Rodder's Journal
Issue #48 - Cover A
The recently completed clone of the Sam Hollingsworth 1957 Chevy Nomad is creating quite a buzz, and we have the complete, in-depth story on this famous custom. This Nomad, known for its candy bronze and gold flamed paint, is beautifully displayed on the newsstand cover of this issue (cover A). We photographed it both on location and in the studio, and have included many previously unpublished historical images. In the fourteen pages devoted to this custom clone, we explain the journey that led to creating the new wagon as well as the full history on the original car. Pat Ganahl researched the original build and famous paint job as well as the mysterious saga surrounding its disappearance.
Side note: some of you may recognize this custom from the photo of the original on the Revell plastic model kit box art (with steel wheels).
Mention the name Ed Pink and instantly nitro-burning blown fuel dragsters come to mind. But Pink started building engines in the late '40s and racing on the dry lakes of California and the Bonneville salt flats. He migrated to Top Fuel drag racing in the late '50s by recommendation and campaigned some of the most successful front engine dragsters throughout the '60s. He went on to build winning engines for Indy 500 and developed his own Midget engines as well. His contribution to hot rodding is an impressive and exciting story to say the least. In this feature in TRJ #48, we chronicle the journey that gave Ed Pink the nickname, the "Old Master."
The award winning Mura Bros' 1941 Willys pickup first appeared on the cover of Rod & Custom in 1964, and was recently restored (with a paint job from its 1965 version) by Street Toys Hot Rods in Jaurez, Mexico for its current owner Michael Lightbourne. This feature researches the mysterious history of this wild truck and its original builders, Nick and George Mura of San Leandro, California.
Sixty-two years ago a mechanical engineer from Van Nuys, California, Norman Timbs, designed his fantasy custom-built streamliner for the street. This elaborate automobile was originally built by the best race-car craftsmen of the era, and was recently fully restored by Custom Auto in Loveland, Colorado. In TRJ #48 you will read the fascinating story of the design and build, as well as an in-depth look at the man behind this custom.
A belly tank streamliner may very well be the quintessential hot rod - a souped up car made with findable parts and pieces built to look bitchin' and drive fast. At least that was what may have been on Bill Burke's mind as he saw a barge loaded with empty 165-gallon drop tanks while he served in WWII. In this issue we celebrate the story of Bill Burke and his first belly tank lakester built in 1946 as we delve into the recently finished replica built by Geoff Hacker of Tampa, Florida. Using only tools, procedures, and parts available at the time of the original build, Hacker and Ted Kempgens of Creative Motion Concepts in Dade City have fabricated an excellent tribute to Bill Burke's first belly tank.
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