Coyote-Powered  Ford Wagon Is Accessorized
Modern Rodding logo with dropshadow
Cool & Performance Never Go Out of Style typography
Adjusting
Custom
Headlights
Once Installed
Correcting
Mistakes
Before
Installing
Insulation
Resurrecting An Old
& Worn-Out Roadster:
Upgrading Front
Suspension
Adjusting Custom Headlights
Once Installed
Correcting Mistakes
Before Installing Insulation
Resurrecting An Old & Worn-Out Roadster:
Upgrading Front Suspension
Avoiding Brake Blunders: Know Your Binders
Wilwood product
February 2022
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Modern Rodding CONTENTS
InTheGarageMedia.com
February 2021 Table of Contents article snapshots
Departments
Brian Brennan
Industry News
New Products
Those Supporting Our Industry
Features
Bill Sather’s ’34 Ford Highboy Five-Window Coupe
By Brian Brennan, Photography by John Jackson
Joe Horisk’s ’61 Pontiac Catalina Convertible
By Brian Brennan, Photography by Josh Mishler
Tom Eckholdt’s ’57 Chevy Wagon
By Brian Brennan, Photography by Wes Allison
Jeff Chandler’s ’32 Ford Three-Window Coupe
By Dale M. Moreau, Photography by the Author
Ben & Gail Levacy’s ’36 Chevy Pickup
By Eric Geisert, Photography by the Author
Tech
Help a Hurtin’ Highboy
By Ryan Manson, Photography by Rob Fortier
Cramming in a Coyote V-8 Equipped With a Vintage Air Front Runner
By Ron Ceridono, Photography by Brian Brennan & Tate Radford
Part II: Making Sure Your Hot Rod Stops Safely
By Ron Ceridono, Photography by the Author
Sealing Out Heat, Cold & Noise
By John Gilbert, Photography by the Author
Part II: Proper Seal Beam Orientation for the GM Headlights on our ’36 Ford
By Gerry Burger, Photography by the Author
On the Cover
Hot rods come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Yet, there’s no denying that Bill Sather of Texas has the look and the performance “nailed” with his fenderless ’34 Ford five-window coupe as it scoots down the road. The traditional look is complete with the PPG mirror-like black paint, Winters quick-change, and a 6-71 blower topped with Hilborn EFI on what appears to be a small-block Chevy but is an LS-based 427.
Photography by John Jackson
Hot Rod Industry Alliance logo: 2021 Recipient of the HRIA Business of the Year Award
Modern Rodding February 2022 cover
Duralast official oe replacement parts of Modern Rodding
Modern Rodding ISSN 2692-2371 (print) ISSN 2692-238X (online) Issue 17 is published monthly by In the Garage Media, 370 E. Orangethorpe Avenue, Placentia, CA 92870-6502. Application to mail at Periodicals prices is pending at Placentia, CA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Modern Rodding, c/o In the Garage Media, 1350 E. Chapman Ave #6550, Fullerton, CA 92834-6550 or email ITGM at subscription@inthegaragemedia.com. Copyright (c) 2022 IN THE GARAGE MEDIA. Printed in the USA. The Modern Rodding trademark is a registered trademark of In The Garage Media.
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Modern Rodding STARTING OVER
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A Country of Addicts
By Brian Brennan
D

on’t jump off your couch or stub your toe on a jackstand. Let me explain what I mean by a “country of addicts.” While it’s never good to be addicted to anything I suppose there are some things that are “less bad,” giving us a morsel of wiggle room. For instance, there’s no question we are a body of people addicted to sugar and that’s not a good thing. Although I, and many of my generation, grew up on a bowl of sugary, quick-served breakfast cereal. As time has gone on, we have made “some” adjustments as we have progressed from driving open to closed cars. (In other words, as we got older!)

Although it frustrates me to no end not to be able to stick my face into a hot stack of French toast that finds itself slowly engulfed in melting butter, I should further mention that I would also like to see the butter flowing beneath a coating of hot maple syrup streaming around fresh strawberries intermingled with six, no eight, pieces of crispy bacon. That my hot rod friend is what a roadster driver who is about to satisfy a cold early morning urge wishes to enjoy. (Jeez, excuse me, it must be breakfast time somewhere!)

