I know I am late to the party but I bought a copy of "Edelbrock- Made in the USA" and am enjoying the heck out of it. I started into this ass backwards by reading "We Were the Ramchargers", "Hemi", Sox & Martin. "Landy", etc. Now I am hooked. What are the other great reads that document the evolution of Hot Rodding & Racing? If they are not well written and read strictly like a history book of executives running a company, I am not interested. Thanks!
Slingshot Spectacular - The Front Engine Dragster Era by Steve Reyes. Lots of good photos, and some stories behind how the rail evolved. Written by someone who was there, camera in hand. For the Aussies: Traction Action - Classic Drag Racing 1970-1984 by Jon Van Daal. Similar to the above, Jon was a cameraman on the ground. Covers multiple local classes. Cheers, Harv
Isky: Ed Iskenderian and the History of Hot Rodding - Matt Stone Birth of Hot Rodding - Robert Genat Hot Rod Gallery I & II, Lost Hot Rods - Pat Ganahl
The original book Challenger by Mickey Thompson. It details his early years before he was anywhere close to famous up though his land speed efforts. The original printing was in 1965 so I was a high school sr or just out of high school when I read it the first time.
I have a large library of hot rod history books, but by far, in my mind is a book commissioned by Ed Justice Jr. and out of print . The title is "The Christman Legacy". It chronicles the entire Christman family, including Jack, but especially Art Christman. I recommend it to anyone that enjoys racing from the 40's through the 80's. Art left an indelible impression on hot rodding.
The Merchants of Speed by Paul D. Smith (Motorbooks 2009) Maximum Performance by Jim Schild 2nd vote for @X38 nomination of "High Performance" by Robert C. Post
" They call me Mister 500 " is about Andy Granatelli and the early days of hot rodding and Indy racing.
This is a great book! Love the early stories and the rocket car will have you laughing every time you think about it.
Ditto on "The Birth of Hot Rodding". Great book. And of course, anything by Pat Ganahl would be on the list as well. Haven't read the Isky book but that's a great suggestion - added to my list! A couple more I have that I highly recommend: "My Life Beyond the 1320" by Don Prudhomme and Elana Scherr. You can get your copy at www.snakeracing.com "Peter Sukalac - Photojournalist" by Albert Drake. Go here: Flat Out Press: Flat Out Press Catalog There have been threads about both those books here on the HAMB - that's how I found 'em.
'Zora Arkus-Duntov - The Legend Behind Corvette' Great book. That guy was a genius. https://www.amazon.com/Arkus-Duntov-Legend-Behind-Corvette-Chevrolet/dp/0837608589
Hot Rod Memories Don Montgomery I think a series. I have one from 1991 The All-American Hot Rod. Stories, photographs, artwork. Contributors include Ganahl, Banks, Felsen, Featherston, and others. 2004 The American Hot Rod. Dean Batchelor 1995 Art of the Hot Rod. Ken Gross. 2008 Scrap Book from the editors of Rodder's Journal 2012 Hot Rod Pioneers Ed Almquist 2000 Bonneville, The Fastest Place on Earth. Louise Ann Noeth. 2002 Hot Rods. Boyd Coddington. 1992 Hot Rod and Custom Cars. Ken Gross & Robert Ames. 2009 Hot Rod Gallery. Pat Ganahl 2016
Leroi "Tex" Smith's autobiography....can't remember the correct title right now but there's only one such book. You prolly don't want to read it if you think you are a fan of Tom McMullin (AEE Choppers, Street Rodder etc)
I pre ordered the book before Tex passed away. Lo and behold, got the book many months later. After reading it, I suspect that he had a stipulation that it wouldn’t be released until after his passing! Hell of a read! Side note, got a call after his passing asking me if I still wanted a ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROADSTER club jacket. Hell yes!
"hero's of hot rodding " and "merchants of speed" i found absolutely riveting both about the founders of speed equipment and a cast of characters couldn't put em down there's so much good stuff out there more coming all the time HOWEVER once they are out of print some books kinda rocket ( don montgomery books are a good example, i got "cool cars and square rollbars " as a tip from a customer but up there as well) i have a pretty good bookcase going what i do is check craigslist and fb market for car/hot rod books and keep my ebay watchlist loaded with a bunch and wait on "offers from seller" that way my nonexistent " literature budget " doesn't interfere with my nonexistent "car budget" lol Fabricator John miss you dad
"Holman-Moody: The Legendary Race Team" and "Go Like Hell" are also good reads......and I am not a Ford guy.
