Edition DescriptionRevised edition
SynopsisAmong the hardest core of American automotive enthusiasts there has always existed a desire to press automotive styling and performance a step further than the showroom floor -- a need to truly craft an automobile of one's own. This photographic and cultural history of the American custom car examines the evolution of this phenomenon from the 1930s to present, covering touchstone trends, influential builders (Barris, Roth, Coddington, et al), significant auto shows, vital enthusiast magazines and regional variations in styling. An expansive collection of rare period photography and exclusive modern shots also helps illustrate how Detroit influenced the styling of customs (and vice versa), the explosion of the custom car scene after World War II and the factors which led to the custom's near-death in the 1960s and its resurgence in the '80s. But most of all, this comprehensive chronicle is a showcase of the great cars and people who influenced the movement through the years., Among the hardest core of American automotive enthusiasts there always exists a desire to press styling and performance a step beyond the showroom floor -- to truly craft an automobile of one's own. This photographic and cultural history examines the evolution of American custom cars from the 1930s to present, covering touchstone trends, influential builders (Barris, Roth, Coddington et al), custom shows, enthusiast magazines and regional styles. An expensive collection of rare period photography and exclusive modern shots help illustrate how Detroit informed the styling of customs (and vice versa), the explosion of the custom car scene after World War II and the factors that led to the custom's near-death in the 1960s and its resurgence in the '80s. But most of all, this chronicle is a showcase of the great cars and people who influenced the movement through the years.