You might have heard of street rods, often referred to as the vehicles built in 1949 or earlier, but they appear differently in the minds of many people. Whoa, someone turned on the way-back machine and you guys are welcome to follow the history due to pics below. Cars with the souls – this is what I call them. Indeed, street rods gained huge popularity back then and took over rat rods, while they were built mostly for cruising around town or for car shows.

A street rod has always been a special statement, having to do with ingenuity, originality, and ultimately independence. IMO, this is not just common modifications, such as body streamlining, engine replacements, etc. – it’s this added emotional resonance which sets street rods apart from mere homebuilt racers. Anyways, personalizing one’s favorite body style is a fast growing trend. And forget about DIY-building when getting the car ready for summer driving season – enjoy photos of cars with souls and feel free to leave a comment.

Image courtesy of Bill Strong 

Image courtesy of Bill Strong

Image courtesy of Bill Strong

Image courtesy of Bill Strong

Image courtesy of Steve Toxic

Image courtesy of Peter Merridew

Image courtesy of Mach_One

Image courtesy of Andrew

Image courtesy of Neil Banich

Image courtesy of Randy von Liski

Image courtesy of Mike Welch