Skimming the Classifieds

I love looking through the 1950s issues of Hot Rod magazine for obvious reasons,showing us exactly how hot rods were built, how the trends and parts changed year by year, and seeing the evolution of the custom car as well. One of my favorite things to do is flip back to the classifieds, marveling at how far the dollar went 55 years ago, and picking my choice ride. Almost ever issue an iconic car pops up- The Larsen and Cummings coupe or the X51 Ford, for example. Now imagine you have a time machine set to go back to 1958 for a few hours, and a couple grand in your pocket. It’s enough money to buy just one car and bring it back with you. Do you grab a hot rod or a custom? An unfinished project you make your own, or famous car you’ve always lusted after? Go ahead, thumb through the ads and pick your own honey out…