hello everybody, I'm new to the group so it looks like this is the place to start. I'm new "hot rodding" in the common sense of the word, but just about every car I've owned I've "hot rodded" in one small way or another; from removing exterior trim and "customizing" interiors, to simple performance mods on sbc's. But now I wan't to tackle a bigger project, turn a totaled 84 Toyota Supra into a T-bucket.

My goal is to use as many of the components as possible (engine, tranny, driveshaft, front susp., rear susp., fusebox & harness, steering, maybe seats) from the supra on a custom built frame (designed by me, the newbie), add a body, a wooden bed, and a few (hundred) other pieces and be cruisin by sometime next summer. Hopefully.

I finished building the main jig yesterday, and picked up some cutoff wheels today (4th of July). This week I will try to find some 1/8" 2x4 rectangular steel and some welding sticks and hopefully get down to some serious business (welding the frame) this next weekend.

I know that a lot of people are going to say that this isn't a real hot rod because it is not in the traditional style (IFS & IRS instead of I-beam and Leafs, Toyota instead of Ford, Chevy, or hemi power) but if I understand correctly, hot rodding was started by guys taking what was cost effecient and readily or easily available, and making slick, trick, and quick creations out of it. So instead of looking at it as some sort of bastard rod-child, please look at it as a hot rod for my generation.