Birth of Hot Rodding [Hardcover]

Robert Genat (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 2003

The Birth of Hot Rodding was selected by the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Assoc. as its choice for the best book on auto racing for 2003. Subtitled: The Story of the Dry Lakes Era."The nearest thing to it, as I thought then, would be like landing on the moon!"--Wally Parks, describing the dry lakesIn the garages, shops, and fertile minds of 1920s car buffs in search of more power and speed, the hot rodding movement was born. A hot bed of this early quest for speed sprang up when the first Southern California hot rod builder hauled his creation over the ridge of mountains and opened up the throttle on the Mojave Desert's dry lakes.The dry lake beds of the desert provided the common denominator, the measuring stick against which all hot rod builders would judge their modified machines. These dry lakes were in secluded spots where this creative breed of car folk could come together to share ideas, learn from the masters, and compete to be the fastest for the weekend.These wide open havens for speed and freedom nestled within the mountains north of Los Angeles provided nature's perfect racing surface: perfectly flat, free of obstacles, with miles to go in any direction. Places like Muroc, El Mirage, and Harper were transformed from ancient prehistoric no-man's-land to the weekend testing grounds of speed. Author Robert Genat brings together stories of the golden age of hot rodding from the men and women who pioneered the sport in The Birth of Hot Rodding. Profiles of the most influential racers, cars, and events accompany original photography to create a definitive history of hot rod racing on the dry lakes. With a foreword by Wally Parks, NHRA founder and chairman of the NHRA Motorsports Museum, The Birth of Hot Rodding encapsulates a unique piece of racing history.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

"I vividly remember my first trip to the dry lakes. After all of the anticipation and last-minute preparations, a late night's journey to Muroc dry lake and arrival at that legendary expanse of desert vastness was a one-time experience, never to be matched or ever forgotten. The nearest thing to it, as I thought then, would be like landing on the moon!

"Robert Genat’s narrative and Don Cox’s colorful photos have captured the true spirit of California’s legendary dry lakes action — dating back to times when each event was an exciting and unpredictable new adventure."

– Wally Parks

About the Author

Robert Genat is an accomplished author and photographer who has written 23 books for MBI Publishing Company. A self-proclaimed "gear head," Robert has restored two classic cars in the last 10 years (one was featured on a nationally syndicated television show), and is currently working on a chopped 1932 five-window coupe. He and his wife, Robin, own and operate Zone Five Photo. Genat lives in Encinitas, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks; First edition (May 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760313032
• ISBN-13: 978-0760313039
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,561,737 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars late forties dry lake hot rodding, May 18, 2006

By 

F. M. P. Noordberg "matty noordberg" (the netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Birth of Hot Rodding (Hardcover)

this is a real nice photo book of the late forties dry lake hot rod history. The numerous high quality (mostly in colour) pictures of this era give a real nice flavour. The pictures were taken by a professional photographer and it shows, this is not your fuzzy, discoloured family photo album. Together with the text (short stories from numerous participants of that era) gives this book a real good impression. Recommended.