Gift Guide: Roadster wishes and hot rod dreams

Published November 26, 2012

Bill Taylor

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For that really special someone (probably myself), I’d have a hot rod built by Roy Brizio in San Francisco:

A 1932 Ford 5-window coupe,’50s East Coast style with the roof unchopped but the body lowered (“channelled” in the parlance) over the frame. No fenders and a Buick “nailhead” V8 with six carbs.

Pricewise, to have it done absolutely right would put me into Ferrari territory: www.roybriziostreetrods.com

Under $100

I can’t think of a better gift for a gearhead history buff than the quarterly Rodder’s Journal. As Wally Parks, founder of the National Hot Rod Association, puts it: “Nowhere will you see the world of hot rods and custom cars treated with more respect and elegance…”

A year’s subscription is $49 (U.S.) from www.roddersjournal.com. Postage to Canada will push that up to about $75.

I don’t think there’s a hot-rodder in the world who didn’t cut his or her teeth on plastic model kits. Monogram raised the bar with the 1/8 scale “Big T” roadster and “Big Tub” touring car kits.

Revell did a reissue a few years ago. You may or may not find them still at your local hobby store but there are usually quite a few “Big Tubs” on eBay for $100 or a little less.

Under $50

Yat Ming produces a gorgeous 1/18 scale model of a classic 1923 T-Bucket in die-cast metal. No assembly required.

Order from Amazon.com for, depending on the version you choose, between $26 and $36 U.S. With postage, you’re unlikely to go over $50.

Nothing says hot-rodding louder than the So-Cal speed shop, established in 1946. You can pick up a couple of cool So-Cal T-shirts for less than $50: Online from www.so-calspeedshop.com or, locally, the Guild of Automotive Restorers, 44 Bridge St., Bradford, Ont., www.guildclassicars.com.