Help with English paper on the origins of hotrods?

I got laid off in December, no work, no options, so I took the plunge and went back to school. I'm writting my semester paper on the origins of the hobby. Including the at***udes of the pioneers, as well as the those of the early opponents. I know I could write this without looking up much but I need some sources.

I've been searching and can't come up with the right combination of words to find what I need.

Any help would be great,

Thank you

 

Check out the Don Montgomery books. The photos and descriptions are from the era you're looking for. Good luck on your paper. The FOGGER

 

Try picking up a copy of "The Birth of Hot Rodding: The Story of the Dry Lakes Era" by Robert Genat. There are used copies on Amazon.com for pretty cheap. If you need one FAST, then you might want to buy from your local bookseller. "Dry Lakes and Dragstrips: The American Hot Rod" by Dean Batchelor is also a great book. Good luck with your paper, and kudos for going back to school!

Adios,

Scott

 

Great idea for a paper. You need this book by Peter Vincent. Lots of historical info. with photos and personal interviews. Mine's for sale. If interested PM me for details. I commend you for going back to school.

 

You should also get your hands on a copy of Driving Ambitions: A social ****ysis of the American hot rod enthusiasm by H.F. Moorhouse (Manchester University Press 1991).

It's a great source because it is NOT an enthusiast's book and it is NOT written by a car guy. That means a few of the details are wrong but overall his information is rock-solid and (most importantly) he has no personal biases about the subject.
He's actually arguing that this stuff is an important social phenomenon on its own merits, not because he loves hot rods or even cares about the cars themselves.

I don't know if it'll help you, but I have a rough draft of an article I wrote a few years ago and I'd be happy to send you a copy. It is not about the roots of rodding per se, but it IS about the at***udes and beliefs of rodders, customizers, and restorers in general. (You can cite it as an "unpublished m****cript" on your reference page.)

 

Thank you all very much. Those are just the kind of sources I was looking for. I guess I'll be making a trip to Borders today!