[Terry Bond]

Ah Memories-started with C&P, Spoke Wheels and HMN in the 60s. They kept me going while in US Navy basic training. My new bride would circle all the good Model A parts ads before sending them along. We enjoyed them while stationed overseas, although they came too slowly to get any bargains out of the classified ads. Several issues even arrived with the guys in the post office having circled (or clipped out) interesting advertisements. I've still got a lot of those early issues up in the barn somewhere. Like a lot of you, there reached a point where there was a noticable change and some of the "canned" articles began including less authoritative info. I recall one issue where someone did a story about a brass era car and didn't know the difference between brass and brass plating, carbide and oil lamps, etc. At that point, C&P became the one we could give up when the budget got tight. I too believe that printed media is a tough business to be in. Just learned this week that a large paper mill near us will be closing. Newspapers are getting smaller too. Think I'll go out in the barn tonight, sit on the running board on the '14T, open a beer and read some of those old hip-pocket HMNs for old times sake. Might even try to find some of those old bumper stickers C&P used to give out at Hershey.
Happy motoring - and memories.
Terry

[keiser31]

Out of all of the magazines I have purchased in search of information about old cars in general, Cars & Parts issues are the ones I have saved. I think that almost every issue has a technique or pointer of some sort that will help me with the restoration or upkeep of my cars. I have always thought that most of the photos are clear and tell the story about what you are looking at. They FINALLY came out with an article about a 1931 Dodge Brothers coupe similar to my own cars and I was elated! It was even on the cover!! I was in heaven. I like the magazine and will probably follow it's course online. Just my two cents....or less.

[poci1957]

I will try following it online, although it will be different for me as I also am one to save magazines forever.

[Steve Moskowitz]

Our own West Peterson (AACA Members) was once the editor at C & P. Remember West's post said it was a rumor. Not a fact! I still read C & P and our library still subscribes to the magazine.

Bob Stevens is absolutely a class guy who has done a lot for the hobby and hobbyists. He is a friend to all of us and deeply cares about the hobby. Every editor works for the publisher and sometimes has to deal with the parameters given. If you do not like the product it is not necessarily the editor's fault. No wisecracks West!

[Hinckley]

As a kid we always had old cars as transportation. However, this is not what led to my fascination with automotive history.
That began with boredom and curiosity about my grandfather who passed away shortly before I was born. He was in his early sixties when my dad was born in 1928.
I was sixteeen and we had relocated to my dad's hometown, Jackson in Michigan. The family homestead is on Hinckley Blvd. and for as long as I could remember there was a picture of my grandfather on the porch with Henry Ford that sat on the mantle.
I began haunting the basement archives at the library and discovered my grandfather was a prolific inventor. I also learned that counted among his contacts were David Buick and Benjamin Briscoe.
Fast forward a few years. The fascination with automotive history becomes more of a hobby as making a living became a priority.
My wife has been supportive of my addiction for all things automotive from our first dates. One our first date in 1982 I picked her up in my 1946 GMC, my daily driver at the time. Often we double dated in a 1926 Ford. She never winced or complained.
A week after we were married she brought home my first copy of Cars & Parts. Shortly after this, in an odd twist of events that is still unfolding, Bob Stevens came to Kingman to deliver a Corvette won by a Kingman man.
As it turns out the winner was the gentlemen who had purchased my 1942 Chevrolet truck. I was supposed to be a Doyle's house for the unloading but a last minute issue at work prevented that.
Well, long story short, as our budget allowed I picked up news stand copies of Cars & Parts and read my step fathers issues of Special Interest Autos. I was also filling the closets with all kinds of vintage literature, manuals, and books garnered from yard sales as well as trash cans.
It should be noted I am not the average car guy. I am deeply fascinated with all thigs automotive, have always owned something "old" as a driver, but I am mechanically inept. I can picture perfectly what needs to be done but when I go to apply that knowledge it is as though my fingers are tied together.
Still, I wade through tune ups and have rebuilt an engine or two. To a large degree I live vicariously through the automotive endeavors of others.
So, writing was a natural for me. My wife's gentle nudging was the catalyst that resulted in my first published piece, a feature on a very unique wrecking yard for Special Interest Autos.
Well, I dreamed of doing this for a living but so far it is the day job that keeps beans on the table. Still, these endeavors have been most enjoyable.
I have met some very fascinating people, received checks for sharing my fascination with automotive history, and been afforded the luxury of experiencing automobiles that are way beyond my budget.
Of the material published - more than one thousand feature articles and five books - it is my stint with Cars & Parts that has been the most rewarding. Through my monthly column, The Independent Thinker, I am able to give forgotten automotive pioneers a few minuters of fame.

[Jrope]

Actually, I think "Miss Vicky" was a 1955 Crown Victoria.

[Jrope]

I would like to add that I have been a subscriber to C&P since the seventies. I had threatend to cancel my subscription when they started to do "Resto-Rods" with major modifications. For awhile, they were doing a series of articles on mods that were performed on a '51 Ford, similar to my 60,000 mile original car. As I don't personally agree with this concept, I believe that there must still be a lot of original or properly restored cars left that would be deserving of feature articles. You can add me to the list of Hemmings Classic Car readers who think that HCC is the best old car mag going. -John Ropelewski, Erie Pa

[rick60]

I was also a C&P subscriber since the '70s. I enjoyed the magazine, especially articles by Bob Stevens. I noticed that I was not receiving all issues. I was paying for twelve but receiving ten issues. When I contacted their subscription office I was reprimanded for not understanding the cover date (news stand) versus the actual date. I decided to cancel my subscription when the woman started to yell at me. She could not understand that I was short two issues. I'm sure that I was short two issues. I was able to do the math without removing my shoes!

[Steve_Mack_CT]

I still have my back issues from mid 70s to mid 90s. Don't recall anything on resto-mods but that only confirms a good choice to say goodbye when I did. When I dropped some others had written in to complain about the changing focus and were basically told in the printed reply, "too bad, from our surveys this is the content our readers want" That is when I dropped it. I would have to say the AACA mag. is perfect in terms of content and quality for me.

[poci1957]

I really like Hemmings Classic Car (and also their previous Special Interest Autos).

My VERY favorite is Collectable Automobile, very pricy for a magazine but consistently great for 25 years. However, I am having the same problem as Rick60 with the short subscription. We got a discount coupon with our AACA membership (HELLO ANYONE WHO CAN HELP?!?) and after 20 years subscribing I used it and they are shorting me 2 issues just like Rick and C & P. I called and they said they would fix it but did not. I am very unhappy about this, but the magazine content is great every time.