Disturbing Trend in GRM and CM

I maintain that's it not a lot different in terms of depth of tech since the beginning. You have more project cars now than then, and perhaps the way you approach the car is different. For instance, there are street tire classes now, while then you had to go way beyond stock to go autocross if you wanted to do any mods. That by itself can change the content.

Also, many of this group came in during the Ro-Spit, and I think that set a bar that is hard to acheive consistantly. Most project cars do not go into that kind depth. Nor do I think Tim and his staff could keep up with that kind of development and still do anything else. That build had tons of fab work, but not every project car is like that, nor do I want to read about one all the time. You have to have a balance.

Personally, I do not want want to read about welding in a patch or motor mount every issue, nor to I want them to turn into a monthly repair manual. It's a fine line.

bravenrace wrote: In reply to z31maniac: Funny, it didn't cost more when it catered to us 5-10 years ago...

Feel free to start your own mag.

Let's also not forget that while the team at The Firm is passionate about the subject matter, they do have bills to pay and the magazine is, in fact, a business.

I'd love Mazda to build an LS1 powered NC that weighs 2100lbs and sells for 18k with a full warranttee. For any variety of reasons, they may elect not to add that to next years platform.

Once upon a time there was this great, focused magazine. I've still got a bumper sticker from them on my toolbox.

V12s in Miatas? Why? Where are you going to compete with that except the GRM $200 Challenge?

There is a LOT of grassroots racing in the USA and I don't think GRM does a very good job of covering it, prepping for it, or promoting it. They do other things, but not grassroots racing.

Just some suggestions for future articles...

What is it like to build, or live with for season a f-440/500, FV, Spec Racer Ford??? Or F2000/ Formula Ford???

Where can you raid a dumpster for castoff tires? What sort of maintenance can one expect, other than crash damage? Where can you get spares?

Where can you race a Formula V and have your own race??? Not combined with other classes. Does the "RON GEREMYI" division have enough entries to warrant a FV only race?? If not where can one have a V only race.

Also If someone wants to go from "Zero to Hero" in 2013,,, What does it take???

Where should I compete this year? If I want to pick and choose where should I choose?

You know, I'm going to go ahead and say it: Auto-X was a piece of crap. We were learning as we went, and it was an honest effort, but we ran a lot of articles that were greeted with a general uproar because they were just plain wrong. And the project cars themselves? More than a couple were hideously undriveable, uncompetitive turds. As I said, we were learning as we went.

It's easy to look back at the past and see only the doorstep milk deliveries, charming buggies and romantic clothes, but reality also included disease, poverty and discrimination on a scale that we couldn't grasp today.

We're loving suggestions for future articles, not least because a lot of them are already on the editorial calendar, and I appreciate the folks who realize that you can't just run the same article about welding in a metal patch every issue, even though Tim spends night after night doing just that.

The truth is that we do tread a fine line between keeping and growing with our readers, and not excluding the newcomers who come after knowing little or nothing--all while keeping it fresh and avoiding mindless repetition. Thanks for all the ideas to help us do so.

Margie

modernbeat wrote: They do other things, but not grassroots racing.

They do sponsor BMW CCA racing, which is why I have 2 GRM stickers on my car. They give away subscriptions at every award ceremony too. The vintage set get a lot of attention as well. I know they parted ways with NASA, which I always enjoyed seeing friends as a racer with that group, but that was a business decision where one of the parties probably didn't get much say.

I wouldn't expect a sports "related" car mag to cater to the friday night dirt track set when most of it's readers dream of road racing even if they have to do it in a parking lot. So... ignore his request and just beef up on the tech

GPS is right, we do sponsor BMW CCA. We also support the SCCA's American Road Race of Champions and the SCCA's Solo program. Soon we'll be announcing a new Solo partnership, while something special is in the works for the Tire Rack Solo Nats. The Tire Rack One Lap of America is also presented by GRM. Then there's the speed events that we host, including the UTCC and the $2000 Challenge. So, yes, we do spend plenty of dollars (and hours) supporting grassroots racing. It's what we do.

I want more articles with young hoochies suggestively removing parts in the junk yard.

