Hot rods are an American invention as important to our culture as apple pie, baseball, and sliced bread. Whole generations grew up around the idea of buying and modifying a car for both looks and performance, and today’s hot rods have entered a whole new realm of high-end exotica. What we mean to say is that people will shell out a whole lot of scrilla (that’s money to you rural types) for an awesome hot rod.

Or, as it turns out, a hot rod replica. The Robb Report recently showed the Petersen museum sending out ten miniaturized ‘32 Ford hot rod pedal cars to various shops across the nation. The idea; customize these pedal cars in traditional hot rod fashion, and then put them up for auction, with the proceeds going to a Petersen house charity.

Among the customizers who received a mini ‘32 Ford was Troy Ladd at Hollywood Hot Rods. Ladd is well-known for his unique creations, and when he got the model ‘32 Ford, he decided he would be better off creating something completely from scratch. So Ladd got to work and decided to set out and create a replica of the famed Respect Tradition ’32 which was an AMBR contender built by Hollywood Hot Rods.

The completed mini hot rod is going up for auction this weekend at RM Auctions annual Pebble Beach event, where it is expected to draw a pretty penny. According to Ladd, “Respect Traditon’s” owner will be among the bidders, and this fancy pedal car could draw $10,000 to $12,000 at the auction with proceeds going to a great cause. Not bad for a pedal-powered hot rod, eh?