Backed by the rest of the Challengers, Gary Usher and Richard Delvy created this obscure little gem for the Vault Records label in 1963. Under the pseudonym of three (imaginary) bands; Grand Prix, the Customs, and the Quads, Hot Rod City is a factory-assembled collection of "groups" singing and playing a healthy assortment of originals and covers - all with a car theme.​

​

Some frantic guitar playing opens up 'Candy Apple Buggy', attributed to the Grand Prix. This strong opener is followed by a rendition of Usher's 'R.P.M.' in its second album appearance. The song had first appeared just a couple of months earlier on a single by Usher's first group, the Four Speeds. ''41 Ford' chugs along, and is notable for some excellent playing courtesy of the Challengers. A quirky version of 'Competition Coupe' always brings a smile, mainly due to an amicable performance from the lead singer. Chuck Berry's 1955 hit, 'Maybellene' gets a notable re-working that ends up actually being special, albeit somewhat unnecessary. After five consecutive numbers from Customs and Grand Prix, the Quads finally get a chance at the mic in 'Surfin' Hearse' - one of the best Usher compositions of the period. The Beach Boys' 'Little Deuce Coupe' gets a shoddy revisiting while 'Going' 88' unleashes a rock-solid groove. The Customs' lackluster rendition of 'Hot Rod City' pales in comparison even to the rushed Super Stocks version on the "Shut Down" compilation. 'Shut Down' is a difficult listen, while 'Nifty Fifty' improves the original. A lame version of '409' gets nowhere, and the album concludes with yet another hang-over from the Shut Down album; ''54 Corvette'.

​

Essentially what we have here is a long-lost Challengers album, with added vocals ala Gary Usher. Curiously, not every tune recorded ended up on the album. As Sundazed Records discovered, there were three more tracks from the same recording sessions that didn't see the light of day until the mid-2000s when the album was reissued on CD ('She Rides With Me,' 'Little Queenie,' 'Blonde in the 406'). Additionally, a Challengers-centric Hot Rod Album was also slated for release but never came to fruition.