Tech - Exterior - MR

01 Bob Stedman meticulously working on a large surface area of a car

Dodge Charger Classic Vinyl Top Replacement

Tips On DIY Vinyl Top Install For Your Classic Car By Barry Kluczyk   -   Photography By the Author Miss it or not, the all-American vinyl roof...
01 Rad Rides booth showcasing a contender for America s Most Beautiful Roadster award at the 2024 Grand National Roadster Show

Custom Dash & Headlights on Fenderless Ford Roadster

Part 6: Rad Rides by Troy Built Innovative Custom Dash, Headlights, and Shock Mounts By Ron Covell   -   Photography by Adam Banks & Brian Brennan This...
01 Myers’ Fenderless 1936 Ford Roadster at Grand National Roadster Show

Mastering Metal: Myers’ Fenderless Ford Roadster by Rad Rides

Part 5: Apron Panels, Lower Hood Panels and Door Construction By Ron Covell   -   Photography by Adam Banks In past issues, we covered much of the...
01 Tate Radford fitting a replacement rocker panel on a 57 Ford Ranch Wagon

Rust Repair on a Ford Ranch Wagon

Restoring This Vintage 1957 Ford Station Wagon By Ron Ceridono   -   Photography By Tate Radford Let’s take a step back to a time when the ’57...
01 Adam Banks artwork depicting the final look of the 1936 Ford roadster

Supercharger & Suspension On Myers’ Fenderless Ford Roadster

Part 4: Ford Y-Block, McCulloch Supercharger, and Suspension By Ron Covell   -   Photography By Adam Banks A tremendous amount of work goes into building a car...
01 Stainless steel trim piece restoration with simple tools

How To Restore Trim Pieces On Your Classic Car

DIY Trim Piece Restoration For Your Project Car By Tommy Lee Byrd   -   Photography By the Author When it comes to the final details of a...
01 Buick car stripped of glass and interior before being taken to Traditional MetalCraft

Chopping The Buick Coupe Top

Tips For Chopping Your Pre War Classic Car By Curt Iseli   -   Photography By the Author When customizing originated, the goal was to refine the lines...
01 Vintage car fender restoration process showing original and reproduction fenders

Vintage Sheetmetal: Repair Or Replace?

An age-old question for DIY Hot Rodders By Gerry Burger   -   Photography By Chadly Johnson Original or repro? It’s a longtime hot rodder’s battle with no...
01 Adam Banks drawing setting the direction of the project build

Intricate Fabrication On Myers’ Fenderless Ford Roadster

Part 3: Custom Fabricated Decklid, Wheel Wells & Floor By Ron Covell    -   Photography By Adam Banks Construction is moving at a rapid pace at Rad...
00 Myers’ Fenderless 1936 Ford Roadster

Myers’ Fenderless 1936 Ford Roadster

Part 2: Rad Rides by Troy Meticulous Chassis Work By Ron Covell   -   Photography By Adam Banks We previously looked at how the crew at Rad...
01 Adam Banks working on a concept sketch for a custom car project

Building a One Of A Kind Roadster

Part 1: Rad Rides by Troy Builds a One of a Kind 1936 Ford Roadster By Ron Covell - Photography By Adam Banks Unless you’re new...
03 Geoff Jones using a pneumatic die grinder with a thin cut off wheel to cut away rusty metal

How To Fix Quarter Panel Rust

Patch Panel Install For Rust Repair on Your Vintage Project Car By Ron Covell   -   Photography By Brian Brennan Rust repair is often a part of...
01 part 2 how to sand for professional bodywork

More DIY Tips on How to Sand a Car for Painting

Part 2: You Can Do it Yourself Part 2: Nick Sinoris’ Sanding Techniques for Proper Paintwork Results By Chris Shelton    -   Photography By Brian Brennan If...
01 Nick Hubcap Sinoris demonstrating long block panel preparation

DIY Tips On How To Sand a Car For Painting

You can do it Yourself, Part 1: Nick Sinoris’ Sanding Techniques For Proper Paintwork Results By Chris Shelton   -   Photography By Brian Brennan They may not...
01 marking the center of the bell housing on the firewall

How To Make Custom Mounts For An Engine Swap

Some Custom Fabrication On the Firewall and Floorboard May Be Required By Ron Covell   -   Photography By Jason Scudellari There are often some adjustments needed when...
01 Concept rendering of the complete vehicle by Tavis Highlander

ISK Ford Ranch Wagon Gets Custom Wheels, Hood, & Wrap Up

Ford Ranch Wagon Project Part 3: Ironworks Speed & Kustom Hood & One Of A Kind Of Custom Wheels From EVOD Industries By Ron Covell...
01 Out with the Tri Five Chevy s old sheetmetal and in with the new Golden Star Classic Auto Parts tailpan

