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History hotrod mechanix magazine: Ford Courier bed to Lakes modified? (Homemade cowl/firewalls pic request)

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Flynn's_57, Feb 5, 2021.

  1. Flynn's_57
    Joined: May 10, 2002
    Posts: 948

    Flynn's_57
    Member
    from Nor*Cal

    Hey guys,
    As I understand it, "way-back-when", hotrod mechanix magazine fashioned a lakes modified body from a ford courier mini-truck p/u bed. Apparently the magazine went under before the project was completed, but I am very interested in seeing what this "thing" looked like and the articles they presented.

    Now, I've seen RPU's made from 4-doors and everything else, but I'm hoping to get some idea's from those of you who started with nothing historic and had to fashion your own cowls and firewall sections from easily sourced shapes.

    Thanks
     
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  2. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    I have the popcorn popping awaiting the stories...
     
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  3. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

  4. typo41
    Joined: Jul 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,571

    typo41
    Member Emeritus

    I had them all until I lent them to a 'friend'.
    And the pickup bed roadster was last seen at a Antique Nats Drag race over 10 years ago,,, it was a little long in tooth
     
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  5. Flynn's_57
    Joined: May 10, 2002
    Posts: 948

    Flynn's_57
    Member
    from Nor*Cal

    Yeah, I was totally unfamiliar with the magazine, but going over the link posted, it looks like I would find something in nearly every issue I'd love. Haven't seen anything on any covers about the article I'm looking for quite yet...
     
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  6. okiedokie
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 4,778

    okiedokie
    Member
    from Ok

    If you had an issue number I would look it up for you but dont have the time to just look thru them all.
     
  7. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    At one time I had every issue but almost all of my magazine collection was destroyed when the roof of the building they are in leaked.

    Some of the stuff that Tex slapped together was pretty "slapped together" though. The man could build a fine car when he wanted to but after moving to Idaho the do it like a farmer/rancher might concept kicked in. Simply meaning that you used what ever you had in the scrap pile at the time rather than driving to town and buying the metal that everyone in town might do.
     
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  8. Flynn's_57
    Joined: May 10, 2002
    Posts: 948

    Flynn's_57
    Member
    from Nor*Cal

    I guess knowing what it was known as would be the place to start-
    One cover I saw made me wonder if it is known as the "$ pound roadster" or maybe the "low-buk buket"?
     
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  9. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I'm thinking buck a pound roadster. If I remember right he fashioned the alternator bracket out of a piece of diamond plate that may have been on a coupe they had at about the same time though.
     
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  10. Flynn's_57
    Joined: May 10, 2002
    Posts: 948

    Flynn's_57
    Member
    from Nor*Cal

    [​IMG]
    Is this it??
     
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  11. If they went under before finishing, I would presume it to be the last few issues.
     
  12. Fordors
    Joined: Sep 22, 2016
    Posts: 5,372

    Fordors
    Member

    Scan_0209.jpg Scan_0210.jpg Scan_0211.jpg

    It was in the last issue and it had nothing to do with Tex, except that it was in the publication that he started. Mike Chiavetta came up with the concept, he is (assuming he's still alive) a graphic artist that years ago built a Woodie Wagon out of a '24 Dodge sedan.
    HRMx had a rebirth in the '90's but that time around I'm not sure Tex was involved, I think Brian Brennan was the inspiration behind the magazine for it's rebirth. @Flynn's_57 you mentioned liking what you saw on the covers, I have some random copies so if you're interested send me a PM.
     
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  13. Must be where Bad Chad got his ideas from sheeesh
     
  14. Flynn's_57
    Joined: May 10, 2002
    Posts: 948

    Flynn's_57
    Member
    from Nor*Cal

    Thank you so much Fordors!
     
  15. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,401

    catdad49
    Member

    I knew Brian Brennan was involved ( see above), but I don’t remember it finished (at least in print). Interesting concept, using what you have or what is cheap. Tex seemed to have a talent for that!
     
  16. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,405

    alchemy
    Member

    I'm pretty sure Mike the builder is a HAMBer. Isn't his woody shown in his avatar? Can't remember his handle right now. Hopefully he'll chime in and let us know how it turned out and where it is.
     
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  17. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    I have thought of using an old hood split down the middle to make body sides for a roadster. Inspired by a Ford pickup I saw in a junkyard that had a deep drawn hood with rounded corners. The front corners of the hood would make the rear lower corners of a roadster body. Probably from the late 70s or 80s. Back of the body could be made from a flat sheet of metal. For the cowl, they turn up at swap meets and junk yards from time to time or you could make one out of sheet metal. I was thinking of framing the body with 1" square steel tubing or conduit tubing. Or you could go traditional and make a wooden framework.
     
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  18. Flynn's_57
    Joined: May 10, 2002
    Posts: 948

    Flynn's_57
    Member
    from Nor*Cal

    And I don't know who "Bad Chad" is, but I do understand why pics of this were so hard to find.
     
  19. Think I'm gonna build another one. Last one I did used a 31 chevy pickup cab narrowed 6". The back panel used a 40 chevy hood stood up on end for the corners and an old 50 chevy door skin to span between the corners. What fun! modified.jpg
     
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  20. rod1
    Joined: Jan 18, 2009
    Posts: 1,324

    rod1
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Go Rocky!
     
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  21. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,401

    catdad49
    Member

    I remember that and I know that you are going to share. Happy Building!
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  22. So, I'm thinking about my Pontiac brother [Dar]and remembering he just replaced all the running gear of his 58 GMC shorty and has the front axle, complete and the rear axle complete with leaf springs front and rear...has the steering box too, along with the original steering column and wheel. Come to think about it, I think he also has the sweet running 270 out of the same truck...
    The last Modified I put together [photo above] I used all the running gear from his 36 chevy pickup when he updated the truck. Dar is a gold mine for old shit.
     
  23. SR100
    Joined: Nov 26, 2013
    Posts: 1,130

    SR100
    Member

    Years ago (I'm not sure how long ago, but I'm guessing at least 10 years), I was killing time in the magazine section of Barnes & Noble. Flipping through a British mag, there was a roadster with the body made from the roof of a Morris Minor split down the middle. I've since tried to find a pic of it but can't find one. Anyone remember it?
     
  24. THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 5,367

    THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER
    Member
    from FRENCHTOWN

    They are not that hard to make from scratch.
    And look right.
     

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  25. Crocodile
    Joined: Jun 16, 2016
    Posts: 352

    Crocodile
    Member

    If you found a nice Courier bed nowadays, it is probably worth more than you think. Sell it to someone trying to rebuild the mini-truck of his youthful dreams for a profit, and but something more appropriate to work with. Then, you and someone else both come out winning.
     

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