The "average joe" is spending $370 billion dollars a year in aftermarket parts. The truth is people want the information they just don't want it 6 months after a part is released to get. Sent from my SM-G950W using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
TEN Publishing killed 19 Magazines (including Street Rodder): 4-Wheel & Off-Road Automobile Car Craft Chevy High Performance Classic Trucks Diesel Power Hot Rod Deluxe Jp Lowrider Mopar Muscle Muscle Car Review Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords Mustang Monthly Street Rodder Super Chevy Super Street Truck Trend Truckin’ Vette AutoWeek (in print) died about a month ago too...
Fair point, and the trouble with having an advertiser sponsored product is you don't really get to hear if it's junk or not because the publisher wants those sweet advertising bucks.
Being 40, I feel I've lived the best of both worlds. Growing up I had hot rod magazines, low-rider, and several others that I would receive thanks to a yearly subscription as a Christmas gift. If those magazines contained a poster, man! My room had two full walls dedicated to pictures of cars, trucks, and various parts I thought I wanted. I did the same as many of you, pictures first, then articles, then I would look at any parts, rims, tires, fuzzy dice...etc. The digital age has changed all that, and it's both a gift and a curse. On one hand, you can have access to anything you want in seconds. If I want old car painted to look like a unicorn, a simple Google search can find it. The downside is that every idiot with a keyboard and an internet connection has become a subject matter expert on whatever topic they are posting about. People use Google, and web pages as gospel, and don't realize that instead of getting information, they could be getting misinformation. I have a FB account that I used when I was deployed overseas to keep in touch with family. I recently did a college paper on how FB collects your information, your friends information, and even your friends, friends information. I have no issues with it. If I search for new heads for an engine, I will see more ads about heads, engines, engine parts, and engine tools. I'm not mad at that. People just need to remember that what they put out there, is out there forever. RS Mike
I look back on the death of print as a sad day. My memories about getting the first issue of Car Exchange with the Hudson on the cover when I was a teenager is one of my fondest. Over the years I have watched many go, like Automobile Quarterly, Car Exchange, High Performance Pontiac, Hi-Tech Performance and many more obscure magazines I subscribed to over the years. I stopped getting Hot Rod years ago when they quit showing what I was into. Same for Car Craft, Popular Hot Rodding and Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords when the modular motors came out. But that is life, things change, time marches on The day I found the HAMB was a really great day. Here was a site that there were 1,000 of guys into the same old, obsolete worthless crap I was into: the cars of our youth. Now I can go here anytime I want and see what is going on, what is not really new but Old-New for me is way better than any magazine that never really catered to what I like. As of now I still get Hemmings Classic Cars and Hemmings Muscle Machines and that is it. Once the subscriptions run out that it for these two. They just don't cover what I am into anymore. Print is dead, Long Live Print....
The LaBrea tar pits, still contain some of the remains of those creatures that didn't move fast enough, when the bright flash happened! Fast forward to now. Lets be very clear about one immutable fact ! All of this change whether it be good or bad, is all about or directly related to MONEY ! Just remember, these stacks of "Bennies " were printed by a printing press ! They were printed to make MONEY, no pun intended.
I've always been off center. I understand and deal with modern technologies almost daily but in my personal life I choose not to, no fakebook, no instagram, just the regular internet (here, eBay, craigslist....). I do have a cell phone now, because the base landline was too pricey for what I was using it for, ALL tracking tuned off and rarely give out my number. You can never get away 100% but I do the best I can. As for magazines I differ also, I like the idea that I can see every detail of a build thread (screw ups and all). The finished show product doesn't excite me as much and I have no interest in being in a magazine. I do have to say that if it wasn't for old mags I wouldn't be here now, they started the lust for traditional styled and I intend to follow that rabbit hole to the end .
Interesting, so I'm guessing that I won't receive my last year of Hot Rod Deluxe? Saw an issue of Street Rodder at the store over the weekend, must be one of the last issues. Oh well, I still buy old magazines when I can and always pick up a few at the HAMB drags. I love the aroma that comes when a new issue of The Rodders Journal gets opened. -Dave
Hop Up is not dead... From what I understand, there was some major disagreements within the group that took it over from Morty. This disagreement lead to a split into two camps. The left over camp is still doing Hop Up - they are just cutting back in an attempt to have fun doing it. And no, I don't know the details. I like everyone involved with the magazine before and now.
