The Jalopy Journal

**Ryan** · 12-26-2009, 07:42 AM

I first saw Jay Johnston's shoebox in Andy Southard's "Customs of the 1950's" book and as the owner of a shoebox Ford at the time, I freaked out. Sure, it's a pretty extravagant custom and I typically don't go for such cars, but this one is different...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

chevy57dude · 12-26-2009, 08:04 AM

I love the louvered skirts and the upholstry in the trunk! Cool car.

Gene Rator · 12-26-2009, 08:22 AM

Good to see Jay's car getting some public attention, It sure is a great looking car. Loved it since late seventies when I got my copy of mentioned CC. What happend to it? Got repainted in some kind of blueish color, I believe. But then it dissapeared.

Hot Rods Ta Hell · 12-26-2009, 08:42 AM

I first saw it in CC when as an early teen in the 70's, starting to get into ods and Customs and started collecting vintage car magazines. Always dug the car and though it seemed to be chopped a bit too much, that roof somehow "made it all work". The flow of the roof C pillar into the Olds side trim was sweet.
IIRC, it hailed from the Desert area of Socal (Windfields territory nowadays).
Always wondered if it survived. Would be a great car to restore/show up at a run with!!!

Ryan; We need to find you a better copy of that CC issue.

mauler rich · 12-26-2009, 10:21 AM

Love the old car magazines, just to look back in time to see how thay did it.

Dave B. · 12-26-2009, 10:32 AM

I wonder if the designers of the Volvo P1800 got their inspiration for the rear fender/tail light treatment from this car?

**Roger O'Dell** · 12-26-2009, 11:36 AM

Jay did some of the work on Watsons Grapevine, and was at this years Winfield & Watson show

mkilger · 12-26-2009, 12:07 PM

Bill Bowmen did some work on the car too, he also built my dads car 51 chevy the Gator, the gold one, we are fixing it now after a crash .

49ratfink · 12-26-2009, 02:26 PM

one of my pet peeves is messed up "hardtopped" cars. that one looks to have been a hardtop or vert from the getgo with a sedan top. ?? or am I still tweaking from too many Christmas cookies?

either way it looks good.

holeshot · 12-26-2009, 03:08 PM

RYAN...thank's for sharing, NAA i've never seen it. but i truely love that old custom! but i must say there was an even finner one at the car show in fort worth this year. and he's a H.A.M.B. member...POP.

gtnrkix · 12-26-2009, 04:52 PM

" rubberized horsehair" ?? Where can I buy that?

49ratfink · 12-26-2009, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtnrkix

" rubberized horsehair" ?? Where can I buy that?

you got to find a rubberized horse. I'd check with Gumby, I think he knows one.

TUMBLEWEED GARAGE · 12-26-2009, 08:13 PM

Very cool.. Jay is a very good friend of mine.. I took him to Winfield and Watsons show this year.. It was the first time Jay and Larry had seen eachother in almost 50 years. He had a ball. Even started talking about another build.

Just for bragging rights here... I have Jay's copies (original photos) from the CarCraft shoot.

**MODELA30** · 12-26-2009, 09:40 PM

Wow nice magazine. That smell of old paper. Nice and musty!!!! Thanks for posting that. I have some old hot rod ones i will have to pull out. If i can only remember where i put them. Knuck from indiana.

COS · 12-27-2009, 12:57 AM

I like how the trim lines up with top as great breaking/transition for the paint... Great trick and flow.. Hope that makes sense!!!!

Rikster · 12-27-2009, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TUMBLEWEED GARAGE

Just for bragging rights here... I have Jay's copies (original photos) from the CarCraft shoot.

I bet that if you can brag about the fact that you own the originals... you also can share them with us here.... Now that would be really cool!!!

Here are two photo's of the Shoebox that I Kololrized for the Rodder's Journal.

The first one is in the two tone purple color and the second one - a section from the Parking Lot Custom Car Show photo - in the better known color combination.
I have always liked this car a lot... although the top looked a bit strange

And two great color photos from Pat Ganahl's excellent TRJ article on Custom Cars...

Muttley · 12-27-2009, 01:25 AM

The roof is really strange looking, beautiful interior though.

MitchellDeMoor · 12-27-2009, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rikster

I bet that if you can brag about the fact that you own the originals... you also can share them with us here.... Now that would be really cool!!!

Here are two photo's of the Shoebox that I Kololrized for the Rodder's Journal.

The first one is in the two tone purple color and the second one - a section from the Parking Lot Custom Car Show photo - in the better known color combination.
I have always liked this car a lot... although the top looked a bit strange

And two great color photos from Pat Ganahl's excellent TRJ article on Custom Cars...

How did you color those photos like that? They look great. I especially like the second one.

Jack Thomas · 12-27-2009, 05:49 AM

Louvered skirts break up the flow of this beauty .

RPW · 12-28-2009, 01:57 PM

Fantastic! Seeing pics of it in green was a big surprise. That was a big kick with inspiration! Many thanks for supplieing the photos to Rik to get them shown for all us die-hard custom fanatics in the world.

