How many "Hot rods" used as Daily Drivers?

[special-K]

I've been driving my '72 daily for a month now. It was all I had for three months last year and the same the year before. It's very reliable but hurts my pocket for sure at the pump. But,that's the crazy cost of gas,not the truck's fault. It costs too much to drive anything. My Harley costs $17.50 to fill up! (5 gal)

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I think you need to up your HP requirements before you consider it a "Hot Rod". These days, 350 is below standard on late model trucks and SUV's. My wifes 07 Denali has 385hp, and the new Jeep SRT8 will have 490hp

Nothing made "these days" is a "Hot Rod",as mentioned in the title. Those would be "factory",no matter how hot. Even putting chips and such in newer stuff doesn't constitute a hot rod. Plenty of "true" hot rods actually had/have under 350 hp.

[jitteryguy]

I concider a HotRod any vehicle that has been heavely modified .
I aint got no idea what the HP but this is my most modified vehicle besides the MonteCarlo but it dont see any street time.
have'n 8 vehicles kinda change's the daily driver thing. Moma's Jimmy get driven every day, the MonteCarlo every friday night.
the other 6 get there share of raod time, when I'm home I drive each one to work as odten as I can.
I should drive my '88 S10 the most (21mpg) but I dont, I enjoy em all to much.
thats when I'm home, for the last 2 yrs Moma's been driven some of em and 3 of I aint never seen cept for picture's !
now if I can stop buy'n em and finish one or six I'd be good.

[domeier]

Originally Posted by CG

... to me a rod is an much older car, 40s and back, and not street rodded lol.

So the answer to the original post would be zero?

[CG]

Originally Posted by domeier

So the answer to the original post would be zero?

LOL, The answer to the original post is I should just keep my big trap shut

[Indian113]

CG,I don't think you need to keep your op to yourself! I feel we are adults and a good discussion is healthy,besides I usually agree with you on your thoughts.

[domeier]

Yeah. What's a thread without a good catfight!

[CoggedBelt75]

Originally Posted by Indian113

CG,I don't think you need to keep your op to yourself! I feel we are adults and a good discussion is healthy,besides I usually agree with you on your thoughts.

I agree with this.

[dammitmitchell]

[dammitmitchell]

i get 20.1 with a med/hard spring on the secondaries... when i have the 2.41 open rear installed... usually cruising 80 mph at about 2200ish rpm...

[pockets]

I daily drive mine, 30+ miles to work and back. ~500hp 383, 700r4. Current has stock 3.08 but planning on getting a posi and 4.10's.

Mileage sucks but the fun factor makes up for it
Posted via Mobile Device

[The_BullDog]

Well she isnt pre-40's and i dont know for sure that its 350+hp but i like to think of her as a "hot rod".

sbc 355 with alum heads and intake ported and matched, 750cfm, mild cam, 700R4, headers and a duel 70 series exhaust when the cutout dumps are closed. I dont know the MPG but they arnt good lolol i would say about 11ish. going to be alot worse when the blower gets tossed on guess its true you gotta pay to play!

[fryer1979]

I'll drive my '79 Z28 almost daily during the warmer months and better weather. It is built from stock by me, in my garage, so to me it is a hot rod. Unfortunately all of the heater ducting has long since been removed so she sits a bit in the colder months. I'll drive my '65 Chevy all year round, but she's a stock 6 banger for now. I am going to be building that little 6-er up, so she may be a hot rod yet.

[fakerwade]

Not a "hot rod",,,but sure is a lot of FUN!!!!

,

355 Vortec (around 325 hp)
,

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by oldblue72c10

"N2TRUX" Sorry DENALI'S dont qualify as a hotrod. Dont get me wrong those Denalis with the 6.2 will flat out move but what the question is talking about our classic chevrolet trucks. 14mpg and less haha

I understand what your saying, and don't consider the Denali a "hot rod", although I can assure you there have been a couple of spanked trucks that would disagree.

My point was not saying the Denali is a hot rod, just clarifying the HP requirements. I feel by today standards an injected motor making 350 HP is a starting point. My 77 has a Ramjet 350 that makes 350 HP and I wouldn't hesitate to drive it all day every day. If that motor were not EFI it would be a different story.

[grancuda]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I think you need to up your HP requirements before you consider it a "Hot Rod". These days, 350 is below standard on late model trucks and SUV's. My wifes 07 Denali has 385hp, and the new Jeep SRT8 will have 490hp

07 Denali has 385hp and is 5610lbs and runs a 15.0 in the quarter, that is hardly a hot rod or even a real performer.
12 SRT8 Jeep has 465hp and is 5223 but it does run a 13.3 but with all-wheeldrive the fun factor is not in there at all plus it looks like a hopped up Caravan.

