This color portfolio of an all-American pastime showcases an incredible collection of hot rods, customs, muscle cars, and street rods from all over the United States. 80 color photos.

There was time - not long ago - when cars were much more than transportation. Part function, part fashion, part id, cars were the largest thing you could wear. Every American teenager dreamed of having their own car because it promised joy, freedom and self-expression. During this era, Bob Larivee was the undisputed ringmaster of the greatest show on Earth - the indoor hot rod and custom car show. Driven by pure enthusiasm, and possessing a natural gift of knowing what would draw people, Larivee built an empire that showcased style, color, chrome, horsepower, pop culture and fantasy. His Promotions, Inc. (PI) produced events for decades that helped define American car passion while fueling the dreams of millions around the world. Hot Rod Dreams - Car Shows and Culture celebrates the people and stories of this not-so-long-ago - and still evolving - world. From the earliest days of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth through the golden era of car-crazy TV, Hot Rod Dreams celebrates what it was really like to buy an "Outlaw", employ Playboy Playmates, and make sure Dale Earnhardt got home in time for dinner - while also exploring how popular culture inspires our concepts of personal identity.

Moorhouse (sociology, U.of Glasgow) interprets the post-war American passion for hot rods and drag racing as an extreme example of the country's attitude toward automobiles. Of interest to social scientists and to teenagers who want to see what they missed. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

In the best-selling original book, Hot Rod Gallery: A Nostalgic Look at Hot Rodding’s Golden Years: 1930-1960, author and historian Pat Ganahl opened his archives and shared 192 pages and 350 photos of "some" of the most interesting and best photos of his collection. Filled with fascinating images of some of the coolest cars and builders, long-forgotten car clubs, and great shots of the dry lakes, nostalgia fans flocked to grab a piece of hot rodding history all in one convenient package. Well, if some is good, more is better, right?" In Hot Rod Gallery II: More Great Photos and Stories from Hot Rodding's Golden Years, Ganahl dug deeper into his massive archive for even cooler and more never-before-seen photos in both color and black and white to provide another album of great hot rodding photos. He was pleasantly surprised to find that he had more great stuff in old files and folders, hidden away for decades. In this edition are even more dry lakes shots, post-war rods, lead sleds, show circuit cars, and a chapter on marvelous mills. He even dug a little deeper into the early 1960s. If you liked the first edition of Hot Rod Gallery by Pat Ganahl: A Nostalgic Look at Hot Rodding's Golden Years: 1930-1960, you may like this one even more. Ganahl guarantees that it is filled with images you have never seen, and he offers his commentary and a lifetime of expertise in this selection of fantastic images from his expansive archive. You can spend hours looking at all the details and soaking in the history in these images, and we know you’ll enjoy this book as much as you did the first.

David Perry, Foreword by Robt. Williams. For as long as young men have been channeling, chopping, and hopping up rods and customs, women - whether loyal girlfriends or trouble-seeking "bad girls" - have been an integral to their scene. In this unique portfolio evoking great 1950s pin-up artists like Vargas and Elvgren, talented photographer David Perry depicts models in and out of cherry-picked rods and customs wearing painstakingly chosen period dress and hairstyles. More than 100 photos present these modern-day pin-ups under three themes: Garage, Cruising, and Race. In addition, essays explore each topic and are also accompanied by pulp novel covers, period mags, and ads that place the photography in a historical context. Captions identify the car owners, photo location, and, where appropriate, interesting car specs and histories.

DIVIn Hot Rod Garages, acclaimed hot rod photographer and author Peter Vincent gives readers an intimate look inside the shops and garages of more than two dozen rod and custom builders. Unlike most hot rod books, Vincent’s takes a strictly California-centric approach in examining shops across the United States. From individuals crafting cars for their own reward to more prominent builders turning out cool rides for paying customers, Vincent and his cameras show the builders in the context of their spaces, in the process exploring how their work environments inform their creations and vice versa. Included are individuals like Pete Eastwood who have garnered attention in the hot rod press while building mostly for themselves; builders like Vern and Keith Tardel, the Kennedy Brothers, and Cole Foster with his crew at Salinas Boyz, all currently being celebrated for the traditionally styled rides they build for consumers; and high-end shops widely considered to be the cream of the industry, like Roy Brizio’s and Steve Moal’s in the Bay Area, as well as SO-CAL Speed Shop (heir to legend Alex Xydias). The result is the next best thing to being there—an exquisitely presented book that eloquently distills the varying nature of these spaces and the cars created within, revealing the countless hours spent machining, wrenching, welding, and shaping these beautiful visions to fruition./div

With the grace and style of a souped-up Seville -- and published to coincide with the annual race extravaganza at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah -- Hot Rod captures the American obsession with speed, thrills, and cars in this unparalleled collection of photographs. From the chop shops of East Bakersfield to the drag strips and deserts of California and Utah, David Perry's photographs expose the underbelly of the hot rod obsession. Greasers, gearheads, dragstrip beatniks, rockabilly queens, and hopped-up machines of all kinds are featured in this evocative tribute. Barry Gifford, best-selling author of Wild at Heart, adds an original novelette about Danny and his paramour, Yolanda, in a tale of Airstreams and Lucky Strikes that captures perfectly the rebellious spirit of the images.

This book is a collection of Bud Drakes columns from Rod Action and Goodguys Gazette for which he has written, respectively, the columns Fifties Flashback and Flashing Back. Within it is a wealth of historical essays and colorful writing on the people, machines, movies and cultural events that shaped hot rod culture.

In book six of the Last Chance Detectives series, readers learn about forgiveness and self-sacrifice, while the main characters learn the hard way how to overcome their emotions and work together to help others—including those who have wronged them. A mysterious old car is terrorizing the roads outside Ambrosia, and the Last Chance Detectives are determined to find out who’s behind it—and why. A dangerous highway encounter. A phantom roadster. A thirty-year quest for revenge. Arlene, the sheriff’s assistant, is driving home from work one evening when a classic hotrod pulls up alongside her. What did Arlene see that night that has her so frightened? Who was inside the other car, and what about that threatening message the driver left behind? Mike, Winnie, Ben, and Spence—four kids known as the Last Chance Detectives—decide to investigate this case of terror on the highway. They learn that Sheriff Smitty has a secret from his past, a secret that puts him and the young sleuths in danger. Revenge of the Phantom Hotrod calls on the four friends to work through their differences and follow what God teaches about justice and forgiveness, before it’s too late! Get to know The Last Chance DetectivesMike: Fearless and bold, his leadership spurs the group on—sometimes into danger!Winnie: She knows the desert like the back of her hand and has a nose for news.Ben: His imagination makes him a great problem solver.Spence: A technical genius, he’s the brains of the outfit.Together, these four friends won’t stop until the mystery is solved!