Building Hot Rods: 30 Years of Advice from Fatman Fabrication’s Brent VanDervort. (Hot Rod Basics)
For over 14 years, Brent VanDervort, founder of Fat Man Fabrications, had written a technical column for The Goodguys Gazette, the monthly publication of the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association. His new book, Building Hot Rods: 30 Years of advice from Brent VanDervort, combines the best of those columns into one book.
Hot rodding has changed from being primarily populated by the mechanics and hands-on workers of years ago. Today, many rodders have the enthusiasm but lack practical experience for the problem-solving that makes building a hot rod such an enjoyable adventure.
VanDervort’s columns, respected and well-read all these years, are designed to answer the questions of those car builders and customizers. An engineering degree and 30 years of experience designing and building some of the most innovative hot rod chassis components in the world give VanDervort a unique perspective on the technical side of hot rodding.
With 144 pages, over 50,000 words, and 200 photos and illustrations, Building Hot Rods: 30 Years of Advice from Fat Man Fabrication’s Brent VanDervort gives both new and experienced hot rodders and car builders the information they need. Whether it’s help installing a front frame clip in an old Ford or solving a problem with an aftermarket fuel injection system installed in an early Mustang, the answers that current car builders need are all here.
Hot Rod Chassis How-to: Understand, Install and Update ’28-’64
From street rodders building traditional ’32 Fords with straight axles and buggy springs to hot rodders and street racers looking to update the stock suspension and brakes on a ’55 Chevy or early Mustang, thousands of men and women work every day to build and update the chassis for their particular style of hot rod.
This book answers the questions that hot rod builders have as they choose the best style of suspension for their particular vehicle and work to install a straight axle or complete front suspension kit. An established author of both books and columns, VanDervort founded Fat Man Fabrications, one of the world’s leading suppliers of suspension components and kits to street rodders, hot rodders, racers, and restoration experts.
To help choose the best suspension components and install them correctly, a good chassis book needs theory and how-to information. This book provides both: information that explains the pros and cons of an independent suspension versus a straight axle, as well as detailed step-by-step sequences that show how best to install those new components.