Two of the most popular types of custom cars on the road are hot rods and rat rods. To a non-car person these vehicles may look similar, but to the trained eye, there are some key differences between the two. The purpose of this article is to give you the knowledge to identify which type of car you are looking at.
Let’s start with the similarities: both hot rods and rat rods are NOT supposed to look like factory original, production cars. Continue reading
With the prevalence of satellite TV and streaming shows online, it is now possible to see TV shows from beyond your own country’s borders. In England, TV shows like Top Gear and Wheeler Dealers appeal to petrolheads of all ages, and they are growing in popularity with American audiences.
However, British people use some pretty different terminology than Americans when it comes to automobiles. Therefore, I have come up with a list of translations between UK English and US English.
UK English / US English
aluminium: aluminum, a lightweight and non-ferrous metal used in the construction of automobiles
bonnet: hood, a hinged panel which covers the car’s engine
There are a lot of different reasons why people get into cars as a hobby. For some people, cars are a way to re-live their youth or to fulfill the dreams they always wanted. To others, cars are merely an investment to be bought and sold. A car can be a status symbol for attracting attention and showing others that you’ve “made it.” Still others get into cars because they love driving. And finally, there are those who get into cars because they love building them. This is a car for that last type of person – the do-it-yourself wrench-turner.
This car is a Superlite Coupe from Racecar Replicas in Fraser, Michigan. Unlike a Ferrari or Lamborghini, this car is not built on a production line in Italy. It is sold as a component vehicle (also known as a kit car) that you build yourself. Some assembly is required!
The 1970s are remembered today as a decade of excess, and nothing embodies that mindset greater than the cars that people were driving. This was the era that gave us the Dukes of Hazzard, Smokey and the Bandit, and the original “Gone in 60 Seconds.”
There was another craze during the 1970s: custom vans. People would take full-size vans from Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge and trick them out with shag carpet, a stereo system, custom paint and wheels, custom interior, CB radio, and even accessories like mini fridges!
“Vanning” exploded in popularity and was featured in movies and songs of the era. Like vinyl records and most things from the 1970s, “street vans” fell out of fashion to fade into obscurity, only to see a small revival today.
This 1970s-era Dodge Ram van may be a relic of that era. It looks to have been converted to a camper/motorhome at one point, and is now languishing on a side street. The interesting thing about this van is its dual rear axle setup – something I have not seen before and can find very little about on the Internet. I suspect it may have been a custom modification.
As far as Lamborghinis go, this one was a real oddball. Let’s just say that if Lamborghini were to release a “Greatest Hits” album, this car wouldn’t be on it.
Sold from 1981 to 1988, it competed against the Ferrari 308 and the Mondial – neither of which are remembered as shining examples of Maranello’s best work.
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By their very nature, supercars are produced in limited numbers, which means that not everyone who wants one can have one. Within the world of supercars, there are models which are more common than others. If you have the money, it shouldn’t be that hard to find a Porsche 911, Lamborghini Gallardo, or a Ferrari 355, 360, or 430 for sale. Then there are cars which are so rare that you cannot buy one, even if you have the money. The Lamborghini Islero is one such car.
The Islero was only manufactured in 1968 and 1969, with just 225 cars produced. These are very low numbers – there are almost twice as many Ferrari Enzos in the world as there are of these – and when was the last time you saw an Enzo?
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