Merchants of Speed: The Men Who Built America's Performance Industry
“Smith’s selections range from the guys known to any gearhead (Vic Edelbrock) to those known only by devoted students of hot rod history (Nick Brajevich and Wayne Horning among them). Unlike previous efforts to illuminate such figures, Smith spends a good deal of time and space on each subject, shortchanging nobody. Smith also illustrates the book with well-chosen photos (250 total black and whites, spread over 240 pages) that show the subjects in their natural habitats — their shops, the dragstrips or the dry lakes.” -Hemmings E-Weekly Newsletter“When we open theBangShift.comGearheadUniversity, this book,Merchants of Speedby Paul D. Smith, will be first semester required reading. Magazines have been delivering more and more great history in recent periods, but this is on an entirely different level. Christmas is coming. If you are a history junkie and want to learn of the great people on whose shoulders we now stand you owe it to yourself to either score the book or plant a bug in someone's ear to score it for you.”  - Bangshift.com“It’s one of those rare multi-purpose books that will occupy equal time in the Studio being cracked open for research, as well as being brought out for some additional inspiration in those late-night bench race sessions.” - Motorburg.com“Paul Smith has done a remarkable job cataloguing the histories of 22 of hot rodding’s most influential companies and the men behind them. Smith has definitely done his homework in putting this material together; to call this a history book would be like calling theSearsTowera building. If you’re looking for a thorough history of the performance industry, I don’t think you’ll find a more comprehensive account.” –Kustoms & Hot Rods