aithful readers of Modern Rodding have already seen this Detroit Speed & Engineering (DSE)–built ’65 Buick Riviera in all its Ferrari crimson glory (Modern Rodding Oct. ’23). But many real hot rodders like to take the full tour to see the artwork that lies below. You see, Jeff Mosing’s Riviera is no showboat; the team at DSE likes to build cars that can haul-the-male on the street, road course, or autocross circuit. Now since Mosing has ample time wheeling Porsches in the IMSA series, he is well in tune with high-performance machinery for the track and the street. This car was destined to be the perfect blend of unmatched ’60s style and ample street performance. Of course, this Riviera is also fully capable of drawing a crowd under the indoor show lights and will blend in perfectly with the other cars at Mosing Motorsports.

After due consideration with Mosing, the final plans were laid. The team at DSE decided a properly located 9-inch Ford rear with coilovers out back would be combined with DSE SLA subframe independent front suspension. There is simply no way to make a personal luxury car this size a light weight, so that called for some serious brake power. Gone were the big, finned Buick drums replaced by a set of Carbon Ceramic ZR-1 Corvette brakes. Since ultimately the stopping is decided where the rubber meets the road, Michelin Pilot Sports, measuring 265/35R19 and 295/35R20, will provide ample grip. This combination should handle all the chores, but remember this car is being built for a man with the motto “Drive Yourself Happy.”

Building the chassis was an interesting blend of old and new. The chassis utilizes the rear kick-up of the ’66 Buick chassis. This approach provides the stock rear body mounts, gas tank location, and room for the 9-inch to move. When this rear portion was all finely blended to the hydro-formed DSE front chassis you might never suspect there is any Buick metal remaining.

ruly, there are many great hot rod events throughout the calendar year. Some are indoor, some outdoor, or a combination of both. Some are famous because of their history, or what they represent, or their industry support. Some of the best are local while others are national in their appeal. Now there is a new event on the calendar that has everyone talking and planning for next year … the Triple Crown of Rodding presented by PPG.

Look for this event to happen each year the weekend after Labor Day at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee (30 miles north of Nashville). The 2023 date is September 6-7, 2024.

It should be noted that the Triple Crown of Rodding (TCR) presented by PPG as an award has been around since 2016 and now, beginning in 2023, it has become its own event. It has grown into a bigger and better version of itself. The event, while everything we have come to enjoy about a large gathering of hot rods, also had a feeling from a long time ago. With so many of the country’s top builders and manufacturers present it was “almost” like being back in the early days of our hobby. It was a time when everyone wanted to meet everyone and everyone wanted to make new friends.

properly charged and maintained battery is a must for any classic car, but especially so when it comes to those equipped with all mod cons like EFI, digital gauges, A/C, and more. The more advanced the component, the more sensitive they seem to be to a steady, reliable 12V signal. Many systems, in fact, will cease to operate properly if provided with anything south of 11 V. That leaves a small margin of error when it comes to the alternator providing steady charge under normal driving conditions or to the battery itself if left to sit idle for too long a period. Leaving a trickle charger attached to that hot rod with an expectant slumber of a period over a week or so has become common practice.

But before we can even worry about proper maintenance of the battery and charging system, we need to be sure that the system’s wiring and cables are properly sized, fabricated, and ran safely across the vehicle to further ensure the system’s reliability and performance. Long runs of battery and charging cables need to be sized properly, securely terminated, and properly protected. As lengths increase, so does diameter size to overcome the resulting resistance in said wire/cable. For example, a 10-gauge wire on a 30-amp circuit has an acceptable run of around 10 feet. Extend the run of that wire another 2 feet and the size requirement jumps to 8-gauge. The longer the wire, the more resistance in the wire, hence the larger size to make up the disparity. Now, this is based on a rough set of specifications related to wire temp and percentage of acceptable voltage drop. A wire that runs through the passenger compartment will see more moderate temps than one that runs from the engine compartment and alongside the exhaust, so other factors need to be considered as well, all based on individual circumstances. Like many things in the hot rod world, these are baselines and not hard and fast rules. Suffice it to say, when in doubt, run a larger-gauge wire.

