Free access to all Hot Rod Magazine issues 1948-2021 online!

[ea0863]

So this photo on the left was buried amongst others for a car show. I looked it up, and kinda fell in love! HRM January 1963

This is an updated version of "Forcasta":

Edited November 20, 2022 by ea0863

[ea0863]

Beautiful '61 Corvette Gasser. This one can't be too famous...

HRM March 1963

[ea0863]

Just when I promise myself "no more ford roadsters", comes yet another gorgeous one to make me go back on my word! This one is a '27 Model T (in name only) that would make a grown man weep. 

[ea0863]

If anybody gets motivation from these pics, let me know which ones you liked and how you plan to do a build. For instance, I saw this ad in HRM July 1963 for a fastback Corvette top - which kind of gave it the Corvair concept vibe done in the 50's (red car below):

I always loved that look, so I ordered an old AMT kit with the requisite top.

Then, because I also saw a Barris modified Sting Ray in HRM September 1964 which I really liked, I knew what to do with the side pipes that also came with my kit:

That basically gave me two great projects out of these two photos. Having now seen over 2,300 views on this topic, I know there have got to be a few of you getting some ideas! Feel free to share.

Edited November 24, 2022 by ea0863

[ea0863]

Apparently, it is obligatory when talking about hot rods to automatically include the Tom McMullen '32 Roadster. May we all please stand and recite the pledge of allegiance to the highboy of HRM April 1963.  

[ea0863]

Another little photo with a story. This one from HRM April 1963 called the Thunderbird Italien...

With a bit of Googling (who would have thought that was actually going to be a word?), we find a rather beautiful car that would not be too difficult to replicate in scale.

I'm thinking maybe a '61 T-bird convertible, with a '61 Impala bubble top?

[ea0863]

Staying with the concept cars, comes this Bill Cushenberry work of art called "Silhouette". HRM April 1963

I just ordered the AMT kit of this car for $30, and it comes with a really cool trailer which I'll use for another project.

[ea0863]

HRM July 1963 had an article on the Chrysler Turbine Vehicle. I have always wanted to build this one, but the only scale model I know of was by JoHan and I haven't found one at a reasonable price yet. In the meantime, I've put the photos from this write-up in my digital archives.

[ea0863]

Wild cars apparently being the theme of the early 60's, HRM August 1963 had one on the cover called the XR-6. This one is funky-fresh and 60's psychedelic, thus is a must on my list  

Here's another photo from the "inter-web". Wild, right?

[ea0863]

A step-by-step article on building a 30's roadster from the ground up. Also turns out to be a good article on how to build one in scale. I have included the entire article since it is such a good one for us modelers. HRM February 1962

[ea0863]

And also good reference material was an article in HRM November 1963 regarding the popular rims of that era. 

Edited November 20, 2022 by ea0863

[ea0863]

Spirit of America. HRM October 1963 

Check out the following page for Terry Jessee's build of this model:

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by ea0863

[ea0863]

Cheetah from HRM March 1964. Anybody make a kit of this car? I saw one at this year's SEMA from a company called Cheetah Evolution that is making them again, and it was really nice.

[ea0863]

Shark custom based on the Corvair. HRM June 1964

Looks an awful lot like a cross between the AMT Piranha and the '62 Corvair Monza GT. There's got to be a good story there.

Edited November 24, 2022 by ea0863

[ea0863]

Mantaray

The only existant scale model I know of for this car was made by Nichimo, and is quite rare. There is a Hot Wheels toy, and a very expensive 1:8 scale as well.

Edited November 20, 2022 by ea0863

[ea0863]

Spirit of America II. HRM June 1964

A few people have built this one with 3D printers, etc.

Edited November 20, 2022 by ea0863

[ea0863]

Small picture of "Strip Star" from HRM October 1964. 

A bit of digging, and what a cool car it turned out to be! Certainly on my list of builds I want to do.

[Reegs]

Thanks for posting the site. What a trip down memory lane.

Buried in all those issues is an article about a rear-engined sprint car (subsequently banned).  Gotta find it.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Reegs

[Richard Bartrop]

From a piece about a meet pitting sports cars against hot rods sponsored by Gary Davis of three wheeler Davis fame.  One of these Talbot-Lago coupes sold for a little over $13 million this year.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Richard Bartrop

[ea0863]

3 hours ago, Reegs said:

Thanks for posting the site. What a trip down memory lane.

Buried in all those issues is an article about a rear-engined sprint car (subsequently banned).  Gotta find it.

I'm glad you're enjoying the articles Jim. And thanks to you, I now have a new fascinating topic to research further; the saga of the rear-engine sprint cars!

[ea0863]

On 11/19/2022 at 3:26 PM, ea0863 said:

I really enjoy squinting at the tiny little ads, then trying to research what the heck I'm looking at  Case in point from HRM July 1960.

Wow! This ad turned out to be far more interesting than I initially thought. This is what the car turned out to be:

It was called the "John Osborn Special", and you can read about it at https://www.undiscoveredclassics.com/forgotten-fiberglass/1959-john-osborn-special/

[ea0863]

On 11/18/2022 at 6:25 PM, keyser said:

Evidently others thought same

Just ordered it!  Thank you for the heads up.

[Reegs]

On 11/20/2022 at 3:55 AM, ea0863 said:

Mantaray

The only existant scale model I know of for this car was made by Nichimo, and is quite rare. There is a Hot Wheels toy, and a very expensive 1:8 scale as well.

MPC did a slot car of it. And yeah, try to find one.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Lots of cool stuff.

[ea0863]

Some seriously sexy engines - (be forewarned, a few are from boats : 

HRM February 1965

HRM March 1966

HRM September 1966