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Getting in Contact with Hot Rod Magazines

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by MXrider13, Jul 31, 2011.

  1. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

    Me too.

    There are a lot of people working hard to get this generation of kids into building robots though.....

    (me included)
     
  2. hotrod40coupe
    Joined: Apr 8, 2007
    Posts: 2,561

    hotrod40coupe
    Member

    It doesn't get much further back than about 1902 with Henry Ford's 999.
    [​IMG]

    Most kids today don't have the money to buy an early Ford like we could. I used to buy mocel A's for $25.00 all day long, can't do that anymore.
     

  3. The HAMB is doing just that. As well as the defunct Young Guns series in R&C a few short years ago. Also in Mn, the MSRA has an entire sub organization for the younger crowd. Goodguys and other shows hold Moldel car events for the kids..........................................just open you eyes and look around man!:)
     
  4. jguff
    Joined: Jan 14, 2009
    Posts: 134

    jguff
    Member

    I think most (certainly not all) of the rodders at that time were in their early to mid 20's and had full-time jobs to finance their hobby. Even if they were still in their teens they were mostly out of school and working full time. As a teen during the 50's my friends and I had a lot of interest in hot rods and racing but very few of us were actually able to participate due to lack of money. We did envy those older guys 20+.

    Jerome
     
  5. No but they can afford cell phone, laptops and Playstations:rolleyes: It is all about priorities. The last rough 27 roadtser body I picked up was $200.
     
  6. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    I was always told in the 50s it was always the teens who were the ones Hot Rodding, even Don Garlits told me that and thats why they called him Big Daddy.
     
  7. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    The reason I never went into an auto program everyone told me the job market is bad, and I should focus on a better career and just do hot rodding as my hobby.
    I took business because hopefully one day I could own a business that has something do with hot rodding.
     
  8. Fenders
    Joined: Sep 8, 2007
    Posts: 3,921

    Fenders
    Member

    What? Are you telling him to take pen to paper? And write a letter? And put it in an envelope, with a stamp, and mail it?
    How retro.
    Or should I say.... how traditional !!
     
  9. Willy301
    Joined: Nov 16, 2007
    Posts: 1,426

    Willy301
    Member

    I just read a How-to article today in a current issue from one of the afore mentioned magazines that was all about learning to mig weld....that is not in line with what you are describing.
     
  10. ANDEREGG TRIBUTE
    Joined: Jan 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,385

    ANDEREGG TRIBUTE
    Member
    from Bordertown

    IMHO, subscribe to Rod & Custom and maybe Hot Rod Deluxe, and The Rodders Journal. Watch/read here, learn here, and occasionally participate here. This place is a limitless wealth of knowledge, but since its interactive, it comes with a price in the form of some chastising when one is a newb. Tell all your car buddies to do the same, its no different than hanging out at an old time garage, where the young punk is the butt of all the clowning, but he puts up with it because its part of the initiation, and the reward far outweighs the price. You and all the other youngsters write the editors of those mags, intelligent, to the point, and non threatening letters, include pics of your builds, maybe something will come of it AND MENTION HOW IMPORTANT THE HAMB IS. Trust me if they see a need for more publications geared toward the younger folks, and they feel it will make them money, they will do it, but it has to start with you and folks like yourself putting it out there.

    ....Dammit this makes me sound old....
     
  11. seventhirteen
    Joined: Sep 21, 2009
    Posts: 721

    seventhirteen
    Member
    from dago, ca

    magazines will focus on where the money is, fact is most kids these days don't even get driver's licenses until after they turn 18 whereas in the past you wouldn't have even considered waiting a month after your 16th birthday. Granted some of this is due to requirements needed to get a license has changed some over the years.
     
  12. Just Jarrod
    Joined: Apr 15, 2011
    Posts: 29

    Just Jarrod
    Member

    My thoughts exactly.
     
  13. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    Really? Just about everyone at my school got there license when they were 16.
     
  14. I like your spirit, Kid. Maybe coming across a little whiny but it's hard to tell through just text.

    You are already in the greatest place, right here and it should have everything you need. Stick around and learn. We don't care how old you are we're just happy that someone your age takes an interest. You don't have to have a big budget project either. Save your money and find something that turns your crank. You'll have a lot of help here.
     
