Sunken Stuff From Custom Stuff
If you followed along as Hot Rods & Custom Stuff built our 2004 Road Tour car, you more than likely saw how HR&CS mounted the Pontiac taillights in slight impressions. Well, the install proved such a hit that Hot Rods & Custom Stuff now offers the taillights and the recessed panels in one simple kit. They handcraft the pockets from 18-gauge steel with a gentle radius for a truly custom touch. They sell the kits in pairs with or without the taillight assemblies. For more information, write Hot Rods & Custom Stuff, 2324 Vineyard Ave., Dept. SRM, Escondido, CA 92029; call (760) 745-1170 or (800) HOT-ROD-5; visit www.hotrodscustomstuff.com
The Fountain of Ooze
We not only condone piling up miles in your hot rod, we encourage it. However, there's one thing we don't like about lots of miles: lots of engine wear. So Valvoline developed a line of synthetic oils that contain extra ingredients to help improve high-mileage engines. Valvoline's MaxLife Synthetic oils fight age's effects in numerous ways. Special seal conditioners soften brittle seals to help prevent leaks and reduce oil consumption. Additional anti-wear additives reduce friction and help prevent future wear. Extra cleaning agents help reduce deposits, sludge, and varnish formation. Advanced thermal stability helps reduce oil burn-off and maximizes power output. Simply put, MaxLife Synthetic oils give enthusiasts the ability to inhibit their engines' aging process and help engines maintain peak power and fuel economy. For more info visit www.valvoline.com or call toll-free (800) TEAMVAL (832-6825).
Your Biggest Fan!
Everything revolves around maximum numbers. Engine builders tout horsepower and torque figures. Sound competitors claim high sound pressure levels. Drag racers brag about top speeds. The electric fan market even entered the fray recently: Zirgo just released a 16-inch straight-blade high-performance cooling fan that can blow up to a whopping 3,985 cubic feet per minute! The Zirgo Ultra Series 16-inch fan (PN ZFU16) packs maximum performance into a minimum of space; it measures 16.7 inches high by 3 1/2 inches deep. Zirgo's high torque fan motors feature sealed ball bearings and reversible blades, a feature that allows the fans to operate as pushers or pullers. Zirgo's easily removed motor also permits future motor upgrades or exchanges. Zirgo's four-point mounting bracket ensures easy placement for maximum performance on any vehicle's cooling system. The ZFU16 also includes a limited lifetime warranty. For more information, call (503) 693-1918; visit www.zirgo.com.
Tot Rods
Back in the day there was a simple way to acquire a scaled-down version of a neat-o modified roadster: build a car, jam a hot motor in it, and dust off the competition. The track promoter would saunter on over with a big, bright trophy resplendent with a gleaming modified roadster perched on top just for you. Easy as pie, right? Well, it probably wasn't, and acquiring the time machine to go back in time really blows the budget. Our pals over at Lime Works Speed Shop just made the impossible so much easier, though-and cheaper too! They now cast scale-perfect solid aluminum modified roadsters that would make any hot rod memorabilia collection shine. These roadsters measure 4 inches long, 2 inches wide, and look great on any desk, mantle, or coffee table. Lime Works also offers a slingshot digger, a buzzing midget, a '36 Ford coupe, a track-nosed '34 three-window coupe, and a '32 roadster. For more information on these little lakes and lap racers, write Lime Works Speed Shop, 7717 Greenleaf Ave., Dept. SRM, Whittier, CA 90602; (562) 698-1227; visit www.limeworksspeedshop.com