Art of the Hot Rod

The drive to rebuild, modify, and improve--to make something faster, lighter, and more eye-catching—is a trait ingrained in many car enthusiasts. Whether the end game is speed, beauty, uniqueness, or some special combination of all three, hot rods have always offered the perfect medium.

Part mechanical sculpture, part show car, and part speed machine, the hot rods presented in Art of the Hot Rod show the past, present, and future of fabrication, custom painting, and craftsmanship. With the help of author and hot rodder Ken Gross, twenty of today’s top builders explain their love of hot rodding, the philosophy they bring to their craft, and exhibit the best of their work in the gorgeous photography of Peter Harholdt.

Legendarycollectorcars.com

The closest thing I can compare it to is when I was a teenager with raging hormones and saw my first copy of Playboy. I knew there were some very intriguing stories inside but I couldn't stop looking at the pictures! That is the same way I felt about Art of the Hot Rod. I always go to the photos. You could put this book out on your coffee table, open in up to almost any page, invite some none car folks over to your house and I can almost guarantee you that someone will pick it up and start talking about what they see. Photographer Peter Harholdt is an artist. The way you see these cars through his eyes is amazing. I will never look at a car at a car show the same way again.

An automobile and motorcycle enthusiast since childhood, Ken Gross was Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum, in Los Angeles, California, for five years following a career in advertising and marketing. His car, travel, and motorcycle writing has appeared in Robb Report, The Rodder's Journal, Automobile Magazine, and Road & Track, to name but a few. Ken and his wife Patricia Serratore live in Hamilton, Virginia, with their children Jake and Kayla.

Peter Harholdt is a lifelong car enthusiast, SCCA racer, and preeminent studio photographer. He has been entrusted with photographing countless priceless works of art for museums and exhibit catalogs. For this project Peter developed a portable studio that allowed him to create beautiful hot rod portraits regardless of the environment or locale.