  15. ANDEREGG TRIBUTE
    Joined: Jan 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,385

    ANDEREGG TRIBUTE
    Member
    from Bordertown

    Oh, and btw, as far as builds that "teens can afford". Its all relevant. Those guys back in the day spent years building/modifying their cars. Our uncle took almost 6 years building the roadster, from 1949-1955 working non-stop, going to school and sinking most of his extra money into the car. Its no different for most of us here regardless of our ages and our financial status. Its a hot rod and a hobby, and for alot of us not our daily driver (regardless as to how much we would want it to be). Have patience, build your rod, and have fun, thats really all that matters.....ok Ill shut up now
     
  16. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    One thing I am going to say before I go is,
    In my first year of business we did talk a bit about marketing and one thing I learned was the reason the Import scene took off with my generation and the one just before it is because thats what they were shown and marketed with. Most of generation knows what hot import nights is, and they seen the fast and the furious and all of the other import things because they see it on facebook, youtube, etc.
    Before those things they saw it on myspace and on the radio.
    As for most of the Hot Rodding and muscle car world (I know Muscle isn't HAMB but I am using to make a point) it seems like no organization or company has made a large effort into getting this generation into Hot Rods. There are american cars out there with V8s that are low cost and have larger and cheaper after market than the imports cars like a 350 powered S10, or a 350 Powered 80s monte carlo, or a Dodge Aspen that could be a "modern hot rod" however it seems like no one has done this.(again I know these aren't HAMB cars but I am using them to make a point).

    As for the organizations mentioned before I am not dissing them or questioning them or the HAMB but we need something like what Tom McEwen and Hot Wheels did in the late 60s and early 70s because thats what got my dads generation into Hot Rods in the 70s. (again not HAMB friendly but just a point)
    Just remember guys the youth is the future of Hot Rodding.
     
  17. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    I don't mean to sound whinny sorry if I do, I have an 89 S10 with a 350 not a HAMB car but I considered a Modern Day Hot Rod even if a lot of older guys give me shit for saying that.
     
  18. KIRK!
    Joined: Feb 20, 2002
    Posts: 12,031

    KIRK!
    Member

    Your blanket statements about "the magazines" "never doing anything" for the younger generation is far from true.

    I'll let the others speak for themselves, but Goodguys is constantly trying to get teens and the under 25 crowd involved. We have special parking areas just for 25 and under rodders called the YoungGuys Area (which is depressingly poorly attended at every event), we have done features in the Gazette on YoungGuys as often as we could in the past and every time ask for more to contact us. We may get one or two a year who make the effort. Goodguys has model Make N Takes at every event to get kids involved. At our Rhinebeck event we send free tickets to several of the local high schools with auto shop classes and about four bus loads show up every time. We just hosted a big Brothers group of kids at the Puyallup event.
     
  19. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    Like I said in one of my other posts there are a few but its not on a mass scale like what hot import nights and all of the import shows do for the teens.
    Im not trying to sound mean or dissing what they do but they don't seem to take out Facebook ads like the import events, also on there site they don't list a link for a facebook page, or have any mobile apps, do they even have a twitter?
    I know a lot of you older guys don't like that stuff but that is what reaches my generation better. That is what the import group is doing.
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2011
  20. Mean Green
    Joined: Jul 19, 2009
    Posts: 8

    Mean Green
    Member

    Nothing wrong with an S-10 hop up. We all had to start somewhere, That's what it all about..have some fun, learn a few cool skills along the way, make friends. The mags are a good source of info, but it takes time. The kid back in the day hot rodded what was cheap for them...kinda like S-10, Ranger, Mustang...ect. Stay in school and get your education, you'll be glad you did in the long run, so you can land a job that will pay you enough to do what you want to. Where you at in FL??
     
  21. SLCK64
    Joined: Oct 4, 2009
    Posts: 493

    SLCK64
    Member

    Thats why I went into the auto program, to fuel my hobby and not to get a job out of it. I work in shipping and receiving for a hydraulics company now. Not smart enough to be a doctor to treat myself but could save a SHIT load of money working on my own cars instead of believing the dumb ass at Down the Street Auto.

    You dont have to go to school to get a job, go to school to learn about stuff you love. And they have a crap ton of tools you wont really ever be able to afford.Best $2,500 i ever spent, hell even got an Associates degree out of it.
     