Hello, This is to remind others that the spirit of 1959-60 still rings true and continues every year. Books have a locked in feature and shows history from whatever area of the USA it originated. Here is a great artwork by So Cal artist, photographer and historian, John “Waldo” Glaspey. His outstanding art work tells a story of experiences throughout So Cal drag racing history. Original art work by John “Waldo” Glaspey. Author of the latest book on Lion’s Dragstrip. “SO CAL THUNDER… when Lions Roared!” Hello, Walking through the original grand opening of the newly created Lions Dragstrip Museum, I was instantly enjoying a flashback to the drag racing scene as we had enjoyed for all of those years as teenagers. We had a connection to Lion's Dragstrip and it was close to our Westside of Long Beach house, too. I was overjoyed that they had selected my special edition drag racing films of the racing development from 1958 to 1964 during out involvement as hot rod guys and drag racers. The movie was playing on a giant screen bolted to the wall of the big warehouse in front of one of the most historic roadsters from So Cal. The Hill Acala Red Roadster in all of its original glory. Friday Art Original 2017 Lion's Dragstrip Museum display On the other hand, in 2017, as I was wandering all over the museum, I met another photographer and author of the current coffee table book: So Cal Thunder, When Lions Roared…” In August 1960, he was a 20 something sitting in the spectator’s stand watching the drag races all day and into the night. He mentioned to me that it was the most intense incident that he had ever witnessed at a drag strip. He said that our 1940 671 SBC powered Willys Coupe was getting quicker and faster on each run from the early elimination races. They had been hoping that we would win that last race as we deserved the win with outstanding results all day. The explosion and resulting fire was definitely spine chilling and when the Willys Coupe started heading for the spectators side fencing, all was lost. He said that race car drivers in the area and the security guards all had fire extinguishers, but the flames kept coming out of the cab. Then he saw Atts Ono and me, spraying larger extinguishers into the cab. But then I disappeared in the 58 Impala tow vehicle, back down towards the finish line. That is where my brother was being loaded into the white Pontiac ambulance by our friend, Mr. Childers. I had become friends with Mr. Childers as he was always standing near his ambulance while I was next to him on the tower side at Lion’s Dragstrip shooting with my movie camera. The episode will be in all of our minds from that fateful night at Lion’s Dragstrip. Thanks to Atts Ono, the Grist Family and other racers that tried to do the best they could. Note: “The most comprehensive book on the Westcoast Lion’s Dragstrip history was written by John “Waldo” Glaspey, a So Cal local. He has been following drag racing since those early days. It is a small world as if someone who stays in So Cal long enough, you are bound to meet someone from way back then. I had a nice conversation with John Glaspey at the Lions Dragstrip Museum Grand Opening in June of 2017. He gave me a recollection of a then, 19 year old college art student, sitting in the crowded stands all day, watching the racing down on the track. The story he told me created shivers down my back and arms. It was a first hand look at our racing, winning races all day in our 1940 Willys C/Gas 671 SBC coupe and final run late at night. The description he gave was one of being a “fan favorite” as we kept winning race after race in the Willys C/Gas Coupe until 9 p.m. at night. John Glaspey described the clutch blowing right in front of his “spectator side” seats and a clear view of the flaming Willys wedged into the spectator side fence, burning itself out. He probably saw me using several fire extinguishers down below, to no avail. Then, watching me zipping off to the ambulance back at the finish line.” Jnaki Of all of the books we have in our basket/book shelves, (So Cal Thunder) this is the one to read and own. The art work is beyond fantastic. The stories are on a different viewpoint from the others. But, the photos (old college roommates were pro photographers) and his own, personal, drag racing art work is by far the best published. This is one heck of a good book to read and have on your coffee table. That and the fact of being a visitor in a certain time period of drag racing history for us. So Cal Thunder it is an excellent book on the Drag Racing scenes in So Cal with outstanding artwork from the author, John "Waldo" Glaspey (an auto illustrator, plus) Some of the best drag racing original photos were taken by Don Hale and Roy Robinson. A few of the many, So Cal Legends... There were even some great photos of the late, Tom McEwen in his early days. Attitude, style and all... No, I do not work on commission, but this book is "THE" best drag racing book around. The photos are excellent, and rare. The artwork needs its own gallery for display. The writing was as if one was standing on the sidelines taking photos and shooting films as a teenager... great memories brought to life. So Cal Thunder... When Lions Roared!
My favourite too, second favourite is early book on NASCAR called "Driving with the Devil" well worth checking out.
Go Like Hell is the book that would become Ford Vs Ferarri. Couldnt put it down, great non-fiction car book. It astounded me how many people died in early GT racing. You had like a 25% chance of surviving a season at one point. Smokey's books are great from a content perspective but he was a terrible writer. His stream of thought tended to be all over the place. Though it speaks to his character that he did it himself rather than having it ghostwritten.
The Last Open Road by BS Levy is a fictional story but could be a true life story probably for many here. Read this book along with a couple of its sequels this is a great book that if you ever worked in a gas station, worked on cars or knew any characters that worked or hung around gas stations you will identify with the book. Very true to life, very funny at times, but very relatable as a teen growing up to a man. This is from Wikipedia: The Last Open Road is a novel written by B.S. Levy, a long time amateur racer. It tells the story of a young mechanic from Passaic, New Jersey who becomes involved in automobile road racing during its peak in the 1950s. The book follows Buddy Palumbo, the main character, as he has to balance family life with working on cars. Buddy works mostly at a small gas station in his home town of Passaic, but also worked briefly at a foreign car shop in New York City.
A must read for any FoMoCo fan and really anyone interested in the history of auto racing. Volume 1 was written in 1968 and does a wonderful job of covering all of Ford's racing exploits up to that point in time. Bangers, Flatheads, Stock Cars, Carra Pan America, Rally, Land Speed, Indy, F1, LeMans, Baja, etc. Volume 2 covers the last 3rd of the 20th Century up to 2000. Another good read, but not necessarily HAMB friendly.
OMG, I laughed so hard I cried when I read about the motorcycle wreck! I am going back and re-read that chapter when I am done. Great story told wonderfully! Thanks!
Modern Classics The Great Cars of the Postwar Era Rich Taylor c1978 Don't let the title fool ya. Devin? Yup. Cobra? Of course. Bocar too? Seriously? Indeed. Allard, GT40, Alfa, Cunningham's brutal racers, even some lowly muscle stuff, and exotics you may have never heard of. The writing style is fun, opinionated, factual, every chapter a pleasure of accuracy and maybe a good measure of sarcasm along the way. A must have, even though the obligatory "pinky up" cars are included. American, British and Euro wonders are covered. No, mundane history like Cadillac, Buick etc is not included. My original copy was never returned, just shagged one off Amazon for 5 bucks. ANY serious car guy will love it.
The Jalopy Journal
