Art & Inspiration TRADITIONAL Hot Rod & Custom CHRISTMAS Greeting Cards, Ads, & other Artwork

Here's some Traditional Hot Rod Christmas Ads from the December 1950 issue of HOT ROD Magazine:

all images from @Jive-Bomber Jay's TJJ Blog en***led Dear Santa… A HAMB Holiday Wish List.
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Here's Stroker McGurk's XMAS Gift List from the December 1951 issue of HOT ROD Magazine:

cover


page 38


page 39


page 40


page 41


page 44

NOTE: The five scanned pages were posted HERE by @BrandonB
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Lots of great photos, Thank you to all.

 

1937 - Wilshire Blvd. - Los Angeles, California


1939 - J. L. Clark’s Gulf Super Service Station #1 - San Antonio, Texas


L U B R A T O R Y​

 

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Time again for the annual bump of this thread! ... Here's @Jeff Norwell's artwork for the cover of the DEC 2023 / JAN 2024 issue of CANADIAN HOT RODS magazine:

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Back in October, New Zealand HAMBer @Greg Stokes became the caretaker of the @Pete Eastwood / @Rod P / Tom Prufer "Cop Shop Coupe" (i.e., Greg purchased it from HAMBer @Chuck R).

This Christmas themed artwork (by Craig Robb):

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. . . appeared on the cover of the December 2023 issue of NZ HRM:

 

GOODGUY'S 2023 Christmas Card:

artwork by Scott Carter
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Mark telling a Minnesota fish'n story again.
"That Muskie was this long"!

 

...The race of Sleds...Ole Santa checking his pulse while the Reindeer wonder where the heck is Rudolph...

No coal for anyone either...just car parts...just kidding there's some toys...

Credit to All That Inspired This
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Hello,

After many tries and false starts, I am getting close to finishing a long time planning gift. With only 8 days left, there are still days to get started and complete the project if you are so inclined. It is a nostalgic memory item for my wife. I had given her and her siblings exact copies of their old 1959 Chevy 4 door station wagon that they spent a good deal of time during the Summers at the Salton Sea Vacations.
Salton Sea camping location
As a surprise, I made 3 matching 1959 Chevy Station Wagons from my Hot Wheels/Matchbox Collection garage. Including the m***ive stuff piled on top, including the "heavy canvas dome tent." I am still looking for a matching outboard runabout in the style they had back then.
59 chevy 4 door station wagon
With that big project under wraps and the next one with a deadline fast approaching, I made this version of a family sedan memory. Our whole extended family has a tradition of making a secret gift with specific names selected, as a hand made gift of no more than $15 dollars for parts and supplies. (sometimes, the limit is pushed a little, to get it right)
Manhattan Beach, CA 1954-55 brother trying to get inside as the sisters are hiding from him... prior to moving back to OKC.

This year, I saw a 55 Chevy sedan as a new car from their rented Manhattan Beach house in 1954 to mid 1955. The new 55 Chevy was purchased after selling all of their other cars to make the trip back to the OKC for a new adventure.
OKC 1955 snowy portrait... "We used to walk to school in the snow..." Ha!

That did not last long, as by late 55 and early 56, they were back in So Cal with their first real house purchase near Knotts Berry Farm. Back then, the area was a series of wide open fields and one could see the berry farm from several blocks away.

The 55 Chevy was the only car that made the cross country road trip and back within one year + in her family’s history. So, it deserved a place in my handiwork. A desktop lighted globe with some history and great memories in our office.

Jnaki

As I was planning what it would look like, I grabbed an extra 1/64 car and started a mock up project. The platform and tires/ch***is are from the 55 Chevy 2 door sedan model I was painting and detailing.

The globe can be purchased online. The powered battery pack with minilights fit nicely inside. The little car will be elevated with the small custom stand that will not be seen as the sample shows.

The base needs a space for the little battery and switch. The small battery case/switch is hidden well within the actual base, so when it sits on a desk, all one sees is a globe and white base. No external wires or such items. The base has enough room to put the battery case and switch in place.