12-26-2009, 07:42 AM	#1
Ryan Administrator Join Date: Jan 1995 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 13,604	Jay Johnston's Shoebox I first saw Jay Johnston's shoebox in Andy Southard's "Customs of the 1950's" book and as the owner of a shoebox Ford at the time, I freaked out. Sure, it's a pretty extravagant custom and I typically don't go for such cars, but this one is different... To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

12-26-2009, 08:04 AM	#2
chevy57dude Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gettysburg PA Posts: 1,043	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox I love the louvered skirts and the upholstry in the trunk! Cool car.

12-26-2009, 08:22 AM	#3
Gene Rator Newbie Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: sweden Posts: 79	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox Good to see Jay's car getting some public attention, It sure is a great looking car. Loved it since late seventies when I got my copy of mentioned CC. What happend to it? Got repainted in some kind of blueish color, I believe. But then it dissapeared.

12-26-2009, 08:42 AM	#4
Hot Rods Ta Hell Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego, Ca. Posts: 1,557	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox I first saw it in CC when as an early teen in the 70's, starting to get into ods and Customs and started collecting vintage car magazines. Always dug the car and though it seemed to be chopped a bit too much, that roof somehow "made it all work". The flow of the roof C pillar into the Olds side trim was sweet. IIRC, it hailed from the Desert area of Socal (Windfields territory nowadays). Always wondered if it survived. Would be a great car to restore/show up at a run with!!! Ryan; We need to find you a better copy of that CC issue.

12-26-2009, 10:21 AM	#5
mauler rich Grenade Inspector Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: wilmington nc Posts: 137	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox Love the old car magazines, just to look back in time to see how thay did it.

12-26-2009, 10:32 AM	#6
Dave B. Grenade Inspector Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Southern Ohio Posts: 179	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox I wonder if the designers of the Volvo P1800 got their inspiration for the rear fender/tail light treatment from this car?

12-26-2009, 11:36 AM	#7
Roger O'Dell Alliance Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: canyon lake ca. Posts: 500	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox Jay did some of the work on Watsons Grapevine, and was at this years Winfield & Watson show

12-26-2009, 12:07 PM	#8
mkilger Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Riverside ca Posts: 518	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox Bill Bowmen did some work on the car too, he also built my dads car 51 chevy the Gator, the gold one, we are fixing it now after a crash .

12-26-2009, 02:26 PM	#9
49ratfink Old School HAMBer Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: S.F. bay area, California Posts: 13,150	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox one of my pet peeves is messed up "hardtopped" cars. that one looks to have been a hardtop or vert from the getgo with a sedan top. ?? or am I still tweaking from too many Christmas cookies? either way it looks good.

12-26-2009, 03:08 PM	#10
holeshot BANNED Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Waxahachie Posts: 1,522	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox RYAN...thank's for sharing, NAA i've never seen it. but i truely love that old custom! but i must say there was an even finner one at the car show in fort worth this year. and he's a H.A.M.B. member...POP.

12-26-2009, 04:52 PM	#11
gtnrkix Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: wis-CON-sin Posts: 639	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox " rubberized horsehair" ?? Where can I buy that? __________________ Sometimes you're the windshield......Sometimes you're the bug Dipsticks Rods and Customs

12-26-2009, 08:13 PM	#13
TUMBLEWEED GARAGE Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: UPLAND / MOJAVE, CA. Posts: 1,215	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox Very cool.. Jay is a very good friend of mine.. I took him to Winfield and Watsons show this year.. It was the first time Jay and Larry had seen eachother in almost 50 years. He had a ball. Even started talking about another build. Just for bragging rights here... I have Jay's copies (original photos) from the CarCraft shoot.

12-26-2009, 09:40 PM	#14
MODELA30 Alliance Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: DYER INDIANA Posts: 1,747	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox Wow nice magazine. That smell of old paper. Nice and musty!!!! Thanks for posting that. I have some old hot rod ones i will have to pull out. If i can only remember where i put them. Knuck from indiana. __________________ A BIKE WITHOUT A KICK START IS A FART WITH NO STINK !!!

12-27-2009, 12:57 AM	#15
COS Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: KCMO Posts: 729	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox I like how the trim lines up with top as great breaking/transition for the paint... Great trick and flow.. Hope that makes sense!!!!

12-27-2009, 01:25 AM	#17
Muttley Old School HAMBer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fresno, Cal. Posts: 15,872	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox The roof is really strange looking, beautiful interior though. __________________ Genuine Water-Slide Decals For Sale

12-27-2009, 05:49 AM	#19
Jack Thomas Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Maryland Eastern Shore Posts: 1,944	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox Louvered skirts break up the flow of this beauty . __________________ Pocono Drag Lodge Reunion V, August 10, 2013, Lyndwood Welding Open House, October 5, 2013.

12-28-2009, 01:57 PM	#20
RPW Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: South of Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 946	Re: Jay Johnston's Shoebox Fantastic! Seeing pics of it in green was a big surprise. That was a big kick with inspiration! Many thanks for supplieing the photos to Rik to get them shown for all us die-hard custom fanatics in the world. __________________ - Kustom style - Not lifestyle -

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