When it comes to building your hot rod, you’re faced with choices for everything from which go-fast goodies to slap on your mill to what paint and other eye candy might define your rod more than anything else. And when it comes to a hot rod, parts aren’t just parts; it’s all in how they come together--either it works or it doesn’t.

This new Motorbooks Idea Book covers every system of a traditional hot rod—be it roadster, coupe, or tub—illustrating with hundreds of color photos the various options for frame rails, suspension, steering, brakes, wheels and tires, drivetrain, electrics, cooling, body, interior, and paint. Looking through this book, you’ll be able to assess which choices fit your aesthetic sensibility as well as how they suit your plan to use your hot rod. You’ll also get the “big picture”--a clear idea of how some choices work together and others just don’t mesh in the same car. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or practical answers, this book will guide you from off-the-shelf, fabricated, and even found parts and pieces to the finished hot rod of your dreams.