I’m writing this post-Thanksgiving editorial while settling in for Christmas. (The magic of producing magazines well in advance of the Gregorian calendar’s stated date.) Here is hoping all of us got through the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season unscathed. I want to be optimistic as several of my favorite indoor car shows are just around the turn of the calendar page. I have attended the Grand National Roadster Show with its America’s Most Beautiful Roadster and Slonaker awards followed shortly by the Detroit Autorama with its Great 8 and, of course, the Ridler award for many years. Both shows are steeped in decades of history that all hot rodders thoroughly enjoy. I’ve never been disappointed seeing my many hot rod friends, albeit infrequently, while attending these shows. It is always exciting to see what innovative ideas come from the productive minds of our new or experienced builders. It is always eye opening—and, you never know what bit of detail will resonate with the rodding crowd, thereby becoming the basis of a new trend.

Rodding Around
By Brian Brennan
hot rods outside of Cambra's shop
red gear icon Reid’s Rod Parts is Now Part of Cambra Speed Shop
Ron Cambra announced that Reid’s Rod Parts is officially part of the Cambra Speed Shop family. “We will no longer be using the Reid’s Rod Parts name but we will continue to offer the same service and selection of performance parts you need at the awesome deals we have secured with our manufacturers,” Cambra says.

Since taking over the traditional hot rod parts store a few years back, Cambra has focused on expanding the line offerings to modern performance parts, tools, and accessories. The shop is one of the few true Speed Shops in Orange County, California, offering installation and maintenance services. Cambra Speed Shop can have up to nearly 20 hot rods at any given time in the shop.

Modern Rodding NEW PRODUCTS
InTheGarageMedia.com
AMD's front and rear bumper; Bowler Performance Transmissions' all in one transmission harness; Speedway Motors Connecting Rod Steering Column Drop, long 4 inches and short 2-1/2 inches (PN 9161966 and PN 9161967)
AMD's front and rear bumper
Bowler Performance Transmissions all in one transmission harness
Speedway Motors Connecting Rod Steering Column Drop, long 4 inches and short 2-1/2 inches (PN 9161966 and PN 9161967)

By Brian Brennan

1. Bumper Delight

Auto Metal Direct (AMD) is at the forefront of the premium muscle car and classic truck body panels and restoration parts. The Dodge Charger is one of the most popular muscle cars. AMD has completed development and now offers front and rear bumper replacements for the ’68-69 Dodge Chargers with all-new tooling.

AMD bumpers are made from heavy-gauge steel and feature OE-quality chrome finish. All parts feature, depending on application, correct holes for turn signals or backup lamps. Installation is fast and easy, as all parts are designed to be a direct bolt-on, utilizing OE bumper brackets and hardware. Part numbers for the Mopar Official Licensed Restoration are 100-2668-1 for the front bumper and 990-2668-1 for the rear bumper.

For more info, check out Auto Metal Direct by calling (877) 575-3586 or visit autometaldirect.com.
2. All-In-One Harness
Bowler Performance Transmissions released an all-in-one wiring solution for your TREMEC six-speed transmission that gives you control over every function included on the transmission. The all-in-one utilizes a small, built-in circuit board that interfaces with your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. This circuit board contains the controls to properly activate the reverse lockout solenoid and set up the dual speedometer outputs. Control of the reverse lockout solenoid is based on a user-defined speed setting. This eliminates the need for a separate lock-out control box. For your electronic speedometer, the harness is equipped with two-speed sensor outputs. These two outputs should be able to drive any common speedometer, cruise control, or ECM regardless of brand. This will give you much greater flexibility in the components you are able to use and require less time with installation. The control app also features diagnostic tools and additional adjustments to further fine-tune your speed settings by use of a calibration ratio so that you can compensate for changes in tire size or final drive ratio (PN T56-RLM).
For more info, check out Bowler Performance Transmissions by calling (618) 943-4856 or visit bowlertransmissions.com.
3. Column Drop
Speedway Motors now offers a Connecting Rod Steering Column Drop, long 4 inches and short 2-1/2 inches (PN 9161966 and PN 9161967). Easily mount hot rod steering columns and ensure a tight fit with Speedway Motors Connecting Rod Steering Column Drops that mount to the dash or fabricated bracing with two bolts. Both fit most any 2- or 1-3/4-inch-diameter hot rod–style steering columns with included adapter sleeve. Drops column 4 or 2-1/2 inch, measured from mounting point to steering column center. CNC-machined in-house at Speedway Motors from 6061-T6 aluminum with a raw machined finish.
For more info, check out Speedway Motors by calling (800) 979-0122 or visit speedwaymotors.com.
Modern Rodding FEATURE
InTheGarageMedia.com
From the Ground Up typography
Duralast
Duralast
From the Ground Up typography
Bill Sather’s ’34 Ford Highboy Five-Window Coupe Was Once a Work in Progress
By Brian BrennanPhotography by John Jackson
A

