Hot Rods by Dennis Taylor

01/22/2023

Coming in hot for SickWeek!

01/10/2023

Still nursing a hurt knee so I’ve been taking it easy for the last couple days. Alex and Debbie helped me re roof the office last weekend and it didn’t do my knee any favors. Im trying to stay off of it but had to fix the leak on my hydraulic pump and install the new battery in the COE along with the gauges Alex got me for Christmas. Sick Week is coming up fast so I have to do right and get this knee healed up.

12/31/2021

03/26/2021

55 bumper molds came out bitchin! Tomorrow I will glass the steel reinforcement on them and they are ready for layup.

03/26/2021

Conversion from Nomad door molds to post car door molds is almost complete.

03/26/2021

I've always wanted a set of magnesium wheels coated with Dow 7. When we chose the wheels for the 55 our good friends at Billet Specialties said they could make them look any way we wanted. I'd say they nailed it! These things look just like a new Dow 7 wheel and of course they are billet aluminum rather than old Mag. We are loving the Mickey Thompson tires as well! What a package for our 55! Big thank you to Billet Specialties and Mickey Thompson .

03/25/2021

I welded and body worked the rear bumper today and the 3 of us built molds on both the front and rear bumper. Tomorrow we will glass steel on them and let them sit over the weekend. Also got the trunk lid layed up, I decided to just go with fiberglass on the trunk but will do a mixture of glass and carbon on the doors and front cap. Also got 1 outer door extended to a post car door. Will reinforce it tomorrow as well. I didn't get many pictures but Alex will cover it on her YouTube.

03/22/2021

Getting the girls ready so they can convert hard top door molds to post car doors. Don't have the time to make new molds. I sat the original door back in the opening just to see how the fit was and it's perfect.

03/22/2021

03/22/2021

Getting the girls ready so they can convert hard top door molds to post car doors. Don't have the time to make new molds. I sat the original door back in the opening just to see how the fit was and it's perfect.

03/22/2021

Some more bars. and (Jake Shoemake) worked on floor bars this weekend and Alex got the passenger door X bars in, I got some welding done.

03/19/2021

and I stayed till 1am even though we both feel like crap from allergies. She banged away designing and drawing the 4 link brackets for the 55. They are about ready to cut.

03/18/2021

A little more progress and some new shoes.

03/11/2021

I never liked Slot Dish Mags even back in the 70s. I've had these since 1977 and they were on my Nova until 2015. I needed some mockup wheels and tires for the Nomad I'm doing for Jarrad Scott . Even though I don't like them I have to say dang they look pretty good on this thing. But then again my favorite look for a Nomad is old school 70s so I guess it makes sense.

03/10/2021

Moving forward.

03/04/2021

Got a few more bars in tonight.

03/03/2021

doing some welding.

02/27/2021

Chassis design starts now.

02/27/2021

When you drive and drag it can be complicated. 🤣 wrapping up a new dual street/strip tank for our good buddy Clint Sodowsky and his badass fast 68 Camaro.

02/25/2021

If you know you Know. Its a Holleyday at the shop! The 55 is getting it's own Holley system.

02/24/2021

02/21/2021

Who needs a $5k notcher when you have an old lathe doing nothing. I have used an old vertical mill to notch tube for 25 years. Finally took the time to make a vice for the lathe. Can't wait to make some chips for the 55 chassis.

02/20/2021

Made a simple chassis jig last night. Just sat the 55 on it, now to align everything with the laser and get it attached. My chassis table is occupied and there is no time to waste.

02/19/2021

Looks pretty good. Almost can't tell it has been patched up and welded so much. Now to the jig and a 25.3 chassis.

02/17/2021

What a difference a couple weeks makes.

02/15/2021

We are not use to this.

02/13/2021

The 55 is coming along good. This weekend will have the body in good shape. Bothe qtr panels will be fixed and the rockers will be on. It was a wet noodle . This rear panel inner structure made it solid at the rear, the rockers will get the same treatment this weekend.

02/11/2021

Some nastiness starting to take place.

02/09/2021

I was saving the (California)frame that was under the 55 post body is building for her new car for my personal 55 but decided to use it under the bitchin Nomad I'm doing for instead. It was cold and damp outside yesterday but I managed to use a thousand pounds of sand and what was an ugly duckling is now a good clean rare frame. It will soon be a fast and beautiful family Hot Rod so stay tuned for that. It will have a few surprises.

02/07/2021

Update on the COE, I got to do a little interior work this weekend. I took a repo 67 Camaro shifter, cut the handle off and turned it upside down and made brackets to mount in the dash, it will be hydraulic rather than cable. . Made a brake pedal and got the drive by wire gas pedal mounted and modified for the Billet Specialties pedals. The Hydroboost is inside behind the gauges because there is not enough room under the short hood without turning it sideways which looks ugly. I made a full custom mount and pedal assembly for it. I also was able to cut the rusty old trim up and save the original ash tray. Getting close to pulling the cab and start the paint process inside and underneath. Also got the retractable seat belts worked out. Which was way more of a job than it should have been but I wanted them to be easy and comfortable. It required taking them apart and turning the belts around so the retractor could sit the opposite of what they intended. Then it took a couple times of mounting the top part before they felt comfortable. After all that I ended up cutting a foot off the length which would have made it easy to reverse them had I known. And yes I have sewn belts before. I have the proper thread and machine. It will be fine so no OSHA, DOT, NHRA safety police BS please.

02/01/2021

Now thays a good starting point. kicked butt this weekend.

01/30/2021

I was thinking if I could see pictures of my shop today back when I was 18 I would think I turned out ok.. you can measure one's success many different ways but when 55s are life and your daughter is starting her new build next to a 4000 hp street 55 you are building it doesn't get much better.

01/22/2021

They say he who dies with the most toys wins. As I was leaving tonight I had to stop and take a picture. These are just the ones sitting in one area that happened to be positioned for a good pic.

01/18/2021

New Aeromotive pump done. I built my fuel system around an old Hilborn pump with an internal bypass and had to make fittings for the new pump to have an external bypass. The new pump required that I rework my mounting bracket and have to get a longer drive belt. It's a tight fit but came out good, now no more leaky pump.

01/17/2021

RetroNova is getting a pump upgrade this year. The old Hilborn pump was leaking and not repairable anymore. Big thanks to Aeromotive for making awesome parts. You just can't beat Aeromotive!

01/13/2021

Mo power.