ne of the best-known names in the world of hot rodding is Kugel Komponents. Its founder, Jerry Kugel, became well known for installing independent front and rear suspensions under hot rods—that is, when he wasn’t chasing records on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Early on Jerry worked with the legendary Ak Miller before opening his own shop, Jerry’s Garage, in 1969. Eventually, no doubt due to the combination of Jerry’s mechanical capabilities, business acumen, numerous magazine articles showcasing his abilities, and his understanding wife Judy, Kugel Komponents opened in 1977. Today Kugel Komponents is a family run business: daughter Jerilyn is the office manager, son Jeff is product manager, and son Joe is the lead fabricator.

Along with independent front and rear suspensions and other “komponents” Kugel offers some rather ingenious brake pedal systems. There are standard, through-the-firewall configurations as well a reverse-mount 90- and 180-degree configurations. The reverse mount assemblies tuck the brake master cylinder (and clutch master cylinder if used) behind the dashboard. This eliminates exhaust interference caused by under floor pedals and keeps the firewall clean as well. Reverse-mount 90-degree brake pedal assemblies are available with or without boosters and clutch master cylinders, while 180 assemblies are available with clutch master cylinders but use only manual brake master cylinders.

ust repair is often a part of any vintage car project. While it is possible to make a patch panel of any size and shape, there are ready-made panels available for a lot of popular cars, which can ease the job and save considerable time. Unless you are proficient at metal shaping, the ready-made patch panels are likely to have a better fit and finish than a handmade panel.

Hot Rods by Dean (HRBD), in Phoenix, was recently tasked with repairing rusted areas on the lower quarter-panel of a ’65 Chevelle and chose to use patch panels made by Golden Star Classic Auto Parts. Geoff Jones of HRBD is the man who did the installation, and as you will see the work was done in a very professional manner.

As you look through the photos, you’ll see each of the important steps needed to prepare, fit, and attach panels like these. For this job, the patch panels are joined with a butt joint and TIG welded, but the process would be very similar for an overlapped joint and for MIG welding. The flanges on the front and lower edges of this panel were originally spot-welded into place. A good way to reattach a new panel is to drill or punch a hole in the flange and plug weld through these holes into the metal behind the panel. Done properly, this will exceed the strength of a spot weld, and when ground down flush these plug welds become nearly invisible.

f you’re reading this, chances are you read the first entry of this two-part series in the Nov. ’23 issue. And if you read that, you probably got a little miffed that we cut off smack-dab in the middle of the process required to take a body from straight to perfect. But you know … space limitations and all.

Just like the real world of sanding, this month is more of the same. But we’re projecting beyond where most sanding stories end. Instead of closing at paint, we’re following through the post-production phase.

With technology available today, it’s possible to create a glassy, wet-look finish right out of a gun. But as good as a gun finish can look, it can be better—a whole lot better.

he name Gene Winfield is and has been synonymous with the world of hot rodding, especially custom car building, for longer than most of us can remember. Gene has been to more events than, dare I say, any of us. He is a welcomed figure everywhere and his past and present projects are always attention-grabbers. His enthusiasm for our hobby and his business world never ceases to amaze.

Well, even Gene thought it was time to move on. He has lived and worked in Mojave, California, for the past 20-plus years. Well, as of late this year, he has decided it’s time to move and begin a new chapter is his ever-expanded life. It was back in early October of this year that he held the last open-to-the-public event at his shop (Winfield’s Custom Shop) at what will become the old shop located on Sierra Highway (6 miles south of Mojave).

The 16th Annual Winfield-Watson Gathering, sponsored by Rod Tossers Car Club, was held and had a great turnout with exhibitors taking home a coveted dash plaque and goody bag–but you had to be there by 7 a.m. It was also referred to as the “Gene Winfield Auction/Yard Sale.” There was lots more to do and enjoy. As always, if Gene is involved it’s going to be a good time had by all. Look for this annual get-together to continue when Gene sets up his new shop.