Manila Racers
A Pictorial Archive: 1978-1983
Description | ISBN: 9781969944185
Manila Racers: A Pictorial Archive, 1978–1983 presents a collection of painted scenes documenting a grassroots car culture that emerged in and around Manila during a five-year period. Each image identifies a driver and location, framing the material as part of a larger historical record.
The book follows a loose network of young enthusiasts who built and modified cars from available parts—often with limited training but a strong sense of experimentation. Each vehicle reflects a mix of improvisation and intent, shaped by the materials, tools, and environments accessible at the time.
The imagery is presented as work created by local artists who documented these drivers and their machines. Names and places are shown without explanation, reinforcing the sense of a discovered archive rather than a constructed narrative. The result is a visual record that feels grounded in a specific place and era, while remaining entirely imagined.
Includes | Preview from Google Play
106-page full-color paperback featuring illustrated scenes and character identifications
Hand-built and modified vehicles assembled from available materials and parts
Scenes set across neighborhoods in and around Manila between 1978 and 1983
Artwork framed as documentation created by local artists observing the scene
A visual archive of a grassroots car culture that feels real, yet never existed
About the project
This book is part of an ongoing series from Epic Foundry Press exploring alternate histories and imagined worlds through visual storytelling. Each title is presented as a complete artifact—documenting a reality that never existed, but feels fully realized.