In May 1963, Petersen Publishing Company’s Dick Day shot an entire roll of film as Dean Jeffries crawled around—and over—a horseless carriage, pinstriping brush in hand. As far as we know, none of these photos ever made it into any of Petersen’s magazines, but they captured the prolific Jeffries at a pivotal point in his career.

Given the importance of wheels in today’s automotive aftermarket, it’s hard to imagine a time when they weren’t a driving force (no pun intended) in vehicle modification and personalization. But that’s exactly what LeRoi “Tex” Smith said to open his November 1963 Hot Rod magazine article about custom and racing wheels.