Replacing the Tail Pan on a Tri Five Chevy

Getting Rid of Decades of Deteriorating Metal By Eric Geisert   -   Photography By The Author As you get into any metal repair or replacement work on...
01 Close up view of the Old Anvil Speed Shop team working on the AV8 chassis modifications

Old Anvil Speed Shop Built Scudellari’s 1929 Ford Roadster

Building a Traditional AV8 By Ryan Manson   -   Photography By Brian Brennan When it comes to building a traditional AV8 highboy roadster, one of the most...
01 Sparks flying at MetalWorks Speed Shop while fabricating a smooth firewall for a 55 Chevrolet

How To Modify Your Tri-Five Firewall To Accept An LS3 Engine

MetalWorks Modifies A Chevy Bel Air Firewall For An LS Swap By Gerry Burger   -   Photography By Chadly Johnson David Goodwin and the team at MetalWorks...
01 A close up shows just how seamlessly this detail flows into the panel

How To Make A Recessed License Plate Holder

Tin Man’s Garage’s Custom License Plate By Ron Covell   -   Photography By Brian Limberg Brian Limberg, the founder of Tin Man’s Garage in Sycamore, Illinois, is...
01 Here the radiator is mocked up and a strip of steel is being bent to check the desired profile

How To Make A Custom Hood and Nose

Custom Fabrication On A Shadow Rods XL27 Chassis By Ron Covell   -   Photography By Jon Hall & Dave Autin Track roadsters have been popular since the...
01 It is also particularly true when you are cutting and buffing the final paint

How To Cut and Buff Like a Professional

DIY Guide To Cutting and Buffing Paint To Perfection By John Gilbert   -   Photography By the Author There are two types of hot rodders: the DIY...
00 lead The Art Of Shaping A Roll Pan

The Art Of Shaping A Roll Pan

Shadow Rods’ Perfectly Proportioned Roll Pan Method By Ron Covell   -   Photography By Jon Hall & Dave Autin Jon Hall is the founder of Shadow Rods,...
01 prepping a 1965 Chevelle before it receives its PPG black paint

How To Prep Your Car For Paint

Paint Preparation Prevents The Need For Costly Paint Correction By Chris Shelton   -   Photography By Brian Brennan, Glenn Sinon & Chadly Johnson If you’re like me,...
16 Sullivan finally buried everything in VC5700 mixed as a conventional final clearcoat

Finishing The Tribute 1959 Thunderbird

Part 2: Marcus “Shaky” Sullivan and “PPG Paul” Finish The Custom Paint Job On Larry Watson’s Tribute ‘59 Thunderbird By Chris Shelton    -   Photography By...
06 Notice the openings cut in the hood side in preparation for fitting the precisely contoured vent doors

New Levels of Precision; Custom ‘35 Chevy Coupe

Ironworks Speed and Kustom Use The Latest Tech When Making Custom Parts By Ron Covell   -   Photography by the Author & Rodger Lee Videographer Rodger Lee  ...
01 Cody Walls started with a solid foundation in his wife’s original low mile 1949 Buick

How To Section a Car

The Art of Sectioning: Tackling Hot Rodding’s Most Audacious Technique By Curt Iseli   -  Photography By Cody Walls When it comes to traditional customizing techniques, sectioning...
01 Here we are mapping out how we will go about laying down the paint on the 1959 Thunderbird

A Legendary Candy Paint Job On This Special 1959 Thunderbird

Part 1: “Wild Bill” Carter Left a Paint Legacy and an Unfinished Larry Watson Tribute. Here’s How Marcus “Shaky” Sullivan & “PPG Paul” Stoll...
01 With the firewall in place it is time to tackle the upper and lower cowl panels

How To Replace Upper and Lower Cowl On A Classic Car

New Sheetmetal From Auto Metal Direct For This 1964 Ford Galaxie By Brian Brennan   -   Photography By Jubee Mays Our 1964 Ford Galaxie (named “Project...
01 Eric Blacks concept drawing of the coupe gives us a view into the future and what we can expect this 35 Chevy coupe

Truly Custom 1935 Chevy Coupe

Part Two: Ironworks Speed & Kustom Got It Just Right By Ron Covell   -   Photography & Videography By Rodger Lee   -   Artwork By e. Black...
01 The Master Of Metal Brings Back Originality To The Ford Model A

Donn Lowe’s 1929 Ford Model A Roadster

The Master Of Metal Brings Originality To The Ford Model A By Dale Moreau   -   Photography by the Author Donn Lowe started out hammering on metal...
18 Thanks to the self aligning technique its a chop that a well heeled enthusiast can pull off

