Event Coverage RIP: Rod & Custom Magazine

Another good one gone.Like some op`s posted earlier,I quit subscribing to a couple of mags because they started looking more like parts books than enthusiast
mags.Plus subs going to the mid 40`s to $50 a year.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Totally agree with D-Russ.....

 

Well...Crap! Just renewed a couple months ago for two years. Isn't the first subscription cost that went bad for me though - and probably won't be the last. I thought the most recent issue was the best they had recently.

 

I really don't give a rats ass, I stopped buying magazines years ago. They are a total waste of trees, energy and time. You can get everything you need to know about anything on the computer for free.

 

like many have said, it was the one I most looked forward to. Have been letting others lapse. oh well, one more thing gone in the fast changing world we live in.

 

I look forward to RJ and Rodding USA. Quit looking forward to R&C a while back, rather go back a look at the old R&C's when Pgan was in charge of content.

 

I subscribe to the HAMB (alliance member). I'm not going to bash print magazines because I'm an avid collector of them, 72 and older. Sometimes I'll pick up the magazines at the grocery store and thumb through them. Honestly there is better coverage of the events here. The build threads here are miles ahead of the magazine coverage. Heck a lot of the cars featured in magazines are owned and or built by members of the HAMB. Have a question? Just ask the owner or builder or whatever right here.

I can see where folks are sad to see R&C go, I am too, but the world moves ahead whether we like it or not.

 

R&C was the only mag besides TRJ that I was loyal to. I have all the issues of both. This news is really disheartening to me. Loved getting R&C every month. R.I.P. Rod & Custom. I'm hoping for a speedy return.


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I just turned 2 articles in to R&C last week. I'm bummed, but the writing had been on the walls for awhile. Print is changing. Like Ryan alluded to it's the small, agile indy publications that put out quality content that will be the ones that survive this shift. They are reader based instead of advertiser based.
I will continue to work with the smaller labels that I always have worked with and I'll continue my own thing.

I hurt for all of the folks that are now out of work. Best of luck to all of them on their new adventures in life.


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If you need an independent mag to replace the "C" in R & C there's always the high quality Kustoms Illustrated that Luke Karosi puts out quarterly: http://www.kustomsillustrated.com/

 

I just called their subscription service and cancelled my subscription. They claimed they knew nothing about the change.

 

Well fellas, it would seem that I have gotten an answer. I emailed the publisher and was absolutely astounded to have received a response within 2 hours of sending said email. While I feel that I was justified in my intention, the tone that I used could have been far more graceful. I am sending off an apology of sorts after this. I was still stinging from the fact that I will no longer have anything to look forward to in the mail each month. I thought the folks at R&C were doing a good job.

Here is the response that I received from the publisher. Hats off to her for a timely response and proposed solution to my (our) problem.


It was announced today that the company will discontinue Rod & Custom magazine. I am very disappointed, but the decision was outside the scope of my control.


As a subscriber, you should have received your August 2014 issue already. You will still receive the next two issues of Rod & Custom, one that is at the printer and one that is being worked on now in our office.


The content on our website will continue to be there, but it is not our intention to convert print subscribers to an online magazine or “bail”. I haven’t had a chance to read the posts on the HAMB today, but I can’t imagine why you would assume a lawsuit would be necessary to get a refund on a magazine subscription. You will receive a letter from the subscriber services department about your subscription, and I will also forward this email to our customer service department.


I’m sure you know that this isn’t the first time Rod & Custom has been discontinued, and I am hoping there will be an opportunity to bring it back at some point. We’ll see, everything changes… It’s a competitive business and a tough economy. But thank you for your support of Rod & Custom; everyone on staff appreciates the readers and advertisers that have allowed us to make it this far.

Sincerely,

Angela Schoof

 

I'm paid up till Jan.2017! so what does that do to me??

 

Ya always hate to see print journalism go the way of the dodo. However, there are plenty of quality replacements.

