Hot rods used to be all the rage in America of the past. It raises the question, however, of "What is a Hot rod?". In the mid 1960's the American automotive industry was in excellent shape. High quality cars were being massed produced and offered to the public at affordable prices. During this period there were very few domestic cars that would even closely resemble a compact. The cars were big and they were heavy.

The driving public, in general, were happy with the cars. However, there was a segment that was yearning for more power and more speed. The auto industry responded with the muscle cars. These were existing sedans that the manufactures stripped down and stuffed oversized V8 engines into. There were no bells or whistles.

The idea was to remove anything that wasn't used to make the car move. No radios, no air conditioners and in some cases no back seats. They tried to make the cars as light as possible. The muscle car was extremely successful but some people still wanted more

This is when the hot rod became so popular. These were not factory built cars however. People would take the existing muscle cars and modify them with more power. They would add superchargers, modified intake manifolds, bigger camshafts and multiple carburetors. They would put extra wide tires on the back for maximum traction.

As this trend started catching on, some people took the hot rod to a whole new level. Coupes and sedans of the 1920's and 1930's became a very popular target with the hot rod crowd. Even today you can go to a car show and find scores of 30's hot rods.

These cars are equipped with modern engines and drive trains. The fronts of these cars are usually open so the engine can be seen easily. These cars will typically have the trademark fat tires on the back. These cars aren't necessarily about the absurd amount of horsepower and going fast though. These cars are all about style and show. Whether you are looking for a hot rod that is ready for show or ready for go, there is no shortage of these machines out there.