Your favorite magazine issue

Hey gang,

I had an idea a bit ago, than took a bit of time to research it. A lot of us have grown up reading automotive magazines. I have been accused of being a "paper pervert" at times in my life, 'cause I have a collection that encomp***es damn near everything in print about hot rods. I have been buying and collecting since I learned how to read, and have never parted with a single copy.

Now, the purpose of this thread is to highlight your absolute favorite copy of your favorite magazine. I am able to narrow down to about 6 that I can think of, but the one I will hightlight first is the October '78 copy of Street Rodder.

At the time, traditional hot rods were at this weird nether world between being STILL part of the scene, and being no where to be found. High tech hadn't really taken hold yet, and resto rods were everywere. So when I stopped at the Circle-K on Scottsdale and Gold Dust that afternoon when I should have been in school, this cover with Jake's Truck and Ewings Super Bell coupe coming at me just knocked me on my ***.

 

The stuff inside you ask? Well, right out of the gate was Lennie Smith's '32 hiboy...

 

Then came J.D. Tone's '40 Chevy racer with a GMC...

 

Then Jake's truck! Still one of my favorite to this day.

 

My favorite was an issue of HotRod around the month "American Grafitti" came out. There was an ad for Mothers polish and it had an old lady standing next to a T Bucket. I feel in love with that car and kept that issue for a long time. I didn't even know what a T Bucket was. All I knew was that I wanted one.

I'd love to find that ad again. Heavy in chrome and purple. Awesomeness,

 

Then the last images I will send to you guys. This one is special to me, 'cause to this day I LOVE this car. Just a simple bones out HOT ROD when almost everything else had wire wheels, luggage racks and Greyhounds.This is the first car I ever really WANTED. I imagined what it would be like to take a date out in it, or what it would be like to drive at night between Scottsdale and then very rural Cave Creek. Best part is Brian Bauer still has this car and it still looks the same, but now all these years later he is an aquaintence of mine.

I just sold a collection of parts to very loosely "clone" this car this last week simply because someone offered me way more money that I thought was reasonable for it...Soon though I'll get another.

 

Boy,now i'm gonna have to do some digging!

 

The balance of the mag was a family built "T" bucket, that wicked chopped '32 Chevy sedan delivery on the cover out of Maryland, Steve ****an putting a Chevy in his '34 Ford ch***is the Pete and Jake's way, A chopped '51 Merc, and garge scene on a drag inspired '27 roadster. I have over the years worn out 4 copies of this one, and number 4 is looking pretty rough at this point too.

What say ye gang? Good thread? What is your favorite bit of pulp and staples? We're talk desert island gotta read it forever kinda stuff.... Show me what ya got!

 

Great issue. Jake's truck is one of my all time favs, really liked the color a lot. I have a bazillion (well that's what my honey says) car magazines. I dont think I could find a favorite issue.

 

Rod & Custom 1973 Pete & Jakes coupes in the barnyard Chop Top Issue

 

Ya, that's in the top six I mentioned! Also the track roadster issue they did about the same time.

 

Early 60s Car Craft with their Top 10 customs,the P & J Rod and Custom already mentioned,and the Street Rodder Merc issue back in the 70s. After that came out,I bought a 50 Merc coupe for $50,followed by a total so far of 7 49-51 Mercs.
Still have the '62.'63 East Coast little books I bought at Woodsons Market when I was 10 years old.
I memorized every word in them,and can still tell you years later what cars were in them

 

I'm the same way with mine! Scan some of your and post them, please. I'll add to this in the next day or two when stuff slows down.

 

Man, I wouldn't even know where to start. Kind of like a favorite song...

 

I nearly wore out this special edition of Hot Rod when I was a kid.................still have the same copy 30 years later, tape repairs and all.

 

Got that same issue Muttley! Mine too is taped and retaped and worn so hard the cover image is barely visable. I think that one shot is probably the one thing that got me really started on collecting the older stuff.

 

FRED: You and I suffer from the same thing. I grabbed anything with a "T" Bucket on the cover.

