This may be kind of a long shot, but I think this is the best place to ask...I'm searching for a series of books that my dad read in the 50's. They were for boys and about cars and one of the main characters had a bronze coupe. He doesn't remember the ***les or author, but remembers the story well enough that his coupe is painted bronze. Through my research I'm wondering if it may be Felsen's series (Hot Rod and others.) Does anyone have any idea of what books he's describing? Thanks for the help! Rebecca
Could be Hot Rod by Henrey Gregory Felsen or Felson I read it when I was in High School. Gave me the bug I still have today, and I still have the 28 roadster pickup I bought after reading it. Good Luck
There were several books by him in the same period, one did have a bronze 40 coupe in it (I think it was "Street Rod"). I read them a long time ago and those details still remain.
Hot Rod, Crash Club, Street Rod and others were written by Henry Gregor Felsen. Do a search on eBay or Amazon
I remember reading this book in junior high. The main character (and owner/builder of the bronze '40 coupe) was Ricky Madison. The "bad" guy was Link Aller. The story had quite a sudden twist at the end...
You're right! The car was pink, and the wire wheels were bronze. Ricky's girlfriend, Sharon, talked him into the pink paint.
If I remember correctly ...Ricky Madison bought that coupe from none other than Merle Conner..! With Merle's help he built it .
The books were reprinted before George Felsen died by Bob Larivee whose company is I believe called called Hot Rod Heritage.
I always wanted to see somebody build that car in "Street Rod" for real. His description is pretty good and it could be a real tribute to one of the guys who introduced many young kids to the perils and thrills and reality of automobiles as a hobby and a vocation. By the way, the car was a "'39 Ford coupe, originally black, but now the rusty shade of an old top hat". I've always believed it was a 39 Standard Coupe rather than a DeLuxe. "The pink coupe roared into the air, twisting in agony. That first surge tore Ricky from the wheel. His head met Sharon's with a bone-splintering crunch."
look for the multi book hardcover set 90's version or look in the used book stores they have a black binding edge many options in cover art ... the only bboks i ordered thru the school discount order thingie i found all these in the hardcover school library close out area and treasure them... the dates for checkout is a neat addition
Another author of car-oriented kid's books was William Campbell Gault. He wrote "Thunder Road", "Drag Strip", and "Speedway Challenge".
Street rod was the one about the kid building the custom pink coupe. Crash club is the one with the bronze coupe. They drag raced in front of the school every day before school.....and then one day the jet black fuel injected chevy rolled quitely into the parking lot..... I read those Henry Gregor Felson books in junior high and high school and several years ago found the full set reprinted in a box set of soft covers.....should be able to find them on ebay or amazon if they are still in print that way.
The box set was a limited run but still pop up ocasionally. I had two sets but sold one here on the HAMB a couple years ago. If you find one they have been bringing $50-$75. I have most of the ***les in hard copy. Kind of started my car addiction too. You can find them on e-bay, the later editions are still pretty resonable. All of Felsen's books were morality plays. Good group of kids, a bad influence, someone does something stupid, someone gets killed, everyone learns a valuable lesson. I have been collecting these and Gaults as well as others for my grandson, He's 8 so in a couple years I'll introduce him to the "cl***ics" lol.
OK, you caused me to pull it off the shelf and read it again. the ***le is "Street Rod" written by henry gregor felsen. printed by bantam books , path finder edition. retailed for .45 cents in paper back. the coupe was pink out side with copper trim and copper wire wheels, interior was dark brown leather like material. page # 143 hope this helps, i enjoyed reading it again for the first time in 30 years.
The bronze coupe was from Crash Club. From the first chapter: "Seconds later the first two cars moved into sight, close together and wheel to wheel. A bronze coupe with black arrows painted on its sides and surfaces, and a white coupe decorated with a playing-card pattern of red diamonds and hearts and black clubs and spades. Mike Revere against 'Heavy' Gardner." I wonder if those "arrows" on the sides and surfaces were scallops, and Mr. Felsen didn't know what they were called. Henry Gregor Felsen was an English teacher. I have the set of six books (Crash Club, Hot Rod, Street Rod, Rag Top, Road Rocket, and Fever Heat) which were published in 1990 by GP/Books (Group Promotions Publishing, Orion MI). The ISBN # is 0-917473-06-X I read them in school in the 60s, and was thrilled when they published the six-book set in '90.
Duncan, you got those books at work or sumthin for such quick and easy reference? Mine are still in a box somewhere and couldn't come up with them within 24 hours on a bet!
you guys are great!!! Thank you SO much~I'm going to search for Hot Rod, Street Rod and Crash Club to buy for my dad. He'll be so happy to have them again. Thanks again-I really appreciate it!
There are a number of them for sale on eBay right now. If you look at completed auctions, you can see what they've actually been selling for.
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