The Million-Dollar Hot Rod

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Zardoz

Zardoz

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Not being a hot rod nut, I was unaware of what the current "state of the art" is in the high-end upper echelon of the hot rod world. I had no idea of how high the stakes had been raised, and what it now takes to win the top prizes at a major custom car show.

So it came as a bit of a shock when I stumbled upon Internet news stories of this car, which has seriously upped the ante for those who want to compete in the big-time arena of custom car building:

1936fordroadsterbyfoose23xx.jpg

Ken Reister's so-called "1936 Ford Roadster", by Chip Foose

Here's the story on this year's Detroit AutoRama show, which is apparently the most important of all the major custom car events. The Ridler Award is apparently the hot rodding version of the Nobel Prize:

Detroit News story

(BTW, click on the blue "More photos" button to see a lot of crazy rides...)

This takes you to the web site of the car's builder, Foose Design, Inc.:

Foose Design, Inc.

And here are all the amazing details on the car itself, which Reister and Foose named "Impression". Scroll down and click on the photos. Its a truly remarkable piece of work:

Street Rodder story

This car belongs in the class of cars known as "coachbuilt street rods". It took seven years to build, has over 4,000 custom-made parts, and, hard as it may seem to believe, cost over one million dollars to construct. The details are amazing. What they did to the engine to get the unique external look is hard to even understand. They even got B. F. Goodrich to make special tires for it:

B.F. Goodrich story

Here's a story on the concerns many have on the escalating costs of big-time show-car building:

Car and Driver story

I had no clue this was going on. I would never have guessed that "hot rodding" had gotten so far out of hand. Sure, these cars are works of automotive and metalworking art, and you can't help but admire the end results, but a million bucks for a set of wheels that just sits around and looks cool?

Its their money, and if this is what they want to do with it, then fine. To each his own, I guess...
 
Pah....

The true Rodders can build stuff 9.9 x 10^89 times cooler for alot less than that...
(unless, the motor powering the car is an ARDUN Flathead with a SCoT Blower)



I will say that the Work involved is much higher and more complicated, and the fact that they can build an entire Functioning car for judges to pore over without dinging the framerails while installing the motor is crazy. I respect the dedication to spend 2+ years making a car perfect, but it's not my style. I'd say that even though I don't care for Boyd or his creations, the Whatthehaye is cooler than the Impression.
 
Bah. A million dollars spent on the car and all they could do for the engine is modify an LS1?? Come on, let's see a Flathead or an original Hemi or something... Or a big-block.

Not my style of car, anyway. Too overdone. Very elegant, but overdone.
 
Yeah! they could have atleast gotten an Ardun Flathead with a Scot Blower for that much money...


If they spend a million bucks on a "36 Ford", I'd better see something insane, like a twin-turbo Flathead or something outrageous. (Is a Twin Turbo Flathead even possible?)
 
I remember watching an episode of Rides about that car, every piece (minus engine) is hand made, took them close to seven years on complete :crazy:
 
you wanna see a 'tique engine, you talk to an old school rodder...who are all pushing 70-80 now.
 
:dopey: rods are still some of the most amazing cars ever, not that the ignorant kids would agree, mainly cos they take SKILL to work on, tho im not a fan of trailer queens, heres some more pics
0509sr_reister45_z.jpg

0509sr_reister52_z.jpg

0509sr_reister41_z.jpg

0509sr_reister42_z.jpg
 
The car is beautiful, and the engine is just so clean. Hell if I had a million bucks to blow on a car I wouldn't mind one of those.
 
I hate boyd coddington. I like Foose a lot better, but even some of his designs don't agree with my palete.

I love that hot rod at the top of the thread, though. It's just pretty.
 
One thing that always sticks outto me about almost any hot-rod design is the empty space under those front arches. The wheels is sitting there all tiny and everything else in there is shiny. It makes the flares look rather useless and bolt-on.

One hot-rod (sortof) I love is the Morgan Aeromax, and it's made of mostly wood. That is impressive.

aeromax-rückw_web.jpg
 
*laughs*
you guys...
the only thing i MIGHT trailer queen is an Edsel...besides, what would you run the thing on? you'd have to have about 50 lbs/22 kilos of lead handy.
 
1 million dollar? Psssffff! That car is a joke.
Old School Hot Rods are still best. (comapared to those hot rods)
 
That Morgan Aeromax is a real beauty.

The rod is also a looker - but $1m worth?
Cars are ment to be driven, a car with that much chrome and leather on the underside is never going to do any miles.

Cobra seats on a $1m car?! - i think the owner needs a refund from the builder.

The engine looks like a plastic cover, like you see under the bonnet of most modern, top end cars. There could be a lawn-mower engine under that housing and know one would know the difference.
 
High-Test
Pah....

The true Rodders can build stuff 9.9 x 10^89 times cooler for alot less than that...
(unless, the motor powering the car is an ARDUN Flathead with a SCoT Blower)



I will say that the Work involved is much higher and more complicated, and the fact that they can build an entire Functioning car for judges to pore over without dinging the framerails while installing the motor is crazy. I respect the dedication to spend 2+ years making a car perfect, but it's not my style. I'd say that even though I don't care for Boyd or his creations, the Whatthehaye is cooler than the Impression.
Click to expand...
I agree that old school low buck style looks way cooler.
 
TheCracker
Cars are ment to be driven, a car with that much chrome and leather on the underside is never going to do any miles.
Click to expand...

If you want shiny cars that do get driven in anger try Gary Myers' two beasts. One is a burnout car, the other was made to win elite competitions (show'n'shine) but still gets driven in go-to-whoa's and grass events.

Gary Myers homepage
 
Zardoz
And risk getting bug-splattered? No way! I doubt that its ever even been on an open trailer. I'll bet it has its own fully-enclosed transporter truck!
Click to expand...
Actually, it does. Even on the sides of the trailer, it has a giant decal of the car and it's name.
 
Slicks
Look at those brake discs!! Not even scuffed!
At least it appears to be a stick shift.
Click to expand...

Chromed and polished discs are never going to give you much stopping power
 

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