9 Amazing Hot Rod Trucks

Made famous by the media, hot-rodding became an American pastime. While we’re used to seeing modified cars, what about trucks? It’s time to show them some love.
Written by Elaine Duvet
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
First debuting in Southern
California
, hot rods are American vehicles with
modified
or rebuilt engines with a need for speed. While pop culture has highlighted many hot rod versions of classic and modern cars, there are plenty of
cool pickup trucks
that deserve a mention.
Check out our favorite hot rod trucks that have been “souped up” throughout the years. 

Hot rod mods from the ‘30s and ‘40s

While many hot rods are made with racing in mind, some are just plain cool. 
How awesome is the Ford Model Atruck? In the ‘30s, the pickup featured a unique rounded grille with horizontal slats and a side step bed.
HotCars
located a hot rod with “a deliberately retro bodywork but with a more modern 4.4-liter flathead V8 engine from the ‘50s.” The auto produces 224 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. 
Another great ride from the ‘30s is the all-American Willys Jeep pickup. A Jeep inspiration from 1936 features an all-aluminum 8.6-liter Arias V6 mill. Made by Missile Engineered Racing Components, the mill comes with a Hillborn intake with an EFI induction, making 800 stupendous horses,” HotCars tells us. 
The truck also has upgraded suspension and chassis to support the insane amount of power it's packing.
No matter what your budget is, a 1940 Dodge truck is a fantastic pickup to modify. Hot rodder Edie “Hemi” Haines from Daytona Beach created a speed racer he calls “Valerie.” 
The well-known maroon truck sports a 5.4-liter V7 engine with a whopping 700 hp. It includes three carburetors, a racing cam, and a Magneto distributor.
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1950s trucks make excellent hot-rodding projects

The 1950s Ford F1 Truck is one of the most popular trucks among the hot rod community. Imagine a striking red Ford F1 truck with an engine that is 9.0-liters and John Kaase-built. The V8 is “further fed by a FAST fuel-injection system, with a custom 3-inch exhaust that jets an incredible 878 horses,” according to HotCars. 
The GMC 100 truck from the 1950s is another great hot rodding project. While their reliable and sturdy bodies are known to last a while, they can definitely be taken apart to create another masterpiece. 
HotCars found a GMC 100 truck powered by a Pontiac 5.8-liter V8 that gives drivers a fun growl when the engine’s revved. To handle the extra power, much of the metalwork was refreshed or replaced. The brakes and suspension were also beefed up.
If you haven’t heard of them, Studebaker is an innovative auto company. And according to HotCars, “One hot rodder certainly liked the 1952 Studebaker truck and proceeded to turn it into a work of art.” 
The pickup features a 4.6-liter Ford Nodular engine originally from a 1993 Lincoln Mark VIII. Many parts were also taken from the Crown Vic and Ford Explorer. And the flame paint job certainly doesn’t hurt.
MORE: Car Modifications that are Illegal in the U.S.

Hot rod trucks from the ‘70s and beyond

Meant for deliveries and carrying light loads, the Chevrolet El Camino was a half car/half truck. But in 1970, a wild version was born and dubbed the Chevrolet El Camino 454 SS. According to
Motor Junkie
, “The mighty 454 V8 LS6 was a 7.4-liter Chevrolet big block engine with an official rating of 450 HP.
The road monster actually produced up to 500 hp and had one of the most impressive engines from the muscle car era.
We’re all familiar with the Toyota Tundra, but did you know it came supercharged? Toyota dealers offered buyers a $20,000 TRD Supercharger package that included an Eaton supercharger that cranked out 504 hp. Various reports found that the truck could reach 60 mph in less than five seconds.
The GMC Syclone is a name fit for a beast that can outrun a Ferrari. According to Motor Junkie, “Back in the 1980s, GM experimented a lot with turbocharged engines, which was in sync with industry trends at the time.” The American carmaker used an ordinary S10 body shell and added a 4.3-liter V6 engine with a turbocharger. 
Producing 280 hp, the truck was then fitted with performance-based AWD and a unique Corvette four-speed automatic. The Syclone could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 5.3 seconds. For the time, we’d call that pretty fast.
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