Street machine magazine

[Bren]

I stil have a few copies of this from the late 80's and early 90's. I know it's been defunct for quite some time but some of the cars were fab. I wonder how many are still around?

Anybody else ever buy it?

[Timewaster]

I used to buy it quite often.

Sadly they all got binned when I moved out of my parents.

 

Things that stick in my mind:

 

Bright orange Ford 100E with chrome mag wheels on the cover.

 

Tax disc holder that said "Warning! Do Not Lower The Windows At Speeds In Excess Of 150MPH!"

 

The instructions for removing a Fiat Twin Cam from a 131 in order to install it in another bastardised MM- Shake the Fiat vigorously for about 30 seconds or until all of the bodywork has crumbled away. Pick engine up off the floor.

 

Classified ads from Ed Turners Unusual Autos. Quote "3 wheeled thing. Defies description. Ugly! £350"

 

I still have a Street Machine bottle opener key ring somewhere.

[alcyonecorporation]

I know where Henry Hi-Rise's original front end lives. 

Mr Flathead's son repaired the gearbox on my SVX. 

Wally Parks thanked me for fighting off zombies. 

[anonymous user]

I recently rescued a few, plus some Hot Car, from the loft when my sister moved. Given that many of the cars relied on huge amounts of wob I doubt that many survive.

[59Impala]

Yes indeed, in fact my '58 Belair is in a photo in the first issue which had my friend's Mk2 Consul Henry Hirise on the cover. The Consul is alive and well and my old Belair is still around albeit not as nice as it once was. Thinking back there is also a letter from me in that issue. Plus the Consul was photographed in a studio in the West End of that there London and I went with the owner to pick it up. 

[59Impala]

More thoughts. I believe that the Street Machine Project Rover P5B was scrapped due to lots of rust. They had a cruise from Battersea Park (I think) and their Rover was supposed to lead it but it wasn't finished so they asked me to lead it in the Belair. 

[worldofceri]

I think someone on Trigger's East Coast Retros Facepalm page has rescued the 'Dole Money Cruiser' Chevette.

[eddyramrod]

I bought it from issue 1 for several years but I can't touch claims-to-fame like those!

[worldofceri]

The first issue I had was from 1988 (when I was 8!) and had Robin Beardmore(?)'s pink Minor van on the cover. I pored over that magazine more than is healthy. Nearly thirty years on I'm yet to own anything remotely 'kustom'.

[worldofceri]

Memory fail: it was'89 and a pick up, not a van!

 

[Spottedlaurel]

I bought it fairly regularly from about 1981/82 to the time it became American Car World. I'm now picking up a few early ones off eBay (have some spare if anyone's interested, including a couple of the first issue).

 

Street Machine magazine No. 1 May 1979 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Inevitably lots of the centrespreads ended up on my wall:

 

Teenager's bedroom, circa 1985/86. by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

SM always seemed much more accessible than Custom Car. Being a bit of a daydreamer, I enjoyed the Motorvation and Custom Profile pages:

 

Motorvation Cortina Mk4 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Ford Sierra "Street Machine" Motorvation by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Readers Cars offered food for thought too (not always in a good way):

 

Street Machine Readers Cars August 1984 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

That being said, quite a few of them stick in my mind.

[Tickman]

Memory fail: it was'89 and a pick up, not a van!

 

This is still around, about two years ago it looked like this:

ScottishMMOC show 029 by JohnReilly72, on Flickr

 

ScottishMMOC show 039 by JohnReilly72, on Flickr

 

ScottishMMOC show 040 by JohnReilly72, on Flickr

[Crusty Sills]

I remember getting it at about 13 in the early/mid nineties.

I loved their blue GTO and all the Beetles with the Carson tops.

I then moved on to Max Power!

[barrett]

I had the Street Machine poster of this on my walla for many years when I was a kid, from the age of five or six. I think I still have a few copies somewhere but the paper/binding was not designed for longevity

[59Impala]

I had the Street Machine poster of this on my walla for many years when I was a kid, from the age of five or six. I think I still have a few copies somewhere but the paper/binding was not designed for longevity

A9-1.jpg

That Zephyr was built by another friend of mine Nick Kemp. he had some very nice vehicles but sadly passed away a few years ago. Actually the head light rims you see there ended up on my Mk2 Zodiac. I had popped into another friend's workshop and they were going to colour code the rims to the body colour. My rims were a bit pitted and those on the Zephyr were very nice so John Claydon suggested that the rims were swapped over as they would of course be sanded down in order to have the new paint adhere to them. So for £20 I got much nicer rims and everyone was happy.

[cort16]

Did street machine contain Boobs or was that another hot rod type magazine?

[alcyonecorporation]

Did street machine contain Boobs or was that another hot rod type magazine?

