Hot Rod Builder Shorts
Description: Like other performance pioneers, Ed Iskenderian was a Southern California hot rodder in the years leading up to World War II, learning speed secrets in an effort to make his own T roadster go faster. Grinding camshafts came after the war when a sudden demand for parts - fueled by returning GIs eager to get back to hot rodding - was so great that Iskenderian was faced with a long wait for a cam he wanted for his own car. Figuring he could do as just as good himself, he bought a surplus cylindrical grinder, converted it into a cam-grinding machine, and went to work. He wasn't just making a similar cam to those available at the time - he made them better, rightfully earning him the nickname of 'The Camfather.'
Description: A bold and confident design for experienced builders and classic car enthusiasts who still get their hands dirty. Perfect for car shows, garage time, or casual wear, it celebrates skill, passion, and years of hands-on knowledge. The vibe is strong, proud, and rooted in vintage hot rod culture.
Description: Ed Iskenderian was a Southern California hot rodder in the years leading up to WWII, working to make his roadster go faster. Post war, a high demand for parts from returning GIs eager to get back to hot rodding was so great that Iskenderian was faced with a long wait for a cam he wanted for his own car. Figuring he could do just as well himself, he bought a surplus cylindrical grinder, converted it into a cam-grinding machine, and went to work. He wasn’t just making a similar cam to those available at the time – he made them better. His cams made big power, and a business grew on the strength of that reputation that would succeed for decades to come, rightfully earning the title of America's fastest racing cams.
Description: Dempsey Wilson was an accomplished race car driver in the '50s and '60s who competed in the USAC Championship Car Series. He had over 30 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in '58, '60, '61, and '63. Outside of racing, Wilson was a master machinist who custom-milled his own cams and ran a business called Dempsey Wilson Racing Cams in Hawthorne, California, which both made new camshafts and refurbished old ones. His primary clients were hot rodders and street racers, but he also did work for his fellow open-wheel racers, even providing some of his secret grinds to those he really liked.
Description: Back in the late '50s, hot rodders were increasingly attracted to newer cars making their way into junkyards, or more specifically, the OHV V8 engines they brought with them. An engine that made more power than their flathead V8's, was all too enticing, though the swap wasn't exactly straight forward. Of course, hot rodders were an ingenious bunch, and came up with all kinds of mounting solutions, but none of them were exactly great (or safe). Seeing a need, Hurst came out with their Adjusta-Torque engine conversion mount in 1960, promising a true bolt on solution for OHV engine swaps.
Description: The Judson Research and Manufacturing Company of Pennsylvania got their start way back in 1880. Specializing in mechanical and electrical engineering, Judson developed products for farm equipment to improve performance.In the early '50s, the sons of the latest generation of Judsons were hot rod enthusiasts and began toying with sliding vane style superchargers. First created for the British sports cars and the venerable flathead V8, these bolt on supercharger kits quickly became popular with hobbyists and sold steadily. In 1956, the brothers designed a new kit for an increasingly popular German import that took the stock air cooled engine and doubled the horsepower. This is the product that changed the trajectory of Judson forever.
Description: A rugged garage-style graphic featuring a roaring vintage hot rod car silhouette surrounded by classic pinstriping and distressed text.
Hot Rod Builder Retirement Plans Vintage Hot Rod Shorts
by Starlit Bunny Studios
$21 $27
Description: The shift from animal-powered to mechanically powered farming increased productivity and made what had always been a challenging occupation more efficient. Innovations followed at a breakneck pace after the tractor’s basic machine elements had been engineered. Transmissions, pneumatic tires, hydraulic lifts, power take-off and three-point hitches made the tractor essential to running a farm, and changed American farming forever. While tractors may seem like just a boring piece of farm equipment, they're considerably more powerful and versatile than most people realize.
Description: I'll Be In The Garage features a classic hot rod car distressed design. Great for the vintage car fan, mechanic, builder and driver.
I'll Be In The Garage Hot Rod Classic Car Vintage Shorts
by RadStar Shirts and Gifts
$21 $27
Description: Weber Speed Equipment started out in 1945 as Weber Tool Company, making some of the first aluminum performance fly wheels. As the company continued to expand their speed parts catalog with cams, clutches, and heads, becoming increasingly popular with hot rodders and racers alike, they changed their name to Weber Speed Equipment. Aside from making high quality, extreme high-performance parts, one of their biggest claims to fame was their 'blow up proof' guarantee on their flywheels, something that was a big draw to those pushing higher horsepower and revs in the early days of drag racing.
Description: Never Underestimate An Old Man Who Still Still Builds Hot Rods In His Seventies. Perfect for a hot rod builder, classic car enthusiast, or senior man who loves vintage auto hobbies. This design celebrates passion for old cars and being in your seventies.
