Not sure if I'm posting this in the right place... I don't come on the HAMB very often. I'm looking for more information about traditional hot rod/kustom print magazines to collect or subscribe to. The current magazines that I know of that are still being published are Speed & Kulture, Hop Up, and Kustoms Illustrated. What else is out there? (I know Hot Rod, Car Culture Deluxe, Old Skool Rods, and some other ones are currently being published, but I wouldn't consider their content traditional.) The Rodder's Journal appears to be dead, and Mag-Neto is on hold. I also collect "modern" (early 2000's) little books. This is what I know of, what am I missing? Rev Magazine (9-10 issues?) Wizz Magazine (?) Rolls & Pleats (39 issues) Nostalgia Rodder (1 issue) Intake Magazine (2 issues?) Shop Rag (2 issues) Hop Up (1994, 2 issues?) Hop Up Specials (6 issues, so far) Mag-Neto (21 Issues) Hot Rods Illustrated (5 issues) Kustoms Illustrated (60 issues, so far) It's been 6 months since the last issue of KI. Hope they're doing okay? I'm sure there's lot of other little books I'm missing. Maybe ones that only survived an issue or two. Please tell me what I'm missing!
Should be buying up all the old 50’s and 60’s Hot Rod/ Kustom magazines...old farts are just about giving the away...FREE! Lots of fantastic info and pics in them.
I just found out about another magazine I forgot about: Hot Rods Illustrated, produced by Luke Karosi of Kustoms Illustrated The only one I am missing is issue 2 from 1995. At least, I think there were 2 issues? I cannot find a picture of it, but someone else on the HAMB mentioned there were 2.
Is Kustoms Illustrated ok? I paid a sub, purchased a older issue, and never received anything after that.
When did you subscribe? The last issue was published in late May I just sent Luke an email. I don't think I got 4 issues in 2020 either, so I don't know if he is trying to produce them quarterly anymore?
Been buying a few little books lately. My Wife says, Really! Hey, they don't take up much space. She seemed to be OK with that.
I believe this is what you are looking for, it was published in the little book format as Volume 1, Issue 2, Spring 1994. This one, along with the first issue was published by Gavern Publishing, Tim Gavern was Editor and Publisher.
I subbed around May or June this year...I understand if they publish quarterly. I've bought books from Hop Up, and can verify they ship FAST.
Thank you! Talked to Luke (the publisher) last night: ..."Yes, still producing KI however, as you noted, it's not on the quarterly schedule anymore. Working on another issue as we speak and hope to have it out in a month or so. With Covid and the general state of everything these days, I've had to channel my efforts elsewhere to "stay alive." Anyone who has a subscription will still get the four issues they paid for, just not on a quarterly basis at this point. And.... if for some reason I can no longer maintain, I will make every effort to reimburse remaining issues. But, I'm not at that point yet! Thanks for all your support, I appreciate it!" That's understandable I guess. I'm glad he's still in business!
I got some of the Hop Up stuff. These magazines, Ad rate card and the original cover printers sheet signed by Tim.
Early 1960s,south Florida had a short lived car mag,"Customs & Coconuts",it live about 3 issues an covered local indoor car shows. I lost the only one I had,#2 ,it was the only one I had a Art work add in under my art name "The Bat",for my "Wild Car T-Shirts"an pinstriping. The guy doing the mag. wanted 2 "T"s for him and his wife,custom art of his 57 Chevy,and we made a trade=Add -for 2 airbrushed T's. I've never found another copy,but would like one again. I have no idea how many he ever printed,I know #1 was his give a-way free at all the shows through 1960,and in 1961 #2 spring n #3 Fall were 50cents. Only the cover n back were color.
