Hot Rod or Street Rod?

I get this alot at car shows, that is people asking me what the difference is between a Hot Rod and a Street Rod. I say a Street Rod is anything from about 1900-1948 that is modified for more performance and comfort such as a V-8 engine, O.D. tranny and air conditioning. A Hot Rod will be the same years of cars, but modified for performance only. The question is, can a Street Rod be a Hot rod and vice versa? I say you can call a Street Rod a Hot Rod, but not the other way around.

Originally Posted by F15Falcon

The question is, can a Street Rod be a Hot rod and vice versa? I say you can call a Street Rod a Hot Rod, but not the other way around.

Yep, a street rod could be a hot rod, Tom. Een though it's not a combo that I'd build, billet, Vintage Air and blown Big Blocks go well together.

Conversely, a traditional hot rod using your criteria and mine also, really can't be a street rod. Though hot rods often have nice paint, wheels, upholstry a dash of 3 of chrome here and there is built primarily for getting from Point A to Point B fastest. IMO anyway, a hot rod isn't powered by a 350 crate mill, doesn't have power windows, A/C, shag carpeting, a bunch of machined billet parts nor is particularly built with comfort in mind. Of course as with all modified cars, things can get a bit murky and what I've stated above isn't always the case. But I think y'all get my general idea.

Jan

Well I think F-15 is right about the years Street Rods are pre 48 then I think Street Cruisers are 49 through 64 But I could be wrong about. Then there are the 55,56,57 group that seems to be seperate. But I ve seen some pretty street rods with Hot rod motors and trans, narrowed rearends so some could be both but just putting a small cam, headers and an aluminum manifold doesen't make it a hot rod. IMO!

Shag Carpeting..... WTF !!!!

Originally Posted by 64Ragtop

Well I think F-15 is right about the years Street Rods are pre 48 then I think Street Cruisers are 49 through 64 But I could be wrong about. Then there are the 55,56,57 group that seems to be seperate. But I ve seen some pretty street rods with Hot rod motors and trans, narrowed rearends so some could be both but just putting a small cam, headers and an aluminum manifold doesen't make it a hot rod. IMO!

I agree with the HAMB general cutoff year of 1964 as to traditional rods. Other than a few GTO's and 442s, 1964 was the last year before the MuscleCar Era.

Jan

I thought that there was no specific year ranges....

My impression was that "hot rods" are actually driven on the street, and "street rods" are just plain out show cars. I disitinctly remember hearing tha somewhere, either on tv or in a magazine, and thinking: "shouldn't that be the other way around?"

But oh well, that goes to show you how much my generation relies on tv for information nowadays....

Probably because of my age and lifes experiences I have a little different perspective concerning this subject. I class a car or a truck a hotrod if the engine has been replaced with a much larger engine or the existing engine has really been hopped up for exceptional performance.These cars are normally driven hard and pushed to the limit of performance. They are not setup for full time drag racing and spend the majority of there time on the highway.

The cars & trucks I class as street rods are more cosmetic with fancy body work & paint. Basically running chromed out stock or mildly modified engines. Usually more show than go. Street rods see some street action but spend lots of their time parked in a line of street rods at car shows.

If a guy builds a car with both the above criteria I guess he has built a Hot Street Rod or something to that effect. Also IMO if you own a Musclecar you own a Musclecar. You could possibly call a Musclecar a factory Hotrod.

Originally Posted by Calspec

I class a car or a truck a hotrod if the engine has been replaced with a much larger engine or the existing engine has really been hopped up for exceptional performance.These cars are normally driven hard and pushed to the limit of performance. They are not setup for full time drag racing and spend the majority of there time on the highway.

The cars & trucks I class as street rods are more cosmetic with fancy body work & paint. Basically running chromed out stock or mildly modified engines. Usually more show than go. Street rods see some street action but spend lots of their time parked in a line of street rods at car shows.

I have to say I thank Calspec has summed it up quite nicely! My Dad always had this basic idea when it came to this discussion as well...Hot rods usually run, Street rods usually sit...I know it isn't always the case, some cars go for the looks and the go.

I think this is kind of similar to motrcycles, is it a custom or a chopper? I learned from the ol' greybeards the reason is was called a "chopper" is because you wanted to go faster and you got rid of all the "unnecessary" things, chopping it off, hence the name...customs seem to add it all back, and then some.

Same argument in engines too...is someone actually an engine builder, or just an assembler....

guess it all comes down to each person and their beliefs...mine is I don't care if you call it a hot rod or a street rod...as long as you are out enjoying it, that is what counts!

Mike

Originally Posted by dfree383

Shag Carpeting..... WTF !!!!

maybe that was meant to be''shagging on the carpet''would make more cents to me

If Tom said it, I believe it...Except for the hot rod part.

Rick