It seems like only yesterday that we posted a delightful ‘gasser’ style hot rod by Flickr’s Tim Inman. Because it was. Anyway, he’s published another in quick succession, this time based on a Chevrolet ‘Chevy II’, better known as the Nova, and inspired by several real Nova racers built back in 1964. The silly drivetrain and even sillier engine are perfectly period-correct, and there’s more of the model to see at Tim’s photostream. Click the link for more gas.
The famed Fiat 500 was not the brand’s first city car. For that you have to go way back to 1936 and the Topolino, or ‘little mouse’ (which was also the Italian name for Mickey Mouse), a tiny 569cc, 13hp two-seater sold up until the 500’s introduction in 1955.
Designed for two, but often seen with four or five very uncomfortable people squeezed inside, the Topolino was one of the smallest cars in the world at the time, and a hugely successful one, with over half-a-million produced.
Important to Italy’s mobility as the Topolino was however, we wouldn’t think of it as the obvious choice for a ‘Gasser’ hot rod. Fortunately Tim Inman‘s mind works differently to ours, because the resultant creation is unhinged brilliance, and there’s more of Tim’s Topolino Gasser to see on Flickr. Click the link above to make the jump.
Hot rodders in the 1960s were TLCB Elf levels of nuts. From fire trucks to beer wagons, ‘show rods’ as they were known dismissed notions of getting in, seeing out, steering, and other such formalities in favour of ludicrous caricatures, and few were more cartoonesque than this, Ray Fahrner’s 1967 ‘Boothill Express’.
Based on an 1850s wooden funeral coach fitted with a Hemi V8, Ray’s creation looked so wild onlookers at the time doubted it could actually drive. Which it couldn’t. Annoyed by the naysayers (although they were correct), Ray’s team built a second ‘Boothill Express’, this time engineered to run, and took it to 130mph on the dragstrip. Which must’ve been terrifying. Still, at least if it all went wrong the coffin was right there to accommodate the remaining body parts.
Pictured here alongside one of the numerous toy versions that were inspired by the real car, Lino Martins has recreated Fahrner’s iconic funeral coach show rod brilliantly in brick form, including the Model-T steering, open bench seat, coffin curtains (with tassels), and the mid-mounted Hemi V8. Join the express checkout queue via the link above, and you can click here to find out more about the outrageous 1960s original.
This beautifully presented hot rod was discovered by one of our Elves on Flickr. Built by regular bloggee Jonathan Elliott it’s a Ford 5-Window, so called because it has, er… six windows. No matter, it’s fantastic, and you can check it out via the link.
This improbably-proportioned creation comes from the aptly-named Drop Shop of Flickr, who has built it in memory of two lost friends. Based on a Ford Model A, Drop’s spidery hot rod features a highly detailed engine, suicide doors, realistic brakes, working steering, and such severely chopped bodywork it likely necessitates the passengers poking out of the top like the dinosaur from The Flintstones.
Excellent building techniques and top-quality photography complete the model, and there’s more to see of Drop’s superbly-presented hot rod at their photostream; make your way flatly there via the link in the text above.
This is the ‘Kookie T’, one of the all-time seminal hot rods, and the inspiration for very probably a thousand hot rods that have followed. Built by hot rodder and actor Norm Grabowski, the Kookie-T exploded into magazines during the mid-’50s, creating such a stir that the car was chosen to make a starring appearance in the ’50s TV show ’77 Sunset Strip’.
Norm’s custom car prowess led to further TV and movie contracts, and eventually allowed him to appear in several productions himself, acting in films including ‘The Monkees’, ‘Batman’, ‘The Towering Inferno’, ‘The Cannonball Run’ and… er, ‘Sex Kittens Go to College’, amongst others.
