This Hemi-Powered Pool Table Hot Rod Would Not Be Constructed Today.

      Historics Auctioneers

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      There’s no denying it: we are in a golden era of horsepower. You can find remarkable performance at affordable prices, whether you’re purchasing new cars or building the engine for your project. However, there aren’t as many innovators crafting hot rods and custom vehicles like this quirky pool table on wheels with a Hemi engine beneath the slate.

      To clarify, I’m not suggesting that stunning artistic creations have completely vanished in this era. If you spend any time on The H.A.M.B., you’ll see otherwise. Yet, I would be genuinely astonished to witness something as eccentric as Steve Tansy’s 1970 “Pool Hustler” being created in 2025.

      Tansy contributed to bringing some of the most iconic movie cars to life, including the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters and the early Batmobiles. His other, more unconventional works feature a Coca-Cola vending machine-inspired vehicle built on a square tube chassis with a 1965 Corvette rear end. The Pool Hustler fit right in with this style, and I admire it.

      This vehicle is currently up for auction with Historics Auctioneers in the UK for £25,000, which is around $33,000 USD. Although the 426-cubic-inch V8 doesn’t currently run, repairing that is much simpler than perfectly recreating the nostalgic ’70s bodywork. And the pool table itself? It’s estimated to be around 100 years old now.

      In true hot rod fashion, zoomie headers rise on either side of the centerpiece. The pool ball wheels and Goodyear slicks are so broad that they extend quite far out, and viewed from the rear, it certainly looks tough. The listing lacks many technical specifics, but that rear end and exposed suspension really impress me.

      Perhaps my favorite view is from the side, showcasing the elegantly curved front fenders:

      One could argue that something like this would never be made today as it might come across as cheesy. You’d likely be accurate, too. However, as someone who makes a living writing about cars online, I would love to see more designs like this to break the routine of LS-powered vehicles that clock in nine-second quarter-miles. Maybe I’m simply not searching in the right places.

      Perhaps I should start seeking out artists instead.

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