It's still around....subscriptions start back up after the first of the year.....albeit, in annual form with specials released in between.
... from cavemen to Guttenberg press to internet. Remember this : "Time is money." - Benjamin Franklin & "Better three hours too soon than a minute too late." - William Shakespeare Having said that : Long live the HAMB until the next medium arrives ... P.S. ( @pgan ) - thoughts ?
“Share holder demand.....”. And the rich get richer yet America as we knew it goes away. Big investors make more money, the little guys lose their livelihood, a future and a decent retirement in their golden years.
-I talked with Marcy at the 50's last year....she led me to believe that the regular publication of "Hop-Up" was done, but that "specials" were still being looked at. This is the first update I've heard since then. Glad to hear it !!
I liked Hot Rod Deluxe and Classic Trucks but never subscribed so I guess I'm part of the problem Have any you noticed how small the magazine area of your favorite store is, or even if they still have one? I would spend 10 minutes scanning through a new magazine, but hours on the internet looking for parts, ideas, knowledge.......... times change, we just took for granted these magazines we didn't buy would always be there. someone suggested these magazines had overlapping content, they do, but look how folks here complain about the content just on the HAMB would you guys buy a mag that covered hotrods, customs, lowriders, muscle cars, trucks..... and all the latest fuel injection. big brakes, air ride.........that a magazine like that would cover? probably not. When we have a custom question in class, we are not using magazines to find answers, we use the internet. Its easier, you get more info, multiple ideas......... We use this site along with others, IG, FB I use several custom FB pages that I like. I know some of you don't like those but its the best place to find parts these days. I wonder what type of info all you folks are worried about them having on you? Do you feel like you will be arrested for liking old cars, cat photos or something? We use phones as information tools. Im not concerned if some government agency knows I looked up a paint code or a PO257 engine code for a 2014 Ford. But, this only works as long as we have access to the info. Will we soon regret not making paper copies of all this info we have access to one day? possible
The only mags I´ve been subscribed too in the last 2 years were TRJ and Hop Up. I quit Rod and Custom in maybe 2012 or so for the reasons mentioned above. I still love to thumb through my old mags up to the early 2000s. From there it went downhill, it seems. Honestly I don´t like where this is all going. I left Facebook in 2012 or so,cause it ´s a time thief, nothing more. What I disliked the most about it is, that it seems to split society into "us" and "them". My belief is, that it´s ok to have differant opinions , but we should try to understand why others have different values and opinions. Facebook killed that IMO. Times are changing , and they always have been, but I just don´t like where we as a societey are being headed.
Hot Rod Deluxe was my favorite of all listed in the termination list above. Spent the last year buying up every issue at full price hoping every penny helped. It didn't...
...this is a SAD time for me as I've loved car magazines since I was a kid before I was a teenager,...I looked forward to R&C more than I did Xmas or my birthday,..still love magazines and subscribe to (probly) too many, but they are just something I've always looked forward to getting....here's hoping the ones still being printed last as long as I do. ...will there be websites available for all these axed magazines?...I doubt it. ...to me, websites like the HAMB are better in some ways than the magazines because you can interact with like minded people and you don't have to wait a month for the next "fix",...but they are all fleeting moments, not to be saved and cherished.
I'm glad I got some pics of my cars in print while I could.... I wonder how long the stuff we put on the HAMB will be around? Maybe someone needs to make a print version of this place. And a couple off topic comments: Mostly they just want to see what you click on, so they can send the right ads to you, so you'll buy stuff (and keep the advertisers spending money on advertising). Kind of like car magazines, right? It's all about the money. I prefer to use fb on a real computer with a browser that lets me run adblock, so I don't get any of the advertising crap, and can control what cookies go to whom. fb takes some skill to use...if you want to get away from that aspect of it. Quit following "friends" who post stuff that is polarizing. Instead, only follow those who post about the interesting (car) stuff they are doing. Used properly, it's a great tool to keep up with who's doing what, and to let your friends see what you're up to (if you want).
The first song on MTV was Video Killed the Radio star. When “talkie” movies came out many silent movie stars careers ended. When computers took over the print business one person ended up doing the jobs that five had done - design, typesetting, proof reading, layout/production, pre-press. Now we have publications obsoleted by online digital sites. Certainly the input of the masses generates a lot of content, but will that replace well researched tech articles, professional photography and creative material? Luckily we have Rodder’s Journal. Some can dance on the graves of the defunct publications who were led there by corporate self-interest and gloat about it. I wonder if all this portends the future for automotive interests.
