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Hot Rods in the Alicante desert?

Video: Kukfilms and 'La Escudería' / Text: Javier Romagosa

[dropcap] H [/ dropcap] A couple of months ago an English friend told us about a compatriot of his who was dedicated to modify classics in the middle of the Alicante desert. Wow, we said, and what exactly does it do? We hoped that the thing would not go beyond a more or less discreet enhancement and aesthetic work, as it usually happens.

When we answer, we get a capital surprise, since Andy, who is what our artist is called today, is a hod rods specialist. His thing is to radically transform British and American cars from the 30s and 40s with the aim that their performance and safety have practically nothing to envy to today's cars.

Hod Rods? In Spain? Indeed, at the moment it is difficult to enjoy an automotive culture on national soil that has millions of followers worldwide, and that is because the strict homologation standards restrict creativity and prevent projects from being carried out.

However, and although we are despite lovers of originality, something is changing at our bull skin; Increasingly, without being supported by the Law yet, we see alterations on various old vehicles -especially youngtimers that are worth it. Without going any further, a few weeks ago we enjoyed in Venturada a BMW E30 that looked really attractive: Well painted, with the 3,5-liter 6-Series engine, the M3 leather seats and BBS wheels, it looked spectacular. .

This level of preparations openly contradicts the definition of a classic vehicle by which it only has value based on its historical representativeness, that is, as a piece of the original cultural heritage. But what then? What do we do with mod lovers, hod rodders or other mods, to name just two examples?

Since colors are for everyone's taste, it seems sensible to let them experiment with their machines, even more so when, as in Andy's case, they really take safety seriously. We can think of it as an exercise in mechanics and creativity that allows fans, like small manufacturers, to deepen their knowledge of the car. Great geniuses have made themselves known in this way.

And let's face it, who has not ever thought what it would be like to push your favorite classic to the limit, to the point of substantially altering it? I will not be the one to throw the first stone ...

What I want to say is that in Spain we must open our minds to this new type of hobby. In other countries it is supported and endorsed by laws for decades. As long as things are well done, we can't judge the actions of a modification enthusiast just because he does not regard his machine entirely as the heritage of history.

It will obviously be less classical, but his passion cannot be doubted. It was also difficult for me to understand it and the subject does not appeal to me especially, although this is the logical conclusion I reach: We will have to love them.

Going back to Andy, We decided to pay him a visit in early March to see what he was up to. Among veteran cars and postwar components, in his magical ranch-workshop of Arizona Alicante, we also find a muscle cars, un Plymouth Barracuda from which it will soon try to extract between 1.100 and 1.800 hp.

And is that this of the hod rods it's about muscle, you'll see it in the VIDEO header, of taking the classics to the limit but always under the cloak of security; to make beasts for the sheer fun of it and to also push the limits of our creativity.

Without further ado we leave you with Andy, who plans to put a hod rods business in the near future and that from now on accepts commissions.

What do you think?

Written by Alejandro Rubio

My name is Alejandro Rubio and I have a degree in Audiovisual Communication and Journalism. I started working at "La Escudería" in December 2014 and since then a juicy world of old irons has opened up for me ... Who knew I would find so many stories! Especially from BMW. Gas everyone! ... Read more

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