Projects Magazine Cars

Magazine cars, what do you do with them? I bought this thing, its virtually unchanged since it was built 30 plus years ago. I intended to change it all around but then started thinking, I am doing a disservice to the guy that built it all those years ago.

 

Depends on why you bought it. For the parts?(Is the cost difference really that much different? Maybe I gotta rethink ownership-plans.). 'Cause you like it as-is? For it's style? 'Cause it's some Name-build or History behind it? Always had a hard time figuring out why someone would buy a nice car - drop large$$$ - then spend lots more to change it? ???? Wouldn't it be more cost effective to just build what you want in the 1st place? Not slamming you, seriously just very curious.
Marcus...

 

Its your car now... Build it the way YOU want it

 

Not until it's been 50 years since it was in the mag ....

 

Yes, change it. Put dirt track tires.

 

Do what you want, thousands of
Cars hit print a year. Unless it’s got some cultural significance it’s fair game 100%

 

If it is just a feature car in a magazine from 30 years ago and does not have historical significance I don't see why changes that don't destroy it's basic heritage would be an issue.
To me changing the paint job and losing the flames wouldn't be a big deal.
Swapping wheels again not an issue.
Lose the T bucket exhaust and install under the car exhaust, big improvement in my book.
Changing from coil To cross leaf to give a more traditional look, not an issue in my book as few will know the difference but traditional guys will appreciate the car a bit more.
Take that race car nose off and put something else on it= we will hold a drawing to see who gets to tie a rope around your feet and drag you though the desert.

 

I decided it's finally time to change the fluid in the transmission....hasn't been done since Sep 2016, when the car was in the magazine

 

It's your car now. You can do what you want with it. How much national exposure did the car really have? Do people know who the builder was when they first see the car? Did it win any major shows. Have any famous owners?
My first hot rod was built over 60 years ago. Because of it's accomplishments, people still know it was my car first. Yet, the current owner had the choice to rebuild it any way he wanted. I give Mr. Hill all the credit in the world for wanting to preserve the car exactly as it was in 1962. He could have assembled the car to current standards for less money, but he chose to do it the hard way, and preserve the car's heritage. Props to you Steve!!

 

I'm only concerned what the woman (my wife) that I sleep with thinks!

 

It's your car now, do what you want. I would be to busy driving it to take it apart.

Phil

 

He sold it didn't he? Guess he is through caring about what happens with it.

 

When my wife and I bought our car we didn't know it was a magazine feature car(RodAction,July'85 issue pg 26) . Well known builders had a hand in it's construction. All I have changed is the wheels,tires and drive train. We'v hade it since 1997 and still going strong..................

 

Anchorage, huh? If it doesn't have a heater, that's a worthwhile change!

 

Coverage in mag's is fickle an spot'y,like TV, by were your at and who you know.
Same with most movie cars,if movie was a hit or bust.
My own cars made it into a few mags,most of them small Florida mag's,but got in too "Car Craft "with one full custom.
I would not expect new owners to keep any of the cars I built,as I built them,even though I think I did a good job on all of them.
Sure I hope that , a few are kept as I did Build them.
One can build history ,save history,or mess it up.
Do what makes you have the most FUN.
I still drive my high school ride from 1959 on.

 

Traditional rods were typically modified continuously for better or worse and especially when they changed hands. Unless the car has some serious history there's not much point in preserving any feature you don't like; it's your car now.

 

Sold mine to Stahl's museum.

 

I applaud Steve for his preservation of Dean's truck that sparked a 12 year old kids interest in hot rods so many years ago. HRP



BTW, I recently found the magazine that I have held on too all these years.

 

What I know of the car, built by Steve Mickelson, since passed away, sometime around 1989 to 1990. It was featured in Street Rodder in 1996 came to Alaska around 2006 and I bought it this summer. Car is untouched other the new tires. And no heater need today! it 85 degrees! May need air!
I bought it because I couldn't build it for what I paid for it. My intent is to put my avatar 4 cyl in it with a manual trans. Also yellow and flames don't do it for me, if I do tear it apart it will go black and knock some of the chrome shine off it.

 

You are just the current custodian of the car. If it leaves your possession a better car than when it arrived, because of your changes, you did the right thing.

 

Fair enough - once a car/truck is sold, PO has no right to demand anything of the new owner, since his interest in said toy ceases to exist. Change away, you'll like it better. . Pics here? Hopefully?
Marcus...

 

Make it you'r car.

 

I made a few magazines with my car. Then i repainted it and put a new tube frame chassis under it and made a few more. I changed from a 354 blown hemi to a blown 426 and as you can may have already guessed it made a few more. It must be ten or so total. So make the changes you want and who knows it might just make a return in another magazine.

 

Look at some of the more historical cars like the Neal East roadster. Every time it changed hands the new owners put their touch on it. Unless you plan on making it a rat rod, I don't think you will get much flak around here.

 

My car was in magazine about 25 years ago. Since then I've changed the wheels, the interior, and the carburation. Added more chrome too. Same paint from 25 years ago, so it still is basically the same. It really doesn't affect the value of the car because it was featured in a magazine. If I ever have to repaint it, I think I'll paint it all black, but hopefully I won't have to repaint it. Now I feel an AMBR or Ridler car should stay unchanged.

 

I chatted with the builder of a well known roadster that he had relocated and rebuilt after it had left his hands many years before. He said many had told him to rebuild it to "period correct" and he'd reply "what period? It was always in a state of transition when I built and owned it the first time around, after Pebble Beach there's some changes to improve it I'd like to make ".

For any "traditional police" who may see this - One of the changes he made back in the '50's was removing the solid Ford I beam and installing an independent front suspension........

Ed

 

It's your car and if you decide to re-do it , you aren't doing a "disservice" to anyone. Just because the car was featured in a magazine does not make it untouchable. Historical car's like the Ray Brown, '32 and Ed Iskenderian's T are untouchable. Blow it apart and make it your car.

 

Ok, Its nobody famous, nothing special car, just a feature car in a magazine. So its my car do what I want. So I will tossing the 327/350 out and installing my mechanical injected 4 cylinder with either a 6 speed or a 4 speed muncie. Its looking like the 4 speed to fit the tunnel better. then I have to come up with some way to get 3 pedals in it. It will go all black body, no more flames. Track nose will stay on it.
I was going to build a 29 roadster with a track nose, and have a body, but then this came up with just the wrong color and wrong engine. The 4 cylinder is physically larger then the 327, so if that don't work out I have my Ardun to put in.