Jim, you are probably right, but that takes time that I dont have brcause of business, or rather spend with family, fixing old cars, friends or on here.
One thing that has killed the car magazine and may be a major factor is that for the past ten to fifteen years there has been a continual decline in decent magazine racks in stores. I have to travel almost 30 miles to the closest Fred Meyers to get to the magazine rack that actually has a full selection of rod magazines. That rack with the car magazine selection is the main reason I spend about 50 bucks or more in that store a week as it means I also buy other items I want or need when I go. I think we as rodders may have lead to the demise of magazines with our own personal preferences for the type of cars that we are actually interested in. We want to see traditional rods and customs done up in the way "those Hamb guys" do cars while the street rodney brigade wants to to see the latest trick of the week stuff that will be obsolete and out dated by the time they buy it and hit an event and there is a new trick of the week. The "I don't buy that one because" works in all directions. You can't be all things to all people in the limited space you have to publish photos and print articles. The other thing is that we no longer have to wait months to see photos from events nation and world wide. Here we get event coverage live from the events quite often and it is old news by the time the magazine comes out and quite often there is little or no magazine coverage of an event. Remember back 25 or 30 years ago when you snagged Rod and Custom or Street Rodder or another rag off the stands and didn't even open it because there was a banner on the front telling that their coverage of the event was inside and when you went photo to photo to catch a glimpse of your ride either the whole ride which was local bragging rights for a couple of months or just seeing it in the background of a shot or as happened with mine when my buddys says "your truck is in ________ " you had to know what you were looking at to tell that it was that truck. The last issue that I picked up Saturday has primary their top picks with little or no out in the event coverage. Personally I'd take the money that I spent at the magazine rack and subscribe to a couple of the traditional ride books that I have only picked up at their booth at events or ordered on line and support them a bit.
Same can be said about MSM and cable. Print will return just not in our lifetimes. Damn bean counters have ruined everything along with the never ending pursuit of ever increasing profit.
I graduated college the first time with a journalism degree and ended up working as an editor /designer at a few papers. I was getting burned out, and seeing the light at the same time. I managed to jump ship and move to the medical field. Since then, all 3 papers I worked for have sold at least once, and downsized considerably. Even web content for newspaper isnt much value anymore. While I do miss holding paper magazines in my hand. So much more knowledge fits in my laptop and its much easier to store. Instead of sifting through stacks of paper to find what I want, I just whip open a google and there it is. Tech sure has made the hot rod world smaller, We can see what is for sale in our own town, and even watch a guy build a Kustom Renault in France, all from the comfort of our couch. Print is dying, its in the death rattle. I'd like to revive it. But I'll have to check the HAMB first
"The Rodder’s Journal. Don’t take it for granted fellas…" Well said Ryan. Another magazine we need to support is 'Rodding USA'. If you are an Aussie we still have 'Australian Street Rodding Magazine' and 'Cruzin'. Perhaps some of our NZ members may like to advise what is available in that country. Sad to consider what happens to all the staff that have worked for these publications as I know a few from Street Rodder, Hot Rod Deluxe and Diesel Power.
I feel fortunate to be one of the ones who woke up early enough to be a lifetime subscriber to TRJ. Last summer, while leaving for a camping trip, I realized that I didn't pack anything to read. I stopped at a supermarket to get a couple of magazines, and was shocked at the lack of selection. The only magazines that had anything vintage (I'll tolerate anything up to 1972), were Old Skool Rodz, and Rat Rod Magazine. Being a former teacher, I have issues with the spelling issues in the title, besides the shit that normally resides in Old Skool Rodz, but I also wasn't about to be seen buying a magazine, in which the cover car had a spider web grille, that looked to be made out of rebar. Needless to say, I rolled on with a Mad Magazine. I called my dad yesterday morning and read the list of the 19 killed magazines. He still had subscriptions to at least four of them. He doesn't really do internet, other than Craigslist. He cancelled his Hot Rod subscription a few years ago, so he's going to be thrilled when they transfer his subscriptions to Hot Rod, or even worse, Motor Trend. Dave