The Legendary Custom Cars and Hot Rods of Gene Winfield
Book written by David Grant about the legendary hot rod racer and kustom car builder Gene Winfield. The book was published in 2008. Foreword in the book is written by non other then Spence Murray.
Book Description
Of all the pioneering custom-car builders to come to prominence in the 1950s scene—Harry Westergard, George Barris, and Dean Jeffries, among others—one of the most prolific was a young man from Modesto, California, named Gene Winfield. Cutting his teeth in California’s hopping postwar hot rod scene, Winfield eventually gravitated to the media of custom cars, becoming one of its preeminent purveyors.
For the first time, Winfield’s career is examined in this volume fully illustrated with photography from Gene’s personal archive. Written by longtime Winfield protégé David Grant, The Custom Cars and Hot Rods of Gene Winfield is culled from hours of interviews with Winfield and recounts everything from his early days in Modesto and his emersion in California car culture, to his role in forming the Century Toppers car club, his involvement in dry lakes racing, the formation of Winfield’s Custom Shop in 1955, and the impressive string of vehicles that followed. Cars featured include the 1946 Ford convertible that graced the second issue of Rod & Custom, the 1950 Solar Scene Mercury, and the Ford King T that won the 1963 AMBR award, among dozens of others. Grant also delves into Winfield’s involvement with AMT, movie and TV vehicles for such projects as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Get Smart.
Where to buy the book
The book is fairly rare and hard to come by. It has become a collector's item and you have to pay up to secure a copy. We have heard that the last time Gene Winfield was in Sweden he came by a few books for sale that he bought up and brought back home to the US.
Contents and Featured Cars
Gene Winfield's 1929 Ford Model A Coupe
Gene Winfield's 1931 Ford Model A Roadster
Harold Ohanesian's 1934 Ford 3-Window Coupe
Bruce Glenn's 1939 Ford
Frank Winfield's 1941 Plymouth
Gene Winfield's 1927 Ford Model T Roadster
Gene Winfield's 1927 Ford Model T Coupe
Alvin Serpa's 1946 Ford
Benny Furtado's 1948 Ford
Nick Cozzitorto's 1952 Ford
Pete Hischer's 1950 Mercury
Pete Hischer's 1932 Ford Roadster
Gene Winfield's 1950 Mercury
The Rod & Custom Magazine’s Dream Truck
Leroy Kemmerer's 1956 Mercury - The Jade Idol
The Solar Scene
The Strip Star
The Reactor
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