HMN Classic Car Jumps the Shark

[bryankazmer]

January issue:  No prewar coverage (again).  "Enhancing the Experience" via engine swap, EFI for carb, and 10 other "upgrades."

 

Maybe this will attract enough readers to keep the magazine afloat, but it seems to be walking away from the restoration crowd.

[8E45E]

Appears they are going the way of Cars & Parts/AMOS magazine.

 

Craig

[John_S_in_Penna]

I canceled my subscription about a year ago,

after they reduced the size of the magazine by

about 30%--down, as I recall, from 104 pages 

to 72.  I haven't seen their magazine lately.

 

5 minutes ago, 8E45E said:

Appears they are going the way of Cars & Parts/AMOS magazine.

But it sounds as if they are losing their focus.

That's exactly what Cars & Parts unwisely did,

which essentially killed the magazine.  Here's our

previous detailed conversation on Cars & Parts:

 

 

[plymouthcranbrook]

I have a year to go on my subscription but unless it changes I will not renew. It just seems to have lost whatever it was that drew me to it. And I have been a long term buyer.  I can’t point to any particular thing, maybe it’s partly me as unless one of those biblical miracles occur I suspect my major work time is done.

[richasco]

Hemmings as a whole has lost their way. I used to really enjoy HMN but that has gone down hill. I also used their app for a few years, but that was discontinued. I bought more stuff that I found accidentally at Hershey this year than ever. Maybe we have come full circle, we are back to swap meet finds and local paper classifieds.

[f.f.jones]

I cancelled my longstanding subscription last spring when their page count dropped 25% or more, pre-war car articles became rare, and their own auction ads and articles equaled or exceeded other ads. I think There are good reasons for the changes:  Their historical reader base is thinning out (gray-beards). Those that are left don't do the volume of restoration work that was done in the past (note the number of suppliers and services for the restoration crowd that have disappeared), hence fewer advertisers. Materials, labor, and postage rates have probably increased faster than the number of subscriptions. Younger readers with more disposable income are attracted to "newer" cars and many seem to prefer only the "look" of older vehicles, not the mechanics. Hence "parts swapping". (WE used to call it hot rodding)

Last, this younger crowd (and a lot of us old-timers) are preferring digital media (AACA Forum, etc) to the tlme-honored print media. I think the handwriting is on the wall for most "enthusiast" publications. That's the way I see it.

 

P.S. I don't see Hemming's publications at the grocery store news stand any more.

Edited November 30, 2021 by f.f.jones (see edit history)

[TerryB]

I like reading HCC and have been a subscriber for the past 6 years.  I used to HMN but when I had to sell my cars I cancelled that subscription.  The January 2022 issue just recently showed up and when I saw the amount of modifications to stock it was highlighting I figured this was not going to go over too well.  
 

They do seem to be struggling with content.  Certainly they have to be working with their advertising base to run articles that help sell their products so they can stay in business.  It has to be difficult to keep the balance of interest going over such a wide range of readers.  I’m not much of a digital guy for leisure reading so I hope it hangs on for a while longer.

[CarlLaFong]

In my shop I have every issue of SIA and Hemmings Classic until I let the sub lapse about three years ago because it didn't fit my old car interests. They should change the name to "Used Cars"

[John S.]

When I was at Hershey, I stopped by the Hemmings Booth, and the charming  young lady told me that they were not taking  subscriptions at the show.  The way they are cutting back with pages, It looks like they may be going digital in the near future.

[joe_padavano]

I dropped Hemmings Muscle Machines may years ago when I just got fed up with all the incorrect information about supposedly factory musclecars. They devolved into covering "day two" cars (the euphemism for "modified") and I haven't looked back. I would buy Classic Cars occasionally when I saw an interesting issue on the newstand. It seemed to be a decent and interesting magazine. Unfortunately HMN has blamed COVID for not selling on newsstands anymore, which makes it difficult for a non-subscriber to buy issues. They haven't been at Spring or Fall Carlisle for the last couple of years either, so maybe the handwriting is on the wall.

 

Edited November 30, 2021 by joe_padavano (see edit history)

[Paul Dobbin]

As a Classic Cars subscriber since the beginning, I've been happy with it until last year.   No real antique car stories, just Grocery store parking

lot variety cars.   The Pre WWII stuff is all gone and Brass Cars are no onger covered.   I did sign up for another year, but another renewal is not

looking likely.  I'm even ready for re-run articles with color pictures in place of the B & W ones.  

[JV Puleo]

Ten years ago, when I decided to get back into old cars, one of the first things I did was subscribe to HMN - since, in the past, it had been essential. I was severely disappointed then and haven't looked at it since. I can only imagine how its degenerated. At the time, I was put off by the fact that it was 98% post war...so now it's 100% post war and there isn't a snowball's chance in hell I'll ever go back.

[carbking]

I quit Hemmings when the internet came out and I got my own website. The first decade of my website was cheaper than one month full-page ad in HMN.

 

As for other magazines, too much "revisionist history" and "untech" articles to suit me, I quit them decades ago.

