Hot Rods My second issue of Hot Rod Magazine came today.

That's the way it used to be... I miss the diversity too.
"Many haven't moved on". True. We don't want to, we don't have to... we won't. We appreciated HOT ROD as it was. Nothing is as it was. That bums me out, but it's true. It's like everything else in today's world. I liked when people had respect, integrity, cl***, etc., but today the majority don't even know what the F#*k that's like...
I liked music as it was... Rock & Roll, etc., but now it's hip hop, rap & whatever that tech-no stuff is. I don't like it, but that doesn't matter, 'cause that's what the majority likes, so that's what all the other kids are doing...
So it appears that HOT ROD is circling the drain along with all the other stuff I grew up with. Following the $$$ regardless of the long term effect...
I'm just an old guy. I'm scorned & ridiculed. But that doesn't change my likes, dis-likes, and values. I'll stand tall 'till I can't. And after I'm gone... well...

 

I know...! Just drag out all the old magazines that you just can't seem to part with, and read them again; imagine you are back in whatever glorious era that pleases you.

 

Huh? Given the car from whom? Hot Rod "inherited" the car when Popular Hot Rodding was killed back in 2014. It never left the magazine's corporate overlords since it's purchase in 1965. So, Hot Rod was very much involved in the EV conversion. But you don't have to take my word for it...

 

Both still ****! haha

 

Looks like this is the end of the Hot Rod we all knew and enjoyed. At least I still have every issue starting with January '48. I guess I'll get my Hot Rod fix from the back issues from now on.

 

I'd be willing to bet one of the next two issues will be just hot rods.

 

I remember someone here (MIGHT have been a mag employee?) suggesting that essentially:
"Hotrod and other big ***les, was the same as they had always been, and we were just viewing
them though a different lens based on time and experience. We were younger then, everything
was new, and we were more easily impressed back then."
Basically, we are old and grumpy. I follow the logic, hmmmm, maybe ?
So I dug up some issues from the early 60's up into the early 70s.
Nope, magazines actually were better then. BIG changes from 62 to 72, but they established
the Gold standard, that every thing following should be compared against.

 

If I were to place a wager, I would guess it would be the second of the two.

 

I'd be surprised if it makes it that long.

 

I don't write on here much. I have been hacking on cars for almost 60 years but 95% of the members
know more than I do. I swear I learn something new everyday I log on.

Anyway, I have been reading Hot Rod since 1962. I have hundreds of old Hot Rod magazines.
And I'm also very disappointed in this quarterly format but it is probably for the best since the monthly issues have been on the downward spiral for years.

But the one good article is the one with a brief interview with Mark Stielow. He is now the head of GM Racing. He builds his cars in his garage, nights and weekends. Worked for Gale Banks and Summit. Driven the Nurburgring since 2004. Was involved in Le Mans Garage 56 and with Cadillac and Corvette.

Anyway, give the article a glance before you throw the magazine away or seal it up for eternity.

 

Sorry, that's false. As Potvin said (quoted below), it has been a HRM property since 2014. It bounced around between various Hot Rod properties (Hot Rod Garage, the magazine, maybe Super Chevy?) but it was most definitely in the ownership of HRM when it was converted to electric. They also converted it back, and it wasn't the same people involved with the EV conversion but it was the same ownership.

You are absolutely correct, HRM was responsible for the EV conversion, later other people at the mag and Hot Rod Garage show brought it back to internal combustion.

 

Warning! My post adds no value to this thread!
Didn't have any reason to post until I got my usual daily e-mail from Hemmings today. Takes 2 seconds to see if any of the articles interest me.
Sure are a helluva lot of pieces written about EV ****.
Then they offer me a subscription deal.
Guess their loyal old time readers are disappearing, too.
I'll read about EVs in my next life, maybe. Not this one.
Been reading bicycle mags all the years I've been in that business, 48 and counting. Don't read them anymore. They look like *****d out paid product placements now, cause that's what they are. And struggling, too.
I'm done.

 

Hot rodding is in its twilight.

You can enjoy it before it is gone, or you can complain.

No, you can't do both.

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY!!!!

Time for me go back out to the garage, there is project calling my name (Off-topic custom (not a "Kustom") with some hot rod stuff in the drive train).

Russ

 

Correction, Hot Rod Magazine is in its twilight. As long as I'm wrenching on Early Ford **** in my garage, hot rodding is alive, well, and will never be gone, at least in my mind!

 

I canceled my subscription.
I will not renew.

 

What he said

 

As I watched them sack hundreds of people over the years and kill just about every ***le, I realized that Hot Rod as we know it is nothing but another portfolio in some corporate package. With that said, I could care less what happens to it as it doesn't affect me, anymore. Pete Petersen has rolled over, kicked, flipped again, and settled back into his grave at this point. It's done and dusted with no blame to the subscribers/readers.

 

I didn't like the first one myself. I wrote to the editor but of course no reply. I tried to subscribe to the "free" Motor Trend TV that they offered us, it wouldn't work. I tried to contact them several times in several ways, phone and email, no reply. Then I tried to subscribe to the TV again in May, it worked but said the offer is expired!!! Now I have not received the second quarterly, I think I will just give up. I did finally receive my issues of Rodders Journal, #85 and #86.

 

I p***ed that right on to the recycle bin- just not my thing-

 

I'm sad print has died off...but there are too many distractions nowadays and too few car guys. I was at a Barnes and Noble recently and picked up what I think was Hot Rod..dont know. Like you guys..I spent about 3 minutes just turning pages, no interest in any of it, not even the ads.

Solution? Next time you go to a swapmeet...pick up 10 vintage..1950s-65 any sort of hot rod magazine. Chances are you won't have seen those issues, it's what we like, and they are dirt cheap. I still have a few...you can't even give them away at swaps. What do you do with them after you've leafed through them a few times? Find a local kid into cars and give them to him..or give them to an older car guy who doesn't get out much. There are ****loads of old magazines out there with exactly what we like..

 

I think their (Motortrends) emphasis is the online videos… And maybe that is rightfully so.

I don’t want to be overly critical of them, but I should note that they could learn something about content creation from some of the WW1 vets here building impressive cars with kitchenware in unheated garages.