September 1953After featuring FoMoCo cars on the cover of the first four issues of ROD & CUSTOM, we were ready to give a Chevrolet the prime spot. Our pick for our fifth cover was Bob Borst's '49 coupe, conservatively customized with an Olds 98 upper grille bar and custom floating bar, a one-piece Olds windshield, and '53 Chevy Sungold paint. The car was also featured as Our Chevy of the Month. Inside, we were heavy on Oldsmobiles. Feature cars included Jack Stewart's "Polynesian" '50 Olds 88 built by Valley Custom in Burbank, another '50 Olds out of Kansas City, and a wicked little '29 A roadster pickup with a new Olds Rocket engine (below). Somebody ought to build something like "Mitch's Bomb" soon (hint, hint). This issue is notable for R&C's first project vehicle, the Chevmobile, a '41 Chevy coupe with a Rocket V-8. The Chevmobile's chassis eventually ended up under the R&C Dream Truck. -Tim Bernsau
Also This MonthThe city of Corona, California, is surrounded by a 3-mile perfectly circular street, which was the site of an annual road race from 1913 to 1916. In 1953, the city revived the Corona Road Race in honor of the 40th Anniversary of the original event. Thirty-two '15-and-earlier cars showed up to compete. R&C Editor Spence Murray served as flagman and Ralph Poole shot the photos for our story.
Vintage Tech TipWhen sectioning a door or quarter-panel, allowance should be made for an excess of metal. With the excess turned in to form a lip, provision is automatically made for spot- or tack-welding and with a minimum of panel distortion. --From "Ten Steps To Customizing" by Orlin Tramz
Quote of the MonthWhat's wrong with American cars?
Nothing! At least that is the way I feel. Sure, maybe they don't handle like a $15,000 Ferrari nor do they have the weight-to-horsepower ratio of a Cooper, but let's face it, they do have their good qualities. They don't give you a spine-jarring ride, you can get more than just a small suitcase in the trunk compartment (how many foreign cars even have one?), and it is possible to take more than just one other person for a ride-comfortably.
-From Editor Spence Murray's editorial column in response to criticism of post-war Detroit automobiles