Synopses & Reviews
The ability of U.S. car enthusiasts to satisfy their need for speed changed dramatically in the late 1940s as car-crazy veterans returned home from World War II with formal mechanical training, courtesy of Uncle Sam. This is the story of how one such veteran, an ex-B-17 airman named Alex Xydias, established the SO-CAL Speed Shop and helped transform hot rodding from a scruffy, underground, outlaw sport into a defining part of postwar American culture.
Review
Classic American (UK), Winter 2006
“This stunning 196-page hardback is effectively the story of Alex, So-Cal and the guys who helped to shape an underground hobby into a worldwide movement and thriving industry … There have been many books about early hot rodding, but none has captured the atmosphere quite like this one.”
Synopsis
This is the story of how an ex-B-17 airman established the SO-CAL Speed Shop and helped transform hot rodding from a scruffy, underground, outlaw sport into a defining part of postwar American culture.