With all this talk of the demise of Rod and Custom and Pop Hotrodding, I have to say, Hot Rod magazine is still a great read. There are neat articles on Ed Iskendarian, TV Tommy and Don Gartlits new elec. dragster . Also a good article on where horsepower comes from. I'm glad I started subscribing to it a few years ago.
A few issues out of a year are really good. I'm proud to be subscriber, don't mind the ads and don't care if they stay or fold. I have moved on from R&C's demise.
Hot Rod has had it's fair share of ups & downs since inception before I was born and I'm a greybeard now. The magazine has had to recreate itself many times over the years trying to entice the younger crowd and the trends of the day,,I remember go karts,mini bikes,vans,and and even tuners..but the magazine his survived. Is it always good,,No,actually sometimes it ****s but it always has a way of getting back on track,Heck they actually show the kinds of cars we like occasionally. HRP
Hot Rod is only a shell of what it once was. The only reasons I keep a subscription is they make it so cheap and for the occasional article(s) like mentioned above.
I have stuff going back to 1949 from Hotrod to the Rodders Journal, I don't buy every issue just the ones I like. I subscribe to some of them. There's lots of talent working for R&C and you know they'll be putting their talents to good use for other publications. I remember the Model car and slot car stuff from the 60's in R&C. By the way tfeverfred I have a Candy Barr collection, Lilly Christine, Betty Brosmer, Mamie Van Doren, and Lee Sharon.
I really liked the pic of Isky sitting in his office full of ac***ulated stuff with a big grin on his face. Made me feel a little like it Kind of justified MY existence. A couple of years back I checked out the ISKY shop with Google map and saw all the trailers and outbuildings and strongly suspected I was seeing a serious pack rat was at work.
Hot Rod Magazine decided that ANY car could be a Hot Rod. That's when it got all cloudy and confusing. Instead of a Hot Rod being a hopped up PRE- '48 CAR, they told everyone that ANY hopped up car, truck, van, station wagon, motorcycle, go-cart or skateboard, could hold the moniker and everyone fell for it. Well, most folks did. It allowed them to hang out with the cool kids. People love to say they hate labels, but we actually need them. It keeps the world in order and puts everything in it's place. You can't please everyone and when you try, you end up giving the shaft to the people who actually "get it". I've been looking at a few issues of The Rodders Journal that I've saved and while the subscription price and limited yearly issues is a concern, it doesn't out weigh the fact that TRJ is not filled with ********. So, I'm going to check out the $5 issue that shows up with a dissecting eye. It's time to trim the bull **** out of my hobby.
Also a real nice article in this month's issue on Danny Thompson and Challenger II. Hope it generates some sponsor interest for the project.
If they would only make the type print larger so us OLD FARTS could read it without a magnafing gl***
back in 1965,Hot Rod had a Vw dune buggy on the cover,thats when I dropped it and never got Hot Rod mag again,but had kept my Rod n Custom plus my CarCraft. Hate it all going to be on-line ,always like the pile of my old mags.
I totally agree...HRM is a great read and I personally look forward to it arriving each month. It's packed full of really good articles and car features that I really want to read...
Wait... Popular Hotrodding is gone now too? I almost dropped my subscription years ago the EMC I the mother of all engine contests and the only thing that saved that magazine.
I just mine today and haven't read it all but the Ivo, Garlits and Danny Thompson stuff is great. I have been on the guided tour of Isky's and it's even cooler than the pictures show. Some of the castoffs in the back yard are decompression chambers for astronauts and other "space junk". He had an experimental blown out H** tire and wheel laying there. His car was packed to the top of the dash full of stuff and his son had some great stories of riding in that as a kid. The office shot looks like a pile of junk but from another angle there are piles of 40's SCTA newsletters and more. He has a Christmas card from Elvis thanking him for help on a movie.
Just finished reading the latest HRM issue. Right on track if you ask me. Good read and well written and researched. I personally think they are way better than they were just a few years ago.
+1 on the above. Good issue, I liked the write up on the Pontiac, real interesting. Even a Stude for Ed on the other side of the hill, eh CruZer?
I like Hot Rod magazine and they seem to be doing a great job. Last months issue with the story on John Force going back match racing was a favorite. It would be great to watch match racing again. Jimbo
I've had a HRM subscription since 1960. Sure it's gone up and down in quality and content, but I still look forward to it coming every month. Can't put a price on all the information and articles I've enjoyed over the years. Hope it never ends.
I like the direction Hot Rod is going. They show a lot of the respect to the fathers of hobby while reporting on what is going on now. The recent articles on Tom Medley, Isky , Ivo, Garlits, the Snake, John Force and Ed Pink were all pretty damn interesting.
It would be nice if there wern't so many smart ***es here too...one of these days your eyes will fail you.just be forwarned Mr Crawford
The Jalopy Journal