A small drilled out hole gives access to a finger tip on/off switch. Hidden and still allows the base to sit flat with nothing showing outside. The hole is easily used to flick the black switch on and off, even with big clunky fingertips...

Since the mini lights are susceptible to electronic shorts, the item is taped to the base, inside with heavy duty double sided tape for easy replacement if necessary. Then spread out the lights to cover the complete 1/64 car inside. The wires keep the lights spread out vertically. The copper wire is strong enough to keep its shape. I selected the soft light version instead of the too bright, LED light version.

Once the car model is glued to the base, then the base is glued to the circular light screw in cover for the final look. Reach in and turn on the light.

The base and the car sits inside of the globe snugly. The battery case inside the bottom, screws in, to make a snug fit that can withstand a roll over without any movement of the hot rod model inside. YRMV

Good luck in your 8 day project… there is still time. It looks good sitting on the desktop next to my wife’s home computer screen and keyboard. The glow lights up the dark room if necessary. The finished 55 Chevy two door sedan with its fresh coat of paint and detailing took the longest time. If the stock model 1/64 color is ok, then you will be ahead of the complete process.

 

Here's some Christmas themed artwork @Jeff Norwell did for :

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Christmas Greetings from @RodPowell:

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NOTE: Rod wants wants you all to know he is "doing okay" (i.e., see @Ryan's Dec 23rd Blog en***led "Rod Powell").

 

Hello,

When I heard the story from my wife about the traveling she did as a kid across the Southwest from OKC to So Cal, back to OKC and then finally back to So Cal all within the 6th grade year, it was a walloping story. Four, 6th grade teachers and cl*** mates before she enters the junior high school year?

It is hectic enough to move from the top of the school cl***es to the lowest rung of junior high school. But, to endure a new school just as September starts and not knowing anyone from the neighborhood? Wow, I fell for that one and that old 55 Chevy did a lot of driving from one place to another.

She said that she "endured," as the 55 Chevy sedan moved back and forth. But, was happy she was able to finally settle in So Cal. Near Knott’s Berry Farm to boot!

Jnaki

So, with the last week prior to the big December day, I finally finished my surprise gift to her. It was for her complicated uprooting from a group of friends to another and back/forth. It was hectic enough to be the youngest in a new school and those older junior high school kids being the school area for years with their own friends.

Note: I lived in the same neighborhood since 1948 then 1953, almost the same neighborhood and schools from elementary to junior high school and finally to the big high school all Westside of Long Beach kids went to back then. What a contrast.

So, to commemorate this moment of her timeline, I made this hot rod project as described in the previous post. A custom painted, detailed, 1955 Chevy two door sedan from her hectic childhood. Where did it go? She remembers a station wagon as a new car in 1958 and then the 55 Chevy was gone.

“A desktop portable light fixture.”
Battery powered, warm glow effect during those early morning, dawn awakening computer sessions with a memory or two still floating around… Thanks for everything since we met in 1966… yes!

Note 2:

When she sets this glowing globe on her office desk, the folded 55 Chevy photo “Triptych” is placed next to or behind the glow… YRMV

 

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It's that time of year again! ... Here's @Jeff Norwell's artwork for the cover of the DEC 2024 / JAN 2025 issue of CANADIAN HOT RODS magazine:

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As I stated on another thread when the Dec/Jan issue comes out that’s when my Christmas begins!

Hemi32 thanks for updating this excellent thread!

 

Here's a 2022 Christmas illustration by Mark (@Jigger) Ervin:

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by @Frogz
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by @kustomitch
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by @kenmo
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Give me ya candy cane kid

 

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It's that time of year again! ... Here's @Jeff Norwell's artwork for the cover of the DEC 2025 / JAN 2026 issue of CANADIAN HOT RODS magazine:

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Jeff knocks it out of the park , Again! We are so lucky to have you guys.