This fantastic replica of the iconic hot rod comes from previous bloggee Andre Pinto, who has recreated the Kookie-T brilliantly in brick form. Stunning presentation matches the excellent brickwork, and there’s more to see at Andre’s ‘Norm Grabowski’s Kookie Car’ Flickr album. Click the link to take a look, unless you’re already Googling that last film title. You are aren’t you…
This time the phrase is more than metaphorical! Built by previous bloggee Andrea Lattanzio, this is the ‘Outhouse’, a Ford V8-powered toilet-in-a-shed based on a 1924 Ford truck, as constructed by hot rodder Bob Reisner during the bizarre novelty hot rod scene. Wooden handling and the aerodynamics of, well… an outhouse aside, this TLCB Writer is rather enamoured by the practicalities of Bob’s creation – you’d never need to use a highway services restroom again! Take a dump on the interstate via the link above!
If you’re a 1960s drag racing fan, seven, or a TLCB Elf, this post is for you. 1960’s ‘Competition Coupe’ drag racers were little more than the back two-thirds of a 1920s-30s coupe attached to two girders, with a ginormous V8 mounted mostly where the windshield should be. They were gloriously stupid, which of course means TLCB staff love them too. This one comes from previous bloggee Tim Inman, and you can tear up the strip c1966 via the link above!
Regular bloggee 1saac W. returns to TLCB with something rather more wooden than we’re used to seeing in automotive circles. Inspired by a real hot rod, 1saac’s wood-panelled rat rod includes Winnie the Pooh stickers, white-wall tyres, and the jauntiest front axle we’ve seen in some time. Head to Flickr to take a look.
A beige 1970s economy estate car might not be the most exciting genre of vehicle, but we do like the mundane here at The Lego Car Blog. TLCB Elves however, are more… er, ‘basic’ in what they like. Think ‘six year old’. Or the ‘Fast & Furious franchise’.
Cue Sergio Batista‘s Ford Escort Mk1 estate, somewhat repurposed as a ‘gasser’ style hot rod. Sergio has built an unmodified Escort estate too, in delightful ’70s tedium, but for some reason the Elves seem to prefer this one…
There’s more to see at his photostream, where you can find both the Elves’ preferred variant (this one) and ours (standard ’70s monotony). Click the link above to make the jump!
After more than a few posts that definitely weren’t cars at all, we’re back on brief with previous TLCB competition winner 1saac W.’s beautifully presented ‘32 Ford hot rod. Disc wheels, a detailed exposed engine, and an Adventurers windshield create an accurate period aesthetic and there’s more to see on Flickr at the link.
There’s little cooler than a hot rod, but a modified classic car hauler will do it. Flickr’s Johnni D is the builder behind this one, and he’s thrown a hot rod in too for good measure. See more at his photostream via the link.
You’re never more than 6ft from a rat. Or something. We’re OK with that here at TLCB Towers, because we’re certainly never more than 6ft away from a TLCB Elf, which is probably worse.
Cue Sergio Batista and his brown rat rod, which makes us all very close to a rat today. There’s more to see at Sergio’s photostream, where you can get even closer should you wish. To his rat, not a TLCB Elf. You wouldn’t want that…
Black on black has been the default colour choice of gangsters, politicians, and vigilante crime-fighters for decades. Regular bloggee Jonathan Elliott goes back to the earlier days of moody paint schemes with this deeply black hot rod roadster, which uses just two colours; the image could be black-and-white and it’d look exactly the same. Join the gangsters, politicians and vigilantes in the dark via the link above.
Not many people can say that. One really. And we suspect if he knew anyone else was saying it he wouldn’t be happy.
However thanks to TLCB Master MOCer Nico71, you dear readers, can say ‘My Other Car’s the Batmobile’, as this deeply cool hot rod – instructions for which are available – is constructed only from the parts found within the new LEGO Technic 42127 Batmobile set.
There’s working steering, a V8 engine and… er, that’s it. Because to be fair it’s all the 42127 set is equipped with. Plus some unnecessary light-up bricks, but our thoughts on those being a Technic ‘feature’ mirror Batman’s feelings on impersonators.
You can convert your own 42127 Batmobile set into Nico’s hot rod alternate via his excellent website, where building instructions, further imagery and a video are available. Click the link above to take a look.