How To Chop A Top With Minimal Effort and Maximum Accuracy Part 2

Hot Rods by Dean’s Easier Method For Chopping On 1933 Ford DeLuxe coupe By Chris Shelton    -   Photography By Brian Brennan Missed Part 1? Check it...
00 How To Chop A Top With Minimal Effort and Maximum Accuracy

How To Chop A Top With Minimal Effort and Maximum Accuracy Part 1

Hot Rods by Dean’s Easier Method For Chopping On 1933 Ford DeLuxe coupe By Chris Shelton   -   Photography By Brian Brennan The world really doesn’t need...
01 How To Stop Rust On Trailer

How To Stop Rust On a Trailer

POR-15’s Three Must Use Rust Remover Products By John Gilbert   -   Photography By the Author Sometimes a plan goes sideways. The first step to turning a...
01 How To Install Firewall On A 1964 Ford Galaxie

How To Install Firewall On A 1964 Ford Galaxie

Auto Metal Direct Supplies Replacement Firewalls For Your Classic Car By Brian Brennan   -   Photography By Jason Chandler Dealing with the hot rods from the ’50s...
01 This 1947 Dodge arrived ready for paint but revisions to the previously extended roof hood and grille opening

Design and Fabricate a New Roof, Hood, and Grille on our 1947 Dodge Project...

Restyled In Hot Rod Fashion, Fabricating a New Roofline, Hood, and Grille. By Curt Iseli   -   Photography By Cody Walls This 1947 Dodge Sedan was shuffled...
1 Every project starts somewhere and this is the Model A coupe body as it arrived at Craftworks Fabrication

Fabricating Model A Roof Inserts With Craftworks Fabrication!

Roof Inserts: Natalie’s Distinctive Deuce Coupe By Ron Covell   -   Photography By Not Stock Photos and Courtesy of Craftworks Fabrication Ford Model A coupes have an...
01 This Eric Black rendering of Cody Walls East Coast–style Deuce coupe details the deeply channeled proportions

Function and Form: The Art Of Channeling a Hot Rod

How to Channel a 1932 Ford Coupe By Curt Iseli   -   Photography by Cody Walls In the earliest days of our hobby, innovative hot rodders identified...
01 A nicely frenched taillights that is vertical enough to be seen flows with the fender

How To French Tail Lights On A Ford Model 48

Modifying Your Hot Rod For Style and Safety With LED Tail Lights By Gerry Burger  -   Photography Glenn Sinon Let’s face it; we’re all guilty of...
01 we now have headlights on our Model A highboy closed cab Ford pickup

How To Install Speedway Motors’ Headlight with Turn Signal

Mounting Speedway Motors’ Guide 682-C 12V H4 Headlights With Turn Signals By Brian Brennan   -   Photography By the Author If you plan on driving your hot...

Search Our Site

More Modern Rodding

Coyote Swapped Ford Wagon

Schwartz Performance Built Six Speed & Supercharged 1948 Ford...

The Perfect Center Section For 8.8 Gears

The Best Of Both Worlds: Detroit Speed’s FN988 Hybrid...

1932 Ford Sedan Delivery, Part Car & Truck

Iconic Hot Rod and Award Winning Show Car By Brian...

Roadster Shop Model A Body Modifications

Part 2: 1930 Ford Model A With Impressive Modifications By...

Parting Shot: The End Of The Chevy Malibu

From 1965 To 2024, The Chevy Malibu Legacy Ends By...

Rodding Around: Triple Crown, Trip to Taiwan, Harold’s Hot Rods

Triple Crown Of Rodding Offers More, ITGM’s Trip To...
More Modern Rodding

Ultimate Disc Brakes Conversion Kit: Detroit Speed & Baer Brakes

Upgrading Braking Performance On This 1967 Chevy Nova By Ron...

1969 Mustang Fastback with Boss Flare and 460 ci

It Took More Than 20 Years to Rebuild this...

The Award-Winning 1960 Buick Invicta X60 Custom from CAL Auto

Exploring the Legend: The Triple Crown Winning 1960 Buick By...

Mastering Metal: Myers’ Fenderless Ford Roadster by Rad Rides

Part 5: Apron Panels, Lower Hood Panels and Door...

Chopped and Channeled Hot Rod Lincoln Pickup

Craftsmanship in Motion: Bill Dinges' Unique '34 Lincoln Pickup...

Pro Touring Masterpiece: A ’55 Chevy Bel Air with an Art Morrison Chassis

Revolutionizing a Tri-Five Chevy with Four-Wheel Independent Suspension By Gerry...