fter you catch your breath, odds are Bill Sather’s, of Texas, ’34 Ford highboy five-window coupe is going to look more and more familiar. And it should. Working with Troy Gudgel of BBT Fabrications in Mahomet, Illinois, it was freelancer supreme Gerry Burger who wrote six previous tech stories on the build for Modern Rodding. While we won’t go over all of the modifications, as there are many, check out the links and print stories listed on page 21.

Let’s go over this four-year project to see where we are today. If you remember the earliest of the build stories this coupe was once chopped but not finished. Fortunately, while the top chop wasn’t complete it was moving in the right direction. To complete and correct any former hiccups a new top was rounded up and its sheetmetal was used by Gudgel and the work was begun at BBT Fabrications, which included filling in the roof. In the end we are looking at approximately a 3-1/2-inch top chop. Such items as the hood sides and splash aprons were lengthened almost 2 inches to fit the newly positioned radiator. (The grille shell is an old timey piece that Bill has had for some time, having rounded it up from a friend many years earlier.) The Rick’s Tanks 12-gallon container is hidden within the trunk and is filled via an outdoor racing-style flip-top gas cap located on the top of the body behind the driver side quarter window. Given there was a great deal of custom metalwork handled by BBT there follows a great deal of bodywork before paint. Body and paint was handled by Relic Restomods and in the end they painted it with black PPG DBC paint (a Deltron basecoat) and cleared over with Global 8152.

Modern Rodding Tech

InTheGarageMedia.com
Roadster
Revival
Help a Hurtin’ Highboy

1. We have a slight change to an old expression. “What you see is what you get … and then some!” truly applies with this project–and it’s not all good.

1. We have a slight change to an old expression. “What you see is what you get … and then some!” truly applies with this project–and it’s not all good.
Roadster Revival
Help a Hurtin’ Highboy

By Ryan Manson Photography by Rob Fortier

I

t should come as no surprise to anyone who’s purchased an incomplete project that a myriad of surprises, disappointments, and setbacks can often materialize. This ’29 Ford roadster is a perfect case study for such a situation. At first glance, it appears to be a neat traditional roadster, but upon closer inspection it starts to show its true self, warts and all.

That nice, new paint could hide lackluster metalwork. That running small-block Chevy could have 300,000 miles. The electrical system could be held together with wire nuts and duct tape. It truly is a “buyer beware” world out there, but sometimes the dream can gloss over the deal and we end up with a project that we probably should have simply walked past.

Not wanting to completely cast the A-bone aside, we decided to forge a path forward, save for some of the more questionable components. It just so happens that those components are also the parts most related to the safe operation of such a car—brakes, steering, and suspension. With that in mind, we turned to the capable crew at Speedway Motors for some much-needed guidance when it came to the direction in which we should take this roughshod roadster. We opted to tackle the most important aspects first, starting with the frontend. The guys at Speedway recommended their 4-inch dropped axle kit, a set of Bendix-style brakes, shocks and shock mounts, and a handful of other small parts to get our “A” back on the road safely.

