Vintage Speed Parts, How To Build A Traditional Ford Hot Rod & Ford Speed Manual 3 Book Set

When most people think of speed parts, they rewind a few decades and think back to the Ford flatheads that were so prevalent in the 1940s and 1950s. However, did you know that the speed parts industry began way back in the Model T era? It’s true. As soon as vehicles were mass produced, manufacturers were looking for ways to make them faster. Manufacturers, such as Roof, Rajo, Winfield, Miller, Frontenac, and Holley, made speed parts for 4-cylinder Model T engines and accomplished speeds of up to 100 mph!

In Vintage Speed Parts: The Equipment That Fueled the Industry, veteran hot rod historian Tony Thacker looks at the history of hot rodding through the eyes of speed equipment manufacturers. Covered chronologically, the book begins with the early 4-cylinder engines. In 1932, Henry Ford introduced the flathead V-8, which was slow to be adopted as the engine of choice in racing until the parts industry caught up. Once it did, the flathead, although interrupted by the war, was the engine to run until the automobile manufacturers introduced overhead-valve V-8 engines in the late 1940s. Chrysler’s early- 1950s Hemi and Chevrolet’s small-block V-8 in 1955 spelled the end for the flattie. Both mills dominated well into the 1970s, and the speed industry was there to support all platforms in spades. During that period, every auto manufacturer made a V-8 worthy of modification, and the speed industry boomed. Eventually, the speed equipment manufacturers grew to the point of becoming corporate entities, as mergers and acquisitions became the much less interesting story.

Parts covered include special cylinder heads, magnetos, camshaft and valvetrain upgrades, downdraft carburetors, headers, multiple-carburetor setups, and even superchargers. Everyone figured out how to make engines more powerful, upgrading with the type of parts that were being produced decades later, even to today. Join in the fun of reviewing the history of speed through this tale of vintage speed parts.

• A unique look at hot rodding as seen through the eyes of the speed parts industry

• Features never-before-published images of vintage speed parts and the cars that ran them

• Automotive aftermarket speed parts is a multibillion dollar industry today

What makes the book so valuable is the way that Bishop and Tardel explain to the reader not only what they are doing, but the logic behind the decision to do each different aspect of the car a certain way. From picking an intake manifold to deciding on the proper brakes and even choosing the best Flathead block, Vern Tardel's many years of experience in building Ford hot rods is free for the price of a softbound book Thinking about building a hot rod This book is a great resource.

Ol Skool Rodz

Build your own flathead roadster just as it would have been built in the 1950s! Using a 1929 Ford Model A, this guide follows its construction from start to fantastic finish. 

Bishop begins with a wealth of expert advice on planning your project, finding traditional parts, and acquiring the tools, time, space, and services needed. From frame, front suspension and steering, to brakes, engine and transmission, Bishops expert approach is fully illustrated with specially commissioned photos and line drawings.

Reprint of original 1952 edition. How to hotrod Ford and Mercury flathead V-8 and six-cylinder engines, plus Model A & B engines and the Lincoln V-12 engine. Filled with cutaways, photographs, construction drawings, technical data and graphs.