Classic Trucks ragizine needs to pull their heads out.

I've had it. Classic Trucks, used to be OK, a place where billet and airbags didn't rule, but now, it's just like Custom Classic Trucks, stuffed full of billet, trucks on RIMZ YO! Slushboxes ahoy! and overdrive units that cost more then most of your rides. Is there a god damned magazine out there that covers the wants and needs of classic truck owners? I have a 1960 Apache, and I've only seen two in the last three years in the whole magazine. I'd also like a magazine that covers some tech tips, not "Install Crate engine, 350 tranny/700R4, problem solved" Let's rebuild some stovebolts, Y-blocks and flatheads for shits and giggles. How about repairing the column shifter, not "install floor shifter" And why would I want to install a $3000 overdrive unit, when I could install a 3 speed overdrive unit and do the same thing for $2500 (or more) less?

Are there any rags out there worth reading, or should I just save my money?

 

Dude, I have a ton of respect for the Classic Trucks Crew. Rob and Jeremy do a good job finding a balance between the Billet Cruisers and trucks like that 64 Ford they just ran (Rhinestone Cowboy). You have some good requests, but you have to remember that what you want to see and what the other 90-percent of their other readers want to see isn't always going to fall along the same lines. It is tricky to produce a magazine that will keep the majority of the readers happy. Sometimes you aren't going to like everything you see in an issue, and some issues are going to feel like they were written just for you.

And also remember that Rob is one of the OG members of this message board (RF) and if you have a request for something you would like to see in the mag, or better yet, something you would like to contribute, PM him instead of trying to roast his ass in a public forum (posts like this aren't gunna endeer you to the people who produce a magazine that you ma actually like).

 

The mags are always going to do tech articles on their advertisers products. The advertisers pay the bills, so they are catered to.

In hot rod mags why do ya' think everyother issue has an article to show how to install a Mustang II frontend. In every third issue they show how to install a dropped axle. Think that's because there's more Mustang II front end vendors than straight front axles.

Thankfully, most mags have finally dropped "How to Build a SBC" in every issue.

 

People seem to complain no matter what. All I have to say is, if you don't like it don't buy it.

 

Sounds like you already know what you want to do, and that you can do it. Why do you need a magazine to tell you?

 

Have you been to Stovebolt.com? You could find a lot of tech info that is up your alley over there.

 

Hey-You know what?
What is sad is NOT the magazines or their crews ability to pleas us all.......Its the hard fact of life that 98 percent of the car truck and bike hobby the magazineshave to report on is predominately populated with- billet laden -gawky lookin stuff that reflects the new majority......What I'm saying in short is- we so called "traditional" people are in the minority and the majority are now people who are completely NEW to the hobby....and the huge wheels/crate motors/C5Corvette chassi'd/digital dash and power asswiper are the mainstays of all the bike -truck and automotive hobby as it stands TODAY.....SAD BUT MOSTLY TRUE.
THEY JUST SWITCHED STRAIGHT OVER FROM THE COUNTRY CLUB TO THE CAR CLUB......

 

I think the mags is doing a good job. I like what they cover,but then again, I think a basically stock looking 67-72 chevy swb 2 tone cheyenne lowered on 20" billet wheels is about as good as it gets in the classic truck world. (22" and large are best left to the Bonks, Box and Bubble chevys in the Dirty South)

Pre-55 need to have 15 or 16" rims (thou there are a few exceptions I have seen that I like)

 

I usually just buy old little books, like Car Craft and Rodding and Restyling. Current Magazines have to appeal to everyone. I like how they did it in the 50's so i buy mags from the 50's. usually you can get little books in decent condition for around 3 bucks. Believe it or not, the only new magazine i am excited to recieve and read cover to cover right away is car craft, I may not be that into the content, but its well written buy guys I can relate to.

 

Those bastards!

Stolen from the front page of the website www.classictrucks.com







Yep, those look like garden variety Billet Cruizers to me. I can see why your so pissed off. Look at the trash they put in there, geez man! $3000.00 overdrives! How dare they, don't they know we don't hav that kind of cash to spend on our rides! The reader is always right and we want backyard tech articles detailing information for the little guy damnit.

Sheesh,

But a tech manual if you want to rebuild stuff. Let the magazines report the trends and features in the hobby.

 

Yeah ever since Rob took over...

 

I saw Rob at work and had lunch with Jeremy- they didn't have anything nice to say about you either.

Good news is that I heard OTR (the ratrodders bible) might be going weekly- or maybe I just heard that with the wrong inflection.

 

Hey, ChunkyMcShiftbag,
I think the way you deep fry the grease wallets Jackin Box passes off as tacos sucks. You don't cook them long enough, so the meat biproduct paste seems more like Spam. Same goes for the hashbrowns...I want to taste potato, not icy grease. Your attitude while behind the fry basket has plenty of room for improvement, too. Instead of looking all sullen and somewhat embarrassed, you should be proud of the contribution you're giving to America's fast food buying public, even if all of your coworkers are on average 20 years younger than you.

