How to Build a Hot Rod [Paperback]

Dennis W. Parks (Author)

Book Description

Series: Motorbooks Workshop | Publication Date: June 1, 2003

This book is designed for anyone who has ever seen a hot rod and wondered, "How do I build one of those?" Whether you're a newcomer to the hobby or a seasoned, experienced builder, this book covers every aspect of building a hot rod from start to finish. Author Dennis Parks helps the reader select the right vehicle to build and leads them through the process of making it happen. He answers basic questions and sheds light on the entire process of building a hot rod with lots of no-nonsense advice for any degree of builder.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

• A step-by-step how-to illustration for all aspects of construction
• Covers every phase form the chassis to bodywork to final assembly
• Perfect for newcomers to the hobby

About the Author

Dennis Parks’ many books include How to Build a Hot Rod, How to Build a Cheap Hot rod, How to Build a Hot Rod Model A Ford, How to Restore and Customize Auto Upholstery and Interiors, and How to Paint Your Car, all from Motorbooks.  Parks lives near St. Louis, Missouri.  dennisparks.com

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks; 1st edition (June 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760313040
• ISBN-13: 978-0760313046
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #555,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really great book, December 2, 2003

By 

Thomas Eberhard (Newton, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Build a Hot Rod (Paperback)

I'm a complete novice to the world of hot rodding, and my actual interest is building electric cars. What makes this book so great in my opinion is that the author starts at the beginning and challenges you to pin down what you really want to build and challenges you to plan it out a little better. The reality check of a price list for all the components of a hot rod is really great.

I love the color pictures. Most other books are black and white, and the cars look crapy. Not here, the paint jobs and interiors are shown in full glory.

The tech sections are great, and show everything in great detail. For example, the "how to install an independent front suspension" section has 17 color pictures, over 5 pages, with generous text under each picture. The whole process is explained very well.

The only thing where coverage is lacking is the engine, but that's good in my opinion. Including it would have made the book much bigger and expensive. There are other books out there that cover just the engine. Here it's pretty much "mount the engine", and that's it. The author does recommend to test it on a stand first, which seems like a good idea. The whole book contains a lot of ideas and methods that only someone that's actually done the work knows. Highly recommended.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on building a project hot rod/project car., July 25, 2006

By 

Chris Sellick (South Australia,Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Build a Hot Rod (Paperback)

One of the things I needed in a book was to know what order(sequence)do you build your rod/custom in.Thats when I discovered this book.This book tells you what you need to know about planning your project,determine what you are going to use the car for(eg:show car/weekender/daily driven),car selection,component selection,purchase of vehicle,build up tips,when to install each item,electrical wiring,painting and so much more.This book sets it out with comprehensive advice from start to finish,even before you think about buying a car.There is a section on how to perform a top chop thats photographed in black & white photos with plenty of information.This book will help you decide what you want first then how to build it and save money too.

For a book thats only got 160 pages this book has plenty of advice suitable for any auto hot rod or custom project so if you are building a hot rod or a custom car or a street machine this book is the best book to start with.Its a bargain at under $14.And,its mostly in colour.This book is an inexpensive investment.

I hope the author and/or publishers decide to write a book specifically on building a street machine based on this book.

Even though this book has a section on painting the author already has a book specifically on painting your car.
I recommend purchasing other books that cater for things like customizing interiors,how to paint your car(and/or)how to custom paint your car,how to rebuild an engine,top chops,etc.You'll need those.
I also recommend these books:
"How to paint your car".By Dennis.W.Parks,
"How to restore and customize auto upholstery & interiors".By Dennis.W.Parks,
"Custom auto interiors",By Don Taylor and Ron Mangus.
"Standard guide to building street rods and custom cars".By Ken Wickham.
If you are building a later model car you should consider a workshop manual for that car too.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great hot rod primer (or refresher course), August 29, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Build a Hot Rod (Paperback)

Even if you're already pretty knowledgeable about hot rods, this book has lots of good how-to sequences that can make your next project go a lot smoother, or provide you with ideas to apply to your own rod.
If you're just starting your hot rod journey, this book will answer a lot of questions for you and get you started in the right direction.
Overall, a great book!