Thread: Does this qualify as a Hot Rod?

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Hi all,

At 49 yrs old, I'm building my first car. It's a roadster version of a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO replica. The body kit is designed to use the Datsun Z cars as a donor. Since it will be getting American iron in the form of a CSB 350 I'm hoping it qualifies as a Hot Rod.
Here are a few pics of my progress and final concept.

IMO not technically a "Hot Rod", but a cool sports car. It's your car, you can call it anything you like.

Don

Hi,
it's really cool car, which engine you have mounted in the machine?
1962 Ferrari V12 or an american engine?

Looks like a Hot Rod to me!!!! Small block engine, big tires, lots of stylin'...Heck yeah, fully qualified to be a Hot Rod!!!! Heck, I used to call my jet boat a Hot Rod, too!!! Anything that goes fast and causes big smiles on the driver's face is a Hot Rod!

A guy across the street from my budy's house had a similar car back in the 70's. I believe he had a Masserati, with a chevy 350 under the hood. Never saw it drive, but might have been something to do with his personal mechanical abilities and not the car/engine! Beautiful body on the Ferrari. Just out of curiosity, why not a z car engine?

Originally Posted by stovens

A guy across the street from my budy's house had a similar car back in the 70's. I believe he had a Masserati, with a chevy 350 under the hood. Never saw it drive, but might have been something to do with his personal mechanical abilities and not the car/engine! Beautiful body on the Ferrari. Just out of curiosity, why not a z car engine?

Being my first real build I'm not breaking the bank. This won't be a show car or a racer. Ferrari V12? ...not in the budget. I'm building a mild SBC 350 for cruising. "Jags That Run" makes a nice inexpensive engine swap kit for the Z cars. The original IL6 of the z just doesn't do justice to the finished VR.

I saw several versions at the Knotts Berry Farm show a few years ago. There was beautiful yellow VR with an original IL6 built to the max. Best looking car there. Next to it was an older VR with a simple Ford V8. No comparison when they were both running. The sound of muscle just can't be beat. I knew then that the Z engine was out.
That made finding a donor much cheaper... it didn't need to run.

Sports Car. Sports Car are cool too!

I would just call it fun, afterall what's in a name. another sportscar vote definatly a cool one and welcome to the car hobby

You can stir up a debate on this topic. Us older guys who got involved a few decades ago, will tell you it has to be '48 or older...according to the popular thinking... and the magazine articles... then.

I also built some "kit cars" in the eighties, and this fits that definition to me.

In the broadest sense, anything modified as a performance car is a "Hot Rod".

...so take your pick. Just have fun, and don't worry too much about opinions.

Yep I am there , Sports car or Kit car , but hotrod? Definately NOT. That said ,It IS one kool project tho just don't get hung up on "tags" If you like it- BUILD IT. Have to be a "Chick" magnet when done.

A lot depends on if you are using the strict definition of Hot Rod, or the broad definition some people use it for. I was talking to an older lady one day and commented about how I liked the 80-ish Mustang convertible she was driving. (4 cylinder, but super clean) She said "Yep, that's my little Hot Rod!" So you just smile and let those comments go by..........if it works for her that is all that matters.

Don

anything with horsepower is a hotrod. that pre49 crap is the nsra stuff. but then to them even a citation is a streetrod

With a body that is sooo smooth as that and the sound of a very health CHEVY under that tilt front,independant suspension on all corners,oh,I forgot to mention 6 speed gearbox, I think you have one HOT RIDE that you should be proud to say,"I built IT and it is MY HOT ROD!!!" Go for it,letz know how it skitz.
Whiplash23

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the feedback. I've been on several kit car and Z car sites, but this has been the biggest response to anything I've posted. I appreciate all your thoughts.

I've always been of the mind that this would not be a replica of any existing car, but a one of a kind expressing my own tastes. I can see that every one here is of the same mind when it comes to self expression, and that's refreshing. I've found too many replica types who feel that if it's not an exact copy, what's the point in building it? The point in building it... is having fun building it!

And I am having fun!

Hot Rod, Street Rod, Sports Car .... call it what you will ...... it just another guy into the sport we all enjoy ..... neat build.

Keep us posted on the progress.

Ratty 46