The State of American Hot Rodding ─ Interviews on the Craft and the Road Ahead

As the automotive world looks towards a future of electric vehicles, driverless technology and anonymous styling, what can be learned from the individuals who resist these trends and cling to their love of street rods and muscle cars? The hot rodding world still exists, but will it continue to hold a place in tomorrow’s automotive culture? Gearhead and geographer David Miller has crisscrossed America in his custom built 1958 Chevy Apache pickup, interviewing hot rodders about what drives their passions, values and way of life. Their collected stories present a detailed portrait of modern hot rodding—a distinctly American subculture that survives by bucking the trends and attitudes that increasingly shape the transportation landscape.

David Lawrence Miller taught at SUNY at Cortland for 30 years. He has completed two Hot Rod Power Tours, participated in Street Rodder Road tours, earned two “Long Distance” awards at National Car Shows and is a member of the 7 Valley Street Rods car club in Cortland, New York.