 

If you want to put a Holley 4150 on your 1956 T-Bird, it is your car, and your choice; but I object when you lie to a magazine writer who doesn't know better about the pains you took to keep the car 100 percent original, and the lie is published for future generations.

 

And I well remember a much respected magazine publishing an article that the "hot" modification on a Corvette dual quad set-up was to replace the power piston springs with those from a Paper-Mate ball point pen!

 

Jon.

[TAKerry]

2 hours ago, John S. said:

When I was at Hershey, I stopped by the Hemmings Booth, and the charming  young lady told me that they were not taking  subscriptions at the show.  The way they are cutting back with pages, It looks like they may be going digital in the near future.

Me too. I typically re-up at spring Carlisle, but they were surprisingly absent. I hunted down their tent at Hershey and was told the same. At first I thought she was kidding, when she said no the second time I politely bowed out and spent my money elswhere. 

 

btw, my new issue came in the mail today. Will look it over when I unplug in a few minutes. 

I know I will probably get flamed for this comment but....

As perhaps one of the newer members on this forum I mean no disrespect. But I dont see problems with restomods, upgraded parts etc. I DONT have any cars that fit into that category but I dont mind them either. I appreciate all old cars and to me anything pre 1980 is old! I like to look at, read about and learn about a Pierce Arrow as much as a Chevelle.  I go to my share of old car events during the year and  except AACA events I rarely see  a prewar car. Most of the cars are mid 60's through late 70's. I suppose Hemmings has a broader audience with later model cars at this point.

 

I have said it before and will say again, I enjoy their publications but I agree with the statement about the writing on the wall. I hope not but will be surprised to see it continue in its current form for another year or two.

 

Also, I havent warmed up to the changes with their website yet either.

[36 D2 Coupe]

 Just got the latest issue  😝 In my opinion they will crash and burn. I am NOT interested in restomods or "upgrades" to antique cars. They have completely lost their original focus and I will not be renewing. There are other forums for what they are doing that appeal to the generation that wants to cut up our restored cars and "build" them with 350 Chevy crate engines.  I can get my old car fix right here thank you!

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Dropped Hemmings Classic Cars a while back and this year I let my regular HMN slip, when I reallized I didn't miss it I was going to pass on it.  They got me back with a $20 offer, I guess that is not too bad as I still like to flip through it and cover certain sections.

[keithb7]

I subscribed to Hemm Classic cars. I saw changes that I was not interested in. Foreign imports. Or 80’s cars. Not for me. Oh well maybe other folks are into those cars.  I did not renew. 
 

I seem to get more stimulation and education on specific forums that I frequent often. If I want to read up on a specific model or era of car I can find it pretty quickly here.  Unfortunately printed media seems to have run its course. 

[Jim Bollman]

Yep, add me to the list that is letting their subscription run out, I think in the Spring. I usually renew at Hershey and didn't even stop at the booth. Been a subscriber since issue one of SIA. 

[Tom Boehm]

I'm going to hang onto my subscription for now but I saw the handwriting on the wall when longtime editor Richard Lentinello left a few years back. 

[Terry Bond]

27 minutes ago, Tom Boehm said:

I'm going to hang onto my subscription for now but I saw the handwriting on the wall when longtime editor Richard Lentinello left a few years back. 

Right, that was a tell-tale sign. 

Terry

[Jim Skelly]

I recently emailed the editor of Hemmings Classic Car and Hemmings Muscle Machines, Terry McGean.  I complained about the proliferation of restomods in Muscle Machines and stated that most readers are probably not interested in modified cars.  I also mentioned that I wouldn't be renewing if they don't drastically cut back on these.  That is the type of stuff you'd find in Car Craft and Hot Rod, and Car Craft has been gone since 2019.  They are probably trying to pick up some of those readers.  So Classic Car arrived last week and on the cover is a highly modified '51 Studebaker business coupe, a '79 Thunderbird convertible (okay, maybe on that one), EFI for a Ford Falcon six.  Inside the magazine is a modified rally '71 Volvo, and drum to disc conversion (yes, for safety reasons on some cars).  I got no response from Terry.   

[Billy Kingsley]

I let my subscription run out and didn't renew, it seemed to be the same thing every month. It was also too technical for my taste, for instance I don't care about the gear ratio in some car I'm never even going to sit in let alone own. The design is what matters to me and the actual construction process. 

 

I dropped Hemming muscle machines when they were clueless about the Plymouth Superbird racing in NASCAR. It was created specifically for NASCAR and for them to not know that, and make like it was made for drag racing and anything else was not normal, well, I knew right then and there that there was no real point to reading the articles if there was nothing I could trust. 

 

This forum has replaced Hemmings Classic Car as my go to when I want to read about old cars. But, this is better because I can ask questions and most of the time even get an answer, unlike the one way format of just reading.

 

Currently the only magazine I actually read is Archaeology. I need to resubscribe to a few others but haven't gotten around to it yet. 

