Thread: The Perfect Rod Kit?

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Just for fun, if you were pulling together the ultimate hot rod kit of basic parts, what components would be in that bag?

-Chassis
-Suspension
-Differential
-Engine
-Transmission
-Steering

Let the debate begin!

Deuce frame. Dropped 32-36 axle, juice brakes, wide 5 hubs, V8 quick change. Streetable hot flatthead, not sure on tranny, maybe a T5 and F1 steering box.
And a Gennie 32 3 window body.

No body?

Many moons ago, a partner and I were trying to get into the kit car biz. Our plan was to take advantage of a known sports car of the '50s that we thought was available...then add a hot rod kit, and maybe one more product.

We had a long discussion about the ultimate hot rod of all time. We settled on the '32 roadster, and we were going to add a lift-off 3-window top. The frame would have been '32 rails, and the setup would be for a smallblock Chevy (yeah, yeah, yeah...I've heard the theorys...but it has definitely been the most popular engine for the last five decades!) a 9" Ford axle, and a tube front axle.

Depends on the market you are after........low end (entry level) or high end (Deuce, etc.)

On the low end, probably no company has been as successful as Total Performance. Mickey Luria has been doing it for what, 30 years or so now? and many competitors have come and gone in that time. His secret is that he sells the bodies and frames very inexpensively, then makes a few bucks on the parts to finish them off.

I am not saying his kits are the highest quality out there, nor are they crap. He just knows his market very well and supplies a complete system that even a person with no equipment and little skill can turn into a running/driving car. I think some of his stuff could be higher quality, but maybe in that particular market that is what the traffic will bear.

There are others out there, like Spirit Industries who also offer similar kits, so I guess if there were an "ultimate kit" the T bucket versions would be right up at the top of the list. Few of these include engines, but a crate engine and rebuilt transmission can be sourced locally and save shipping costs.

Don

Something weird is going on. I posted, came back later and my post wasn't there (no biggy, sometimes I foreget to hit submit). So I post again and I come back this morning, original post is there and second one is gone. Is this like a twilight zone thread?

Oh oh, that ALWAYS happens right before your keyboard starts to smoke..........RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Don