Legends of the Valley
Words & Photos by Chadly Johnson
 

As relatively young enthusiasts, the guys in my car club and I looked up to the veteran builders in our town.  You know, the guys who actually lived the era that we were so in love with as traditional hot rodders; the guys who were turning out killer rides decades before we were even born.

Often these older guys were a tough nut to crack for a younger guy. It’s hard to know who you can trust. But, as a passionate car enthusiast with the gift to gab, I often found myself being welcomed into the inner circle of these amazing men which gave me access to their shops and collections as well. 

One day while hanging out in one such shop, it hit me that what I was seeing was truly sacred.  The four walls that surrounded me had such deep history, so many late nights of toiling labor to bring visions and dreams to life.  It was at that moment that I knew I had to tell the story of these talented builders through images of where all the magic happened: inside their shops, because some day after they pass all this history will be gone with them. The walls will get painted over and a mini-van parked where a once great hot rod shop once stood. 

I hope you enjoy a visual peek into the lives of these amazing builders who will basically remain nameless. They wanted to remain anonymous as these images could represent nearly any city in America, as well as the builders across our great country.