It’s been a couple of weeks since the last one, so lets break back into the archives for another Magazine Time Machine. This issue of Motor Trend featured a lot of information about “The Mexican Road Race” also known as the Carrera Panamericana. There is also some stuff on the 50s era hot rod culture and how jimboys are hopping up their jalopies. As usual with these more-than-double-my-age vintage magazines, this cover art is phenomenal. I’d like to see a modern car magazine use a painting for the cover instead of some overly photoshopped junk-mobile. This issue had a lot of racing coverage that I found fascinating and a really neat ad from Edelbrock (that they honestly should rehash for print ads today). Click the jump to see more.


Just look at that caption. Have you ever seen a better caption? All you have to do is make brief mention of a Muntz Jet and I’m already over the moon. Throw in King of Kustoms George Barris, and I’ll start weeping with joy. It would appear that this car was finished for a Mr. Anthony Heisenbergen, and this is what it looked like when done.

Okay, so on to the Carrera Panamericana coverage. This sounds like an absolutely miserable way to finish your race. I bet all Pearson could think about during that 300 yard push was where he could have shifted shorter, where he could have feathered the throttle a little, and where he could have done less engine braking. 300 yards is a long way to push a car as heavy as a big 50s Olds, but not that much gas if you’re trying to conserve. Makes for a good story, though. Perhaps not the story Oldsmobile wanted told on page Twenty-three of that month’s Motor Trend, though.

Speaking of the big and bulky American cars that were running, check out this comparison between one of the Cadillacs and one of the Ferraris. Good… …and not so good. I love it.

Edelbrock really needs to revive this advertisement. The image itself is drawn beautifully, and makes me smile when I see it. Plus, they’ve coined the term “Power-Speed”, which is exactly what they should be doing right now to advertise their products. The same old boring red page in an issue of Hot Rod with some product pictures isn’t doing anyone any favors.

The Allard is one of my favorite racing cars in history, and the fact that there’s Phil Hill in a TC just back a little ways makes this all the better. Is that another Muntz Jet there on the left, or perhaps a Pre-Muntz Kurtis? Either way, I love this photo so very very much!