flames may not make them hot rods, but it makes them cooler. Here is a big variety of styles and colors in case you are thinking about choosing a style

the shops of Watson and Barris found on howtobuildatimemachine.tumblr.com

just two shops of this era and reputation, and I found them both at http://howtobuildatimemachine.tumblr.com/

Magnetic Brain found another outstanding little known dragster with a cool story, a '40s Fuel Willys with a Watson paint candy job

Don't know how he finds them, but MB posts a terrific selection of cool dragsters http://magneticbrain.blogspot.com/

Things that caught my eye at The Winfield and Watson custom car show