To those who don't know (are there really any who don't) hot rods are souped up, mean machine vintage and classic cars, built for speed, and styled to impress.

But it's not only what's on the inside that counts (although that does count for a lot!) Real hot rod enthusiasts will spend serious money taking a rusted out shell of a car, and turning it into a thing of beauty.

Hot rods have been around since the 1930's, when the first modifiers started changing the engine specs, tires, removing unnecessary weight like convertible tops and other changes designed to reduce weight, increase speed, and give the owner an all round more exciting driving experience!

Amazingly enough, these first hot rods were mainly Model A, B, T, and V-8 Fords. And even more amazing - those cars remain a popular hot rod choice to this day!

Today, hot rods are mainly models from the 1940's to the 1960's, modified using original parts from the same era, as opposed to street rods, which use modern parts to push the performance boundaries. There's even a growing industry focused on building steel replicas of vintage and classic models, to allow new enthusiasts, who may have trouble finding original bodies to work their magic on.

While the interest in hot rods dwindled during the 60's, when car manufacturers brought out models like the GTO, which came off the production line built for speed, and really did not need any changes to make it faster.

That all changed after 1973, when the oil crisis lead manufacturers to look at fuel economy, rather than performance, power and speed, as their main objective when designing new models. The hot rod was back, and it's been gaining popularity ever since.

While there's no question that the hot rod phenomenon is as American as apple pie, it's spreading rapidly. The UK and Sweden are fast becoming major hot rod centers, and even countries as far afield as South Africa are seeing growing communities of people building up vintage racecars and rods, and showing off their efforts.

And once these beauties are ready to show off, there's no shortage of shows to do just that. GreaseORama, Viva Las Vegas, and other US events, as well as those held internationally, give the grease heads that live for the smell of gas, the gleam of chrome and the roar of a perfectly tuned V8 a place to boast with their babies, check out the competition, and pick up new ideas and tips.

But it's not all about looking pretty. These bad boys prove their mettle on the track too. The NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) formed in 1951, organizes the NHRA PowerAde Drag Racing Series, where hot rodders put their metal monsters to the test on the track. Ahh. The smell of racing fuel in the morning. The whine of the engines. The thrills, the spills. That's what hot rodding is all about.

And while it may not be a cheap hobby, it is a labour of love, and if you do love cars, and racing, surely this is the ultimate expression? Turning a beat up old wreck into the ultimate in vintage racing car? 

Gentlemen, start your engines!

By Tamera Aspelling

Tamera is a freelance writer.