Custom Cars

People customize their cars to look cool, go fast or both. To their owners, custom cars are more than just vehicles. They are a hobby, a passion, even a way of life. From high-powered hot rods and street rods, to fast and colorful tuner cars, each type of custom has a unique culture and community surrounding it. That's because car lovers like nothing better than to hang out together and share their love of cars. In this book, you will learn about everything from cool classic customs to the hottest new custom machines, the names of some of the most famous car customizers, and where car lovers gather to show off their machines. Photographs by Chuck Vranas.

Handcrafted, radical, and subversive, these custom cars are designed and made by a small number of specialists

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.

Chassis swaps, frame clips, fender flares and sectioning, grille swaps and more packed into on comprehensive guide.

Describes custom cars, including hot rods and muscle cars, including both historical and current information.

Before beginning any custom car project, many choices must be made: body style, paint, upholstery, wheels and tires, engines, interior accessories, and more. By the end of the project, many thousands of dollars and hours will have been spent—and hopefully wisely. Before beginning your own custom car or hiring a builder, it pays to develop a vision for your car, how you want it to stand out, and what you want it to express. In Custom Cars, noted author and motojournalist Alan Mayes explores each element of a custom car build in detail with hundreds of award-winning customs as examples. From postwar classics to more modern cruisers to complete custom builds, Mayes explains the various types of materials and styles available with hundreds of color photos to illustrate the challenges and benefits of each. Spend a little time designing your dream car with Alan Mayes’s Custom Cars and you’re sure to create a real head-turner.

The Sacramento Delta has produced some of the finest hot rods and custom cars ever made. The passion of the area's builders is evident in the incredible cars they created, which drew nationwide attention. Harry Westerguard, who taught George Barris bodywork, worked on the second "America's Most Beautiful Roadster"----a 1923 "T" that was a style-setter for its day. Bob Dron built his first custom when he was only fifteen and a half, and Lenny Byer created his own "Candy Apple Red" in Rio Vista. Detroit might have had its vision, but the Delta region built its own. Discover the stories behind the cars and their builders as author John V. Callahan takes us on a trip down memory lane.

Start your engines for the ultimate racing car adventure! Young builders will love this fun-filled LEGO® pack which includes bricks, a 48-page book of ideas and activities and over 260 reusable stickers. Use the LEGO bricks to build any of the three awesome racing cars, before customizing them with the stickers. The book includes building instructions and loads of hints and tips for customizing each car with cool new looks and upgrades. With more than 10 different rebuild options, you can keep creating new cars over and over again. The book also includes plenty of fun puzzles for when you need a breather from the racetrack. LEGO, the LEGO logo and the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2021 The LEGO Group.