America's Wildest Show Rods of the 1960s and 1970s: Analysis and Opinions from George Barris, Darryl Starbird, Candy Joe Bailon, and Others

America's Wildest Show Rods of the 1960s and 1970s: Analysis and Opinions from George Barris, Darryl Starbird, Candy Joe Bailon, and Others

The 1960s and 1970s were a time of artistic excess. Crazy outfits, new-found freedoms of the boomer generation, and the hippie movement, all created an explosion of style completely unique to the period and generation. The 1960s and 1970s were also a time of intense automotive enthusiasm. New car launches every September were greeted with anticipation, muscle cars with excessive horsepower were the norm, and the average Joe was rodding and racing every weekend. When these two forces came together, the results were unforgettable. A new breed of car was developed-the Show Rod. These creations were never intended for use on the streets, and many of them were never intended for any use at all. Customizers designed and built them to attract huge crowds to the big car show circuit that was travelling the country at the time, and in that they certainly succeeded. What began as visions of futuristic cars eventually morphed into cartoon-like representations of cars. Things got wilder when the model car industry got involved, and then television shows and pop music acts jumped in too. Icons like Barris and Roth, household names even to fringe car guys, made their name in this era, as did others like Gene Winfield, Dean Jeffries, Candy Joe Bailon, Bob Reisner, Darryl Starbird and Tom Daniel, all important characters in promoting, designing and building this insane pieces of rolling artwork. This completely unique book is a round-table discussion featuring all of these great customizers discussing the era, their builds, and each others rods as well. “Lavishly illustrated and well written, this is a wonderful new book that should be on every bubbletop lover’s bookshelf.” -Classic American, May 2014 ( Classic American 2014-04-11) "This book belongs in every custom car aficionado's library." -Alan Mayes, Ol' Skool Rodz, January 2014 (Alan Mayes Ol' Skool Rodz 2013-10-08) "From the sublime to the ridiculous, they're all in this book, and author Gosson has convened a kangaroo court of custom builders both current and contemporary- including Gene Winfield, Darryl Starbird and George Barris- to add details and comments on the host of custom specials in this packed softback." -American Car Magazine, November 2013 ( American Car Magazine 2013-10-14) "Actually, anyone with an interest in the car culture--even the mainstream on--will want this book because, as show rod designer Ed Newton points out in one of the three forewords by movers and shakers, these show circuit confections are 'what Detroit could have made, if they had some balls.'" -speedreaders.info, October 2013 ( speedreaders.info 2013-10-23) "For those who grew up slicking Hot Wheel cars like 'The Red Baron' across their parents' kitchen floor or who spent hours at a workbench in a basement assembling plastic kits of 'Uncertain T' or the 'Batmobile,' this book is your model glue-fueled trip into nostalgia." -Hemmings Muscle Machines, December 2013 ( Hemmings Muscle Machines 2013-11-04) Front Flap My friends and I were dedicated street racers. Performance was paramount, but looking mean and clean was a big part of the deal. That visual aspect is the hook that first grabbed me, before I was old enough to understand the mechanics. Overall attitude, stance, proportion, and detailing became the first priorities on my subconscious checklist (and remain so today). So, even though we routinely ridiculed the “pretty boys and their trailer queens,” we were also first in line when the doors to the local car show opened. For us, the car show was a destination-highly valued when you had “no particular place to go.” We respectfully parked our bare-knuckle street fighters in a far corner of the lot and entered a separate reality, where our open headers and tire smoke were juxtaposed with whispered awestruck conversation and shimmering lights dancing across expanses of flawless candy and pearl. The overall experience was divinely surreal. And that old visual hook was still reeling me in-I was definitely enjoying the show . . .Scotty Gosson Back Flap My name is Scotty Gosson, and here is a little bit about me. Born and raised in northern Oregon. Learned to read and write via older brother Wayne's car magazines. Dad was a welder and biker (Our family car was a full race 1948 Harley flathead with no fenders, open headers, suicide clutch, a solo seat and no brakes). We had other vehicles, but the bike was usually the only one standing after a couple weeks. Got first car running (1953 Ford 2-door wagon) at age 12. Left home at age14 to street race full time (with SBC straight axle '58 Anglia). Started working in wrecking yards at 15. Wheel and track mechanic in Army at age 17 (1973-1975). Professional musician (singer-songwriter) 1975-1997. Parts fabricator at Bob Drake Reproductions 1997-2001. Began freelance chassis fabrication biz at Steve's Auto Restoration in 2001. Worked at many race car/rod/custom shops until the economy got me in 2009. Work part time as Tech Inspecto