[Carroll DeWeese]

Exactly what is a "hot rod" ? Even since I was a kid I have heard the term used but I was never sure exactly what it means. Many times it refers to a car that someone has modified by putting a bigger than normal engine in it. Sometime it is used to refer to factory cars. What does it mean in what context?

Is a Cobra a "hot rod" -- either as a replica or an original? Or is it some other form of a powerful, fast, classic car? What differences exist between a "hot rod" and a "street rod"?

I would appreciate some definitons, explanations, and how the terms apply to Cobras.