Modern Rodding FEATURE
InTheGarageMedia.com
Looks Can Be Deceiving title
This ’61 Pontiac Catalina Convertible … or is it a Ventura?
By Brian Brennan Photography by Josh Mishler
R

egardless of their heavyweight appearance, the early ’60s Pontiacs have always been viewed as a performance car. Joe Horisk, of Delaware, proves this point with his ’61 Pontiac Catalina convertible. (We will talk about the Ventura badging later.) It’s no wonder as these cars with their potent 389ci (intro 1959) V-8s, later with Tri-power or the 421 SD (intro 1961 as a dealer-installed option) could motorvate massive amounts of sheetmetal. The 421 SD became factory installed in 1962 and in 1963 a street version became available from the factory with a dual four-barrel or three two-barrel setup. There’s a certain mystique about any of the ’60s Pontiacs as they are looked upon favorably by hot rodders. This is especially true for Joe who is drawn to his ’61 Pontiac Catalina convertible, as he considers it one of the best-looking ’60s-era cars.

Modern Rodding Tech

InTheGarageMedia.com

1. A family affair, Tate Radford (left), Caden Radford (right), and Colin Radford (kneeling) are situating a Ford Performance Coyote V-8 in a rare ’57 Ford two-door Del Rio Ranch Wagon.

1. A family affair, Tate Radford (left), Caden Radford (right), and Colin Radford (kneeling) are situating a Ford Performance Coyote V-8 in a rare ’57 Ford two-door Del Rio Ranch Wagon.

Ranch Wagon Redo Title Typography
Ranch Wagon Redo
Putting a Ford in a Ford: Cramming in a Coyote V-8
By Ron Ceridono Photography by Brian Brennan & Tate Radford
I

n the Nov. ’21 issue of Modern Rodding we introduced Colin and Sue Radford’s ’57 Ford Del Rio Ranch Wagon as he installed an Art Morrison Enterprises (AME) Bikini Clip. Over the years we watched the Radford Automotive crew as they have turned out a number of top-notch street rods, trucks, and their own record-holding Bonneville car, doing everything from chassis construction to body- and paintwork. This time around we followed Colin and grandsons Tate and Caden as they installed a Vintage Air Front Runner onto a Ford Performance Coyote V-8 in a Ford wagon where there was once a much-smaller Y-block.

The Radford crew has a number of tips and tricks that have come from experience, not the least of which are to plan ahead and take lots of measurements. Before the Ford’s front suspension was replaced with the AME clip the car was placed on jackstands and all the critical points (chassis centerline, wheelbase, and so on) were recorded on the shop floor (see the first installment). Not only was that important to position the front suspension properly, prior measurements would also be used to position the core support bracket now that the new subframe is in place.

Modern Rodding FEATURE
InTheGarageMedia.com
By Brian Brennan Photography by Wes Allison
W

e all know that history can’t truly repeat itself but it can sure come close. Tom Eckholdt of Arizona has brought his current ’57 Chevy 210 two-door wagon into today’s world of refined hot rods, but not after plenty of practice.

It was a long time ago when Tom the teenager brought home his first ’57 Chevy 210 two-door wagon. Over the next three years he quickly received an education on what it takes to keep a hot rod on the road and that education would bring his current ’57 Chevy 210 two-door wagon to its present brink of perfection. You see, back in the day he went through five engine swaps, two transmissions, and 14, yes 14, rearends, “spitting” one right after another. We are guessing, and we are also sure Tom would agree, this resulted from enjoying the benefits of hard driving. The last engine swap was based on a ’66 Chevy 425hp V-8. Think about that for a moment. This was the introductory year for the RPO L72 (precursor to the L88) with its 427 ci, staggering 425 hp, 460 lb-ft, and an impressive 11.0:1 compression ratio. This motor was the “MacDaddy” of them all for its time. The way we see it that’s the perfect motor then, and now, for any hot rod—especially a ’57 Chevy wagon. Tom tells us, “The original car was fast but with stock brakes, manual steering, and so on, it was anything but safe–but it was fun!”

