Honest Bloggin’
William Watson’s Caddy-Powered ’41 Packard
We see LOTS of street rods and customs, and we see fenderless ’32 Fords on a regular basis. What we don’t normally see is a Packard, and this one has custom touches that required a few bits and pieces from Honest Charley. William Watson is the proud owner, and his creation involves at 1941 Packard…
Read MoreFriends from Georgia and Germany Stop by the Shop!
We usually see an increase in hot rodders visiting our shop when nearby car shows, such as the Shades of the Past, are going on. Last week, a couple of very cool hot rods paid us a visit as they headed to Pigeon Forge for the weekend. Motivating north from Lithonia, Georgia, Tom Lawson piloted…
Read MorePeople Haulin’
Darrell Passer probably uses the same logic as the rest of us, anything can become a cool hot rod. When he stumbled on this former New Mexico Ambulance, he was looking for a simple project with wheels. What he didn’t know was just how solid this van would turn out to be.
Read MoreKenny Rawson’s Cool ’57 Chevy Truck
Classic trucks are hot, and if it happens to be a Chevrolet product from ’47 to ’72, it’s even hotter. The mid-to-late ’50s is one of the greatest eras for classic Chevy pickups, as the distinct body lines offer great looks for a custom build. A longtime friend of Honest Charley Speed Shop, Kenny Rawson,…
Read MoreHonest Charley-Built ’32 Ford Tackles the Great Race
The Hemmings Motor News Great Race presented by Hagerty is the world’s leading vintage car rally, and we are big supporters of it! A few years ago, Corky Coker bought the Great Race organization, and revived the event, so we’ve been heavily involved in the production of the event and the race itself. Shop Manager,…
Read MoreHot Rod Feature: “Double Exposure” 1932 Ford Roadster
You may have seen it around at various car shows across the country (and it’s even been to Australia)–it’s the Double Exposure roadster, built right here at Honest Charley in 30 days, using ONLY off-the-shelf parts from Honest Charley and Coker Tire. It’s a great car, and though it has been built for a few…
Read MoreLight Your Fire!
Your engine’s ignition system should not be overlooked or taken lightly. Just because your old points-style ignition system works doesn’t mean it’s the best option for your car. We suggest upgrading to an electronic ignition setup for the sake of simplicity and reliability. We offer a couple different ways of handling it–you can add an…
Read MoreThe Sweet Sound of a Ford Flathead V8
Simple and sweet. The Ford Flathead V8 came along in 1932, and it stuck around until the ’50s. When an engine makes that sort of a run, you know it was a good idea. The Flathead V8 was not a powerhouse from the factory, but allowing the engine to breathe a little better sure made…
Read MoreSpencer’s Honest Bug
Honest Charley friend and customer Spencer Taylor is a man about town. It is Bug-a-Palüza weekend after all, and when there’s this much Fahrvergnügen going on in Chattanooga, you need to get out and soak it all up, right? The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student bought this 1966 Volkswagen Beetle his freshman year in high…
Read MoreGreg’s Fifty-Five
Many of you know that Greg Cunningham is the manager over at the restoration shop (Honest Charley Garage) and could probably guess that he’s a car guy. Like most of us, Greg is a product of his impressionable years where he cut his teeth restoring Model A Fords in Oklahoma. Sure he has a funky…
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