25 Hot Rod Bodywork Terms Explained
All photos courtesy of the STREET RODDER Magazine archives
Chopping, Channeling, And More Metalworking Mods You Should Know.
A-, B-, And C-Pillars
The posts between the windshield, side glass, and rear window. The A-pillars are at each side of the windshield. B-pillars are located at the rear of the front door windows (some body styles, such as hardtops, don't have B-pillars). C-pillars are located at the rear of the top.
Beltline
The horizontal body line at the top of the lower body, just below the side windows. The beltline is typically accentuated with chrome trim, pinstriping, or a change in paint color.
Bobbed
Shortened. The term typically refers to early removable fenders and to the front of exposed framerails.
Conical, bullet-shaped trim pieces, including grille ornamentation, hub cap center pieces, and taillights—especially 1959 Cadillac taillights.
Channeled
A hot rod that has had the body lowered over the framerails, typically by raising the position of the floor.
Removing chrome trim and emblems, from the trunk for a smooth sheetmetal surface.
Filled
Eliminating any holes in the body panels (or bumpers) including fastener holes, fuel door openings, cowl vents, and roofs on early cars. It also refers to eliminating body seams between panels.
Frenched
From the word meaning cut (think french fries), reshaping the body panels to recess components (such as headlights and taillights into the body). It also refers to recessed pockets for antennas, license plates, and other pieces.
Louvered
Custom vents punched into hoods, decklids, and other body panels for ventilation or for looks.
Moulded
Refers to body seams that have been filled in or smoothed out.
Nosed
Removing chrome trim and emblems, from the hood for a smooth sheetmetal surface. The same type of modification as decked, only applied to the hood.
Reshaping the hood by removing material to flatten the crown of the hood.
Peaked
Refers to raised ridges added to the tops of exterior panels, typically the hood, decklid, fenders, or grille shell.
Pie Cut
A horizontal wedge-style cut made to reshape a portion of the body, typically in the hood to lower the profile.
Radiused
Refers to removing material from the wheel openings to enlarge them for appearance or to larger tires and wheels. Also used to describe rounding the square corners on doors, hoods, and decklids.
Rolled
Adding a smoothed sheetmetal panel at the lower body that extends beneath the car, usually replacing the front or rear bumper.
Sectioned
Similar to chopping, removing horizontal sections from the body sides to lower the overall height of the body.
Eliminating door handles, locks, emblems, badges, and trim from the sheetmetal and filling the holes for a clean, smooth appearance. Also refers to eliminating visible fasteners from the outside of bumper.
Skirts
Removable exterior panels added to the wheel openings to cover the tires and wheels, usually in the rear.
Stretched
Lengthening exterior body panels such as doors, fenders, and hoods to modify the proportions of the car.
Suicide Doors
Side doors that are hinged at the rear and open at the front. This style was original on some 1932 through 1934 Ford coupes and other cars and is a popular modification.
Tubbed
Refers to fenders and wheel openings extended to fit wide wheels and tires, typically in the rear.
Wedged
A body modification in which an unparallel cuts are made to the body to lower it over the frame in the front. Also a cut to the top to lower it at a more pronounced rake.
SOURCE: HOT ROD