Hello, For all of the years we have collected hot rod magazines and other periodicals, one thing always hit the fan. “… those magazines should be in a basket or drawer until they are ready to read and then put away, when finished…” At first, that sounded like sacrilege. But, in looking at a cool minimalist, modern look of our interior spaces of our house, that saying hit the nail on the head. With all of the nice leather furniture and accessory wooden cabinets, stainless wall hangings, and other necessary items, the magazines seemed out of place. When we had a glass coffee table, they looked nice in the beginning, but then took on the look of a messy display. So, what is the replacement? Modern design and even the old style interiors have a place for bound books, even hot rod oriented books with nice covers. The term "coffee table books" is the right look. But, even as magazines are a dying duck, there were quality somewhat coffee table style magazines that tried to keep the look, but using better layouts, paper and binding, looked like a real coffee table book. The Rodder’s Journal had the new coffee table look. It looked better all around, but it too, bit the dust. In the surf world, magazines were disappearing, too. But the Surfer’s Journal also had the high class look like a coffee table. The Surfer’s Journal had quality photos not seen or developed in a certain way that was different. It was not just a run of the mill monthly magazine. It is still a survivor with a big following. Jnaki Some of my favorite coffee table books are the following ones that describe So Cal drag racing. They are still lasting in place, because they look good and better than magazines. Besides magazines being on their last legs, the coffee table books have a longer shelf life. And, have looks that will stand the test of time for scrutinizing eyes. Note: Jump up a million light years to 2015 and I needed some reference books to get some identification for my newly created digital movie films. In talking to one of the original writers of the coffee table style books on drag racing and hot rod circles, it opened my eyes to how others saw the historic action back in 1958-60 era. It was nice to see a section that told about our 1940 Willys incident, although mislabeled from a Drag News story of that time period. The book told of a different way to see what was happening in those development years at Lions Dragstrip, the Long Beach speed shop collective, and the new ideas that came from those innovators, Mickey Thompson, Joe Mailliard, Joe Reath, Clay Smith, etc. Mickey Bryant /Todd Hutcherson’s books on Lions Dragstrip https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-history-of-los-angeles.446547/page-115#post-12484729 History can only be remembered with written words and photographs. For those not in the local area during this early part of drag racing, there were several books written about some history of this Westside Dragstrip and its characters. It should be part of this LA History section. The "Three Weeks in March" tells the story behind the West Coast foray of Don Garlits, that wild driver from Florida. He had captured the attention of all of the fastest racers on the West Coast and this book tells the story of that scene in So Cal. Was that East Coast drag racer with top speeds and times listed in the Drag News, real? That was the questions asked from most West Coast racers. But the newest book written about the So Cal drag racing scene and Lions in particular was written by John “Waldo” Glaspey, a So Cal local. He has been following drag racing since those early days. It is a small world as if someone who stays in So Cal long enough, you are bound to meet someone from way back then. I had a nice conversation with John Glaspey at the Lions Dragstrip Museum Grand Opening in June of 2017. He gave me a recollection of a then, 19 year old college art student, sitting in the crowded stands all day, watching the racing down on the track. The story he told me created shivers down my back and arms. It was a first hand look at our racing, winning and final run late at night. The description he gave was one of being a “fan favorite” as we kept winning race after race until 9 p.m. at night. John Glaspey described the clutch blowing right in front of his “spectator side” seats and a clear view of the flaming Willys wedged into the spectator side fence, burning itself out. He probably saw me using several fire extinguishers down below, to no avail. Then, watching me zipping off to the ambulance back at the finish line. Of all of the books we have in our basket/book shelves, (So Cal Thunder) this is the one to read and own. The art work is fantastic. The stories are on a different viewpoint from the others. But, the photos (old college roommates were pro photographers) and his own, personal, drag racing art work is by far the best published. This is one heck of a good book to read and have on your coffee table. So Cal Thunder it is… No, it is not a Los Angeles pro soccer team, but an excellent book on Drag Racing in So Cal. Some of the best drag racing original photos were taken by Don Hale and Roy Robinson. So Cal legends There were even some great photos of the late, Tom McEwen in his early days. Attitude, style and all... The neat thing about these books is the different approach to the historic era. The big names in drag racing ventured out West to give everyone information on their builds and experiences. The So Cal racers were holding their own with new records in almost every racing class. Every publication of the time period had their own way to look at things. This definitely is a coffee table book that will draw people’s eyes to the cover and once inside, will be amazed at what is in store for them throughout the book. We have it front and center in our conversation room and it fits right in with various topics that deal with hot rods and drag racing. It can be described as a very comprehensive description and stories from that historic era. As seen from a young person’s eyes and growing up right in the middle of the time period. It falls into the category of “must have and must read” before any other book on the subject matter. an excerpt from another thread: “I have read and watched most magazines and books as well as movie films from Lions Dragstrip’s history from the beginning. We seemed to have been walking distance to the drags like a lot of Westside Long Beach locals back then. So, the history was well within our realm of home court advantage in information. Some of the books are really good and do a great job of stating actual facts, supported by plenty of photos.”
I'm trying to support Speed and Culture( love the 45 layout; one side devoted to prewar and fifties style builds, the other flipped to feature '60's and '70's builds!), been buying Hop Up Specials and still a Hot Rod subscriber. I still MISS Rod & Custom, Hot Rod Deluxe and Car Craft. Things DO run full circle, and with the push to electric vehicles AND chip / supply issues, I feel progress is REVERTING ever slowly the more they force it.....Print just might come back with a vengeance.
The Jalopy Journal
