A Wally Parks Moment

[Ryan]

I first met Wally Parks in 2001 at an NHRA hall of fame banquet in California. It was brief meeting, but an absolute stroke of luck. Some how or another, Wally took a liking to me... or at least, in what I was doing. From that time until Wally's deat...

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

[Anderson]

What an excellent question to ask him...very interesting to know.

[JeffreyJames]

What a interesting entry for JJ today. Very valuable for anyone that loves Hot Rods and especially to those you are interested in the publishing side of things. A lot of info (perhaps a lifetime's worth) could be located in these ten books. I have 3 out of the ten so I better get started on my quest to get the rest.

Thanks Ryan for sharing these with us. Mighty big of ya!

[Brandy]

Originally Posted by JeffreyJames

I have 3 out of the ten so I better get started on my quest to get the rest.

Thanks Ryan for sharing these with us. Mighty big of ya!

I concur, sadly I think I auctioned off some of these.........Guess I best get to gettin, again.

[Gaters]

Originally Posted by JeffreyJames

What a interesting entry for JJ today. Very valuable for anyone that loves Hot Rods and especially to those you are interested in the publishing side of things. A lot of info (perhaps a lifetime's worth) could be located in these ten books. I have 3 out of the ten so I better get started on my quest to get the rest.

Thanks Ryan for sharing these with us. Mighty big of ya!

As I was reading Ryan's post and the list of Hot Rod Magazines suggested to him by the late Mr. Parks, the first thing that came to mind was, "Well there goes a run on those editions".

Great insight into Mr. Parks many years of publishing. Good to know he had favorites.

[tfeverfred]

Very interesting. There are a couple things I noticed in the covers. First was the variety. There's cars, trucks, bikes (mentioned, but not shown), customs and racers. Also note the time period. The world was changing and so was the hobby. Then, there is the ever present tech or "how to" article. It seems the emphasis was on the reader aquiring a "hands on" approach to doing things. I get the feeling he was trying to say that the hobby takes all kinds of vehicles and don't limit the audience by appealing to one particular thing or group. As for the tech, it speaks for itself. A successful medium should be able to educate as well as feed dreams and ambitions. That's what I saw and if you take a broad look at the HAMB, this is what it does. Ryan, perhaps you knew what to do, before you even started. Lightning in a bottle and bright as the sun.

Keep up the good work.

[stuart in mn]

Originally Posted by tfeverfred

Very interesting. There are a couple things I noticed in the covers. First was the variety. There's cars, trucks, bikes (mentioned, but not shown), customs and racers. Also note the time period. The world was changing and so was the hobby. Then, there is the ever present tech or "how to" article. It seems the emphasis was on the reader aquiring a "hands on" approach to doing things. I get the feeling he was trying to say that the hobby takes all kinds of vehicles and don't limit the audience by appealing to one particular thing or group. As for the tech, it speaks for itself. A successful medium should be able to educate as well as feed dreams and ambitions. That's what I saw and if you take a broad look at the HAMB, this is what it does. Ryan, perhaps you knew what to do, before you even started. Lightning in a bottle and bright as the sun.

Keep up the good work.

I think this is a pretty good answer. I have several of the issues that were mentioned; besides the variety of topics, they also have great photography and great writing

[1950ChevySuburban]

That's really something! Just as valuable as a handwritten letter in my book. Glad you shared

[Byron Crump]

I have various favorite issues of magazines laying around that I want to put in frames at some point.

I actually have two of those issues he picked.

The So Cal Speed Shop May 54 issue and the Dec. 55 issue with the five window.

Those were good issues with great covers!

[-Brent-]

Interesting, Ryan. This makes me wonder the comparisons of the JJ/H.A.M.B. and its groundbreaking moments. I really wish I could dedicate more energy and time to learning about this field. I know there's so much I am blind to. I guess that could be said about a lot of things in life.

[dullchrome]

Wow...........thats all I got !

[Chaz]

This is the ONE for me..... What hot rodding is all about! (or should be all about)

[SamIyam]

Originally Posted by Chaz

This is the ONE for me..... What hot rodding is all about! (or should be all about)

Funny you should say that. The first thing that came to mind when I saw that Falcon issue in Wally's 10... I thought to myself "Hot rodding really changed when that car came out".

