The 20 Best Hot Rods Of all Time

August 10, 2017

The Ala Kart

The Ala Kart is likely one of the most well-known hot rods of all time. Designed by the talented trio of George Barris, Richard Peters, and Mike Gejeian, the drastically lowered pickup built between 1956 and ‘57 walked away with the prize of America’s Most Beautiful Roadster two years running, in 1958 and ’59. The Model A was stripped to its frame, and then saw extensive body modification, including having Model T parts welded to its body and an entirely new custom bed and hood built by Barris.

The two others went to work on building the chassis, which includes a lowered front axle and custom shock absorbers (an absolute necessity on a beast like this.) In true 50s fashion, chroming was taken to an extreme, and the chassis was painted to match the truck’s body, in white, gold, and purple. A 266 Hemi from a racing boat was mated to Lincoln Zephyr gears and ‘39 Ford transmission. The interior’s a work of art too, featuring white vinyl, black velvet, gold piping, an accented ‘57 Lincoln Continental steering wheel and the dials from a ‘57 Corvette. As so much detail went into the car, it’s no surprise that the car’s model kit went on to become a huge bestseller, with everyone wanting to own their own scaled down replica.

1970 Charger Showdown: Classic RT/SE Hemi vs. RestoMod Hemi

June 23, 2025

When it comes to American muscle, few cars have captured the hearts of enthusiasts and dominated the silver screen like the Dodge Charger. From…
Read more
The RM30 1970 HEMI Dodge Charger RestoMod

April 22, 2025

The 1970 Dodge Charger is one of the most iconic silhouettes in American muscle car history and RM30 takes that legacy to the next level.…
Read more
RestoMods Garage Update

February 11, 2025

1967 Chevrolet Chevelle (Ground Up Restoration) The 1967 Chevelle 427 is coming together, now sitting on a Roadster Shop chassis that completely transforms its handling…
Read more

Show more articles

Become a Car Club Member

Car Club Members Get Entries to Win, Discounts in our Shop, Discounts with our Preferred Partners and more!

Membership benefits

By joining the RestoMods Car Club Today, you will receive amazing perks plus 15 bonus entries into our sweepstakes for every month you are an active member

Auto Discounts:Curated Discounts From Your Favorite Parts Companies
Restomods Monthly:Monthly Magazine With The Latest Industry News
Classified Ads:Get Free Postings seen by 300,000 enthusiasts monthly
Car Show Tickets:Check out the biggest vintage car shows on us.
Exclusive Car Deals:First chance to purchase any prize cars not selected