Topical Guide 652
Mark Dorset
Language: Technical: Hot Rod Terminology
What a Piece of Work I Am, Chapter 6:
“[…] I’d get into some car or another—”
“Maybe a yellow convertible, or an old coupe chopped and channeled and tucked and rolled. […]”
Cambra Speed Shop, “Glossary of Hot Rod Terms”:
CHANNELED: both a hot rod and custom term pertaining to dropping the car body over the frame to reduce the profile or overall height of the car. The process requires sectioning the firewall, cutting the perimeter of the floor pan, and then welding back to desired height. For early hot rods and dry lakes cars, this was done to reduce wind resistance and lower the center of gravity for stability at high speeds. For custom rodders, it was often done for more aesthetic/artistic purposes. (aka: Channel Job)
CHOPPED: similar to channeled, this hot rod and custom term pertains only to the top or roof of the car. By horizontally cutting sections of metal from the a-pillars, door pillars and rear quarter panels one could lower the roof line which often resulted in a more sinister appearance. […]
TUCK AND ROLL: (also rolls and pleats) Custom upholstery with the interior fabric (usually Naugahyde) stitched in narrow vertical and/or horizontal pleats.
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