American Icon : The Hot Rod

‘American Icon- The Hot Rod' takes an in-depth look at the history of the hot rod, a uniquely American automotive creation. This fascinating series documents the birth of this Southern Californian craze, which saw thousands of young men return from the Second World War and take to the streets to apply the mechanical skills they had learnt in the military, and adapt them to their home-built cars. The origin of the Hot rod is explored through the history of the 1908 Ford Model T and the seminal 1932 Ford V-8, whilst the series also highlights how this cultural phenomenon spurred the creation of Hot Rod magazine in 1948, which became an iconic magazine for American culture.