 

Well,I been pissing people off 'bout all of my 76+ years,so no reason to stop now.
Those pissing and moaning about lost time on subscriptions make me want to puke!
Your loss is peanuts compared to the people who lost their jobs in this deal. It ain't gonna be easy, regardless of their skills and references,to find a decent slot, as print media is in trouble in all journalistic areas.
Been reading the August issue of my subscription today while "on the throne", and some good shit there. Genuinely sorry to see R&C go.
This is just one more "nail in the coffin", and we are all holding the hammer, you too Ryan.
We rant and rave and piss and moan about the other branches and disciplines in automotive hobbies, The low riders, the gold chainers, the late model muscle cars, the Monster trucks, I could go on and on listing different groups of automotive enthusiasts, but we all sit back in our little corners and throw rocks at each other.
My friends, there are people in DC that would love to put us all in little puddle jumper Prius clones with no more appeal than the ability to get us from A to B. And the more we bicker and fight among ourselves, the closer we'll get to the box they want to place us all in.
OK, rant over.

 

See above for a partial explanation. I also stated that I would not accept any of their other titles in lieu of R&C.

 

Rod & Custom is one of the ones that still shows how to do things. The mags. that just have pictures are just glam!

 

The second car magazine I purchased was Aug 61 Rod and Custom. It was the first issue when they went from the little pages. On the cover was Neal East's 32 roadster.I still have it.

 

Sorry to see the end of a pretty good mag. I've got a couple of years left on my sub. also but that's the least of it, I think the last time I renewed I got 3 years and a clock for about $30.00. They can keep the money and I'll keep the clock. The good news is that at my age I can go through the last ten or so years of R&C and it'll be like new stuff!

 

Demand a refund. When Custom Rodder went out they subbed Street Rodder. They've been pushing extending subscriptions. It's nothing but a money grab. I don't think they want a class action suit. The internet can cause that to happen. I suggest that you demand a refund if you want one.

 

Same here, I just renewed for 2 years. I have sent them an email requesting a refund. Let's see what happens.

And, yes, I agree it is a shame that the mag is gone and jobs lost. Let's hope those people are taken care of.

 

Serious bummer, thanks to all the contributing journalists and photographers for all the great coverage and articles!!!!

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they should have offered the name up for sale to someone who has a passion for old cars and what R&C used to be. blending it with Street Rodder?? WTF does that even mean?

I'm suprised Traditional Rod & Kulture is still going. I think I have only bought one issue since most of the Borders Books and Barnes and Nobles closed. i just don't see it for sale anywhere anymore

 

Anyone remember "Janet" ?
Wonder if she still works there ?

 

My first published tech article was in the 2/61 R&C. The staff was eight or 10 people and included a retired English teach that edited copy and captions. Pete was adament about not selling ads for booze and tobacco. When the FCC banned cigarette ads on TV and radio, tobacco companies lined up to throw money at magazines and sporting events. The tobacco ads kept the price of space in the car books for speed equipment manufacturers reasonable for years. Countless reader surveys showed that advertising was the third or fourth most read feature in the car books.

I paid $2100 for my first FAX machine and now they're obsolete. The HAMB is the business model right now for disecting tech info as well as uninformed opinions. For the most part print is dead. Since I'm really old, I doubt if I live to see what will replace the HAMB somewhere down the road. But something will!

 

There's a lot to be said about magazines that can't be said about electronic publications... the ability to decorate the shop with thumb tacks and tape! Also the ability to read read in the brightest sunlight without electricity.

 

That sucks! I have stuck with Rod&Custom thru thick and thin. I searched the swap meets back before internet and finally got all the back issues. I have every one to date and now its gone again, feels like someone killed my dog! Progress is a real live BITCH!!!

 

Also hate to see it go, I've got every issue since 1953, except one. As a rabid magazine collector/hoarder/freak it will take a while for this to sink in. Not sure how I feel. The old magazines always had the best content for me, but I subscribed to the current issues anyways.

 

I used to be a mag junkie, averaging 5 - 6 mags a month at a minimum. Then I bought a house, had kids etc etc.. Alot went by the wayside but two years ago I discovered an app for the iPad called Zinio and found Rod and Custom on there. A subscription rate at the cost of a single issue well for us Aussis anyway was way to tempting to pass up and seeing as Rod and Custom wasn't the easiest mag to get over here as most Newsagents stopped getting it in and the price was around the $12 plus mark per issue I decided to give digital a go. Must say it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it would be. I now have nearly two years of mags on me whenever I want to flick through any time anywhere. Sadly though Rod and Custom will be no more. I feel for the staff as they really changed the mag of late and it was the best its been in a long time. Hopefully they move onto better things and continue to do what they enjoy....

R.I.P. Rod and Custom.... you'll be missed.