Never Underestimate An Old Man Who Still Still Builds Hot Rods In His Seventies Hot Rod Builder Senior Classic Car Enthusiast Shorts
by TeamLAW
$21 $27
Description: Show your automotive passion with Low And Slow Garage Built Legacy. Perfect for hot rod enthusiasts, classic car owners, and custom car mechanics. Celebrate garage built legacy.
Low And Slow Garage Built Legacy Hot Rod Car Mechanic Enthusiast Shorts
by SIMPLYSTICKS
$21 $27
Description: Perfect for the Aunt that loves hot rods and classic cars. Low rider hot rod with powerful engine. Great for birthday or just expressing love for custom built cars and trucks.
I'm Not Old I'm a Classic Hot Rod Loving Dad Shorts
by RadStar Shirts and Gifts
$21 $27
Description: Founded in 1964 in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwise was a chain of auto parts stores in the United States with a loveable mascot known as 'Motor Earl.' In 1974, Nationwise partnered with Columbus-based engine builders, The Rod Shop, sponsoring a series of highly successful drag racecars. In stores, a Rod Shop section was created as kind of a speed shop inside of a parts store. In addition to go fast goodies from all the big names, Nationwise also sold Rod Shop branded performance parts. These parts were typically embossed with NRS (Nationwise Rod Shop), making them easy to identify by collectors, even decades later. The partnership ended in 1987, and less than a decade later, Nationwise became insolvent, and closed all stores on October 15, 1995.
Description: Founded in 1925, Mallory initially developed OEM ignition systems for many early cars, but by the '50s, they were known for their aftermarket systems for hot rods and drag racers who needed more oomph to get their high-compression engines to light and for those needing more adjustability for fine-tuning and keeping their monster motors humming along. Mighty Mallory was a fun superhero inspired character introduced in 1962 and was most commonly found on decals handed out at drag racing events.
Description: The only way to get big stroke in the early decades of hot rodding was taking an existing crank, building up the journals through welding, and then machine finishing it, and that is what Alex Alexander had a knack for. As a welder, machinist, and avid hot rodder, Alex started making his own welded strokers in the '50s. As orders stacked up from word of mouth, he eventually had to admit that he had a business and formalized his operation as the less than creatively named 'Crankshaft Company' in 1965. From mild to wild, Crankshaft Company could build it and build it right, whether it was a street driven small block or a top fuel big block, the originator of the welded stroker could be counted on to go the distance.
Description: Li'l Coffin is a wild '32 sedan built by Dave Stuckey, with the first version of the car being finished in 1956. Dave continued to work and rework his hot rod over the next several years, before eventually selling it to his good friend Larry Farber. Larry was showing the car when some folks from Monogram saw it and decided that they wanted the car to make a model kit, and a deal to sell Li'l Coffin was made. Monogram sent the car for a new paint, but didn't want anything else to be changed, so the final look of the kit's box art was locked in. The original 1/24 scale Li'l Coffin plastic model kit hit hobby shop shelves in 1964 and was a runaway hit. The outrageous kustom sedan included every detail, as well as a cool skeleton figure.
Description: With the post-war auto racing boom in full swing, the custom ignition business Chuck Potvin started in high school quickly outgrew his parent's garage. In 1948 Chuck purchased a corner shop and decked it out with cam grinders, a homemade master cam generator, a dynamometer, and several lathes and began crafting his own cam grinds that, like his ignition systems, found a sweet spot in the market. While he made countless models over the years, the most popular was the 425 Eliminator, the cam that the first car to break the 160 mph barrier was running.
Description: C&T Automotive was started in 1951 in Sherman Oaks, California by Don Clark and Clem Tebo, hence the C and the T in the name. While they did a little bit of everything as far as making parts for racing engines, turning out competition grade stroker crankshafts was their bread and butter. Whether you were drag racing, burning up the dirt oval, or swapping paint on the stock car circuit, there was a good stretch there when it was safe to say that the fastest guys were running C&T crankshafts.
Description: This Design Is For Car Enthusiasts, Mechanics, And Gearheads Who Are Always Working On Their Automotive Projects. It Features The Text "No. My Car Isn't Done Yet" To Express The Ongoing Nature Of Custom Car Building And Restoration.
No. My Car Isn't Done Yet Car Enthusiast Automotive Builder Gearhead Shorts
by sandro
$21 $27
Description: Express Automotive Passion With Built Not Bought. Perfect For Car Mechanics, Car Builders, Gearheads, And Hot Rod Enthusiasts Who Love The DIY Custom Car Lifestyle.
Built Not Bought Automotive Mechanic Car Builder Gearhead Shorts
by Fiesta of Pets
$21 $27
Description: This design is for project car builders, car enthusiasts, and mechanics. It humorously captures the ongoing journey with the phrase: No. My Car Isn't Done Yet.
No. My Car Isn't Done Yet. Project Car Builder Mechanic Enthusiast Shorts
by SILAS
$21 $27
