Rex Rod

Chassis Research Style Dragsters!

Keith — Thu, 06 May 2010 15:22:43 +0000

Pretty rad - right? It’s our latest project - a Chassis Research Style Dragster. We can’t wait to get it on the strip and would love to have some company. If you are interested in your own digger, send us a note!

Hot Rod Revolution

Keith — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:20:26 +0000

The Revolution is back in 2009. Ryan and I are really excited about this year’s show. We are working to line up some really neat cars. There will be a lot of vintage race cars and the focus will be on Bonneville racers - new and old. The traditional hot rodder really needs to put the Revolution on the calendar. This is a show you don’t want to miss.

September 26, 2009 / Penngrove Park, Penngrove, California

www.hotrodrevolution.com

Chopping Roadster Windshield Frames

Keith — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:00:06 +0000

Shortening your roadster windshield frame properly is doable from the home garage without welding. The following steps can apply to ‘26 through ‘36 roadster windshield frames.

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Cowl Lacing

Keith — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:36:06 +0000

Cowl lacing is always a hot topic among hot rodders and restoration gurus. It seems that everyone has their own cowl lacing tricks to prevent the ends from fraying. Here’s how I do it.

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Back to the Blog

Keith — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:23:46 +0000

It’s been a long year and I’ve been so busy building cars that the blog has suffered. Sorry about that. I’m going to bring you all up to date in the next few posts and also include some additional how-to’s. Over the past year I completed a beautiful 1933 coupe, finished up a ‘30 roadster for Bonneville and welcomed the arrival of my daughter Vita Marie. It’s been crazy, but so exciting.

I appreciate everyone being so patient and welcome any questions.

-Keith

You’re never too young to get behind the wheel…

Flame on

Keith — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:19:20 +0000

Do you remember your first? Your first puppy, first kiss, first hot rod? I remember the Tardel family first ‘new car’. Now, as a rule, all of the Tardel family cars were used and old. The family car was - believe it or not - a 1956 Chevy 4 Door Station Wagon. No seat belts and no air conditioning, but hey, the radio worked. This car was my mom’s get around town mobile. She carted us to soccer games, BMX races and drive-in movies.

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Ryan’s YouTube Adventures

Keith — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:22:33 +0000

Well it looks like Ryan was having fun in the coupe, as shown on his YouTube video. Glad to see he’s driving the car. Cudos to Marcie for the excellent camera work.

Since he posted, I’ve been inundated with questions about the car, specifically the motor and even more specifically, the cam shaft. If Ryan’s trying to keep it a secret, it really isn’t. The cat is out of the coupe. I used a 3/8 potvin. They give the motor that ‘can’t put your finger on it’ hot rod sound. Not the best performing cam shaft from a racing perspective, but still a good choice for sound and streetability. Go get ‘em Ryan!

Steering Box - Tardel/Cochran Coupe

Keith — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:51:25 +0000

A reader asked the following:

Q: I was wondering what steering box you used on the Tardel/Cochran coupe?A: The box on the Tardel/Cochran coupe is a 1956 Ford pick-up. Commonly referred to as an F-100. It is widely used and still easy to find at swap meets and on EBay. The original flange was cut off and replaced with one that I custom made to locate it in the stock Model A position. Picture of flange provided below.

Attaching Model A Pick-Up Box to ‘32 Rails

Keith — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 02:54:52 +0000

Last week I received a question by email. It’s a good one that I hear every so often.

Question: Regarding the 1928 roadster pick-up you built, how did you reshape your lower bed rails to follow the shape of the 32 frame kick? Basically, what did you do to make things fit?

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Drive Shaft Shortening

Keith — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 03:38:34 +0000

Many people run into the problem of how to properly measure the length of the drive shaft to fit into the torque tube. The following segment outlines some easy steps to get you through this critical task. It is important that the measurement is accurate and everything fits properly. If you don’t have the tools to modify the drive shaft yourself, you can find a local shop to help you. These tips apply to 1932 to 1948 Fords. Please note that the ‘35/’36 Ford drive shafts are their own animal. I’ll try to post a segment on this in the future.

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