Art & Inspiration Unexpected magazine score

When I was in Jr. High school, back in the early 70's, a local fella loaned me some of his old "hot rod" magazines to look at. I kept them a couple months and then sent them back home. Over the last ten years or so, he has been a regular visitor to the shop, just keeping up with what I was working on. A couple years ago, I asked him if he still had all his old magazines and he said yes. I told him if he ever took a notion to sell them, I would be interested in maybe buying them. The best I remember, he didn't even reply. Well today, much to my surprise, he came in carrying a couple boxes and sat them down. I knew right away it was some of those magazines. He says I'm cleaning out some closets and thought I would run these by you. I ask him if he wants to sell them, and he says, no I want to give them to you. What?? He said oh yeah, I told my wife if anything happened to me to give you all my old books. Totally caught me off guard. He says there are quite a few more and he will bring them as he gets to them. Here's what he dropped off today:

 

Sweet, I love the old magazines. You have a bunch Ive never seen before.

 

You got ALL the Post Books ???....SCORE!!

Make sure you take the old Gentleman to lunch a few times, mow his lawn, etc,etc.....That is a pretty nice gesture on his behalf.....

 

You are one lucky guy to get that collection - some very good magazines there.

 

Far out.

 

Thanks, guys. I was humbled that he would do that. He is a very well thought of man in the community. On a side note, he was telling me today that he left Missouri in the late 40's to go to Michigan for work. That's where he got interested in hotrods and mentioned hanging out at a guy's shop I think he said his name was Bill Waddell. Said the guy had a hot rodded Crosley. He's an interesting guy to talk to. I'm anxious to start thumbing through the books to say the least.

 

Wow, you should be honored to have been thought of so well by him that he'd hand off such a great collection of magazines! I'm sure he figured they'd be in good hands.

The Dan Post issues are biblical in terms of early Custom print work. First issue of HONK....

 

Wow! A very valuable collection! You should sit down with him and listen to or even record some of his stories. Once he's gone, all the knowledge is lost. I've seen it happen many times. Tim

 

Wow. Until the reprints came out, I thought the Dan Post books were the Holy Grail, and paid big stupid money for them 15 years ago. You've done very well. It pays to be nice to old guys.

 

Love that line on the Almquist manual... "Enjoy the distinction of owning a Custom Car"
Gary

 

Great score. You must have treated him well over the years.

 

Gold mine, you obviously done right over the years, congrats!

 

When he brought them in boxed up, this is all I saw:

Then after he left, I pulled out the ford & Mercury v8 engine book only to find this:

The others were underneath that one. I also didn't realize that was the first issue of HONK magazine either.

 

A nice gesture to you for sure,probably thought he'd like to see them go to someone
who would appreciate them as he did. Good Karma.

 

Congratulations,you made a impression on the gentleman and as someone else mentioned take him out to lunch.

BTW,I can smell the old musty magazines from here of course it my be because I'm sitting in my inner sanctum surrounded with book shelves sagging under the weight of hundreds of old hot rod oriented publications lovingly stacked in neat piles. HRP

 

What I need to do is find a front lower valance and paint and install it on his 59 El Camino. He bought one a few years ago and it's missing that one piece. I know they may be hard to come by, but that's what I would like to do. He is in his late 80s and still delivers meals on wheels to folks in town. Just a quality fella all the way around. And yes, you are correct about the musty smell.. I love it, too.

 

Same folks then? Gary

 

You can say what you want about the "read it" on the internet but the touch, feel, flip and smell of a Hot Rod mag.............well, kinda like the noise and smell of the old flathead! Can't be done in cyberspace.

 

wow, that's awesome,

 

I know. "Streamlined and Hollywoodized".

 

OUTSTANDING!

 

Nice gift. Even better friend.

 

See, it does pay to be nice.!.Gonna be fun looking through 'em...

 

Wow, talk about an awesome score! That would keep me busy for weeks.

 

Make sure you give the old guy a ride in a real hot rod while he is still around....

 

Accurate story regarding HRM:
In 1952, a friend and I were on a paper drive for school. A retired gent 3 blocks from my house gave up his Hot Rod magazines, mint condition, from #1 to the date then present. I hoarded them, and began buying HRM 'til the following year, when my Tante (German Aunt) gave me a 10 year subscription to Hot Rod Magazine.
My Dad hoped I'd be 'over it' by then. LOL

Oct. of '60, I finished painting and assembling my '32 Five window, with its 304" 59L flathead. Had driven it 3 or 4 short runs, cooling system problem fixed (bled air pocket out!) jetted the 4 97s (#48 mains, straight linkage...10 lb. aluminum Weber flywheel, 'Woom, woom!) Faaast...

I drove 'uptown', (Santa Clara, Franklin St., 'main drag'...) pulled up in front of Wade's Pharmacy, to rub it in the ex girlfriend's nose...Yeah, all that time working on 'some car'... when she looked out the window, she said, "That's it? Looks like the front of your magazines..."

I walked out, smugly. Across the street was this group of 'duffers', as my Mom called 'em...I knew most of 'em, all retirees, hung out at the bus bench in front of the bank. Every day. Pete Fallon, ex police chief, Jimmy Bach, former mayor, Mike Heatherington, Dad of another ex girlfriend. Also, the gent that had donated the HRM issues.
Another 'member of theirs' (didn't know his name) was standing on the sidewalk looking at my polished flatmotor, I was walking around to get in, and he said, "Offenhauser engine. Indianapolis winner, year after year. You've really got something here, young man!"
I started to explain that it was Offie's cousin, and just equipment, but he wouldn't hear of it. "I know what I know, and I'm old enough to say so," was his answer.
"How's she run?" I thought he'd never ask... "Get in, I'll take you for a ride..."
He got in, I remember he closed the door carefully...I said "Starts hard," and twinkled my eye as it lit in half a revolution...'Dawr, Vroom!'
I turned the corner, onto Washington St., and mashed the chromed spoon throttle pedal...It wound to 5,5 like a shot. Grabbed second with the eyeball height Lincoln stick, the Bear clutch grabbed and got a patch of second gear meat...It was brutal when grabbing second, heads flew back, stomachs tickled...I glanced and he was like...mesmorized...I let up in second, and slowed down, turned at the Catholic school, and headed back on Lafayette.
He said, "This thing's faster than a bullet!" I chuckled, "Well, it's faster than it was..."
I turned back onto Franklin, and pulled up in front of his friends. He opened his door, slowly stepping down, and his pal said, "That was a quick ride..." He replied, "Quick isn't the word," or something like. He acted glad to get out!
The 'boys' were all looking it over, so I sat there idling as long as I could (no fan, side generator mount) a few minutes and I said "See you fellas, gotta go before it overheats"... revved it a couple of times, slipped the Bear and left smoothly.

I could set time by their presence there, always get a unanimous wave, and I'd rev the mill when driving by...made me feel like a 'hot rod hero'!
There was a song years later that reminded me of those fellows, 'Desperados waitin' for a train'. Put a tear in my eye.

Those 'already read magazines' were a gift beyond description. Wish I had taken the initiative to kidnap the gent that had donated 'em. But he politely refused...
Looking back, I don't blame him. Now? Or then, rather...Hell, I'd NEVER ride with me!

 

That is an awesome story and I felt like I was right there the whole time readin it. Thanks for sharing.

 

what all have said....and maybe....just maybe.....we can ID some of the custom car's from back then as it looks like some rare mags there...

 

Incredible score - I could spend days reading these!

"Hi there fellow H.A.M.B.ers! I just customized my '41 Ford and now it overheats for some reason. Any suggestions?"