Rod Talk

You're hanging out at your favorite speed shop or resto barn, and you hear the staff bandy about an expression such as, "chopped and channeled, shaved and decked." You can't find this sort of slang in most dictionaries, and for those who are new to the resto hobby, it may be hard to decipher this lingo. Knowing it is valuable, though, because it can keep you from being misunderstood by dealers and repair shops, plus keep you from being taken advantage of. Also, it's fun to be an "insider" who understands the secret language of hot rodders and car restorers. Here is a glossary of some common terms you may hear:

A- B- C- Pillars
The A-pillar is the vertical pillar that supports the windshield on a car. Moving rearward from the front, it's the first pillar you will come to. On four-door sedans the center pillar is the B-Pillar, and the rear pillar that holds the back window is the C-Pillar. Coupes have no B-Pillar.

Bondo
Bondo is a registered trade name for a popular body filler. Incorrectly but commonly used as a generic term for any body filler. A "Bondo Job" is a car that has had a lot of filler used in fixing its bodywork.

Chalking
Powdering and fading of old paint that has not been properly maintained.

Channeled
A hot rod that's had the body loosened from the chassis and lowered down over the frame. Makes the car sit lower without changing the body lines.