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Can a "Four Door" be a "Hot Rod"

27K views 110 replies 35 participants last post by  Northstar T 
#1 ·
I titled this introductory post simply to get an opinion and introduce myself as a "new subscriber". I've always been a "motor head" since my youth, first on the block - in the neighborhood to have a mini bike, go-cart, then a motor bike (whizzer - wish I still had that one), then first to have a car....but I am the "back yard" mechanic type...no major builds, body off restorations, simply the "under the hood" wrenching needed, and I've built - repaired a lot of body components with old license plates and "bondo"...so you see the type of "wrench head" I am....love the "Barrett Jackson" cars, but mine are more "Drive and Enjoy" classics. Now with that said and getting back to the title of my post. I look for, buy, drive, fix and flip the somewhat "Un-conventional" classics...you know: Vans, Wagons, Corvairs, Vegas, VW, Pinto, Maverick.....love the "off - classic" cars....somewhat lean toward the Ford brand. Just to give you a little more background on my likes; When I go to the local "Bike Nights", you know where everyone rides a HD, I ride a Triumph....local "Car Shows", you know where everyone drives a Camaro or Chevell, I drive and show off my Ford Maverick...so that's my intro, my question and current ride: 1975 Ford Maverick (four door), "Police Interceptor" (mock), black beauty, trophy winner....is she a "Hot Rod", I think so and a blast to drive. Hey, can we post pics on this site? Thanks for listening (reading).
 

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#31 ·
I just think it's rude to call it anything but a "hot rod" if it's been "hot rodded" I don't care what shape the body is, two door, four door, convertible, it has been "hot rodded", thus it is a "Hot rod". It's like saying it can't be a hot rod if it doesn't have a V8 or if it's a Chevy, only Fords can be a hot rod. That is all opinion about the kind of car we like, I personally don't believe I would ever PREFER a four door hot rod over a two door hot rod, but that doesn't mean that the dude who owns one doesn't own a "Hot rod", right?

How about this one in the latest Street Rodder mag. Wade Keith 1932 Ford sedan - Street Rodder Magazine
Can anyone say that this ISN'T a "Hot rod"?

Brian

 
#33 ·
It might be the time era we grew up in ,thinking a Hot Rod had to be a two door ,and most of the time pre 50s,it may be that I have changed after passing 60 but, I sold a 2 Dr 55 Chevy wagon a couple months ago and probably will buy a 4 dr wagon to replace it , much easer to get in rear seat , less wear and tear on interior trim ,since most of the people I go out to car shows or just for dinner are close to my age , no one wants to try to climb in rear seat of a two door ,I Will still keep some of my 2drs and p/u ,will they be Hot Rods a matter of opinion ,But my opinion ,,Yes,:thumbup::thumbup:
 
#35 ·
When I first spotted this thread, I thought to myself: "This is going to get interesting!" And it has. Everyone has an opinion about 2 door vs. 4 door, and the debate will never end. Personally, I like em' all. But my "Hot Rod" is a 48 Plymouth 4-door, and I like it. Many here would not, but that's OK with me. As long as you consider your car a "Hot Rod", then it is a "Hot Rod". It really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.:thumbup:
 
#40 ·
I remember like it was yesterday at fellow student at my high school at the drags with his 57 Chevy four door and the announcer saying over the pa when he introduced him "Two doors in back for traction". LOL, It has been a running joke all these years. :D Damn I miss that track, makes me sick that it was closed down, one of the fastest tracks in the nation. But hey, we got a six Starbucks in town on the location, we couldn't have lived without that.

Brian
 
#41 ·
I watch a guy with a old beat up truck at the drag's one day..Beat every one and took the money... Guy's was red lighting and some running over their time to catch him.. It was real funny to see him at the begainning and everyone said... What's wrong with this guy ???:eek: He doesn't have a chance to win... Well he did...:D
 
#47 ·
Some of my friends and I have "hotrodded" '94, '95 and '96 Impala SS's and race them....mostly against ourselves, but as to whether or not we're really accepted by the other hot rodders is another question. I don't know if we're hot rodders or just a novelty...but it sure is fun. Here's a link with some of the times and mods Dynamic Top ETs Some of them are pretty quick for 4,000 lb grocery getters. :)
 
#51 ·
I love it both ways, stock come on now it's a charmer! I would LOVE to drive it like that too! I dig the wheels. I love those just off the tow truck photos. :D

Brian
 
#65 ·
My five thousand pound Town Car is built on an aftermarket pro touring chassis and has a crate engine from a performance builder. It might not be a Viper beater, but it sure is a hot rod. The most comfortable of my four.

I like roadsters best. I've a '57 Thunderbird and a '62 Corvette that are beautiful.... but I'm getting too fat to drive them.

I'm not crazy about four place coupes because I don't see the point of back seats without doors to access them. I don't have a back seat in my Bullitt replica 'stang.

I don't like pillarless hardtops because dragged into modernity, they look like rattletraps and usually are. There's a reason they don't make them anymore.

But four door pillared sedans make great street rods to actually drive. A good friend made a mid sixties GTO out of a four door pillared Lemans and a 421 Bonneville engine, and I like it better than any GTO GM ever made. Just put the right badges on what you like. The 421, by the way, had the same external footprint as the Tempest 326 it replaced.
 
#66 ·

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#68 ·
Very observant! LOL I ran a Red Ram and then the Z11 that you noticed the valve covers that I picked up from a factory race team that wasn't reclaimed by the factory but was missing the intake and I had to modify and weld flanges to an MT cross ram to fit the heads angle and highth I ran in B Gas class when it blew at Milan drag way I couldn't repair it and went to a 302 YZ based engine with a tunnel ram and later droped compression to 5 to 1 & put a 471 blower on the 302 with 30 # boost for the strip and changed pulleys to drop to 18 on the street! I had cancer and had to sell it a few years back:( I sure miss that car:thumbup: It was well known on Woodward in the 60s & 70s and was a blast to drive:D

Jester
 
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