I just picked this up off of one of my Mopar boards and thought I should pass it along. A lot of those guys dont seem to care too much because they feel that HotRod mag doesnt do enough Mopar related articles , I disagree I feel that HotRod going rice would be a loss for all of us who love old iron regardless of what name is on the grille. quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've got a friend out in CA who's buddies with Steve Magnante and some of the other guys at Hot Rod mag and Car Craft mag....if you're a Hot Rod reader you've probably seen his nine-second primer red '69 Chevy II on the cover a couple of times in recent years. Anyway, he passed on the info last night that Magnante has been told that the mag (Hot Rod) will begin focusing on "imports" and "Spring Break writing style" and for the staff to pull the plug on current "Old Man's cars" (his quotes) projects to cover the imports. This edict was handed to Steve from his boss, David Freiburger, who got it straight from the top. I don't know about y'all, but I've been a Hot Rod reader, off and on, mostly on, for over 40 years. I've suffered through the "van years" in the mid-70s, and the "road racer cafe car" craze in the years after that, but this could be the worst. However, I see it as a perfect opportunity to let the internet change their minds about their new editorial policy. I told Mike that once this news gets out, Hot Rod will be deluged with so many emails, online petitions and calls that they'll wish they never heard of imports. I don't believe the import crowd cares about or buys Hot Rod, and I don't think changing their editorial content to imports is gonna change that.....there are already plenty of import mags out there. If you're a Hot Rod reader and/or just wanna make your voice heard in favor of American iron instead of import "tuner" cars, let Hot Rod know about it. I'll find out an email address and pass it on later Wednesday, if anyone is interested. Mark -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Heres a link to he entire thread at Moparstyle http://www.moparstyle.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13920 If I can find a link to Hotrod web page or if someone else can put it up I think we should let em know how we feel!:af: Dan
Hot RICE magazine Yeah I knew it was just a matter of time before hotrod and carcraft would go over to the "dark side". If they choose to make this decision , not only will the mags lose my money but also my respect. We've seen this coming for a while and hopefully it's just a passing fad like pro street or vans.It's our money for these older cars that supports the aftermarket parts, not there allowances from mommy and daddy to buy neon lights and wings and pedals that light up . There can't possibly be enough money in those items to support an aftermarket for the ricers as long as REAL speed parts has been able to support it:af: God I can't stand wannabees.:stmad:That crap does not make you faster it makes you look uninformed as to what real speed is!
I didn't know "Hot Rod" meant "Rice Rod." As if there aren't enough "tuner/rice/import" trash being published already. Primedia will be the death of everything remotely related to what we're interested in, in the publishing industry. If this is true of course. Mark
Not enough money in aftermarket import parts? You should see how much theese things cost!!! They spend $200 for a 2 foot bent chrome tube! I think the mags will definantly make more money in the next few years by switching over. These ricers spend more time reading magazines than they spend driving. It sucks for us, of coarse... Almost the entire young wave of "carguys" are into imports... I'm 21 so most of the people I know are into imports. Well... I'm off to pull my cylinder head in this 26 degree weather.... tarps and kerosene heater should help a bit... Nick
I keep asking myself...........why? I can eat 99% of these guys for lunch (ok, I don't go bothering the turbo Supras - if I ever see one) with my wagon. Not one of them I've ever seen knows how to change a spark plug. Mark
This is crazy...ou: Hot Rod must've done their marketing homework on this one. Why would they even think of switching over if they knew it wasn't going to make more money? There's obviously a market out there if this is something they're seriously considering. Not that I agree with the magazine. I have been a Hot Rod reader since before I could drive. I just don't want to see fart pipes on my next issue front cover. I'll stop reading if that's the case.
It's All About the Benjamins Hot Rod obviously cares more about the money than their heritage! As Mark said there are enough import rags out there to support their winged wonders so why can't HotRod and CarCraft stay true to their readers? Other than the money it just doesn't make any sense for them to go in this direction.I hate to say it , but if they do switch their format ,I hope it comes back and bites them in the ass. Don't come crying to me when the fad passes!! :moonu: :moonu: :moonu: :moonu: :moonu: :moonu:
For those who would like it the email address for the editor of Hot Rod, Dave Frieburger( sp) I have already E-mail him twice once about this and before about the whmpy Power tours lately. hot rod editor Tim
:shock: I think they're scared already because I can't seem to find any way to E-mail them on their site. You know it's about the money because Frieburger is a muscle car guy at heart, so I really don't think he had much say about this.