  22. 68 C10
    Joined: Jun 15, 2009
    Posts: 47

    68 C10
    Member
    from Athens, GA

    This is just my opinion-

    On both sides of the equation I think a lot of it comes down to priorities and economics. For a lot of the magazines and organizations, they have to cater to the market that is going to provide them an income. While I have no facts to back this up, I feel comfortable in saying that the 18-25 year old demographic makes up a VERY small portion of their market compared to the ~35 and older crowd. I think a lot of this is due to what it costs to build a traditional hot rod or anything else that falls into these publication's markets, the older crowd is a lot more capable and willing to chuck the money it takes to build an old hot rod than say a 21 year old. Where's the point in catering to a market that isn't really there?

    Obviously it's a lot easier and cheaper to make a hot rod out of an E30 BMW than it is a '55 Chevy, so naturally the younger market will trend to the BMW. I'm 23, just finished my undergrad and about to start grad school. I already know it'll be at least another three years before I ever get to doing all the work that needs to be done on my old truck, if I were looking at some newer import, I could probably be working on it now.

    Hot rodding is in a whole different world today than it was when it first originated. The money it takes is different and hell, the import market didn't really even exist back then and there probably wouldn't have been much of a place for it anyway.
     
  23. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    A BMW cheaper than a 55 Chevy? No one in there 20s can even afford a BMW and parts for them cost way more than for a Small Block Chevy.
    No way is a BMW cheaper parts are extremely expensive for BMWs.
    Good cheap cars for the younger crowd to get into are the 80s Monte Carlos with the Small block, the 80s Ford T-Birds, the Chevy S10s, the Dodge Aspen, etc.
    All of these cars could be considered Modern Hot Rods and all them are dirt cheap and parts are cheaper than import parts, yet no one is covering this kind of stuff.
     
  24. 68 C10
    Joined: Jun 15, 2009
    Posts: 47

    68 C10
    Member
    from Athens, GA

    As an example to further my point -

    One of my buddies has a '70 Cuda that's been mostly restored by him and his dad and an '89 Civic wagon that he's also done a lot of work to. Which do you think he drives more often?

    The Civic, of course. I've ridden around in the thing, and while I'd probably never own one myself, it's actually a quick, neat little car. He's swapped in a motor out a hi-po Integra, wrenched on that and also done a lot of suspension work. He now has a car that'll run a decent quarter mile, is reliable and also knocks down 32 mpg on the highway. Because of all this, the shows he goes to and the publications he reads mostly cater to the import crowd, because that's what he can afford. He's told me he'll never ever sell the Cuda, but the Civic is what he can afford to enjoy now.
     
  25. 68 C10
    Joined: Jun 15, 2009
    Posts: 47

    68 C10
    Member
    from Athens, GA


    You may want to do a search on what it costs to buy a little E30 compared to a Tri-Five Chevy then.
     
  26. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    The thing with the Imports is stock they are cheaper to buy but parts cost more for them, then small block motors.
    Theres cars out there that cost just as much and have the same after market as the hot rods like the S10, the 80s Monte Carlo, the Aspen, etc
     
  27. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    I just went up to Ebay $20,000 around the same as a tri-five chevy plus parts cost 3 times as much as a SBC engine or a BBC engine.

    I found some cheaper 80s models for around $4000 but thats more than I paid for my 89 S10 which was $800 stock and only $700 for a used good condition 350, and only $2000 for an edelbrock power pack kit. I have close to 400 hp, probably about 390 or so, yet I guy I knew had an 95 Civic coupe he spent over $6000 in mods including a turbo and only had just over 350 HP.

    Plus not to mentioned parts prices for your E90, it cost $3000 for a cam shaft, yet a performance cam for a sbc 350 is around $200-$300
     
    Last edited: Jul 31, 2011
  28. low merc51
    Joined: Nov 20, 2010
    Posts: 227

    low merc51
    Member

    I haven't bought a magazine since I've been on the HAMB!!!!!
     
  29. 68 C10
    Joined: Jun 15, 2009
    Posts: 47

    68 C10
    Member
    from Athens, GA

    I was more referring to the 80s models like what's available on Craigslist around here. Still, generally speaking, a cheaper process than buying a $2500 Tri-Five and being able to go out and put a ton of miles on it.

    The overall point I was trying to make is that with a little import you can generally get it running and going with less money than trying to rehab a similarly priced 40-50+ year old car. S10s, Monte Carlos and such? Probably a different story.
     
  30. MXrider13
    Joined: Jan 27, 2011
    Posts: 130

    MXrider13
    Member
    from Florida

    So far from what I seen, with the imports in the long run they are more expensive even just to get one running again.
    For the S10s, Monte Carlos and such they are the future of hot rodding and much cheaper to get running and get horsepower out of.
     

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