I mentioned to David on Saturday that I'm eagerly waiting for the results of the new 200 TW tire. Tires are a big interest with the autocross crowd.
By Tim Suddard
Dec 19, 2022
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| From the Nov. 2022 issue
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Photography Credit: David S. Wallens
Our circulation department tells me our numbers are up 36% so far this year. Sounds like a good time to kick back and crack open a cold beer, right?
Perhaps, but that’s not how I roll. I’m not saying I’m opposed to having a beer or three once in a while, but kicking back and resting on one’s past results is not the way to stay successful in the constantly changing media business.
I’ve been a student of car magazines since I was a kid. I’m currently rereading all the Sports Car Graphic magazines from 1962, complete with the introduction and detailed pictures of the Elva Mk VI just like the one I’m building.
Another highlight from that year: the road test of the original 289 Cobra. If they only knew how significant that car would be some 60 years later.
I grew up reading Hot Rod and Road & Track. Sadly, in my opinion, those two publications have gone the way of corporate America and have lost their spark. I’m trying to make damn sure that doesn’t happen to us.
Personally, two of my favorite current car magazines are Classic & Sports Car out of England and, lately, the Porsche Club of America’s Panorama. I don’t always want to read about only Porsches, but when I do, my longtime friend Rob Sass is doing a fantastic job steering that ship.
A friend recently sent me a copy of Classic Cars out of England. He knew the cover feature on the 60th anniversary of the Lotus Elan would pique my interest. While our mission differs from Sports Car Market’s–we each occupy a different niche–I have a lot of admiration for Keith Martin and his crew.
For me, running a car magazine was never about the money. Sure, I wanted to earn a decent living and have some cool cars, but after that, it was about building the best possible publication and earning respect.
I guess combining more than a touch of formally undiagnosed ADHD and the way I was raised (always being told I wasn’t good enough) has me constantly striving for perfection and respect.
So instead of celebrating that circulation number, I sat down for a few days and did some analysis of our own and other publications. From there, with my own answers in hand, I went to my staff and asked what would make this magazine better and, more importantly, what makes a car magazine truly great?
Some goals for our near future:
What I think makes a car magazine truly great might be important, but what’s more important is hearing what you think makes a car magazine truly great.
So please, send me your thoughts on what we’re doing right and what you think would make your magazine even better. Your feedback has always proved invaluable. Thanks for constantly pushing us to make the best magazine possible.
I mentioned to David on Saturday that I'm eagerly waiting for the results of the new 200 TW tire. Tires are a big interest with the autocross crowd.
Repeat after me: Sexy. Editors.
Fun attitude, great writing, and absolutely no Special Advertising Sections regarding watches and their longtime relationship with motorsport.
Ya'll are great but I also remember the old days of Car and Driver with Patrick Bedard, PJ O'Rouke, Brock Yates, et al. Those guys were entertaining. And how to forget the Cannonball Baker Sea-To_Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash.
In reply to Tim Suddard :
Writers of the quality of Peter Egan, BS Levy, etc. who can pull you into a story you have little if any interest in.
You already have such a person but not on your staff. Calvin Nelson. If you go on UTube and follow his postings ( nivlac57). You can't help but be drawn in. His latest Volvo rescue where he puts a 6 cylinder Chevy with 824 horsepower already developed from a Stock bottom end junkyard motor with 175,000 miles on it already. Unopened. Yeh! Stock everything from the junkyard!!
Or his Studebaker. With the same engine. 8 second Ford Fairmont station Wagon?
Sports Car Graffic is my all-time favorite. Maybe because I was at that particular age (in my mid teens to 20's) when it was published. I really was disappointed when it went out of print. I kept one about the 429 Cobra pristine, in a zip lock bag. Comparing cars with the tables they printed on each one was fastinating, even if somewhat stilted. I recall they had a series about reconfiguring the timing advance with a new spring in the distributer for what they claimed was unbelivable performance improvements. I know now that it was probably a lot of false hope, but it was fun to imagine. (I had a FIAT 124 Sports Coupe which was one of the engines they claimed to have improved so much, but I figured that the factory would have done it if that's all it needed.) Its hard to replicate what SCG did because those cars and days are but a memory. A heated up TR 6 is a dog compared to new, economy cars.
Is there any automotive magazine that has ever written about 3D scanning of vehicle(s), the sources of a scanning service or the methods to employ 3D scans in restorations and modifications?
CM should consider articles that assist the owners of older cars with sources, maintenance, methods and various other information articles or unpaid advertisements.
Hagerty magazine is pretty darn good IMHO. Mostly because of the columnists.
The times are changing. More classic Japanese cars and radwood stuff. That's where the market is heading.
robertdhogan said:Is there any automotive magazine that has ever written about 3D scanning of vehicle(s), the sources of a scanning service or the methods to employ 3D scans in restorations and modifications?
CM should consider articles that assist the owners of older cars with sources, maintenance, methods and various other information articles or unpaid advertisements.
We've written about it in Grassroots Motorsports:
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/against-wind/
And I'm working on more 3D scanning content now.
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