Well, it\u2019s hard to believe but this issue marks the end of a full year publishing cycle.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been busy, frustrating, exhilarating, nerve wracking and a pain in the ass, but mostly it\u2019s been a blast.<\/p>\n
I decided to do this magazine after a few years of writing freelance articles for other publications that, while serving a niche in the Canadian gearhead community, didn\u2019t really inspire me.<\/p>\n
So, with each issue I\u2019ve tried to put things in this magazine I felt were missing in other Canadian publications. With a year under our belts and a summer cruising season ahead, I feel the magazine can only get better, and hopefully, bigger.<\/p>\n
Obviously, a one-man show with a few meagerly compensated contributors and a very understanding wife, can\u2019t compete with the big-budget U.S. publishing houses that flood the Canadian market with great hot rod magazines with almost no Canadian content. Dream big, or go home. Right?<\/p>\n
The Canadian hot rod scene may be smaller than its counterpart to the south, but it\u2019s not less vibrant and innovate and it deserves a magazine of its own that accurately reflects the hobby. I think Canadian Hot Rods & Classics is that magazine and I hope you\u2019ll help me out by subscribing, buying advertising, picking up a copy or just writing in to tell us what you like, don\u2019t like and would like to see in the magazine.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re handy with a camera, give us a call – we\u2019re always looking for someone to shoot features for us from the West or East coast.<\/p>\n
That last line brings me to another issue. The one thing I\u2019ve encountered while travelling to cars shows from Regina to Nanaimo is some pretty hardy regionalism. \u201cOh, you\u2019re that Vancouver Island magazine\u201d or \u201cYou\u2019re that B.C. magazine.\u201d<\/p>\n
While this is geographically true, Canadian Hot Rods & Classics is striving to be a national magazine.<\/p>\n
We publish articles from Ontario (there\u2019s two in this issue, on page 11 and 16) and want to grow our content and readership east of Saskatchewan. Obviously, as a Western Canada-based magazine we\u2019ll cover a lot of Western Canadian cars and events, but it\u2019s not this magazine\u2019s intention to cater to a regionalist attitude. Whenever I hear somebody call us \u201cjust a Western Canada magazine\u201d I wonder how they describe Hot Rod -when the majority of its content is centered in one state of a very large country.<\/p>\n
Same could be said for the two main competitors to this magazine, one based in P.E.I. and the other in Ontario. In the end, CHC needs as many readers and advertisers as it can get. It\u2019s a tough gig, this magazine market, but with your support I think we can make it. So,if you\u2019ve been thinking of subscribing, do it now. If you want to advertise, please give us a call.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re growing, but we need your help to keep growing and to become the magazine Canadian gearheads deserve.<\/p>\n
****<\/p>\n
In this issue, you\u2019ll notice our one-year subscription rate has changed to $20. As of Volume 2, Issue 1 (July\/August) our cover price will increase to $4.95. These rate changes are necessary to pay for increased printing costs due to our glossy covers and increased colour page-count.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t see the cover price changing again, and the subscription rate will only change if we go monthly.<\/p>\n
I hope you\u2019ll agree that would be a good thing.<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
Everybody makes impulse buys, right? Gearheads are no different.<\/p>\n
Only problem is, instead of buying an Aero bar, DVD or issue of Star Weekly at the grocery store checkout, our impulse buys tend to be a little bit larger. Say, in the 4,000 pound range. An impulse buy can also get us in a little more trouble with our better half. They don\u2019t understand that when we see a derelict vehicle, rusting into oblivion we can\u2019t help but think \u201cthere\u2019s something worth salvaging on that thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Which brings me to my neighbour\u2019s 1973 Chevrolet Camper Special. For years this 3\/4 ton beast sat in the driveway, it\u2019s right front tire flat, extended bed full – and getting more full – of household castoffs and garbage by the year. Most people would look at this as an eyesore begging to be put out of its misery.<\/p>\n
Not me. I saw the 350 badges on the grille and right front fender and thought, it would be a shame to see that 350 go to waste. Probably even a 4-bolt main and it never hurts to have a spare Turbo 350 laying around the shop. Blame it on the trauma of seeing hundreds of cars and related engines and parts going to the crusher (see End of an Era on page 42) but one day I saw my neighbour and blurted out, \u201cEver think of getting rid of that truck?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, lately,\u201d said my neighbour.<\/p>\n
In less time than it takes an impact to remove a lug nut, I made up my mind. \u201cHow about I give you $100 bucks and take it out of there this week?\u201d \u201cSure,\u201d said my neighbour.<\/p>\n
A few days later I\u2019m up one SBC, a Turbo 350 tranny, a shovel, a bag of beer cans and I got $158 bucks for the carcass from the crusher.<\/p>\n
OK, maybe the crusher\u2019s not all bad.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Well, it\u2019s hard to believe but this issue marks the end of a full year publishing cycle. It\u2019s been busy,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n