The Road Devils (Stockholm)

The Road Devils was a legendary late-1950s car club from Stockholm, Sweden. Inspired by the 1957 American movie Hot Rod Rumble (Vägens Djävlar in Swedish), the club became infamous for its wild attitude, stylish cars, and notorious parties that shook up the local car scene. Club founder Bo "Gamen" Sandberg had a number of aluminum club plates made to hang on the rear bumpers of members’ cars. Each plate was numbered and distributed to selected members. Bo’s own plate carried the number 0, symbolizing his leadership role. Plate #11, pictured above, was inherited by Bo’s son Lee Sandberg, who has proudly preserved it as a piece of Swedish hot rod history.

The idea to start the Road Devils came directly from the screening of Hot Rod Rumble in Stockholm. Among the young enthusiasts in the audience was Bo "Gamen" Sandberg, who was captivated by the rebellious attitude and the name Road Devils. After the movie, Bo turned to his friend "Pilen" and declared, “Let’s start the club Road Devils!” — and so they did.

Bo “Gamen” Sandberg’s first car, a 1951 Hudson purchased in November 1957 for 2,300 SEK. After earning his driver’s license in January 1958, Bo quickly gave the Hudson a custom look with a purple roof, purple panels under the side moldings, and a set of hand-painted flames. Believed to be the first flame-painted car in Sweden, it marked the beginning of Bo’s lifelong passion for custom styling.

A photo of Gamen and Pilen with a third unknown fellow.

A young Gamen at a snackbar in Stockholm. The girl to the left is Karin "Morris" Andersson.

The plate design featured a road motif with the name San Fernando, a reference to the dragstrip featured in Hot Rod Rumble. The total number of plates produced is unknown, and many have been lost over time. Plate #14 belonged to Kalle Rundkvist.

A photo of Kalle Rundkvist and Bo Sandberg.

Plate #33 spotted on a 1946 - 1948 Mercury.

Harald Walczok's Club Plate #15.

Road Devils Plate #28 seen on a 1954 Pontiac Convertible in a period photo. According to a Facebook post, the car could have belonged to Janne Halvarsson.

Another photo of the 1954 Pontiac Convertible that ran Club Plate #28.

The Road Devils was a legendary late-1950s car club from Stockholm, Sweden. Inspired by the American movie Hot Rod Rumble (Vägens Djävlar in Swedish), the club became infamous for its wild attitude, stylish cars, and notorious parties that shook up the local car scene.

Formation

The idea to start the club came directly from the screening of Hot Rod Rumble in Stockholm in 1957. Among the young enthusiasts in the audience was Bo "Gamen" Sandberg, who was captivated by the rebellious attitude and the name Road Devils. After the movie, Bo turned to his friend "Pilen" and declared, “Let’s start the club Road Devils!” — and so they did.

Reputation and Lifestyle

The Road Devils quickly built a reputation as the wildest car club in Stockholm. Their attitude was clear, nothing could beat The Road Devils. They claimed to own the town, boasting the best cars and the prettiest girls.

The local newspapers eagerly followed their escapades, writing about wild parties and alcohol-fuelled gatherings. Their bold and unruly behavior made headlines and cemented their place in Stockholm car-culture folklore.

Club Plates

Gamen had a number of aluminum club plates made to hang on the rear bumpers of members’ cars. Each plate was numbered and distributed to selected members. Bo’s own plate was #0, symbolizing his leadership role.

The plate design featured a road motif with the word “San Fernando,” a nod to the San Fernando Dragstrip in California, where the Hot Rod Rumble movie’s racing scenes were filmed.

The total number of plates made is unclear, and many are believed to be lost. However, several examples are documented:

• #0 - Bo "Gamen" Sandberg - Founder and leader.
• #2 - Lennart Djurberg - Still owned by his son Johan Djurberg, displayed in his shop.
• #3 - Janne Eriksson - Believed lost.
• #11 - Lee Sandberg - Inherited from his father Bo.
• #13 - Robert Dahl - Mentioned in a Facebook post by his brother Anders Dahl.
• #14 - Kalle Rundkvist - Believed to still exist.
• #15 - Harald Walczok - Last known to be in Stockholm.
• #22 - Thorbjörn Östberg and Gunnar Eriksson - Ran on their 1950 Buick.
• #28 - Janne Halvarsson (believed) - Seen on a 1954 Pontiac convertible in a period photo.

If you have seen or know the whereabouts of any original Road Devils plates, please contact Kustomrama at mail@kustomrama.com to help preserve this part of Swedish hot-rod history.

Decline

By the early 1960s, the wild car life of the Road Devils began to fade. As other, more organized car clubs received official recognition and even club facilities from the city, the Road Devils’ bad reputation worked against them. Their days of dominance gradually came to an end, but their legacy remains an unforgettable part of Stockholm’s early hot-rod era.

Club Cars

Bo "Gamen" Sandberg's 1951 Hudson