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The 1950’s were a bizarre stretch for hot rodders it seems, golden era of the automobile or no. Witness this amazingly strange portion of an article from a 1959 issue of Rod & Custom magazine, with attendant comic strip, which manages to be cringingly funny, artistically compelling, and culturally inelegant all at once. Illustrations in the gallery above, excerpt from R&C below. 

One of these days you may be casting about for a new and lucrative business to get into. Thinking it out, you decide that the Chinese hand laundry is a natural to bring in lots of bread, so you make the scene. It’s a natural - hardly nobody is in it anymore and for executive-type cats like R&C’s readers the personalized service would be as popular as West Coast Jazz. The good word is “service” so to make like fast delivery bring out that old Mercedes 300SL you don’t drive much anymore and start modifying it a little. This is certain to establish your shop’s status.

Adding a panel cab to your 300SL just behind the doors will be an easy job for anyone with a few simple hand tools and a small amount of time and patience.  An apropos name for your new company should be emblazoned on the side with final color a brilliant oriental yellow lacquer. Since you will be in competition with other laundry and cleaning establishments, the use of competition stripes on the upholstery is permissible. You may wish to tow your 300SL on a mag-wheeled trailer and use of the Chevrolet Corvette SS is encouraged. If by chance your mother is a racing fan like artist Bruse Billings’, let her drive.

- Rod & Custom Magazine - October, 1959