Early California Hot Rod History

The Eugene Von Arx Special of California. Built in 1940 by Bungholers of Hollywood member Eugene Von Arx Jr., the Eugene Von Arx Special is a rare prewar custom roadster that fused dry lakes performance with high-end coachbuilding. Designed and hand-formed by Eugene's father, an alum of the Walter M. Murphy Company and Don Lee Coachworks, the body featured Art Deco styling, 1937 Chevrolet and 1937 Oldsmobile lighting, and a split Duvall windshield. The chassis was crafted by Frank Kurtis using twin 1939 Chevrolet frames, and the car was powered by a rare Riley OHV-equipped Ford flathead V8. It recorded a 114.4 MPH run at El Mirage in May 1942. In August 2025, this early piece of California hot rod history returned to the spotlight, offered at Mecum's Monterey Auction.

Early California Hot Rod History began in the 1930s, when young enthusiasts in Southern California started modifying old Fords to go faster on the dry lake beds of the Mojave Desert, places like Muroc, Rosamond, and later El Mirage. These wide-open spaces provided the perfect setting for informal speed trials, which soon led to the formation of organized groups like the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) in 1937. Clubs like the Road Runners, Throttle Merchants, and Lancers played key roles in shaping the scene. With warm weather year-round, access to affordable used cars, and a growing youth population, California became the epicenter of a new movement that blended speed, ingenuity, and personal expression, laying the foundation for hot rodding as we know it.