its getting to the point where i would almost rather see a honduh or supra rather than another 454 chevelle or camaro with a small block:boring: but thats beside the point. they need to do features on overlooked muscle cars like amc's, buicks,non b-body mopars,and it wouldnt hurt to throw in some all original low mile iroc camaros,79-86 mustang/capris, or even a omni glh-s or shelby csx
Adam I agree. there are alot better directions they could take the mag. in, instead of switching to imports.If I remember right Hot Rodding was started in the good ol' US of A.Not Japan or some other place.My car just reminds me how powerful our country really is each time I get behind the wheel.:beer God Bless the USA
I couldn't have said it any better myself Mike. Good job. Maybe they'll get the hint but who knows!o No:
check out hot rod next month!! 5 strobe light kits under $100 ! when is a fartcan too big?? next generation type R emblem! spy pics inside! battle of the ages! can a 03 civic si run with the "classic" 87 si? new kung fu-body kit tested:laugh:
Ricer's = dollars!!!! The Ricer market is where to be if you want to make some money. A large portion of SEMA this year in Vegas was just for that market. I know as I was there for 4 days. Mommy, Daddy, jobs, credit cards, who cares where the money comes from? When your young you have two things on your mind. Cars and pussy! And you will spend what it takes for both. These guys buy new or damn near new cars and then spend again the price of the car in upgrades. An $80.00 fart can costs about $12.00 to make. You do the math. That fart can looks a hell of a lot more profitable than Buick tailights. Hell, Buick Al can't even get us old farts to buy 35 sets of his tailights. What market do you think is more profitable, ricers or us resto/original guys? Remember, the ricers have two things on their mind as stated above. Kinda like us twenty years ago huh? We now have families, mortgages, college, alimony, child support, credit card payments and all the other bullshit we just can't live without. You tell me which car is a higher priority in their life, a ricer or us. We piss and moan about how much a little part costs while the ricer has bought three more parts for twice the price! Look at some of the ricer tailights. Intricate injection molded parts with mold costs that make Al's mold investment look like chump change. Of course they plan to sell and do sell thousands at $100-$150 a pair? Al's havin a hell of time selling us 35 pair! Who's makin some money here? Damn sure not Al. And we want him to make grills. I truly hope he does, but its a small market. Look at the popularity of cars and see that they have always followed age. Thirty years ago restored Model A's were big bucks. Now they are worth nothing because all the guys that liked those cars are dead. It continually moves as we age. Our Buicks will be Model A's in 25 years. Sure there will always be a "milestone" car in every brand who value and desireability will transend time. BUT WHICH ONE??? Make your choices carefully with your hard earned money and don't make the mistake of buying your 5 year old a car now that you like. Rest assured he/she will not like when they are 16 just as you didn't like your parents stuff when you were 16. Hot Rod is a business and someone is/has made a business decision that we do not like. So we don't buy the magazine. This ricer stuff will continue to grow. The future is rice not resto. We're adults and think like adults. (some of us anyway) Priorities, jobs, friends, everything changes. Look at you life ten years ago and today. Be honest and see how much the important things in your life have changed in just 10 years. The car aftermarket is no different. The rice market is the muscle aftermarket 30 years ago, in it's infancy and growing! Until the domestic manufacturers design, manufacture and market a product young people actually want, it will not change for a longtime. Did you watch Barrett/Jackson auction on Speed today? Look at the crowd for classic/muscle/old cars. Fat, 50, with lots gaudy jewelery. Sure, there were some babes but it's an old crowd with the money to spend for their high shool/boyhood dreams. Go look in the parking lot and you will find damn few American cars as their daily drivers. All they do is rent American cars from Avis in Phoenix. Where do they get their everyday car? Japan and Germany. It's been that way for all the years I have gone to this auction. Arizona would have been nice this year as the temp at my house in Nashville this morning was -1! There goes that marriage and responsibility thing again getting in the way of my car fun. They/we will die or just get tired of our old cars in the future and sell. Let's just hope there is someone with ANY interest to buy them in 15-20 years!
Well, then thats a damn shame. Lets see, the ricemobiles have: lowered (badly) suspensions tasteless wheel/tire combos Stupid looking body kits decals idiotic looking wing thingies that couldn't possibly help if even if it could go 150 neon??!!?? yellow interior parts Thats "hot rodding"? Not where I come from. This is the same crowd the real hot rodders despised fifty years ago that spent their money on racoon tails, fender skirts, visors, and chrome geegaws in order to think they appeared fast. Thats it - no mechanical upgrades or abilities or anything related. Thats what I see on the street. Someone's making money, but then someone did on van parts as well. I read something in an Autoweek magazine that was given to me a year or two ago. There is a couple guys who are brothers in Cal. making usless parts for the Honda crowd. They took a brand new Honda (don't remember which model) and threw all kinds of parts at it - header and fart can, etc.etc. Total power increase - about 10 hp. Doesn't go fast, doesn't have any style. Can't last. Mark
All these cars are under the category of "Disposable". You won't see any of these fart cans or any of their stock cousins here in 30 or 40 years. They'll be melted back down into more winged creatures that make money for the fart vendors. All I can think of when I see those stupid money pits is: ZZZZZZZZZ...zzzzzzzzzzzzz.....zzzzzz That's the sound I hear from behind me when I smoke 'em with the BBB. So, back on topic here... If HotRod wants to go the way of the ricer, then so be it. We'll still have all we need right here with the guys and gals that really love the true sport and the comradery(sp) that all makes it possible. There's no substitute for HP! Just like jazz, the American pasttime will not fade away....not as long as there are people like us.
well folks, I think we are looking at this in the wrong direction. Hot Rod... well they are out to make a buck to survive. Hot Rod needs material to survive and the material Hot Rod needs is the automobile manufacturers to make vehicles that can be hot rods. It is basically the circle of life. With fuel prices up so high, people are doing a turn again to those three cylinder cars. Car manufacturers monitor what people will buy depending upon a number of things including, fuel cost, cost of living, etc... you get the picture. The government don't help either when so many restrictions are placed on the manufacturers as well. We see all these great concept cars but why don't we see them on the sales floor? Look at the new Mustang that will be out in a couple years. Not only is it a piece of artwork but at least ford is trying to restore the interest in what was. Now if we can only get GM to get on the same path, we might be able to get things cooking again. These car companies must realize that we need cars that can be turned into something more. Just for example the Buick GS. If I didn't have the money to buy a GS, at least I had the option of buying a Skylark that if I wanted to, I could still build up. Now in days, we don't have that option. We also need cars with beautiful body lines and CHROME! Look around you the next time you are out on the highway... everything is so dull, the colors, body styles, and some of those wheels are just down right ugly! Ford, GM, and Chrysler, WAKE UP and lets put those steel factories back in business! I really think that Hot Rod would have a bigger impact if they would decide to fight for what they have been and what made their magazine. If they do decide to convert, well, then they basically gave up on America and what America was built on...