If you actually compare apples to apples and compare curb weight vs hp you will find that these 2 are using a lot of motor to push around an extra 2000lbs.

My ’72 Stepside is 3640lbs with a 290hp small block with manual trans and 3.73 gears
The ’07 Denali is 5610lbs with a 385hp LS motor with auto and 3.42 gears

If you compare weights/hp your 5610lbs Denali would have to have 450hp to have the same power to weight ratio as my 290hp truck. Plus once you make that power, your going through a heavy automatic that sucks power away and your going to have to turn those heavy 18” wheels with big tires which inturn your not going to get the feel of the power at all.

If you compare the weights/hp of the Jeep at 5223lbs with its 465hp, I would have to increase my power to 325hp to equal the jeeps power/weight ratio. Plus the jeep is all-wheel drive and not a fun driver to actually “hot rod”.

A 350hp small block in a standard shift shortbed with a good rear gear ratio is going to be way more fun than any newer overweight suv, hands down, no contest.

[grancuda]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I understand your question and your intent. These days your topic needs specify if you intend to run a carb or injection. With a carb, much more than 400hp is limited in street function. With EFI, a 500HP streeter is become average with the LSx powered crowd.

I guess if you can’t tune a carb this may be the case but if your building a hot rod then you would have to tune the injection as well for whatever your setup is. Not sure where people come up with this stuff. Injection only helps when the temps vary wildly and elevations are different, that’s it, they don’t increase mileage or horsepower….. if you properly tune them both.

I'm running a 600hp big block in my '69 and I can go out there and fire it up and it runs good anytime.

[Tx79chevy]

Right on grancuda!

[68GMCCustom]

the efi vs a carb is a good point.

My wife's LS2 powered 395hp/400tq TrailBlazer SS with 4L70-E and a 9.5" 4.10 posi SF 14 bolt is a "hot rod" so to speak (to me anyway)...and with efi definitely is a daily driver, and good road trip vehicle.



yet this '78 Z/28 dd hot rod w/carb had only 165hp?



and while my '68 truck is definitely a hot rod with a carb'd 6.0L LSx. It is daily driver capable... but with roughly 500hp not very practical. Maybe I should switch it back to efi

[justplainray]

I drive this as much as I can, until the snow flys.

400 sbc 700r4 locker rear

justplainray

[fryer1979]

My '79 Z28.....soooo far from stock.



Most don't consider a car this new as a "Hot Rod", but to me it is. 100% built by me, for me, the way I like it. That is what Hot Rodding is all about, right?

[CoggedBelt75]

^^^^IMO yes.

[bigblock73]

"Hot rods" come in all shapes and sizes, but to me it typically means pre-40's...and I would venture to say most of those didn't make over 300HP...especially the TRUE hot rods built immediately following WWII.

[prostreetc10]

here is mine. not a dd, but it is fun to drive. prostreet is the way to go if you ask me, just my opinion. see the two fords rusting in the background lol.

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by special-K

Nothing made "these days" is a "Hot Rod",as mentioned in the title. Those would be "factory",no matter how hot. Even putting chips and such in newer stuff doesn't constitute a hot rod. Plenty of "true" hot rods actually had/have under 350 hp.

I guess it depends on what you classify as a "hot rod". Myself I see it has anything that has enough HP/TQ to allow it to accelerate excessively quick or way above average.

With that said, I totally disagree that there is nothing made "these days" is a "Hot Rod". There are cars and trucks that roll of the line daily that have over 400 HP and many close to 500HP. They will out perform the hot rods of the past in ever way. They run quicker in the quarter, handle better in the turns, get better mpg, and do it with the factory 1000 watt sound system blasting out tunes.

[CG]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

I guess it depends on what you classify as a "hot rod". Myself I see it has anything that has enough HP/TQ to allow it to accelerate excessively quick or way above average.

With that said, I totally disagree that there is nothing made "these days" is a "Hot Rod". There are cars and trucks that roll of the line daily that have over 400 HP and many close to 500HP. They will out perform the hot rods of the past in ever way. They run quicker in the quarter, handle better in the turns, get better mpg, and do it with the factory 1000 watt sound system blasting out tunes.

I agree with you that any performance car built today will kick butt on any factory cars from the past, and probably most "hot rodded" cars from back in the day (what ever hot rodded means lol).