).
Nice transition from rectangular to dual round tubes.
Here’s one way to connect throttle linkage…
“hey, why not?!”
Name that rear suspension…
Name that rear suspension…
Same car…
This spreader bar is welded to the frame rails, but painted a different color to set it apart.
Nice black transmission cooler lines. Are these aftermarket or heat shrinked?
I love the twine-wrapped wires!
Clean firewall connection for the heater hoses, as well as a really clean engine bay.
Beautiful flush fit roof insert.
Wrinkle black is always fine with me!
Clean spline drive wheel bolts.
I love the look of brazed fuel lines
A ’32 grille on a ’35 sedan? I think it looks great!
A simple tool to straighten the flanges on a set of frame rails.
Amazing fitment of the chassis tubing.
Amazing fitment of the chassis tubing.
A fixture for assembling steel bodies.
A really clean install of the wiring and accessories.
A mini battery mounted sideways can save a lot of space.
Check out the work on the bumper/ exhaust cutout!
A set of Welder Series Ford engine mounts have been drilled and look great.
Body mount bolts… stainless washers welded to stainless Allen head bolts, then machined smooth. They’re welded on the underside too.
Sometimes there’s only one place the steering linkage will go!
Usually the four link brackets weld underneath the rails, but there’s really no reason why they can’t go on top…
Grant Schwartz transitions from a 2×4 tube to a 2×3 tube by cutting a 90 degree notch then setting the smaller tube inside that notch. This gives him more weld area.
A clean way to recess the booster into the firewall is to weld the booster bracket to a hoop, then weld the hoop to the firewall.
The steering linkage on this Plymouth with a Hemi had to be routed to just about where the brake pedal is. Grant installed a U joint halfway down the column and kicked the shaft out before the toeboard. Slick!
A handy way to fill your air bags if you don’t have the compressor hooked up yet.
The Welder Series motor mounts let you mount a small block Chevy in anything from a T bucket to an F100, all with the same part number.
Our universal sway bar kit is a trim to fit install.
Our transmission mount saddle is also adaptable to many frames.