Never had a subscription to any hot rod magazine. I always read everyone else's. I think it can make a comeback if and when the younger crowd gets excited about hot rodding.
Really??? I bet you pull out a calculator when it’s time to split the bill at lunch too. Careful with those tips, that 5 or 10% adds up!
Well, Hot Rod is cheap enough to subscribe to. I think last time my subscription ran out they offered me a three year deal for less than fifteen bucks.
I got my new hot rod in the mail the other day. Will I keep subscribing? you bet. they need the support now more than ever. here is what I found in this issue An article on the first NHRA nationals in 1955 a summary of what was in the magazine 20, 40 and 60 years ago a story about a guy finding his long lost 429 merc cyclone a story on drag week with a number of traditional looking cars an article on spark plug indexing an 8 page article on fasteners and how to choose the proper ones to keep your car safe an article about troubleshooting a rochester quadrajet carb and ignition point system on a 1969 350 chev sure there is some modern stuff mixed in but, seems like they are trying to put in something for everyone and doing a pretty respectable job
I wonder how many people realize that hot rod is trying to keep several different groups of car enthusiasts happy? Of course it’s not 100% traditional cars, be happy it still exists doing the same thing it always has, evolve. We are the ones that aren’t anymore. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I originally subscribed in 1957, and maintained my subscription for over 20 years. I dropped the subscription, because in the late 70s, I felt there were too many articles that didn't remotely interest me. There were competing magazines that had much better articles. In terms of keeping up with the hobby, these other mags, like Super Chevy, Circle Track, and others, more than fulfilled my needs. I like the idea that Hot Rod is going back to our roots and history, but although I have continued to purchase magazines, I have no intention of subscribing to any magazine again. Bob
To some extent people have always been complaining about the cars covered in Hot Rod, I know they were doing it in the 1950s. They have to cover the newest trends - it's what they do and it's what they've always done. I still get it and enjoy it. I see new stuff that's interesting, and learn things from the tech articles in every issue.
I have commented on Hot Rod in other threads. My first subscription was in 1957. I stayed with it through the Van period. I didn't like it, but it passed, and I was happy again. They had NHRA national event coverage, and Bonneville Speed Week coverage. It went along pretty good for some time, then the old guys started retiring. Then guys like David Freiburger came along, and over night Hot Rod became "Camaro Monthly". That has evolved into Muscle Cars and rat rods that would make Bob Petersen puke. Now we have Freibrger throwing together bone yard crap called "Road Kill". I did not renew for the first time in 60 years last year. I was very proud to have a car featured in Hot Rod in 1962. I would be embarrassed today.
I bought HRM for years but after a while it became sort of boring. OMG, how many SBC's can one mag build and the cost, maybe if some one is giving you the parts!
Don't tell anyone, but I really enjoy the LS tech. The "traditional" SBC is getting shoved back, just like what happened to the Flathead way back when. HOT ROD MAGAZINE is cheap.....just subscribe, and keep it going!
To answer HRP's opening question,IMO its all about numbers.Cost to produce offset by paid advertising and subscriptions. I'm 75 and lived the Hot Rod scene in So Cal in the 60's,70's then the 90's.Knew very well many of the freelancers as well as those working for Peterson and Street Rodder.Even knew McMullen who had Argus Publishing.They paid the freelancers "squat" for their material and then not until it was published.
I have subscribed to Hot Rod over the years. Usually when they send me an offer I can't refuse, like a buck an issue. But I don't get much out of it. It usually takes me about a half hour to read it all. Some months are better than others,though.
I bought my first Hot Rod Magazine (.50) in 1959 while waiting in a bus station with my Mom after we visited my Dad in the hospital. I subscribed then and saved all my mags, but lost them all in a basement flood in the mid 70's. I stuck with them through the dune buggy and van craze, but when the one issue came and there were 3 pages devoted to belt sander drags, that's when I cancelled. The only Hot Rod Magazine I pick up now is my 1948-1975 collection.
A friend gives me his old copy of HRM looked at the last one recently, and remembered why I stopped subscribing. Just not enough good material to read. It used to be the best magazine out there, but no more. It needs to die with the rest of Ten Publishing magazines. They should have left Street Rodder and axed HRM
I have subscribed to Hot Rod since I was much younger. Looked forward to getting it at mail call in the army. All of gear head buddies would get in line to read it after I was done. now it comes in the mail and I scan it and read an article at a time because it's mostly 100 k plus builds that I know I can't even come close to affording. I do like the drag week coverage. I wish the would cover the lower classes more and tell more of the struggles of the racers to get from track to track. The power tour lost me when the new cars took center stage. Anybody with good credit and a vacation can do the tour. Who wants to see a new Camaro ,Challenger, Mustang. I can go to the dealer and see that. I saw a guy rent a new Mustang convertible V-6 and do the power tour. Whoopie, what a challenge.
I haven't enjoyed HRM in years, to subscribe "just to keep it going" would be silly in my opinion. I think maybe it should have been on the list of dead mags. Let it rest in peace. I have good memories of the mag I grew up with and all my copies from when I was younger. Rodders Journal and Hop Up are what I read now. Just like the content in Hot Rod times change.
The first HRM I ever read was the January 1962 issue which featured Dean Lowe & is roadster pickup on the cover shortly there after I got a subscription, I continued the subscription for many years Nothing catches my eye with the newest issue. HRP
I guess you had to be there, to get the picture on the cover (yes, I was there. 5.998 seconds in a street driven car is the ultimate hot rod, eh?)
I got to witness one of the stops a few years ago. Impressive to say the least. Driving drag strip to drag strip. Lots of tire changes and broke parts. We opened up our shop to anyone that needed help. That was a blast.
I'm a hot rod guy, not magazine, but cars. don't get me wrong I've had Camaro's and Tri-Fives but my heart is below 48th street. To me, Hod Rod Magazine kept "straying" and had go karts, motorcycles, ski boats and stuff that just didn't interest me so I stopped reading it many years ago. Today it seems it can't decide if it's Car Craft, Road and Track, Muscle Car, 4 X 4, Motor Trend or a combination of them all. I've subscribed to every hot rod related magazine there was and had them all fail. The only magazine I still get is Rodder's Journal and I'm keeping my fingers that they will survive.
I have been gettin hotrod along with Streetrodder for many years. I was shocked to see SR go under and it seems like one of the few that was maintaining it ads. hotrod is not much anymore but at times has some good stuff. I have a feeling it is going to be more encompassing with it being the only survivor and possible covering more areas of the hobby, which could hurt it
They will have to make me a better deal than last time and that was 3 years and a T shirt for $20. They have moved past me. I am not interested in how to build a very fast car for somewhere on top of a $100,000