Hot Rods and Racing Cars #38

Jan 1959 · Charlton · 0.10 USD

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This issue is an anthology featuring multiple racing stories. "The Lawbreakers" follows a young man named Joe who wants to participate in a race, but his father and girlfriend Ellen express concern about the dangers involved. "The Old Crank" depicts the Meteors hot-rod club members encountering an old jalopy driven by Mr. Jepson that surprisingly outpaces their fancy modified vehicles as they head toward an old bridge. A third story focuses on race drivers Fangio and Behra competing in a Grand Prix, where Behra's inspired driving allows him to challenge Fangio's lead, though Fangio ultimately maintains his position after Behra is forced to pit for a damaged wheel.

Contains 5 stories

The Lawbreakers

5 pp

Matt Ryder's passion for tuning up hot rods lands him under suspicion when a stock broker falsely accuses him of reckless driving—but Officer Simson sees an opportunity to steer Matt and his car-loving friends toward something constructive: a legitimate club with safety rules and adult oversight. When the broker's own nephew becomes a menace on the road, Matt's skills and the club's discipline prove their real worth, forcing the man who condemned them all to reckon with what he was so quick to judge.

The Big Race

7 pp

Joe Cooper has saved every penny toward a midget racer of his own, but when his dreams seem out of reach, an unexpected opportunity drops into his lap—he's asked to drive his friend's car in the county fair's big race. With pride, a $300 prize, and his future all on the line, Joe must navigate the track against a rival determined to force him out, in this high-octane story of second chances and proving what you're made of.

Untitled story

1 pp

The Old Crank

5 pp

When a group of reckless hot-rodders called the Meteors nearly cause a disaster on a dangerous curve, they discover that the "old crank" they've been taunting—Mr. Jepson—actually saved their lives. Humbled and grateful, the boys seek him out to apologize and end up learning the real craft behind high-performance engines, transforming from careless joyriders into dedicated mechanics. What starts as punishment becomes mentorship, as Mr. Jepson guides them toward building a legitimate hot-rod club focused on safe, skillful driving instead of reckless speed.

The Champ at Morocco

7 pp

When King Mohamad inaugurates a thrilling new Grand Prix course on the outskirts of Casablanca in 1957, champion driver Juan Fangio enters a grueling duel against fellow competitor Behra in one of racing's most dramatic contests. Fangio's bid for victory faces mounting obstacles—mechanical failures, pit-stop setbacks, and a frustrating mistake by race officials—but the world champion refuses to surrender his fight back through the field. With Behra commanding the lead and other drivers falling away, Fangio claws his way toward redemption lap after lap on the punishing "roller coaster" course.