In publishing this column the past five years, we have profiled nearly every significant hot rodder we could think of. But we missed one: Pete Eastwood, the peerless behind-the-scenes craftsman who helped pull together some of the most notable rides ever created. Peter Eastwood was born
Darryl Starbird is an automotive customizer who, along with peers like Gene Winfield and George Barris, helped popularize the custom car during the 1950s and ’60s, when customs became a widespread part of American culture. He opened his Star Kustom Shop in Wichita, Kansas, in
The list of hot rod luminaries that roamed SoCal’s sunny landscape – many profiled in this column – helped define what we know today as “hot rod culture.” And every once in a while, a handful of such legends join forces to create a special
Nearly all the hot rod legends profiled on these pages did their magic following World War II, veterans who dreamed of racing glory while fighting for America’s. Upon returning home, bursting with a pent-up need for speed, they flocked to southern California dry lakes and
The land speed record has always been the Holy Grail for speed-addled enthusiasts. Prior to the advent of jet-engine machines, wheel-driven racers were the LSR standard bearers. Case in point: In 1947, Englishman John Cobb set the LSR record at 394.196mph, courtesy of a pair
Custom paint and intricate pinstriping have been essential elements in the ethos of hot rodding. Nearly every rod and custom flash a protective coat of gloss. If accented by detailed striping and vivid flames, so much the better. And few were – and are –
If the original hot rod era of the 1940s and ’50s was the second coming of the 1932 Ford, then the street rod revival that began in the 1970s could be seen as the Deuce’s first encore. And what better representatives of that time than
You’ve heard it said that Deuce roadsters are like bellybuttons – everyone has one. Well, maybe not everyone, but you get the point. The venerable and iconic ’32 roadster is hot rodding’s signature ride. Original steel, fiberglass, new steel, it doesn’t matter, the Deuce’s timeless
Instead of telling Ed Iskenderian’s life story and his rich hot rodding history, which we’ve done previously in the Legends of Hot Rodding column, I wanted to write this this month about a few Isky nuggets you might not know about, as well as some
Tom McMullen's imprint on the history of hot rodding would make him a unanimous first-ballot, car-guy hall of famer. He is best known for his publishing chops – founder of both Street Chopper and Street Rodder magazines – and a madcap lifestyle that included two