David S. Wallens wrote: GPS is right, we do sponsor BMW CCA. We also support the SCCA's American Road Race of Champions and the SCCA's Solo program. Soon we'll be announcing a new Solo partnership, while something special is in the works for the Tire Rack Solo Nats. The Tire Rack One Lap of America is also presented by GRM. Then there's the speed events that we host, including the UTCC and the $2000 Challenge. So, yes, we do spend plenty of dollars (and hours) supporting grassroots racing. It's what we do.

unless I missed something, GRM also sponsors Lemons and ChumpCar.

spitfirebill wrote: I want more articles with young hoochies suggestively removing parts in the junk yard.

That we can consider. Seriously, did you guys know that one of the girls in that piece wound up as a regular on Deal or No Deal? See, GRM can be a great launching pad.

<== Not punk, so I don't have any first hand knowledge of what I'm describing

David S. Wallens wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

modernbeat wrote: They do other things, but not grassroots racing.

They do sponsor BMW CCA racing, which is why I have 2 GRM stickers on my car.

GPS is right, we do sponsor BMW CCA. We also support the SCCA's American Road Race of Champions and the SCCA's Solo program. Soon we'll be announcing a new Solo partnership, while something special is in the works for the Tire Rack Solo Nats. The Tire Rack One Lap of America is also presented by GRM. Then there's the speed events that we host, including the UTCC and the $2000 Challenge. So, yes, we do spend plenty of dollars (and hours) supporting grassroots racing. It's what we do.

This reminds me of something I heard on a "Behind the Music" about GreenDay....When they first signed to a major label, they made sure that their old label got to keep the back catalog (yes, I know that that eventually changed)....For a decade, the sales of early green day records funded the indie label; they were supporting the very punk community that was whining about them selling out.

Karl La Follette wrote:

I'm getting old. Honestly, the first thing I thought was "what a piece of crap TR6". Then I noticed the cute girl.

fastdad wrote:

Karl La Follette wrote:

I'm getting old. Honestly, the first thing I thought was "what a piece of crap TR6". Then I noticed the cute girl.

I must be getting even older. I can't figure out why he posted that picture..

bravenrace wrote: I must be getting even older. I can't figure out why he posted that picture..

I believe it was a homage to the previous "young hoochies suggestively removing parts in the junk yard" posting.

has anyone among us, in the last 12 months, saved more POS's than Karl LaFollette? Karl, you're living the dream!

Now that we're all bitched out and acting civil, could I make a request for a callendar with pictures of real people in and around cars? I'd be happier looking at the picture directly above for a month than the ubiquitous speed shot.

kreb wrote: Not that we're all bitched out and acting civil, could I make a request for a callendar with pictures of real people in and around cars? I'd be happier looking at the picture directly above for a month than the ubiquitous speed shot.

I don't think it's quite as flattering when i'm bent over, sorry.

kreb wrote: Not that we're all bitched out and acting civil, could I make a request for a blah, blah, blah ubiquitous speed shot.

Done!

bent over real people shot

oldtin wrote: bent over real people shot

I have a smoking jacket just like that one.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

oldtin wrote: bent over real people shot

I have a smoking jacket just like that one.

Me too!

