Currently subscribe to HotRod, Classic Trucks and a few others that are model specific. Both HotRod and CT have had some good tech stuff lately but I really just subscribed to CT because of the bumpside buildoff.

 

I'm with John (jniolon). I subscribed to Classic trucks and Custom Classic trucks. I found that a majority of the time I wasn't even opening the magazine because there was nothing of interest to read or see in the magazine. On occasions, they would put a Ford truck in their magazine which was either megabucks trailer queen or someones project but not provide information or facts about the truck, Most of the time I had to read about Chevy trucks or an occasions Studebaker and Dodge. Figuring I was wasting good money, I cancelled my subscriptions. On occasions I'll visit their website. The website gives you an overview of what is in the current issue. If it looks good, I'll buy an issue. Personally, I get more information from websites than magazines.

 

I have been a hot rod magazine since about 12 yrs old. Little R&C's and the like. I have not been able to shake it yet. 50 yrs of buying car mags. I still do it today, CCT and CT even though they are of little interest to me with only an occasional feature or tech article of value. Street Rodder since it was new, and still enjoy it today. I hope R&C does not go away again as it is just kind of interesting again. Then again, maybe Pat Gahnal could revive it and we would really be back to something good. American Rodder and Rodders Digest are my two favorites now. To be honest I probably should stop buying anything new and just start re-reading my collection. One last thing, one of the best was Hot Rod Mechanix and I don't believe it ever received enough support from the guys that complained about the Street Rodder type mags. It was not set up to appeal to the guys who buy car mags just for the pictures. Today there is more interesting stuff available online than on paper. However it is not the same as setting down with a good magazine, I feel the same way about the daily newspaper. My wife says I'm getting old, I say I'm just getting comfortable. Joe

 

For anybody building a vehicle, I suggest subscribing to Hemmings. The articles aren't bad and the sources for parts and services are great. Jag

 

Hot Rod, Car Craft, Popular Hot Rodding, Circle Track, Speedway Illustrated, Dirt Late Model Magazine, Rod and Custom. I also buy Street Rodder, Custom Trucks, Truckin, Classic Trucks, Mustang Monthly, Muscle Mustang and Fast Ford alomst every month as long as there is something that interests me. I have a patient wife that keeps them all straight and filed away. I have been a subscriber for several of these since the mid 70's so there are a few to look at.

I look at this a little differently. I race dirt late models (Warrior with Roush/Yates motor), enjoy old trucks (currently a '57 F100) and street rods and also have a pro street '61 Falcon project. I am big on crossover use of parts. It suprises me how many people won't buy a part from the race suppliers since it didn't come form a street rod (or truck or drag race, or etc....) magazine ad or shop. I find I have some unique ways of doing things and some unique supply lines with my parts. I recently got one racing supplier to attend a swap meet that he never attended because it didn't cater to racers. He found a whole new market in the street rod/pro street crowd and doubled his business.

The more different ways you can look at things, the better your projects can be. IE: What is common in dirt late models may be unique in trucks. Hmmmm, how about a wide 5 setup on the '57?

SPark

 

I'm with you SPark! I read ~ 40 different magazines a month covering a multitude of fields. My parts and materials come from a vast range of suppliers. When I need something I'll say to myself OK, what kinds of people might use something like that?
I needed a rubber dolly and nylon bumping punch to take out a small dent in our DD. I ended up with a hard rubber dog toy and cut the handle off a nylon potato masher from Wally-world. Our racing gloves are sold as baseball player's batting gloves, I made a shock adjusting tool from a screwdriver bit and a bathroom faucet handle, then there is my "famous" MDD (Modified Dog Dish) AC hose connection cover...

 

My hats off to LM14 and AX, you guys have the time to read all those magazines every month and still have time to work on your truck? I'm impressed!

 

I multitask! I have to clean the mags out of my "reading room" whenever I have trouble getting to the throne...
Is there anyone else that finds the subscription cards highly annoying? I throw away a wastebasket full every couple weeks. That's the first thing I do whe I start a new magazine is remove all those cards.

 

You're right Ax. Those cards are a pain. Either throw them away first thing or pick them up one at a time as they fall out of the pages onto the floor as you read!

 

My wife keeps threatening to paper the bathroom walls with them. I've actually toyed with the idea of doing the walls in a room in the garage.

 

I only buy Hemmings and will go to the store and while wife shops will look through all the car books and really only come home with the latest ''HEMMINGS'' and those cards that fall out on the floor ---well they stay on the floor---in the store!! Bill