The 20 Best Hot Rods Of all Time

August 10, 2017

Jim Jacobs’ “Jakelopy”

Base car: 1928 Ford Phaeton

The originator of the “rat rod” movement, Jim “Jake” Jacobs’ Jakelopy is evidence of what you can do in a short space of time if you’re smart enough. In 1987, Jacobs grabbed some spare parts and assembled a hot rod in 28 days. The machine was based on a ‘28 Phaeton but used the body from a Model A. He then drove this rustbucket to the Goodguys’ West Coast Nationals in Pleasanton, California, and plonked it next to some state-of-the-art rods, before starting to paint it by hand. Others joined in, and it gained its new nickname.

The Jakelopy made something of a profound statement: that hot rods can be open to everyone, even if the only parts you’ve got are leftovers. Hot rodding started out as an affordable and open craft, with its heyday being found among former servicemen after World War II. It was cheap, fast, and fun, and the Jakelopy showed that it still could be. It may not be the most stylish, or the fastest, but when it represents something like this, it belongs on the list.

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