 

RF, you are a public media publisher. You're cute little anecdote about how you don't go into other peoples jobs and publicly ridicule them is like apples and oranges. Besides, since you control the pen, most communication is one way. Not sure why people are so upset about this post, CT has printed worse rants in the magazine!
A little feedback is healthy, so here is mine. I happen to agree that CT has gone down hill and am letting my subscription lapse. I dig J. Smiths work and Ron Covell's articles, but the new truck thing and the fact that you wouldn't know what old school was if it fell on top of you (ref. "Project Old School") tells me this rag no longer is seeking my demographics. It's too bad IMO because I think there are other Primedia mags out already serving this market, but apparently that pie must be too tasty to ignore. I know, I know 90% of your readers tell you they like the new trucks, and that you measure "classics" as 25 years or older (despite the fact that most car shows that limit yr. eligibility tend to cut it off at '72 and earlier). Every editorial you feel the need to remind us of this. Not sure what that says, but it is what it is. Like assholes and opinions, I'm just another guy with both.

 

Rob this topic has come up on more than one board I frequent (three come to mind immediately). I don't know if the shift in coverage has added any subscribers or advertisers or not.

I do know that many of the people I hear from will either cancel or let our subscriptions lapse if current trends continue.

That's an individual choice we will each make for ourselves.

But I am increasingly convinced you don't care what I think and that is a choice you have made.

 

Hey there slick, I'd just like to say that I don't work at the local (or chain) greasyspoon, and even if I did, that doesn't mean my opinion sucks. Your attitude to your readers has been pretty poor lately, and I don't feel like I should be forking out cash money for your stuff. Now to see how you really act, you'll be happy to know that the first thing tomorrow I will be making a phone call to 1-800-777-6394 and asking to have money McShifted right back into my wallet and out of yours. That's OK, I'm sure you'll pick up five or six people who want to learn how to stuff airbags under their trucks and add billet to everything they own.

ELpolacko- I did like the GMC Town and County.

 

Wah fucking wah! RF knows that print media is dead, the HAMB is where its at. Ryan has offered RF the job of Cheif HAMB Fluffer! From what I hear, he has passed on the offer for a job at Cat Fancy magazine, he heard theres lots of pussy there.


I tire of the bitches bitching about the magazines. An I am the most critical.

 

I couldn't agree more that CT has gone down hill. I stopped buying when all you got was the same regurgitated features, and tech articles from big brother Truckin'.

 

... and this other magazine has fashion articles and this one over here has a review of some rock-a-silly band and yet another publication has poor type setting, but wait, this one i'm looking at now has too much tech. and not enough pictures of betty banged girls and tattooed, cuffed jean greaser types posing with arms crossed next to their flat black primered, red rimmed rat rods with a dozen PBR cans carefully set on the bumper... oh boy, the dead horse must be rolling over by now with the continued beatings.
nic

 

unfortunately, Tdude, the fact that this bitchy thread has a five star rating proves that the HAMB is only where "some of it" is "at"...

sometimes this board is like a bunch of schoolkids standing in a circle chanting "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!"

even if i was homosexual, i'd still call it gay...

 

You ain't far from the truth there, Tman. Both print & broadcast TV have been in a perpetual slide since the late '70s. The reason, advertising dollars. While they've watched their audiences dwindle, cpm rates have gone through the roof.

In the '60s-early '70s, if someone wanted to reach 80% of the US with a mass marketing ad, they ran a 30-second TV spot on each of the big three networks. Today, you'd have to run it on the top 100 channels to even have a glimmer of hope of achieving 60% coverage.

It used to not be about keeping up with the Joneses, people wanted to BE the Joneses - the same. Then folks wanted to be different, special, unique. This has turned into the niche marketing phenomenon we're currently experiencing. Witness how many trucking magazines there are - how many different hot rod magazines - how many culture mags - etc. Just look at the mag rack of the super sellers like B&N or Books-a-million. Walls and walls of magazines catering to your ever whim - I saw one estimate that 770+ new magazines were released last year alone. Granted, not all of them will survive, but it's about finding a niche.

The Web allows users to customize content. The ultimate target audience - an audience of one - where you know everything about the person & your message is tailored to their needs, wants, & desires.

Most in the print world poo-poo the effect of the Internet, meanwhile, their head offices are posturing themselves to stave off the coming winter. I think print media is about as played out as it can get - they've stretched to their limits. Look how often mainstream rags change style, content, editors - it's like NFL coaches anymore! No more Shulas or Baskervilles - flavor of the week for instant success right now.

It's not the magazine's fault or the editor's - it's just progress or the effects of it.

 

Hey ya ChunkyMcshiftamabob, if you a no like, you a no buy. Problem a solved!

 

Rob is my hero......

 

Once I found the HAMB - I found what I was looking for and over the last 3 years I have let all my mags lapse.

They call it progress and progress always has a price. Print media is dying, hell I can get news on my cell phone if I want to pay for it.

 

I am a magazine junkie, I will still buy them. RF is marvey, even if he works for Cat Fancy