Practice Makes Perfect title
Rolling on a Roadster Shop Chassis and LS7, This ’57 Chevy Wagon is One Heck of a Ride
Practice Makes Perfect title
Rolling on a Roadster Shop Chassis and LS7, This ’57 Chevy Wagon is One Heck of a Ride
By Brian Brennan Photography by Wes Allison
W

e all know that history can’t truly repeat itself but it can sure come close. Tom Eckholdt of Arizona has brought his current ’57 Chevy 210 two-door wagon into today’s world of refined hot rods, but not after plenty of practice.It was a long time ago when Tom the teenager brought home his first ’57 Chevy 210 two-door wagon. Over the next three years he quickly received an education on what it takes to keep a hot rod on the road and that education would bring his current ’57 Chevy 210 two-door wagon to its present brink of perfection. You see, back in the day he went through five engine swaps, two transmissions, and 14, yes 14, rearends, “spitting” one right after another. We are guessing, and we are also sure Tom would agree, this resulted from enjoying the benefits of hard driving. The last engine swap was based on a ’66 Chevy 425hp V-8. Think about that for a moment. This was the introductory year for the RPO L72 (precursor to the L88) with its 427 ci, staggering 425 hp, 460 lb-ft, and an impressive 11.0:1 compression ratio. This motor was the “MacDaddy” of them all for its time. The way we see it that’s the perfect motor then, and now, for any hot rod—especially a ’57 Chevy wagon. Tom tells us, “The original car was fast but with stock brakes, manual steering, and so on, it was anything but safe–but it was fun!”

Modern Rodding Tech

InTheGarageMedia.com

1. The ultimate brake blunder—make a perfect flare and forget to put the nut on the tubing.

1. The ultimate brake blunder—make a perfect flare and forget to put the nut on the tubing.

Avoiding Brake Blunders
Part II: Making Sure Your Hot Rod Stops Safely
By Ron Ceridono Photography by The Author & Courtesy of Wilwood, Classic Performance Products & Speedway Motors
T

here are some shortcomings in a hot rod you can learn to live with. An occasional rattle, a window crank that comes off in your hand, or a gas gauge that never seems to be quite right. One thing you may not live with is a malfunctioning brake system. If you are building or buying a car, here are some things to consider:

Picking the Proper Tubing
A brake system may produce well over 1,000 psi in operation, which requires lines, hoses, and fittings that can withstand pressure reliably—that means no copper or aluminum tubing. There are only three choices when it comes to brake lines—steel (usually with a tin coating to prevent rust), stainless steel (that is often polished), or nickel/copper (NiCopp) tubing that meets SAE Standard J1047 and ISO 4038 (international and U.S. requirements for brake tubing). NiCopp is unique as it has the strength and structural integrity of steel lines with the added benefit of being much more corrosion-resistant, and it bends easier.

There are two common misconceptions about brake lines. The first is that there is a relationship between brake line size and hydraulic pressure—not true. Pressure in the brake system is created by the master cylinder and the brake lines deliver it. Brake lines are most often 3/16 or 1/4 inch in diameter and the only difference is the amount of fluid delivered. The bigger tubing will carry more volume, so 1/4-inch line may be preferable in some instances, disc brake calipers with large piston displacements, as an example.

The second misconception is that stainless brake lines cannot be double flared. It is true that some stainless steel tubing will crack when forming double flares, however it can be done if the appropriately annealed tubing is used.

Modern Rodding FEATURE
InTheGarageMedia.com
A Real Class Act
A ’32 Ford Three-Window Coupe That is a Hit in Any Crowd
1932 Ford
By Dale M. Moreau Photography by THE AUTHOR
F

ord cars, in general, are not what one thinks of when arriving at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City in 1947. Visions of Duesenbergs, Cadillacs, and Packards come to mind. But, this ’32 Ford three-window coupe is not a chip off the old block. Think of Zora and Elfi Duntov doing just that in this car. They were an upscale and flamboyant pair who scandalized the New York social register with their style and flare for fun. This was about the time that Zora’s overhead valve conversion for the Ford Flathead motor was introduced.

