Hot Rod Terms and Hot Rod Slang
EFI: Electronic Fuel Injection (replaces the carburetor) E.T: Elapsed time - the time it takes to run a quarter mile drag Elephant: A 1964 or later Chrysler with a V8 and Hemispherical cylinder heads - a.k.a. 'Hemi' Fat: A over rich fuel mixture denote by excessive black smoke Fat Fendered: Cars built after 1935, and before 1949, which have larger, bulbous fenders Fill: Filling body seams with lead or body filler to lend a smoother appearance to the car Five Window: A coup body that has 5 windows, not counting the windshield
Flathead: A engine that has the valves in the body of the engine rather then the head - also refers to 1932 to 1953 Ford flathead motors Flamed: Painted image of flames, usually starting at the front and working towards the back of a hot rod Flame Throwers: A device to ignite unburned gases leaving the exhaust system Flat Head: V8 engine that Ford used from 1932 – 1955, which had the valves located in the engine block. Floor Pan: Metal part of the floor of a vehicle
Fordor: Ford name for a four door sedan Four Banger: A four cylinder engine Four Barrel: A four cylinder engine or a type of carburetor Four on the Floor: Floor mounted shifter coupled to a four speed transmission Free Breather: An engine where all the air to the cylinders is not forced in, as it is with turbo chargers or super chargers French: Recessing - usually the headlights and removing the seam of the headlight trim ring Fuel Injected: A mechanical device that 'injects' or introduces fuel into an engine Gasser: A modified closed car, like a sedan, that competes at drag races Gear Box: Transmission Ghost Flames: See Flames, only these flames are usually the same color as the body only a few shades lighter or darker Glass: Short for fiberglass Grab Rails: Handles mounted on the body to help passengers enter the vehicle, usually a rumble seat Grill Shell: A decorative trim that goes around the radiator usually on cars built in the early 1930's Grocery Getter: A mild street rod that is used for everyday driving Gutted: A rod with its interior removed Hammer: Same as Chop Handeler: A rod that is easy to drive Haze the Hides: To spin and smoke the rear tires Header: Specialized exhaust manifolds that help reduce exhaust back pressure to increase power Hemi: A high performance engine produced by Chrysler where the combustion chamber area in the head is shaped like half a sphere (hemispherical). Also "Hemmy" Hides: Tires Highboy: A rod with no fenders or running boards and the body place high on the frame rails High Tech: Rods that combine customized bodies with billeted or steel dress up parts Hot Licks: Flames painted on the side of a car. Hot Rod: A production vehicle that has been modified to improve its appearance, increase its performance, or both Huffer: Supercharger Hydro: Automatic transmission -- derived from the name Hydromatic, a GM transmission used in the 1950s In the Weeds: A really low vehicle Igniter: The engines ignition system Jimmy: Blower or Supercharger (also acronym for a Genral Motors car) Jug: A carburetor Juice: Fuel, electricity or hydraulic fluid Kemp: Rod with a customized body Knock Offs: A special wheel system that is held in place with one large, quickly removed nut Kustom Kulture: Recently coined term describing the many fashions and styles developed
from the early days of hotrodding through today. Kustom Kulture is usually identified with the greasers of the 1950s, drag racers of the
1960s, lowriders of the 1970s, along with several other subcultures such as the 1970s punk rockers, 1980s heavy metal music, and psychobilly
of the 1990s Lakes Modified: A radically modified racer designed for racing at the dry lakes Leadsled: 1950's style custom car which has had major body modifications. Filling was originally done with hot lead, now with plastic fillers Lean it Out: To alter the fuel mixture to improve engine performance and use less fuel (will fry the engine if done to extreme) Locker: A type of differential that helps prevent tire spin and distributes the engines torque evenly to the rear wheels Loud Petal: The accelerator pedal Louvers: Vents or slots cut in and raised in various body panels especially the hood and trunk areas Louie: A left hand turn (Roscoe – right hand turn) Lowboy: A rod that has no fenders or running boards that is lowered over the frame (channeled)
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