I have just finished watching the 5 programs American Hotrod - "Alumatub". What a show.
These guys built an aluminium (they kept saying aluminum) car from scratch. The body work was passed out to a bodywork specialist and it was amazing
to see them make all the compound curves and tig weld using butt welds for all the panels. Made it look so simple.
I guess it should be simple to make n Ali hardtop then.....
Link to the alumatub car
[Edited on 29/8/05 by ewanspence]
seen that its pretty good. i want a hot rod now
That Alumitub is really something else. Big V8 and as light as a feather.....mmmmmmm
I love hot rods. Went to the hot rod show in Ipswich yesterday. Some lovely cars there!!
Hot rod'd hurse with a coffin in was my favourite!!
When i was a kid i used to buy Custom Car and Street Machine magazines every month and my beadroom walls were covered in the pull out posters. There
was not 1" of spare room for another pic.
Shame they are not as popular as they used to be.
I had similar wall paper on my walls. Is there still a custom scene in the UK? Do we have cars that can be hot rodded like some of these american cars
can be or do we just have the Chavs moddifying their Corsas or Peugeot 206s
But I was just in awe of these guys doing such an amazing job when they rebuild these cars, make alloys and many other complex parts. You do really
appreciate it more when you have started to build you own car.
Main difference is they have a $m workshop I have a 20x 10 garage.
[Edited on 29/8/05 by ewanspence]
this looks awesome! id cover the wheels myself though. 
There is a custom car scene but it's pretty small. There were some very nice cars at the Bromley pagent of motoring.
quote:
Originally posted by Danozeman
I love hot rods. Went to the hot rod show in Ipswich yesterday. Some lovely cars there!!
Hot rod'd hurse with a coffin in was my favourite!!
beam front axle (not independent)
still beautiful! 
Dave that calibra was mad. Some cracking cars there. I liked the pick ups.
Alot of the rods are modified ford poplars.
Ive got a Aussie ford LTD 5.8 V8 tucked away im tempted to have a bash with.
I would post some piices of the show but the archive wont let me upload.
[Edited on 29/8/05 by Danozeman]
quote:
Originally posted by jack trolley
beam front axle (not independent).
quote:
Originally posted by gazza285
Its not about handling, its about looks.
I saw a load of these yesterday. What I want to know is how do they get away with having no mudguards? I suppose it's because they're not
classed as a new build. I don't think we would get through the SVA without cycle wings.
Cheers
Jon
I'll probably get flamed for saying so, but they're a bit too "london taxi" for my liking...
Nick
Its all about the chassis Jon. They get reg'd as the old cars they were so no test. Just mudguard for mot.
quote:
Originally posted by donut
When i was a kid i used to buy Custom Car and Street Machine magazines every month and my beadroom walls were covered in the pull out posters. There was not 1" of spare room for another pic.
Shame they are not as popular as they used to be.
quote:
Originally posted by chrisg
I used to buy Custom Car too, strictly for the cars of course and not because of the semi naked women *ahem*
Cheers
Chris
Having been a manager in various places I can only stand back in amazement at the things that BC and Duane (?) do and say. They're forever
saying that "so-and-so isn't doing the right thing" or "no-one's doing the jobs that need doing". BC is the boss, and
Duane's the foreman - they should be TELLING people what to do, how to do it, and by what time!
If I watch any of these programmes at all, I'll watch Overhaulin' and Biker Build-Off - no-one's having "issues", there are
very few tantrums, and generally everyone's getting the job done without throwing a major wobbler every 2 minutes (as seen in "American
Chopper" ).
DJ
I'd guess that a lot of their "deadlines" are designed to add drama to the show. If I were going to spend $100,000 or so for them to
build my car, the LAST thing I'd want them to do is rush to get it done.
That being said, Boyde and Duane are horrible managers, and it's no wonder some of their best people leave for other jobs. I assume the episodes
showing in the UK are ones we've already seen here. Is the Aluma-tub build the most recent shown there? If so, there are some interesting
changes coming up for Boyd's crew - one of which is really a kick in the nuts for Boyd.
They've shown half of the latest series, the one where Roy gets the new assistant, the black guy, and then gone back almost to the begining.
Very frustrating.
I think the "deadline" aspect of the show ruins it - it's all they talk about.
Start a couple of months earlier FFS!
Cheers
Chris
Sorry Chris, that's an old series, saw it about 6 months ago
That happened in Episode 25 - up to 39 now.
ATB
Simon
[Edited on 4/9/05 by Simon]