Jeff Chandler, of Rancho Santa Fe, California, got together with designer David Brost from Steve’s Auto Restorations (SAR) in Portland, Oregon, to make a hot rod that would stand up to the best Detroit had to offer. In that vein of thinking, a goal was created to emulate that style, flare, and cohesive design theme that the Duntov projected in his lifetime. A car that not only was a sum of its parts, but one that was built to replicate a period of time.

Modern Rodding Tech

InTheGarageMedia.com
mechanic stands next to a yellow Chadly Coupe holding a package of Dynaliner
1. The new, fully removable floors are in and insulated with Dynamat Xtreme. After the steering and pedals are installed, the next phase entails completing the job with DynaPad.
East Coast Graffiti’s Quest for Comfort
Sealing Out Heat, Cold & Noise
By John Gilbert Photography by THE AUTHOR
T

here are some guys content to load a folding chair into their hot rod and drive to a local cruise, sit there all day, and then drive home. On the other hand, there are guys like me who can’t wait to jump in their hot rod and road trip across multiple state lines at a moment’s notice. And that’s where Dynamat Xtreme and Dynaliner come in.

I’ve always had a bad case of wanderlust; it started in 1970 riding a rigid frame Harley-Davidson chopper from California to Michigan and back. Then as the decades went by my interest in enjoying more comfort evolved my cross-country mode of transportation into driving old Corvettes and hot rods. 

Modern Rodding FEATURE
InTheGarageMedia.com
By Eric Geisert Photography by THE AUTHOR
Chevy Guy
This ’36 Chevy Pickup Was Once Old But is New Again
1936 Chevy Pickup
M

ost every time a vehicle gets a new owner (unless you’ve bought a restored historic that really shouldn’t be modified), that person will change at least a few things to make the car their own, and sometimes they change everything. Such is the case with Ben and Gail Levacy’s ’36 Chevy pickup.

One point of view in the hot rod hobby is we’re all just custodians for the cars we have in our garage by the simple fact that no one has figured out how to take your beloved ride with you into the afterlife. It also seems true there exists a tweaked version of reincarnation that happens with all these cars as they get handed down through family members, or even by a number of complete strangers living on opposite sides of the country.

Ben’s a bit of a Chevy guy (his garage is full of them) and Gail feels the same way. A few years back she had been looking around for a ’56 Chevy pickup to build, but eventually felt that everyone had one and she wanted something different to drive. While at a show in Colorado she was really impressed after spying a tangerine ’36 Chevy pickup at the event, and the pair thought that might be the way to go.

Modern Rodding Tech

InTheGarageMedia.com

1. We were very pleased with the ’41 Chevy truck lights modified to fit our ’36 Ford fenders. The Lucas PL Tri-bar halogen lights were the finishing touch. However, getting them properly orientated in the headlight buckets took a bit of work.

1. We were very pleased with the ’41 Chevy truck lights modified to fit our ’36 Ford fenders. The Lucas PL Tri-bar halogen lights were the finishing touch. However, getting them properly orientated in the headlight buckets took a bit of work.
Low Lights typography

Part II: Proper Seal Beam Orientation for the GM Headlights on our ’36 Ford

By Gerry Burger Photography by THE AUTHOR

I

n our previous issue (Modern Rodding Jan. ’22) we adapted a set of ’41 Chevrolet truck headlights to the fenders of our ’36 Ford phaeton. This involved considerable slicing and dicing to contour the headlight buckets to the proper fender profile. Once the finished headlights were bolted in place we were extremely pleased with the early custom look. There is little doubt early customizers were inspired by high-end cars, such as the Jaguar 120. What better way to improve the looks of your old Ford than to give it some high-end European flair? The customizer’s motto could have been: “All the flash for less cash.”

We had originally planned on using flat lens, halogen headlights sourced from Summit Racing, as we had used these lights before and they provide great lighting and good looks. However, while perusing some Jaguar photos we noticed the Lucas PL Tri-bar, curved lens headlights. A quick Internet search netted us a pair of these lights (and a little more flash) direct from a Jaguar restoration supplier.

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Thanks for reading our February 2022 issue!