Hi Guys
I see I`m not alone in hoarding magazines, I guess there is
comfort in knowing that there are others who suffer from wives complaining
when I dig some out for "research" when contemplating buying something else,
or just plain o`l nostalgia. I have over the years bought R+T, just to see
what you guys are up to on your side of the pond, It is indeed a pity that
it appears to have lost credibility with those who were it`s original
supporters. I still on occasion like to get my hands on a copy to look at
the design of things new in the States, and even like to see the auto
associated ad`s. The last "real" article I can remember reading, was some
years ago when the tester of the day put a new Corvette off the road and was
honest enough to write about the experience and even include pictures. H*ll,
just how many years ago was that?
On the Brit Classic car mags, I did buy the two every month for the first
ten or so years, though I think they changed content when you guys Stateside
started buying them. At first the mags were kinda down to earth and helped
us old car nuts find the bits and pieces while teaching us the skills we
required to keep mid to near top end old cars going and at the same time
throwing in articles of great interest on Bugatti and the likes. To those of
us running old MGB`s Lotus Elan`s and the like, were like an addict waiting
for a fix, in our wait for the next issue. I think us guys who bought these
old cars were kinda alike, in that for whatever reason we used and gained
skill to provide ourselves with "interesting" cars, while avoiding giving "
Honest Joe" the lions share of the action when a change was deemed
necessary. As the mags grew in popularity I guess that more of them ended up
on the shelves in airports etc, the booming UK economy of the time attracted
"investors" into the "market" and before you knew it the £50 old garage find
was apparently worth £500, then not much later was priced at £5k, (see
addendum) seems to me that`s around the time the mags expanded into the US
and elsewhere, coincidentally that is also around the time I ducked out, I
had other priorities for that kind of cash! Now I buy the occasional one if
there is an article of direct interest. It is hard to see how the pictures
could be better, the mags ooze quality, though they have still time to
include, as in this months copy of Classic&Sports car, Articles on Saab
V4`s, Ford Corsair, Citroen DS and MG Magnette. No offence intended
......But for ME they were the mundanemobiles of their time.......(Well
perhaps not the Citroen) I just ain't too interested! Alongside that there
are articles on Ferrari 250 GTE, Bugatti Type 101, AC Ace Vs BMW 328 and
Porsche Type 64.........Hmm! Not a bad mag. I guess the ability to hype
perceived values was "for me" the down side, speaking as the one time
purchaser of a problem Lotus Elan for £200, though I guess in truth, the
price hike induced folk to start making spares again and saved many fun cars
from destruction, so the mags do serve the folk who like to indulge in
"Classics" and also serve to draw us all together, I like that......The guy
with a Morris Minor!! Can buy a mag and see his car in the company of others
and maybe fancy a shift to a MGB or similar and so on up the scale?
OK....so I guess that I ain't interested in Morris Minors, I am having
thoughts and dreams about a Morgans and fantasise of Blower Bentley`s.
That I can find something of interest in a mag is important.
Yup I think the UK based Mags are pretty good, Though they have evolved from
the struggles of grubby fingered fumblers (of which I am one) to the
Manicured slopes of Pebble Beach, they seem to have managed to attach
"value" to the interests of a wide group of enthusiasts who are car nuts,
without prioritising the depth of pocket. I guess the perceived void caused
by the slight "upward shift" of some years ago has been filled by Practical
Classics, who seem to cater a little more for the grubby of hand and
experience hungry bruise seeker and nail breaker, while still covering a
good range of cars.....They did a pretty good Morgan article a little while
ago.
There is a need to be aware of the law however when telling it like it is, I
guess you North Americans know that more than most? In the UK some years ago
there was a magazine titled HOG......It was a good and true mag (I thought),
It complained of lousy gearboxes, incontinent engines, cr*p chrome and
brakes that were more suited to the wheels of a pedal cycle While at the
same time they were in love with the "idea" of the product, I guess they
just wanted to influence improvement! Now I can`t say that they forced
change, though I suspect that they had undoubted influence, this side of the
pond at least! Needless to say that HOG lasted a couple of years or so
before they were shut down........No not because they were lying in
print.....Seems that the name HOG is the property of someone else.......Nice
little legal move, to silence critics, don't you think?
What am I saying?.........I guess I am sympathising with you in the
perceived loss of a one time "must have" source of auto info
that has apparently reduced it`s self to a bill board.....A great pity to
loose value in such an icon that you grew up with. Perhaps YOU could help
restore the values? In the case of the other mags mentioned I guess it is
possible to evolve with current marketing and "still" provide a service to
it`s readers.
Commiseration's!
Cheers, George.
Glasgow Scotland Addendum! On the cheap garage finds.....I used to
look over walls and squint into cracks in the doors of long unopened garages
around this fair city.........Though I missed the Bugatti that was no more
than three miles from where I live that had lain undisturbed in a garage
attached to an old house......**** ! Yeah Iv`e heard stories like that too ,
but this one is true......Bummer!
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