Tim Suddard wrote: Guys I have been staying out of this, but have some things to say. First, thanks to my staff for handling this thread so well. I know, for you, as hard as we have been working lately on tech stories (straight through, the holidays, every day including Christmas), this is a most frustrating, and frighteningly ironic thread. Readers-Don’t think for a second that we haven’t talked about this thread at length the last few days. We get this thread kind of thread every few years and as always, it is started and jumped on by those who haven't actually sat down with a year’s worth of magazines and analyzed every story. Look back through the last year and check out the welding, fabrication, tuning and other stories we have done. look at them all-not just one issue, and you will see we have not changed. Thankfully, many, many of you have said we are doing our best work ever right now. And, don’t think for a second that I don’t keep a spreadsheet on every issue of every year for both magazines and know exactly who wrote what. I am the number four writer between the two magazines, and do much of the tech stuff. I am probably the only magazine owner who does this much writing. Bottom line, I am in it for the experience and love this stuff, not the money. Working every night last week; welding and thrashing on the Miata to make it safe for the David and Alan (not me) to take to Sebring last weekend is my reward. I still love this stuff. And notice I said $500 Miata and not new Ferrari, which to be blunt, if I emptied some of the other old junk out of my garage I could afford now. All magazines ebb and flow. Some issues will have tons of stories you like and some won't. Some will be real technical and others less so. When we have to cover things like the end of the year championships we have less room for tech stories. Don't panic. We are still here and know what you want. We are still listening and coming up with new ideas every day. Several erudite posters, and there are a lot of you, mentioned that the message board reader is not the average reader. That is true. Nothing personal, but you guys (as a group) tend to skew younger and less affluent. We know this, but we also know that you are our most passionate readers and we love and respect you for this. That said, the average reader wants some, if not a lot of new or late model coverage and some, but not an excruciating amount of technical information. More than anything, I think the average person wants to learn, laugh and be entertained. We also fuel people’s lust for that next cool car or go fast goodie to put on that car. As for tech editorial. I have taken over as tech editor of Classic Motorsports. If you also read CMS, and hopefully you all do, starting with the March issue you will hopefully notice an expanded, more interesting and fresh new approach to this section of the magazine. I have gotten way more involved again with Grassroots Motorsports project cars, starting with the Lincoln, the aforementioned Miata and the Subaru that starts next month. As for a high dollar, let's just bolt something on attitude. that's just b.s. All three of the aforementioned project cars were purchased for a sum of $3012 and we did virtually everything ourselves, except for some expert tuning help on the Subaru. Speaking of expert tuning. I don't know everything about every car. And you can't just call someone like Mach V Tuning and say, "Dan my good lad, how about spending two days with me and teaching me everything there is to learn about Subaru tuning.” I can do that, and did, and one of the biggest services we provide is not giving you half-assed, heard it on the internet, type of information from people who don't know what they are talking about. We get you the real information from real experts. Dan at Mach V knows more about Subaru tuning than probably any of us will ever know. For a mere $20 a year, through your subscription, I can get you information from guys like this. This is valuable. Another example is track testing. I stood in the cold wind a few weeks ago as we base lined our Shelby and tested some other cars at the FIRM, so we can get you real world numbers before and after, rather than rumor and advertiser claims. That Shelby Mustang, with a few tweaks is going to be viciously fast by the way, but that's another story. As for staff changes, that is the nature of any business. Without going into details and airing dirty laundry, let me just say that you will see some great new tech stories, writers and ideas coming out in the next year. If you are not very pleased, I will gladly refund your money, assuming you actually buy a subscription and read the magazine and are not just bitching on an open forum. I have been doing this same magazine for 29 years. We have survived both Gulf wars, Sept. 11, the digital revolution, the advent of the internet and several recessions. I am sure I have changed some, as has the rest of the world, but I am sitting here writing this at one in the morning, so one thing hasn't changed, my passion for this subject matter and my deep and honest thanks for your passion. I have met most of you and in my wildest dreams I could not have imagined how much of a family we would be able to create. Heck, 2,365,000 unique visitors went to this site in 2012. I never thought it would all get this far and I have you guys to thank for this. I do want to make it clear that David and I (and usually other staff members) have meetings at least weekly. I am still constantly learning, tweaking and helping to guide the editorial of both magazines. We just added a TDI Beetle to our long term fleet and are going to explore alternative energy performance vehicles with this car and the Volt. David and I read every letter to the editor and they go into a file when we plan next year's editorial to ideas can be given serious consideration and use a lot of reader ideas. My wife, my staff and I and now my son, who is obviously a part of the technical story future of this whole thing thank you deeply.

One thing I have to add to this is that I doubt any other magazine owner in the world would sit, have a beer and discuss Edsel wagons with me like you have before. So for that, you'll never hear me complain that you don't know what the readers want.

Swank Force One wrote:

kreb wrote: Not that we're all bitched out and acting civil, could I make a request for a callendar with pictures of real people in and around cars? I'd be happier looking at the picture directly above for a month than the ubiquitous speed shot.

I don't think it's quite as flattering when i'm bent over, sorry.

All cleavage is not created equal.

If it's one thing people know how to do it's how to bitch and complain. I've been reading the magazine for maybe ten years now and not every issue has bowled me over with awesome but most come pretty damn close. When I go to my local magazine rack there's not another magazine that comes close to covering the topics and cars the GRM does. It's the only magazine I feel is worth spending money on. Expressing what you'd like to see more of in the magazine is cool but I think there's a few in this thread that have been out right rude with their comments.

Can't wait for my issues to arrive in the mail and I keep everyone and flip thru them often.

Dan