 

Cripes, pick ONE?? Or even half a dozen?? As far as picking one within the context of the HAMB, maybe the 1961 Car Craft "roadsters" issue? The one with Neumans Model A on the cover, and the "Golden Rod" inside? Think it was October? That mag had a HUGE influence on my interest in "traditional" hot rods, the pic I get in my mind when someone says "traditional hot rod" is still a channeled roadster with cycle fenders and full wheelcovers. I'll look it up when I'm at home, but I cant post a pic right now, our home computer is pooched.

 

Oh god, just by description I know exactly which car you are talking about... How sad is that? Little black channeled '29 roadster with a flatty, cycle fenders and a white tuck interior that splilled out on to the firewall and fender panel inserts. Too cool!

The reason I have been able to distill favorite issues is that I used to business travel like no one could believe. (287 hotel nights in 2002 alone) There were entire months of my life when I just flat wasn't anywhere near home. The Favorites list was always the same batch of magazines that came with me over all the miles I covered working. A little sad when mr. businessman pulls out his breif case on a plane and digs out 40 year old car mags...

 

My "Favorite" has changed over the years, but currently it has to be this one because I got to "recreate" this car for one of the previous owners, from the parts that were swapped out just before it was totaled in 62

 

My first car magazine was the February 1982 issue of HOT ROD...and I still have every detail memorized, especially Ron and Linda Pruett's "Bad At***ude" 65 Mustang feature car with the tunnel-rammed 351 Cleveland! It was the magazine that introduced me to hot rodding and Leonard Emanuelson's editorial style that would influence me from that day forth!!

 

Street Rodder from the 70's Merc issue.Motor Trend with Ayala Bros and Car Craft July 1957 Merc Issue(I may be a little biase)on this one.

 

I have had HRM (all the issues, from the 1st in '48) Rod Action, (from the 1st "Ray Brock's Rod Action") all the Street Rodders, R&C, Tex Smith's, and all the Street Rod mags from Oregon.

But the one I found that had it all (for me) was the "2001 Custom & Rod Ideas" that featured Tom Senter's build of his '32 ch***is with Ardun V8. ("Hot Rod, An Alibi")
The story chronicled the story, beginning on his friend's patio, as Tom had no place to work on it!

Sorry, can't find my copy right now, it is carefully boxed, and I have a 'library' that would take a week to walk thru!
I'm sure some of you have read that article, (it was split into two series) and Tom had no less than 3 different bodies on it ('27 roadster, '29 roadster, and 'gl*** '32)
It ran Bonneville with the '32, then shortly after, Tom p***ed away.
He was very personable, and well studied... miss him.

 

Started way before this cover but love it!

 

I looked at this book hundreds of times when it was new. That's before I ever began collecting magazines. Now my almost-complete collection of old HR, RnC, and others numbers in the thousands. And I have about five copies of this Best of Hot Rod.

I think my all-time favorite mag is the RnC chop top issue. Dad was chopping the top of his '33 tudor around this time as well. I remember people making a big deal about the top on his sedan at rod runs. Chopped cars weren't as common in those years.

 

hey muttley, what's the back cover have on it?

 

I think I still have a copy of my favorite, and if I find it I will try to post.

The March '75 (?) issue of Hot Rod had a special tri-5 feature in it. The cover had GM studio photos on it. I was already in love with the cars and was working on my own at the time, '57 Belair four door sedan.

 

For anybody who missed this, enclosed is the link to the video shot from inside the Super Bell coupe of the Pete and Jakes cars rolling up from LA to Pleasanton several years ago. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1fRif38ekg

 

I have that issue fairly handy and I will do the scan and post deal later on.

 

Rod and custom April 2002. I grew up around cars as a kid and had uncles and cousins into customs but I loved muscle cars. My grandfather(dads dad) lived in Las Vegas and one day I got a rod and custom in the mail and a note from him, telling me to forget silly muscle cars and check this out. That was the end right there, seein impala from American graffiti and realizing it wasn't just some doofy car like I always thought as a kid changed my whole perspective. Btw my copy was so worn that I finally threw it out when me and my wife bought our house so if anybody has a copy ill pay you the cover price and shipping for it...