Throughout the 1950's, Fawcett Books put together small format annuals that looked in depth at things like customs, sports cars, and hot rods. In 1953, they released a book titled "Best Hot Rods." It's a glorious publication edited by Ray Gill who's ... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
Champs not chumps!! Very well written article. Reading parts of it make me think it could be part of a song. Very detailed explanations of whats going on. I can't imagine going 200mph now let alone then. Great Read!
They've got far more sand this I do that's for sure. I find myself letting off really putting a car through the paces because I'm such a hack in the garage I know if something breaks it's going to be down for a bit while I figure out how to fix it. These guys didn't care, they were going for gold every time and that's probably what fueled the innovation back then. That 4 carbed flatty modified is rad.
Those Fawcett little yearly were 75 cents back when Honk, Car Craft, Rod and Custom as well as Hot Rod was still 25 cents an issue. Back then all of the printed material had a lot more technical material in them to help a 17 year old build his first hot rod. Mine was a 29 roadster with 40 hydraulic brakes, no fenders, four banger with an Anson dual down draft manifold with two 97 carburetors and a straight exhaust. 5.50 x 15 on front and 8.20 x 15 on back using Chrysler wheels, thought I was the cats meow, a true hoodlum, duck tails white tee shirt and Levis red tag jeans with the belt loops cut off and roach killer cowboy boots. Ah those really were the good old days.
Thumbs up on steering wheel is the what i was told at early age. Long time ago seen a super flip & do end over ends, When they got driver out he was missing a thumbs. Them flat spoke wheels would take them off.
Most were writing for an audience of 15/17 year old boys. If you watch the old Hot Rod Movies they too had the same theme, all 15/17 year old boys had a short attention span and needed for it to be simple and fast, just like sex.
i inherited my grandpa's repair books & about a thousand magazine from the 50's to 2010,i have that one,ya just gotta love the pocket books of the 50's,it's amazing that any boy did any homework in the 50's,
I'll come back and read this during lunch... The way you snuck the HAMB in the laundry girl pic is quite clever!
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