Hot rods come in all shapes and sizes. We here at Rod Authority don’t judge a car solely by its looks and appeal; sometimes it’s simply the story that’s worth showing to you all. Such is the case with today’s video, courtesy of  ScottieD.

Scottie was at the Goodguys Nationals at Nashville when he heard about this particular rod, and was able to meet with its owner, Roger Yaeger – a similar spelling, but of no relation, to test pilot Chuck Yeager – and converse about the car, its previous owner, and the family as a whole.

The rod calls to mind those cool-looking T-buckets that hot rods were traditionally made out of, which is partly what its builders (Roger, his son John, and Roger’s brother Chuck) were going for. It runs a ’49 Mercury flathead motor with a 5-speed transmission out of Chevy S-10 pickup, with period-correct spoke wheels and whitewall tires. Fuel intake is provided by dual two-barrel Holley carburetors, meant to recall the look on these early Fords.

It’s got some character telling features, like its oversized gear stick and a Jagermeister – referencing the family name – bottle used as an ersatz overflow. The exhaust sediment container has colored marbles rolling around at all times. And of course, the license plate, “1 HMRD A,” implies that the truck had been “hammered down,” as Roger puts it.

The story of the rod, however, is somewhat sad: John Yeager, the former owner, passed away in December 2012, at the age of just 41 and four days shy of his birthday. The rod was a favorite of his, which he drove everywhere, at one point going so far as Florida (from Illinois) to attend and display it at a car show.

This year, for the GoodGuys Nationals, the Yaeger clan decided to drive the car down from Illinois to Tennessee as a tribute to John. It’s bittersweet, seeing the family all there next to the rod, but a worthy and honorable way of expressing love and care for a brother, son, husband, and father.