If you’re like us, the sights and sounds of hot rods, muscle cars and resto-mods returning to the open road make you a bit giddy. It’s a sure sign of road trips, car shows and all things summer. We assembled a list of eight AMSOIL products aimed at keeping those engines humming for decades, including hot rod oil, classic car fuel additives and more.
Break-In Oil
For those installing a new engine in their hot rod, start off on the right foot with AMSOIL Break-In Oil.
It’s formulated with zinc and phosphorus anti-wear additives to protect critical components during the break-in period when engine wear rates are highest.
It doesn’t contain friction modifiers to allow for quick and efficient piston ring seating, an important aspect of the break-in process to ensure maximum power and engine longevity.
Engine Assembly Lube
As they say, a new engine isn’t built in a day.
Partially assembled engines can sit idle for weeks or months at a time. During this process, an engine assembly lube must be applied that will cling to parts and provide wear protection, inhibit rust and help prevent deposit formation. AMSOIL Engine Assembly Lube handles all of the above.
Hot rod & classic car oil
AMSOIL Z-ROD® Synthetic Motor Oil is an excellent oil made specifically for hot rods and classic cars.
It is engineered specifically for classic and high-performance vehicles to perform on the street and protect during storage.
It features a high-zinc formulation that protects flat-tappet camshafts and critical engine components, along with a proprietary blend of rust and corrosion inhibitors for added protection during long-term storage. It’s available in 10W-30, 10W-40 and 20W-50 viscosities.
AMSOIL Premium Protection Synthetic Motor Oil has been around for years and has earned a loyal following thanks to its excellent performance as a hot rod and classic car oil.
Enthusiasts understand the importance of using a high-zinc oil. This product, available in 10W-40 and 20W-50 viscosities, stands as a flagship high-zinc lubricant. It delivers excellent protection for other high-pressure components, like bearings and pistons, to keep engines running at peak performance.
Video transcript: A Company of Enthusiasts: We’re Into Muscle Cars
I’m Alan Amatuzio, Co-President and Chief Operating Officer of AMSOIL INC., and I like Pontiacs. [ Music ] I bought a ’79 Trans Am, and it was in rough shape. So all I really wanted to do was take this car, I wanted to take it and put in a big engine and a transmission that could handle the power and a great rear end and just, you know, we called it a mechanically sound missile. But it didn’t really turn out that way.
We disassembled the whole car in just a couple of weeks, and it literally exploded all over the floor. And that was never the intention, so now we had to put it back together again. We went out and found other vehicles. I found five different Trans Ams.
I went to junkyards. I found these cars in the woods, and we brought them all over to the shop. We begin rebuilding this car with all of these special parts from all these various years and converted it into something that’s actually pretty unique. Well, there it is, my Pontiac Trans Am.
What year is it? Let’s go through that. This grill, it’s a 1972 honeycomb grille. This nose cone which is the same nose cone that came on 1971 and ’72.
The paint is a Lucerne Blue. This is called Cameo White. And notice that the bird is a small bird on the front end of the nose as opposed to the big bird that Pontiac and Trans Ams ultimately became known for. It’s a 455 high-output engine.
This engine actually came out of a 1972 Formula. Everybody always likes to see what the engine compartment looks like, and what you’re going to notice about this engine compartment is it’s essentially all factory Pontiac. In 1974, Pontiac put out this special bumper. I also liked how the tail light assembly didn’t completely come together.
These are original Pontiac rims. They’re a high-performance rim. They’re 8 inches wide. Even the doors are special.
You can’t see on the inside, but it has a crash beam on here, 160-mile-an-hour speedometer and 8000 RPM tachometer. I put in a four-speed. Oh. I almost forgot the light switches.
Even this is a little metal light switch. Newer ones just came with a chrome-covered plastic. Well, there you have it. I’m Alan Amatuzio, Co-President and Chief Operating Officer of AMSOIL INC., and I like Pontiacs.
[ Breaks Squealing ]
Miracle Wash® Waterless Wash and Wax Spray
Most hot rod owners are dedicated to keeping their vehicle’s appearance on par with its performance.
For those who wouldn’t have it any other way, AMSOIL Miracle Wash is a must-have in the glove box or trunk. Simply spray and wipe off to lift dirt away from the surface instantly. It leaves vehicles with a super-shiny finish that protects against dust, light dirt and harmful ultraviolet rays.
Gasoline Stabilizer
When it’s time to prepare for storage at the end of the season, AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer is crucial to ensuring your ride is road-ready the following year. Gasoline can degrade in as few as 30 days. Treat your fuel tank prior to parking the vehicle for the winter to help prevent fuel degradation and poor engine performance when it’s time to start it up again in the spring.
DOMINATOR® Octane Boost
In the olden days, vehicles were manufactured to run on leaded gasoline. As a result, classic and collector autos often require the use of a lead substitute to preserve the components that were designed for the fuel of days gone by.
AMSOIL DOMINATOR Octane Boost is excellent as a lead substitute in older vehicles. It increases octane up to four numbers, helping reduce engine knock and improve ignition while helping fuel burn more cleanly.
Engine Fogging Oil
Any engine facing storage or lengthy inactivity should be treated with a good dose of Engine Fogging Oil first. Giving the cylinders a shot of oil protects them from rust, corrosion and harmful dry starts when it comes time to fire up your hot rod or classic car again the following year.
Speaking of next year, check out our stored vehicle tips before parking your hot rod or classic car at summer’s end.
In the meantime, enjoy the open road with peace of mind that your engine and components are protected by products from a company that’s been making high-quality products since the days when hot rods were rolling off the assembly line.
