Yeah, sure this is a propaganda film, one of the many made to combat the public perception of the so called, “Hot Rod Menace” that was afflicting the USA in the early 1950s. Kids and able bodied men were building fast, loud, and for some, scary machines to cruise the streets and race on the weekends for fun. It was not just an isolated thing but the epicenter of all the fun was Southern California. That’s where this early 1960s film, “The Cool Hot Rod” was made. Created in the Frank Capra style of happy filmmaking, this is a neat look at not only the culture but also the cars that were considered the neatest of this era.
You’ll see loads of footage depicting the car club life of the early 1950s and then you’ll see drag racing at Pomona in its earliest phases, you’ll learn about how car clubs used their own knowledge and mechanical prowess to actually help those around them rather than scare them with loud exhaust.
As mentioned in the title, you’ll also see Indy 500 heroes like Ralph DePalma, Wilbur Shaw, Rodger Ward, and more as the star of the film gets a free trip to the race for his ace performance drag racing in California. This is, in a nutshell, the hot rodding story and one that we love.
This is also the perfect film to watch on a Friday when you don’t want to be doing actual work, anyway. Right?