Event Coverage RIP: Rod & Custom Magazine

Hate to see it happen, but it has gotten a to be a poor quality magazine, regardless of content. At times it seems R&C featured more "traditional" based items, then at other times, back to the old "bolt this kit on your street rod from one of our advertisers". Guess neither camp was really supporting the mag. With the new smaller size they snuck-in on us, all the advertising, and poor print quality, I have had a hard time paying the cover price and have only purchased when the content appealed to me. We have a few "free" magazines that can be picked up locally, none on hot rods, that although heavy on advertising, are a nice quality magazine, heavy weight paper, glossy, nice picture quality. How can someone produce a quality magazine, with no more advertising than others, and give it away for free? Is this a case of corporate publishing, with prime real estate, big CEO salaries versus smaller grass root efforts? "Traditional Rod & Kulture", although bi-monthly, produces a high quality magazine at a competitive price, and of course "The Rodder's Journal" sets the bar for quality of product and content, at a higher price. It seems by example, a quality magazine can be produced, so why are we seeing these titles fall by the wayside? I'm confused?

 

"The portfolio redesign absorbs 12 legacy aftermarket print titles into the most relevant of the core brands."
So if PHR and R & C are two does that mean ten other titles got "absorbed"?

 

That is a shame in a sense. RC and RJ are the only traditional car mags that I subscribe to. Time to join the digital magazine era!

 

Mention Rod & Custom and in my mind it is the late 1960's and Bud Bryan and Spence Murray were building their Roadsters.. great times. Bob

 

So, what happens to all us guys who supported the magazine and bought multi year subscriptions and still have a year, or more left? I imagine I already know the answer.

 

X2. oh well I still get Rodding USA.
-Pat

 

Wonder why they been sending me those "renew now" e-mails????? I HATE that!!!!

 

R.I.P. RC

 

I was going to start subscribing to it again since I liked it alot better then Hotrod so I will just spend the money on my cars.

 

The list I saw on Jalopnik says:
Popular Hot Rodding folds into Hot Rod.
Rod & Custom folds into Street Rodder.
High Performance Pontiac folds into Hot Rod.
Custom Classic Trucks folds into Classic Trucks.
4 Wheel Drive & SUV folds into Four Wheeler.
Mud Life folds into Four Wheeler.
5.0 Mustang folds into Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords.
Modified Mustangs & Fords folds into Mustang Monthly.
Camaro Performers folds into Super Chevy.
GM Hi-Tech folds into Super Chevy.
Import Tuner folds into Super Street.
Honda Tuning folds into Super Street.

There were also big cuts at Automobile magazine.

 

Sucks and the truth is they would sell more if they would lower the stand price. Had a few in my hand and saw the price and said no thanks. I read the articles that interested me and returned it to the shelf.

There was some real talent there and I am quite sure they'll have no problems landing work.


Posted by Shit Toad! The man had me app.

 

We all helped the CEO get that big seven figure annual salary but I would prefer a refund!
Can you say corporate GREED?

 

TEN has not updated the websites for PHR or R&C. Both have popups offering a subscription "deal".

 

Wow,...this is like losing an old friend (even one in bad health).
I've loved and subscribed to R&C from the late 50's, always been a favorite, even tho the last few years got pretty thin.
....hope I get somethin for my pre-paid subscription.
...maybe Hot Rod Deluxe?

 

I

I think the prison system still let's that one through the door...lots of homies love the 64's and the big booty Chikas posing with them

 

It is too bad we can't bring back any and all of the ones who contributed so much to the mag over the decades, like Bud Bryan, Tom Medley, Jitney Jake, Spence Murray, Eric Vaughan, and countless others who "lived and breathed" old cars.

 

I find it hard to believe that the reader's don't count.

Or not. If the remains of my subscription are going to be "folded" into another mag, then I'd like to have the choice of what to get. For example, that very same publisher's "service," the one that sends me a couple of subscription renewal envelops per month and collects my $$, should be directed to send me a letter stating what has happened, tell me about my current status, announce when my last issue is going to come, and then give me the choice of selecting any mag in their firm to choose from as a replacement. I shouldn't have to call or suggest a thing, they should have the self respect to provide that kind of service to their subscribers without asking. In fact, they should have already done that, so that this thread didn't come as such a fucking big rotten bag of crap-ola. Gary

 

Steve Coonan puts out a quarterly just chocked full of stuff we, the "enthusiasts", love. If you haven't already given it a try, check out T J R, The Rodder's Journal.

 

O.K., that's T R J, not T J R. Hope I don't get deleted or worse for the meesteak.

 

Rod & Custom was one mag I never let the subscription lapse on.
I am one of the guys that still enjoys having a magazine show up in the mail box.
Sad day.

 

For you guys who just re-upped for two years. Don't feel too bad I just went and looked and my subscription was good until June 2019

 

BOHICA, Bend over, Here it comes again!
Support an independent, like "Traditional Rod & Kulture", so it doesn't disappear.

 

Sad to see another print magazine go. I work at a paper plant which produces gloss coated magazine paper and every year our customer orders are reduced. The younger generation just don't buy magazines as much and almost never buy a newspaper. Yes, the world is changing , no milkman, very soon, no postal home delivery, land line phones etc. Smart phones, tablets, are the new way....until something in the future takes their place!


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

TRJ & R&C were my only two scrips. Guess I'm down to one. I assume since R&C will be absorbed into Sleeze Rodder, that's what subscribers will be seeing in the mailbox. I won't be renewing again. Been gettin my fix here the last few yrs. anyway.

 

Ryan

Ryan has the right idea with the JalopyJournal and H.A.M.B. This is a truly world-wide thing here, even though some of his moderators don't like me. Keep up the good work, Ryan. Deleted Gary.

 

Damn that's a real shame, probably one of the best magazines on the market, bloody internet is killing all the printed books, me personally I would rather have paper in my hand than a damn computer..


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Crap. They managed to get me on both of the subscriptions I had. R&C was by far the one I looked forward to the most though. My sub's paid through next year I think, and I had the re-up filled out and on the desk to be mailed.
I'm another that has no interest in online versions.
I'd love to subscribe to TRJ, but while I can slip $20 a year outta the budget, Mama would kill me if
I tried that with $80...

 

HOT DANG YAW I SWEAR say it an't so!!!!!!! I see Steve Anderson who use to write for R&C,HOT ROD and others twice a year @ auto fair with Honest Charley and he said the magazine business is tough so I am not surprised by the announcement of the shutdown. I will miss it like everyone else..........Wouldn't it be nice if it combined with T R J?!?!?!?!

 

I renewed several months ago. They then pressed me to buy two additional years. I declined. They are ripoff artists.