Well the Missus and I trundled over to Larz Anderson Park the other day to catch Lookin’ East: Art and Imagination of the New England Hot Rod and say, it was . . . sweeeet.

The idea of customizing attainable old cars for straight-line speed caught on in the imaginations of those dreaming of life after [World War II]. Many men received technical, mechanical, or metalworking training while in the service, also adding to their desires. In the late 1940s, men went back home with more mechanical knowledge, a fired-up imagination, a sense of danger, and often a little money in their pockets. There was also a semi-infinite supply of cars and parts with which to get creative. That same competitive spirit boiled over all across the country, as these new hot rodders did not only want to build cars but also wanted to race. Not everybody had a dry lake bed, but in plenty of regions there were unused airstrips that the military no longer needed and were just begging to be raced on, not to mention the strips of pavement between traffic lights. One of these regions was New England, already a center of creativity and innovation.

Among the honeys in the exhibit (via Hot Rod Network).

’32 Full Fendered Deuce

’36 Ford Three Window Coupe

But this is the one we wanted to take home: A very modified 1951 Ford Shoebox.

The exhibit runs through mid-April. So get in gear.