Custom Rodder after 03/07 RIP ???

VW trends was always a Hot VWs wanna be. I'm surprised it didn't go under a loooong time ago.

Speaking of which, how long can Hot VWs stick around?

OT I know, but someone else brought it up

 

If CR goes, it will be the third time a mag with that title has left us and the second time for one under the same publishing umbrella as Street Rodder. Around 1981-2 McMullen first published CR, it lasted about 4 years, lots of cheesy 80's stuff in it, but not a bad magazine.

The problem now is Primedia bought everything under the sun, canned a lot of folks, who promptly went out and started new magazines with new companies (Buckaroo). This sounds like typical big-corporation cost-cutting to me. If you didn't have these big media conglomerates trying to get a monopoly on everything we hear and see, the guys putting out a mag like CR would listen to the readers more and put more effort into it so you'd want to buy it.

That said, it probably should be enough said, it would be easy to take that and sidestep into a political debate -

 

i used to buy every issue from hmm like 1999-2004 or something don't remember exactly, but then something happend, so many newer cars taht really i wouldnt consider customs appeard, the magazine got boring
i flip through every issue that comes out in the magazine store, but it haven't rung my bell at all for several years, i buy almost rod n custom, street rodder, rodders digest, rodders journal.
custom rodder is plain boring sadly no fun cars, or maybe just one and the rest are dull, there used to be cooler cars in there some years ago

 

You won't be sorry it is the best(only) all true custom mag. I am suprised you did not already get it.

 

Let CRM rest in peace. No use trying to figure out "why", that'll just make the hurt worse. Just let go, and try and remember the good times you shared together, if you can.

 

I second the motion. Those were good times, CRM broke alot of new ground then. Rest in Peace.

 

I bet the majority of magazine revenue is from ads, not subscriptions. I got three years of Hot Rod for $9, that's 25 cents per issue. A frickin' stamp on an envelope is 39 cents, you do the math.

So I bet a lot of those feature cars were there to sell ad space to the bling-bling wheel companies. Sure, we'd like to see cars built with all old parts, but swap meets, junkyards, and eBay don't buy much ad space in magazines.

 

Words is a comin soon, boss...I promises!

 

Maybe everyone involved with Custom Rodder can relocate files,talent,etc. to Rod & Custom? Both owned by Primedia, with similar interests. Would be better than the early '70's merger of Hot Rod/Rod & Custom.

 

SUUURRRE!!! Just double the expenses!!! GREAT IDEA!

 

Ditto

 

I know that I wouldn't want to be working on one of the Primedia niche books right now. The franchise books (Like Truckin', Street Rodder, Hot Bike, etc.) should be okay. But a lot of the smaller books are going to start to suffer from this new fangled media called the intro-net.

Funny thing is that the one book over there that is actually taking advantage of the internet sites and message boards is Mini-Truckin'. Since Mike Alexander took over they have 2 increases in package size and their circulation is climbing... Might be a good time for some of you guys over there to pick his brain a little bit about how he has done it... before more books go the way of Custom Rodder, VW Trends, All Chevy, Smart Electronics, American Survival Guide, Hot Rod Bikes, Croquet Today -- and my personal favorite All About Beer (all dead magazines in one way or another related to Primedia).

 

When dumb me finally figgered out what a Custom Rod was, I found that I didn't like Custom Rods. Just like when dumbass me figgered out what an Old Skool Rodz wuz.

But, I do get to tell someone I know…I told ya so.

 

I kind of liked it, just renewed my subscription for 5 years, last week I got another offer in the mail for it, what gives. E-mailed damon lee asking about the 3/07 date, on responce. I wonder where my money will go?

 

I meant no responce. The finger is faster than the eye.

 

the mag went down hill around 3 years ago for me! i could not handle all the big rims. when rob took over i thought it get better but it didn't it was the same crap. so i dont think he did much for it if anything it got worse. there were so many cars out here in cali that would not be covered by C.R. one example was richard freng's merc from pandilla de lobos. it was one of the most known cars in so cal won many awards at paso robles and it was never in C.R. Kustoms Illustrated gets my money now!

 

custom rodder went bad when they stop putting real customs from car people and more trend cars with 20,s and bags and the name custom rod?not good

 

Well since were on the subject I also cancelled my CR subsription a few years back. I will say thanks to RF for having a influence on the mag living in the country I would have never known who the Piz and Franco were had it not been for that mag. I enjoyed CR in what I thought was more younger guys working on cars and will cherish my collection. Having said that I too signed up for Kustoms Illustrated today with all the back issues.

(Im such a tard I saw RF with the younger Noteboom at the Sacto. autorama back in 2000 but was too intimidated to talk to a magazine guy..hahahahah)

 

I stopped buying the magazine years ago when the two cars that appeared together on the cover also appeared together on the full-page back cover ad.

Too much advertising/editorial reacharound -- and 20" rims -- for my personal ethos.

 

My subscription ran out a few months back. I always wait till a deal comes around or I'm at a show to resubscribe. I stopped by the booth at the Nationals and of course the guy was pushing Street Rodder on me. I asked about Custom Rodder and he got a funny look on his face. He then leaned over the counter and told me in a low voice that it wasn't a good idea to resubscribe and that they were'nt even allowed to offer it to their customers. I figured it was a very bad sign.

I wonder how much impact the new "independent" magazines are having on big corporation run publications?

 

Damn shame i know it was inevidable,The hobby is dying out.The oldtimers like me areheadin for the big kustom shop in the sky and the young bloods today seem to prefer imports or tuners as they say.Oh well im gonna hang in there and do my part to support the hobby.later Mike

 

Well this is not good. I also subscribe to Custom Rodder. Gary 4T950 Chevy Guy

 

the hobbie is not dying! that mag was just not catering too us. i think its really picked up lately.

 

I'm not surprized. I stopped buying the magazine about 2 years ago. (so did most of my kustom car friends) I got sick of buying a bi-monthly leaflet featuring 60's chevy's with 20+ inch wheels. Even the show coverage dwindled.

I subscribe to Kustoms Illustrated now. I know it's a small niche, but it's what I like. Something (i.e. plummeting sales) should have told someone there they may be going in the wrong direction. It's too bad since they had some good tech articles, but it was not enough to get me to buy a subscription again.

Sometimes it's better to face the facts than keep on bleeding.

 

Sad. I've been subscribing for 12 years or so. It lost it's way...and I kept subscribing, thinking it would come back. Rolling 20's on late 60's Chebbies aint what I ever liked and I never got the significance of the cutoff year as well...anyway...

R.I.P.

Hey Mofo, buy it, I'll contribute...

 

Ryan said in his editorial that someone should buy the title. I disagree, the title was central to what was wrong with the mag. A Custom Rod sounds like a marshmellow and anchovy sandwich. McMullen coined the term Street Rod and I guess he thought he could call anything a Rod. And then people build cars to fit that idea. Geeeeesh!

 

Good, 'cause that would be a bad idea. Sorry, Ryan.

Too bad Tex Smith is out of the picture. He burned some bridges, but he understood what makes customs cool.