Do you find Rod & Custom Magazine Lacking ??

I was at Walmart today and stopped at the magazines (first off, they had maybe 10 or so car mags, and only about two were old car related. They didn't even have Hot Rod. Any way, I saw one called Old School Hot Rods, and thumbed threw it quickly...pretty interesting little mag...lots of customs.

 

I have been getting ROD AND CUSTOM for many many years and its always been the best. But, this last issue seemed to be at the bottom! It seems strange that so many people feel the same way I do. I still have several years to go on my subscription so we'll have to hope for the best.

 

Rod and Custom has always been a favorite and after reading all this, I pulled out the latest issue and reread it and I think it is still very viable to me. I will continue on as long as they print it. I go back to the Spence Murray, Tom McGurk days and it is still an icon.

 

I'd like to see more cars and more tech stuff. They do some but the latest series of Miller equipment promotions puts me off. I'm way beyond "let's learn how to weld".

 

Good rag, but too many damn ads!

 

I am a subscriber and usually I love it, but this month it sucked.......

 

I did in 1989 At the KKOA in Davenpit Iowa. He is very humble. I was like a hyped fan, gushing about how he and Jeff Smith were some of the best at Hot Rod magazines helm. He as cool as can be.

 

Just my .02 cents, but the whole industry might be down. Even the threads here seem to lack the killer builds and techs that it once did. It seems this place pick up in the winter when the shows/runs seem to thin out. I feel somewhat biased by being a member here. Most of the time when it hits the mags, we have already seen build threads or show pics of each ride.
Part of the problem could be people are putting more effort into just getting by, rather than cranking out customs. in defense of the mags, they have to find something meaningful to shoot to keep out interests.

 

no, because I quit buying it..

 

cancelled my subscription a couple years ago

 

I subscribe to R & C and will keep on doing so. This months coverage of Santa Maria was good. I don't like the endless feature for Miller welders. This month issue makes three time my car has come out. Yes there are to many ads and sometimes not enough photos of builds, but I know the Magazine needs ads to help pay the bills. Just my 2 cents.

 

Dropped Street Rodder several years ago when later model cars show'd up and got tired of all the tech was install'n advertisers parts. Just renewed R&C for 3 more years. Still like the articles like the Don Blair article.

 

We didn't buy Hop Up. Its punck rock fanzine glory has not been corporate tarnished by us.

Our paper quality sucks, plus we don't have as many pages as we'd like to begin with. Thin, small, and disappointing as it may be (girls often say the same thing...), I feel fortunate just having something to work with in the first place. It'll never please everybody, and I understand why many people have come to dislike the magazine (as well as magazines in general). I'm not blind--there is room for improvement, especially with the content. Despite what my reputation may often suggest, I do take criticism very constructively. But when you've got little to work with, change can be difficult to implement, but not impossible. There's room left for further print evolution as far as I'm concerned.

Today there are more hurdles to overcome than ever before--the mag biz is nothing like it used to be. But as long as there are still trees to cut, presses to print, and 'stands to sell from, I'm sticking with it.

 

Rob (RF) -

I appreciate that you took the time to respond to this thread ... We're a pretty tough crowd!

Thanks for "sticking with it" ... I only wish the execs at Source Interlink would also listen to some of our constructive criticism ...

 

Keep fighting the good fight Rob, those 2 roadsters in the new issue make up for the lack of pages!

 

Its a hit or miss thing with me. I usually only buy a magizine that has tech or an article the I really car about.

 

I don't find Rod& Custom lacking at all. Still a great mag. I read it, the wife reads it, and then it gets bound up and put on the shelf.

 

amen!!!!

 

I for one think you guys are doing a great job. I have a subscription and will always have one. The throwback articles as well as the great cars (except livewire ) have been awesome. I work for outlaw biker magazine and I understand there is only so much that can be done inside of the constraints given. You guys keep pumping them out and we'll keep buying 'em!

 

I live in the middle of western Kansas, there is hardly a car scene here. And as far as traditional rods and customs, forget about it. So any outside influence is a welcome treasure here. I look forward to my R&C showin' up every month.

 

SINCE I WAS A PUBESCENT KID...
I've been a R&C subscriber again now for several years. As a pubescent kid I drooled over all those cars - copies pirated by my pal across the street whenever his big brother brought one home. We couldn't drive yet and R&C was the "small" mag then. I hesitate to think how long ago that was! But I know now how much I learned from it and the other mags out there.

I jump for my R&C each month! My only critique is the articles could be longer and a few more pics. I know from doing it myself what a herculean task it is to do a publication of any kind. The R&C guys seem so comitted! Someone should tell corporate to give them 20-30 pages more each month and a couple more interns!!

So, long live R&C!

 

I sent in my cancellation letter last night. It's only August and I've gotten my November issue already. They just seem to push it down our throats too fast. I'll use the H.A.M.B. for any info that I may need. Thanks to Ryan and his crew.

 

I'm doing my part!


yep, I like the mag. Subscribe to it and have for a long time. The HAMB and the internet are great but car mags showing up in the mail are still exciting to me at 41.

 

I take back what I said before (for the time being)
Got the new one today and was pleasantly surprised (sep for the ass ugly 50 merc)

 

I still enjoy the rag. the cost is reasonable . If you haven't noticed a lot of hot rod and custom car magazines have folded due to the economy and computers. Some day we will be saying that's too bad there gone. Custom Rodder was my favorite but they are history now. They need our support to survive. Tom Mc Mullin ( RIP ) from Street Rodder Magazine told me banks don't want to loan you $ for a product that has 60% thrown in the trash that didn't get sold on the book shelf. They depend on the adds to survive.

 

No the latest issue has a great artical about The Dal Porto Lakster.
Not every issue can burn the barn down. I'll still subscribe.

 

I buy R&C and will continue to. I travel in my day job and I stuff a bunch of car related mags in my bag when leaving town so I will have something to read while traveling. I'm also certain I couldn't publish a magazine of any kind.

 

Thanks Rob for your response, I think your doing a pretty damn good job with what you have to work with. I do stand by my previous post from a few pages back about too many customs, but that's just me. Keep the history and the hot rods comin', I'll keep doin' my part at the news stand! Promise.

 

Sorry man, I quit subscribing when I found the Hamb. Don't feel alone though, I dropped my wheelin' magazines when I found sites that covered tech that I could afford, not to mention almost real time interaction with the people who performed that tech... it's hard for paper to compete with that.

 

I found it very ironic that the editorial at the front of this month's mag was questioning whether or not magazines will eventually go the way of the Dodo bird, and my copy had issues with the printing causing some of the pics and writing were very distorted- something you don't usually have to deal with on the HAMB.

But on the whole, I am usually happy with the way R&C appears to be headed. I am of the ilk that will always want a physical copy in front of me.