The Falcon was the first compact car, really... and not thought of as Hot Rod fodder, I'm sure.

Hot Rod was and always has been on the cutting edge of hot rodding. And that means that sometimes you have to stick your neck out once in a while, and get beat down for it more than you don't.

Up until that issue... hot rodding had remained basically the same... buy the lightest car, put the biggest motor in it that you can afford and haul ass. Sure, you had the odd-ball guy with a wrecking yard full of shit that wanted to be different... but man, v8's were where it was at.

And what's this? A 6 cylinder compact car on the cover of Hot Rod?

That sold a few magazines to some new guys, got a few cancellations from others, and sold a shit load of Falcons for Ford.

He may have been telling you to put your nut sack on the anvil once in a while, Ryan.

Sam

[sololobo]

What a cool post. I was so fortunate to meet Mr. Parks at our home drag strip in the late 50's when he brought the Drag Safari team out to show us the ropes. He was so friendly and on a mission, a very very special moment in my life. He set up a timing association and some of my buddies were involved in timing at several Midwest strips from his guidence. I had my personally signed NHRA membership card for years but lost in lifes many shuffles around the country. I am thinking it was the day my avatar picture was taken in 1958.Thanx for sharing your great experience with "the man". ~Sololobo~

[Chaz]

Originally Posted by SamIyam

Funny you should say that. The first thing that came to mind when I saw that Falcon issue in Wally's 10... I thought to myself "Hot rodding really changed when that car came out".

The Falcon was the first compact car, really... and not thought of as Hot Rod fodder, I'm sure.

Hot Rod was and always has been on the cutting edge of hot rodding. And that means that sometimes you have to stick your neck out once in a while, and get beat down for it more than you don't.

Up until that issue... hot rodding had remained basically the same... buy the lightest car, put the biggest motor in it that you can afford and haul ass. Sure, you had the odd-ball guy with a wrecking yard full of shit that wanted to be different... but man, v8's were where it was at.

And what's this? A 6 cylinder compact car on the cover of Hot Rod?

That sold a few magazines to some new guys, got a few cancellations from others, and sold a shit load of Falcons for Ford.

He may have been telling you to put your nut sack on the anvil once in a while, Ryan.

Sam

Yeah, That issue in particular served notice on the hot rod masses that ANY car could be fodder for performance modifications... Those 144 Ford modifications were waaaay out there. (cutting off the screwey intake/exhaust combo manifold and brazing on a new intake surface was inspired to say the least.)
It signaled a whole new ethic in rodding. Groundbreaking for sure.

[64 Wildcat]

Originally Posted by Chaz

Yeah, That issue in particular served notice on the hot rod masses that ANY car could be fodder for performance modifications... Those 144 Ford modifications were waaaay out there. (cutting off the screwey intake/exhaust combo manifold and brazing on a new intake surface was inspired to say the least.)
It signaled a whole new ethic in rodding. Groundbreaking for sure.

If my memory is correct, HRM did build an early Falcon sedan delivery with a SBC shoehorned in it, and somewhere there's a pic of a smiling Wally Parks behind the wheel of same.

I met Wally P back in the 1960s and remember him being a very warm, generous individual.

[Bigcheese327]

Originally Posted by 64 Wildcat

If my memory is correct, HRM did build an early Falcon sedan delivery with a SBC shoehorned in it, and somewhere there's a pic of a smiling Wally Parks behind the wheel of same.

I met Wally P back in the 1960s and remember him being a very warm, generous individual.

That was a Comet. It's in the August 1960 issue.

-Dave

[Rich Venza]

I suspect the issues that you are still having trouble understanding may have a place in the history of the automotive industry. Look at other things which were happening at the same time throughout the hi-performance world and the OEM side of the industry. You might find connections by looking at the larger picture.

[Bud]

Interesting, I would never feign to possess the knowledge as to why Mr. Parks picked those. It sure would be nice to have him around still, to ask a few questions. Did you ever get his answer(s) Ryan? I have five of those issues, might have to pick up the rest.....

[scrapiron]

Interesting, I think the May '54 issue was the first Hot Rod I bought,,I was 15.,,,,,whoops,, in May i was 14