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45 years later Mox Miller 58 Chevy

 

45 YEARS LATER

 

In 1966 Mox Miller showed his 1958 Chevy at the Pan Pacific Auditorium, where the openings photo was taken. 45 years later his car was at the GNRS Customs Then and Now, looking exactly the same.



On a recent trip to the Getty Images website, and more specific the Enthusiast Network Photo Collection, I came across a photo taken in 1966 of Mox Miller’s 1958 Chevy Impala. I had seen Mox Miller’s Custom painted Chevy in the Rodder’s Journal issue 32, and read the incredible story on the car, how it still wears the same paint job that was created by Dick “Peep” Jackson in 1962. But it was this 1966 photo on the Getty Images website that brought me back to the 2011 GNRS Customs Then & Now exhibit, when Mox Miller was invited to show his ’58 Chevy. The 1966 photo looked so similar to how experienced the Chevy in 2011, 45 years apart, and it all looked exactly the same, like nothing had changed at all.

Photo taken on February 4, 1966 at the Annual Winternational Motorama held at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Pat Brollier & Darryl Norenberg)
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Photo taken on January 27, 2011 at the Grand National Roadster Show held in Pomona California (Photo by Rik Hoving)
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If I had seen the 1966 photo of Mox’s ’58 Chevy before going to the GNRS in 2011, I sure would have tried to take a few photos at exactly the same angle, and also when the car was ready to be seen for the public. The photos I took of the car were mostly taken on set-up day, when there were no ropes, and the car was not fully dressed up with the signs, mirrors etc, just like in the mid 1960’s when Mox had it on the show circuit.

It was really amazing to see this car in person, to see all the details knowing everything was done almost 50 years earlier… and still looked so amazing. I walked around the car many times, visualizing a young Dick Jackson carefully masking all the panels and scallops. And mixing up the paint just right for the perfect flow of the faded sections. A true time capsule, and the car fitted perfectly with the rest of the car on display at the Customs Then & Now. Most of the cars were restored original customs, from the 40’s up to recently build Customs. A few were un-restored originals, but in far from show condition. Mox his ’58 Impala, was unique, in not giving a good impression of how these car looked back then, but actually showing exactly how it was. The real thing.

This is the only photo I took of the Chevy when more display material, as shown in the 1966 photo, had been added, but before the ropes were up.
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Back in the late 50’s and into the 1960’s the show element was extremely important when you entered your car at a car show. Mox’s ’58 Chevy was detailed to the max, with upholstery, dress- and hop-up parts everywhere and as much chrome as possible. And all that beauty had to be displayed.. so hood, trunk, and often doors would be open at the shows, also at the GNRS in 2011. Fortunately I was able to snap a few pictures of the car with everything closed, for a better look at the overall beauty of this car.
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The body on the Chevy was left completely factory stock, including all handles and emblems. In fact Dick Jackson designed the paint-job to even further enhance these features on the car. Mox installed 6 ’56 Chevy taillights on the ’58 chrome bezels, thats the only Custom touch this car has, other than the paint.
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And this is how a 49 year old Custom Paint and stripe job can look like. A truly rare look back in time when the at the art of Custom paint was developed. This says something about the quality of the pain in 1962, as well as the skills of the painter, Dick Jackson, and of course the excelent care of Mox Miller.
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The lighter inner parts of the dark faded sections on the car had an amazing yellowish tone to it, which gave the whole car a warm sunny California feel.
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The trunk was fully upholstered by Long Beach Auto Top shortly after he had bought the car brand new. Everything was detailed to the max, and stayed that way for more than 50 years already.
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More close ups of the paint and stripe work on the car. Notice the tuck & rolled tarp over the rear seat.
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15×7 inch Halibrand Kidney Bean, Indy-style polished magnesium wheels  with 8.00-15 narrow white Inglewood recapped licks. And a closer looks at the amazing scallop paint job by Dick Jackson. Notice the “M” on the Lakes pipe cap.
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Steve Coonan photo of Mox Miller’s ’58 Chevy Impala outside for the Rodder’s Journal issue 34 article on the car.
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JP Appleby took this photo of Mox Miller’s Chevy at an 1963 show, displayed floating on angle hair.
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In 1995 Pat Ganahl went to visit Mox Miller and interviewed him about the car. A fantastic video shared by Howard Gribble.
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For more info on Mox Miller’s 1958 Chevy I highly recommend the full write up on the car in issue #34 of the Rodder’s Journal. It shows a few old photos, of earlier versions of the car, as well as telling the whole story about it.



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Rik Hoving

Rik is the CCC editor in chief. As a custom car historian he is researching custom car history for many years. In 2004 he started the Custom Car Photo Archive that has become a place of joy for many custom car enthousiasts. Here at CCC Rik will bring you inspiring articles on the history of custom cars and builders. Like a true photo detective he will show us what's going on in all those amazing photos. He will write stories about everything you want to know in the realm of customizing. In daily life Rik is a Graphic Designer. He is married to the CCC webmaster and the father of a 10 year old son (they are both very happy with his excellent cooking skills)

4 thoughts on “45 years later Mox Miller 58 Chevy

  • I was so excited to see Mox’s car at the Customs Then and Now exhibit, having first seen it on the Pat Ganahl video. So fantastic that just as you say, we have such a perfectly preserved example of what was.So incredibly detailed and the preservation is absolutely fantastic…especially considering he has kept it clean and detailed simply for his own pleasure as the car has rarely been seen since it’s show days.

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