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History Custom Cars, Custom Ideas...

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by Ryan, Oct 31, 2007.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
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    Staff Member

    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  2. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
    Member

    My favorite thing about the little books, restyling ideas. You can learn some things from this stuff. I wish we still had parts laying around like back then to play around with. Custom Cars was a good magazine. I got all the little ones.Thanks Ryan.:D
     
  3. JimA
    Joined: Apr 1, 2001
    Posts: 4,796

    JimA
    BANNED

    One of my favorite magazines as well. If only the original files were intact and an amazing book series could come from that- but sadly the original files were raped and pillaged decades ago, and what was left was said to be thrown away.
    The series stands alone as a great spot in time as they didn't try and later reinvent it as a kart magazine or get into show rods or Volkswagens just to keep the title alive.
     
  4. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
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    Jim, "Custom Cars" is public domain now - correct? I don't think they were bought... Think they just folded, right?
     

  5. JimA
    Joined: Apr 1, 2001
    Posts: 4,796

    JimA
    BANNED

    They were part of the Petersen family of mags and thats where the files were decades ago. Don't think anything exists anymore- but from the glimpse I got of the surviving Rod & Custom files still plenty of gems there- and you can see examples of all the old production work- PRE computers, it's amazing!
    Also on the old R&C files you can see from hand written notes where they reused the material for the later "Spotlite" books.
     
  6. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
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    I hope that stuff survives... I bet it is RAD.
     
  7. eddie_zapien
    Joined: Apr 4, 2007
    Posts: 277

    eddie_zapien
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  8. Custom Cars was a great one, made my collection complete many years ago.
    First class inspiration for the freezing cold winter nights here in the north.
     
  9. Eryk
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 920

    Eryk
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    It's great to read about specific custom ideas discussed from a theoretical standpoint. Very design oriented. There's nothing "Kool' or "Kultured" in those little books. It's just art. The highest form of art, in my opinion.

    I love to geek out over custom mods.
     
  10. straykatkustoms
    Joined: Oct 30, 2001
    Posts: 22,297

    straykatkustoms
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The Custom Car are kool but the annuals are priceless, I have 1954 through
    1962 and they are full of kool ideas for projects. Even though the parts are
    not as accessable as they were, you can still find them out there.
     
  11. brainfrz
    Joined: Jan 23, 2006
    Posts: 572

    brainfrz
    Member

    Thanks for the post. Functional discussions of styling cues. I like. we could start to preserve these ideas on the HAMB. Where simple pics of custom details are uploaded, discussed, critiqued, etc. I think it would greatly help for newer customizers see whats been done and how it turned out without trying to buy every mag from eb*&.
    Just my thoughts. thanks again for the post. I love seeing Packard tail light featurettes.

    Jon
     
  12. mikhett
    Joined: Jan 22, 2005
    Posts: 1,516

    mikhett
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    from jackson nj

    Ryan,youve given me some ideas! Im kustomizen a 54 merc 2dr ht.Thanks Mike
     
  13. Rand Man
    Joined: Aug 23, 2004
    Posts: 4,860

    Rand Man
    Member

    I'd love to do a custom someday. Wonder what ideas they had for '57 Plymouths?
     
  14. Silhouettes 57
    Joined: Dec 9, 2006
    Posts: 2,791

    Silhouettes 57
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    A Larry Watson '57 Plymouth :cool:
     

    Attached Files:

  15. jonny o
    Joined: Oct 26, 2007
    Posts: 836

    jonny o
    Member

    Can you imagine going to the dealers to snag a '55 Pontiac grill, '55 Buick bullets and '53 Merc grill teeth!?
    Some gorgeous work.
     
  16. Eagletucky
    Joined: Feb 21, 2005
    Posts: 735

    Eagletucky
    Member

    I dig this idea. It may open some newer folks minds to other modifications that they havent thought of before. Most of the stuff we want to do has been done before. To have these pics in an archive would be very helpfull.
     
  17. Hands down, my favorite of the little books. Bought most of them at the local drugstore when they first came out. Reacquired the complete set in recent years and when showing them to my brother he was still able to tell me the car that was on the inside of the front and rear covers just by looking at the front cover - guess it left an indelible stamp in his memory as well.
     
  18. When did "Custom Cars" cease to exist?
    I have Sept '57 thru August '60, how many more are there?

    While we are on the subject:
    How about Customs Illustrated?
    I know the 1st issue was July '58.
     
  19. Custom Cars - Sept 1957 through August 1960 so you have all the issues

    Sorry, I'm not sure when Customs Illustrated ended.

    Mick
     
  20. abc123
    Joined: Oct 6, 2005
    Posts: 451

    abc123
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  21. DJCruiser
    Joined: Jan 15, 2012
    Posts: 316

    DJCruiser
    Member
    from CT

    In one of the custom annuals I remember vaguely a story on a custom where the canted headlights on one side were done at a different angle than the other side by mistake. Is that story archived on the HAMB anywhere? The rest of the car was amazing.
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2012
  22. Those books were always fun to look at back when I could still buy them for a buck or two. I've even kept coverless ones around. I always loved the way people's imaginations would come out on different cars - some of them worked, a few didn't, but for the most part they were always interesting.
     
  23. SteppinOut
    Joined: Jul 19, 2008
    Posts: 542

    SteppinOut
    Member

    Thought this one needed a bump for your viewing pleasure
     
  24. I remember that, as well. It was a shot of the front of an unidentified custom in a garage. I think it was in the '59 or '60 Custom Cars Annual. I'll look in my stack of annuals and see what I can find.
     
  25. I always wondered why more customs never used the Packard headlight treatments. nice and clean. You would think after all the rear 1/4's were robbed, they'd grab the fronts as well!
     
  26. I'll look through them after i'm done procrastinating away a term paper.

    You know, it wouldn't take a whole lot of time for folks to archive old magazines and upload them to a database like photobucket or something. Just some food for thought, I might do it myself over winter break.
     
  27. Custom Cars 1959 Annual, page 39. There are three photos.

    Part of that issue is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/80643375@N00/sets/72157608798817435/ although not the page you seek.
     

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