 

 

Custom Car. 

 

Most of the tits I have to deal with at work come from the people who complain about the price guide. 

[Junkman]

The elephant in to room is thus.

Where did all that Streetmachineshite go?

[sheffcortinacentre]

Still have a full set.

 

Henry hi-rise lives a few miles away from me.

Satisfaction the mid cortina is in the Midlands & i be leave due back on the rd soon.

The gassed style yellow super snipe still exists.

As does pinball wizard pop

To name a few.

[alcyonecorporation]

"Your car isn't worth that"

"My car is [always] worth more"

 

etc, etc. 

I find the endless obsession with 'investments' and 'values' spectacularly irritating. 

Clubs hate auction houses and vice versa. 

The only time I consult a price guide is when I check on the agreed value of my car at insurance renewal time. 
Another reason why I stopped taking my cars to shows.

I do know my Amazon's worth more than a knackered Suzuki Bandit, though. It nearly got me a slap, but it got rid of AYEHMATETHATSWELLOLDWOTSITSWORTHMYM8ADONEATHEMBUTITWERETOWSTROKE pretty quick. 

Stockport. Sigh. 

[cort16]

That was it!

My Mum used to buy me that when was about 8 innocently thinking it was like the Beano or something until she saw me sitting looking at it with my eyes popping out my head like wyle coyote. What a run though she must have bought me a dozen or so of them before figuring it out . 70's parenting.

As it turns out, driving old cars does not directly lead to boobs. Not on women anyway,,

[alcyonecorporation]

It does not. Magazines lie. 

[pompei]

Funny how ideas and trends change  -  everything used to be jacked up and now they are lowered to within an inch of their lives.  Does anyone think that some of the custom mods such as buttoned velour seats are due a resurrection?

[Spottedlaurel]

Funny how ideas and trends change  -  everything used to be jacked up and now they are lowered to within an inch of their lives.  Does anyone think that some of the custom mods such as buttoned velour seats are due a resurrection?

 

Done with a bit of restraint, I think there are some good ideas on cars from back then. I think a well done polished tube grille looks fantastic.

[bunglebus]

Memory fail: it was'89 and a pick up, not a van!

 

 

You were sort of right - it was a GPO van in it's first custom guise, then it got swiped by the open luggage door on a coach so was cut into a pickup.

 

I have every issue of Street Machine, Custom Car, Hot Car, VolksWorld, Ultra VW etc etc etc, all in as near-perfect condition as possible with most of the free gifts too. Still looking for one of the two floppy vinyl records they gave away with SM though.

When I started reading it (Jan 87 Issue) I was 9. Haven't owned much in the way of customs except my Beetle but I did splatter paint the interior trim panels on my 1st MK1 Fiesta...

[bunglebus]

https://www.facebook.com/StreetMachineMagUK/?ref=br_rs

 

And

 

http://street-machine.co.uk/

 

Re-launches in a week!

[PiperCub]

The elephant in to room is thus.

Where did all that Streetmachineshite go?

 

That's something that's interested me for some time since I saw a letter in (I think) Car Maniacs mag a few years back looking for a couple of old custom cars from the 70's. One that I recall was a blue Hillman Minx (Hunter shaped) that had been lowered and had a serious roof chop. IIRC it was called something like 'Dirty Little Minx'??

 

After the work that's gone into many of them you'd have naturally been loved forever but few seem to survive. Now this may be because I'm not & never have been into custom cars but I recall seeing them around frequently in the 70's & 80's but not now. I don't really like the style but can appreciate good fabrication & design where present.

 

From a mate who had a Mustang back in the day (& was featured in CC mag too) - he commented that a good many customs back in the day were as he put it 'Tributes to what can be done with body filler' so that may be another reason not many survive. 

[cort1977]

Funny how ideas and trends change  -  everything used to be jacked up and now they are lowered to within an inch of their lives.  Does anyone think that some of the custom mods such as buttoned velour seats are due a resurrection?

 

Yep, as above, with a little restraint some of these mods can look pretty good.

 

Remember reading about the Beardmore Minors, excellent work.   Their website hasn't been updated for a long time, do they post online anywhere?

[bunglebus]

Some older customs have been tracked down, often lately there are letters in Custom Car asking after them or updating us on where they are now.

 

This is a good place to look too;

 

 

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/whatever-happened/

[PiperCub]

Just used this link (slow day at work!) - very interesting read.

 

Some really crazy shit was done in the 70's & 80's and that makes me happy! While customising isn't my thing as such, I'm so pleased stuff like this exists and people have and still do, do it. To ask the question 'Why?' should receive the answer 'Because we can' or 'Because we wanted to'. There doesn't always need to be a reason does there?

 

The world is a poorer place without activities like this.