CATEGORIES
2021 Acura MDX Prototype
Injecting some sport into the sport utility vehicle
Fresh Served
An American Classic Built With a Modern Twist for a Retired Vet
STEALTH DRIVER
'56 FORD CROWN VICTORIA
A POPULAR DECISION
From Controversy Comes Clarity
What Is Cylinder Head Swirl and Tumble, and Why Is It Important?
We think of electronic engine management systems and multiport electronic fuel injection (EFI) as primarily responsible for the improved air/fuel distribution and performance as Detroit clawed its way back in the mid 1980s, but—good as they were for that day—initially the new electronics were just Band-Aids grafted onto carryover engine designs. The big change started in the 1990s, when the OEs started tinkering with cylinder head design to induce swirl and tumble in internal combustion engines.
SECOND TIME AROUND
After a shady shop pulled a huge scam restoring his 1969 Camaro, the owner ended up building the car of his dreams
Racing Success Story
On the midst of what can technically be called a pretty bad year, it’s encouraging to see professional motorsports persevering, which in this year should be seen as a raging success. Initially many NASCAR and Indy Car events were canceled or rescheduled, but as the year has progressed, it seems that those organizations have gotten pretty clever in how to complete their schedule by combining events at the same track on the same weekend or running double-header races.
RACING PEDIGREE
John McClintock’s simple, but effective 1967 Mustang was built to compete in vintage Trans Am racing.
STYLISH IN GARNET
1932 Ford Coupe Built by Brizio for a Sixties Hot Rodder
New Lid
How to Replace the Roof on a 1970 ’Cuda Rusted from the Top Down
The HOT ROD Archives
Tried and true, a budget small-block Chevy build made the cover of this issue.
SKETCHY'S SPEED AND SURF
An Attention-Demanding Vintage Cruiser
AFFORDABLE TRACK DATA LOGGER CAN MAKE YOU FASTER!
ONCE THIS TECH WAS ONLY FOR PROFESSIONAL RACERS, BUT NOW GETTING FASTER TIMES BY ANALYZING YOUR PERFORMANCE IS AFFORDABLE FOR WEEKEND WARRIORS.
TIME WARP
Delivering Smiles on the Daily
Birth of a HOT ROD Nation
One of the reasons I’m so proud to work for HOT ROD is the legacy of accomplishments of the staffers who came before me. I recently wrote about how HRM was “The Original Influencer” for readers, but the magazine has had incredible impact on the industry as well.
Snooki
BLOOD, SWEAT & GEARS
1968 Chevelle SS396 Vintage Drag Test!
As the lights come down, you squeeze the engine toward six grand, slide your leftfoot off the clutch, stab the loud pedal between the last yellow and the green, and bang!— 375 horses (a 425 Performance Rating via NHRA’s new system) launch you off the line for a near record run. Right? Wrong! At least that’s the way it was on every run we made with this month’s drag test vehicle, a ’68 Chevrolet SS396 Chevelle hardtop.”
SECOND ROUND KNOCKOUT
Daniel Cumby’s ’95 GMC Jimmy Overhaul
LONE RANGER
Two Years in the Making, This ’69 Ranger Stands Alone
KIK IT
An Attention-Grabbing Customer Collector
CHARLIE BROWN
A Showstopping ’68 Chevrolet K5 Blazer
STEER YOU RIGHT
A PSC Motorsports Big Bore XD steering box solved our Jeep’s steering woes
TACOMA ENVY
TECHLINE - Q/A
RPM
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
ROCKIN' AND TALKIN'
Using Cobra handheld CB radios on the rocks, ropes and road trips
ULTIMATE ADVENTURE
PART 1: INTO AMERICA’S WILDERNESS
Two engines, four-wheel drive: Citroen's 4x4 is unique … just check the trunk
Automakers have devised quite a few ways to get power to all four (or sometimes more) wheels underneath off-road vehicles, but only a very select few have accomplished that task with two engines.
My plan for the classic Dodge Power Wagon I don't own
My mind often springs to life and engages full throttle in the middle of the night when it should be sleeping. When this happens, my brain is like a 4x4 high-centered on a rock, engine revving, all four tires spinning, but no movement. Thank goodness for my pal the iPad. I simply fire up the rectangular electronic wonder and look at 4x4 stuff on the interwebs until sleep once again comes to call.
2021 RAM 1500 TRX
Ram launches a performance truck with every intention of making the Ford Raptor’s off-road dominance extinct
Anatomy of a magazine editorial: Completely ignoring the ideal method for writing a monthly column
I’ve been writing for magazines for more than two decades. And in all those thousands of articles, my editorial columns are the ones I’m most proud of, but not necessarily the ones that take the most effort.