Tom Shaw's Magazine - Page 16

Rat_Pack · #**151** 03-01-2003, 05:17 AM

As far as pricing it will probably be along the same lines as TRJ and it will be a quarterly magazine. Then it may become something more but I cannot speculate. It really all depends upon what the hobby wants.

Tom, you cannot put a damper on things when the current magazines that are available are no where near the quality of The Rodders Journal. TS has already proven that he cannot deliver what he promised a year ago and is still having trouble delivering it after a few more "promises" less than a few weeks ago. Even Super Chevy, CarCraft, PHR, and even HotRod are not the same quality magazines they were 10, 5, or even a year ago. Before MCR got dumped it was not what it was earlier in its life. How many times can the life history of Don Yenko or Vince Piggins be discussed and told a different way? Not many and I think it has been "over done" far too many times. Lets see articles about the car in the picture, or the owner of the car, or the exact history behind that car, not the story of how similar cars came to be and a two paragraph article about the owner and the car.

As far as being bias, I don't think Consumer Reports is done by a computer and it does just fine. What determines bias in a magazine geared towards telling the truth is advertising. By not having any advertising there cannot be any bias when the facts are laid out.

Are any of those publishers willing to go out and produce a magazine in which they compare the parts of "Advertiser A", who puts up big money each month to help produce that magazine, to a part with the same application from another source? TIf they do, do you think that "Advertiser A" will let them bash the piece of s--- parts they sell and still want to advertise in that magazine? I don't think so. This is something that has been needed in the industry for years and now is the time to see if all of the "bit..ers and moaners" want to see something done about the parts that they buy. Right now there is a person willing to take this chance with great risk to his reputation in the industry.

I for one cannot have enough musclecar magazines. That is like to much fun...........there is no such thing! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]...............RatPack.................

Lets here some more input from others out there.

whitetop · #**152** 03-01-2003, 02:25 PM

I think for any musclecar magazine to survive they are going to have to take a 180 degree approach to how car features are done today. The days of showing another '70 Chevelle 454 in 2 pages with several paragraphs of script are over...if they want to survive. I'm sick of seeing these type of features and I know I'm not alone. Besides, I have 50 other old musclecar mags in my basement with articles on '70 454 Chevelles in the same light.

Rodders Journal does not just feature a car they give the complete history of the car. The mag has a very strong human interest appeal and sometimes it seems the cars are secondary. For you people that have never seen it it's almost beyond description. A few issues back for instance, they had a feature on a '32 Ford coupe and showed the complete transformation of the car from 1955 up to the present in all it's different stages: under construction, show car days, drag days and back to a show car. The guy who built the car at age 13 had 4-5 jobs to save the money and no one at the local speed shop believed he had the car until he showed up with it. And it was the best detailed car they had ever seen. The feature was 9-10 pages long with 15-20 photos.

Here is how RJ would feature say a ZL-1. Start back in '69-'73 and show how the car was brought home, built in the owners garage, at the paint shop getting lace and endless lines. Shots of the car in the garage circa 1971 with the engine being pulled out or on a car hauler. Pics of the car in '83 being run as a bracket car with SB and how it was finally found and restored with pics. Topped off with lots of history on how each owner modified or restored the car.

Yes Ratpack, I would like to see a "Musclecar Journal"

**olredalert** · #**153** 03-01-2003, 02:55 PM

------Have been following this thread with interest.Just read thru the current issue of Hot Rod,and have to agree with the former posters.Hot Rod is an Edelbrock catalog nowadays,and,other than habit,I really dont see much reason to read it.What a sad day,as I used to really look forward to recieving Hot Rod and Car Craft.Gave up on Car Craft a couple of years ago after sticking with it way too long.I dont even pick up Car Craft at the news stand and leaf thru it anymore.You cant tell me that Primedia has any journalistic integrity whatsoever.I used to think Larry Dobbs had what Primedia lacks but he took the money and ran as so many others have(cant say I blame him).
-------After saying all this I sort of feel like a dinosaur as it seems that Primedia is actually planning ahead for all us old guys demise so they can concentrate on the so called young guys(demographics ya know).However,the real secret is that there is a whole lot of life left in us geezers,and we still have alot of purchasing power that we can direct any way we want.A Rodders Journal type muscle type magazine could be a very viable alternative to the dreck we are recieving today!..........Bill S

KLONECO · #**154** 03-01-2003, 03:48 PM

TOM,ITS GUY"S LIKE YOU [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif[/img] AND THE MAJORITY OF GUYS IN THIS CLUB !!!! that make the difference!!!those that read ,watch, listen, ask, (and even joke around!)that make it all happen......PLEASE KEEP PASSING THE TORCH!!!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif[/img]

thank you!!! Al

Jeff H · #**155** 03-01-2003, 04:23 PM

I used to have subscriptions to several magazines and I enjoyed reading them for most of the articles even if it was a simple test of air filters to see what performed on the dyno and what didn't. I haven't had a magazine subscription since the demise of MCR so I hope Tom Shaw can put together a good magazine and keep it going. Or else we'll be stuck with nothing but 'Tuner' crap. Now if my magazine would just arrive already!

budnate · #**156** 03-01-2003, 04:38 PM

My 2 cents, We all have looked at the same cars in diff mag's, with a quick story that for the most part looks it was photo copied from the last time the car was in the mag, NOT to take anything away from the cars it just gets a little boreing reading the same Bio again. I really like the History of the rides!, It would be great if all you shared the history on your cars in a mag, from the chase to getting it home then the tracking of owners back to new, the resto or how cool of a survivor it is. It would make for great reading, there are some great cars around but not all of us little guys get to see them, which leads to a group of fellas that talk amongst themselves about the cars,I agree there are plenty of mag's on the stands but if one was dedicated to a journal of a car that would sell big time,

Bud.

Winmon · #**157** 03-01-2003, 04:49 PM

I too have not received my issue/issues. I e-mailed him on the 12th and was told the first batch was going out the 10th and the second half on the 12th (Feb). I just left a post at their new forum about not receiving it yet so we will see what he says.

whitetop · #**158** 03-01-2003, 04:55 PM

olredalert
You hit it right on the head about Hot Rod & Car Craft. I remember when CC had 160 pages. The April issue of CC has 98 pages with about 50% ads. Plus they use the cheesiest thin paper. The whole mag was 1/8 thick. 12-13 years ago I remember going to the newstands and seeing 7-9 different musclecar mags. Now its Tuner, Sport Compact, Sport Truck, Honda Tuning, Mini Truckin etc.

CamarosRus · #**159** 03-01-2003, 10:23 PM

One of my favorite "magazines" wasnt even a commercial publication.....but the U.S. Camaro Club "Camaro Enthusiast"
when Ken Moorehead was in his heyday......I remember some really good tech articles, data, and misc info I have never seen before or since in other periodicals.....I guess U.S.C.C.'s lack of commercial support was one of the things that led to its demise......Chuck S

Chris396 · #**160** 03-01-2003, 11:28 PM

I'm with Whitetop and Bud. I'm sick of the same boring description of how many GTO's or Chevelle were made. I want to hear about the cars. I liked the little blurb on the bottom of the Boss 429 story talking about how to make the cars actually run. I would have liked some more of that type of info. I like the articles in Sports Car Marketplace where they write about what to look for in a collector car, what are their strong points and what weak points should you look for. I wouldn?t mind seeing slightly modified cars too.

Dedicated to the Promotion and Preservation of American Muscle Cars, Dealer built Supercars and COPO cars.