Naturally, the demand led to supply, primarily in the form of fiberglass bodies. While many builders flaunted their real steel status, original tin became increasingly harder to find and expensive to rejuvenate. The hot rod movement began in earnest during the 1940s and ’50s when discarded car bodies from the 1920s and ’30s could be had for a song. The big question is what’s the best way to get one in the family garage. If all goes well, hot rods are generally planned as daily drivers, as opposed to pampered trailer queens.

Preserving the car’s patina has gained favor, honoring the vehicle’s vintage appearance, while allowing owners to forgo expensive bodywork and paint. If the (typically low) budget can be stretched, interiors are usually fitted with a few modern conveniences and builders spend much of their time designing exterior styling touches to separate their cars from the crowd. High up on the builder’s punch list is an engine swap, followed by suspension upgrades that may not be ultra-modern, but usually improve upon the original hardware in some way. There’s a fairly standardized formula to follow in the tried-and-true world of hot rods.

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