I was exhausted last night. I laid in bed between the states of awake and asleep and began to think about customs. More specifically, I thought about what custom was the first to grace the cover of Hot Rod Magazine. By the time I had nodded off, I de... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
I remember seeing that in one of the first Hot Rod magazines that I bought in High School. Neat little car, thanks for the memories. BB
That's always an inspiration that someone can do so much with so little.Kind of like when people use to drive their cars to the drags and then home. Inspiration sometimes carries you a lot further than good equipment will.
I need to start collecting old back issue of Hot Rod Magazine. I keep relying on the internet but I feel like I am always missing something. At least you'll keep schooling me Ryan. There definitely was a great deal of metal work completed on this car (from what I can tell in the photos), and it's styling cues definitely lend itself to be titled Custom. It's crazy to think that it took HRM until '52 for a custom to grace it's fine pages.
There was an article on that car a couple of years back- the owner had the car restored/freshened up.
There was a pretty popular black 36 on the cover in 49...Jack Calorie's! I always considered Pierson's a custom because of the skirts, but i guess your right in thinking not....Calorie's though?? The AHRF photo of the day today is the 37 your mentioning here it is from 1952
very neat car, he barely got it finished and it burned, so he rebuilt it (if i remember correctly). ive always like that car. jeff
Great insight and absolutly a true custom. Just last night I was confronted with the same thought. I was watching that "Rides" show and they said that Cadzilla was the first custom to EVER gnab the cover of Hot Rod. I knew that when push came to shove, there had to be something else.
Now thats a story. It is amazing how much they could do with so little back then. On a side note. I was watching that show RIDES on tv last night. It was showing the build of Bill F. Gibbons 61 Caddy. The show and Billy claim that his Cadzilla was the first custom to be on the cover of Hot Rod. I guess thay weren't doing their research very well or they don't consider this a custom.
The one issue I am missing from 1949 is the November issue... I'm guessing Jack's car appeared on that cover? If so, scrap this entire article as Jack's car is definitely a custom:
Calori raced that car in Rusetta and used it as a tow car for his roadster... not sure if that exempts it from being a custom. haha
Throw away your T.V.'s and computers and you would be amazed at the amount of time you would have to accomplish things.
Yeah...what's up with that? I love that '37.....it's different and homebuilt with QUALITY.....a rarity these days, where alot of stuff is farmed out....
Proof that I'm a dumb ass... So as I mentioned, my binder is missing the November, 1949 issue of Hot Rod Magazine. When I noticed that this morning I made mental note to get on ebay later today. Then, Zach scoops me and proves my article misinformed... I lean back in my chair in self disgust and look up at the wall next to me. Sitting there... FRAMED... and on my wall is Jack's coupe on the cover of.... you guessed it... the November, 1949 issue. It's not in my binder cuz I framed the damn thing. Ha.
didnt mean to call you out there.... Yes, Novemeber 1949... when I got my collection of "Hot Rods" from a friend of mine...that was the first one in the first binder...I've stared at it a good bit! edit....Ryan, thats why I have duplicates of a few magazines (check your PM's too, quick)
Of course, Rikster would bring out HIS collection and show up everyone! Great car, lots of inspiration for sure.
There's a write up in one of the Hop Up magazines, if I'm remembering correctly. Neat story, neat little car. dv
I love this custom I first saw it pictured in Hot Rod's "50 years of Hot Rod" mag when I was 15. it is a standout custom that seems to be forgotten. Hell, Glenn had it stored outside in the Nevada desert for 40 years before he restored it. There were a couple of pics in the readers rides section of Street Rodder 5-6 years ago. Has anyone seen this custom in person?
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