Hope y'all had a Merry Christmas. Through several gatherings and a lot of family, 2009 was the best for us. Under our tree among socks shirts was Hot Rod and Custom Chronicle (ISBN-13: 978-1-4127-1226-2, ISBN-10: 1-4127-1226-2) by Tom Taylor.
Taylor suggests this American phenomenon was unlikely to survive its 1930's roots, or again its virtual extinction in the mid 1960's. The 1950's were the heyday of hot rods but within the next 10 years, rods were succeeding to the lure of muscle cars. Customs had evolved from custom bodies for expensive chassis into autos available to working folk, thanks to the few creative and dedicated shops who made it affordable. Similarly, customs were being upstaged by Riveras, Chargers and Mustangs exhibiting more '...custom touches than could ever be welded, cut, bent, or otherwise fabricated into a '50 Merc.' Taylor notes.
In the '70's, a wave of nostalgia led that original hot rod generation to create the cars they dreamed of but couldn't afford back in high school. A decade later, and right on time, custom car fans got the bug. 'So began the second coming of hot rods and customs', says Taylor.
Great book and a decent history of our addiction. Worth a read.
Bill
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