[8E45E]

I have now lowered Pat Foster's articles to 'clickbait' status as per his article that was posted here: https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/general-studebaker-specific-discussion/1919875-from-hemmings-what-if-studebaker-s-last-days-took-a-different-path

 

I have found many of his columns and articles to be incomplete, and riddled with errors.  A couple of very knowledgeable Studebaker people have offered to step up to the plate and proof-read his submissions prior to going to print, but has turned them down repeatedly.

 

Craig

Edited December 1, 2021 by 8E45E (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

I think one of the issues Hem. is facing is that they are condensing several publications into one. Whether the classic or muscle car edition.  Trying to please everyone across the board is impossible unless you have a marque specific publication and even then its most likely there wont be enough circulation to keep it afloat i.e. High Performance Pontiac. I could care less about a Hemi cuda or a resto modded mustang. But I read the articles with interest then move on. Equally so I doubt I will ever own a pre war auto but I enjoy reading about them. It broadens my perspective within the antique car hobby.  I dont see a need for a zillion h/p in a 57 chevy but its still an antique car, and if hemmings covers it I will read the article. I find it very interesting to see how different everyone views their antique car. Some of these 'hot rods' or resto mods may have started with nothing more than a rusted bucket full of bolts, not 'worthy' of a full restoration. I have seen cars on here that some people chime right in and say 'parts car'. To me that is blasphemous, but hey to each his own. I have no stake in Hemmings publication, and am a bit disappointed in some of their decisions but will continue with them for at least another year. OK, rant over.

[John_S_in_Penna]

10 hours ago, Jim Skelly said:

I recently emailed the editor of Hemmings Classic Car and Hemmings Muscle Machines, Terry McGean...I got no response from Terry.  

 

When the page count of Hemmings Classic Car 

was cut by 30%, I phoned the office to talk to

editor Terry McGean.  In the past, I've spoken to

Richard Lentinello (and interviewed him), their

former publisher Jim Mennetto, and many other

people in the automotive field.

 

The receptionist at Hemmings didn't even want to

give me McGean's extension number!  I got his 

extension through their automated system, and

left two polite messages.  He never called back.

 

No one should be so busy as to avoid customers!

If he really was so busy, he could have had at least

an associate or a secretary address my concerns.

What arrogance, I thought.  It was only then that I

decided the attitude of the magazine had changed--

and I was GLAD to cancel my subscription.

 

They need to get antique car enthusiasts back in charge.

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

HCC is going the way of so many other initially collector car focused magazines: broadening the subject cars to appeal to a wider audience in hopes of buoying up diminishing subscription numbers.   The most recent issues have been less and less interesting to the point I've decided to let it ride until renewal time while assessing the immediate upcoming issues.   Right now, a subscription renewal seems unlikely.  

 

The monthly arrival of HMN in the mailbox was much anticipated years ago, something to pour over for hours.  Eventually, when it became 90% repeat and 10% new listings, the fun was over and so was the subscription.    

 

If the HCC editor might be eavesdropping, here's some advice: return to the prior format, reduce the useless advertising or parish! 

[8E45E]

7 minutes ago, 58L-Y8 said:

HCC is going the way of so many other initially collector car focused magazines: broadening the subject cars to appeal to a wider audience in hopes of buoying up diminishing subscription numbers.   

That was Cars & Parts/Amos fatal mistake.

 

Craig

[SC38dls]

I’ve said this before so it may be very redundant at this point. The internet has killed their basic business plan as it has done to newspapers. The want ads in newspapers and the sales ads in Hemmings were the cash cow. Cheap, easy, many on a page that had multiple payment life reruns. The advertisements were just the cream on top. With the pandemic those advertisers started drying up. They like every other magazine have had to chase the paying advertisers. As there are more post war than prewar readers that’s where they will see the best income because that’s where the advertisers are. They change or die. I would bet Hemmings will be lucky to have two magazines survive. I base this on the fact my company processed 116 magazines subscription files a month before the pandemic. Today I have 3 left. These three are half the sub base they were prior to the shutdown. The only difference was these were trade journals not consumer pubs so they had a limited sub base and advertiser base. But consider this, the antique car market is also limited in both those areas. Support them if you can, don’t support them if the content is nothing like you want. 
A renewal to a magazine like that may mean you finish your sub with a completely unrelated magazine because they combined files when one closed. Pubs do that to save doing refunds and it is completely legal to do so as they will file chapter for the closing magazine. 
 

By the way I never took bailout money from the govt when my company when basically down the tubes in a month. I believe HCC did get a nice chunk of change. Instead I helped all 42 of my people find jobs similar or better than the position they held in my company.  HCC will not hesitate to make a change as they did with a lot of staff, so I'm not a big fan of theirs. 
dave s 

Edited December 1, 2021 by SC38dls (see edit history)

[joe_padavano]

13 hours ago, TAKerry said:

I know I will probably get flamed for this comment but....

As perhaps one of the newer members on this forum I mean no disrespect. But I dont see problems with restomods, upgraded parts etc.

Nearly every one of my cars has some modification. That isn't the point. The point is that there are a multitude of forums that cover modified cars. There are nearly none that still cover original unmodified cars. HMN Classic Cars used to be one of them. Unfortunately today people who weren't alive when these cars were new don't believe that every musclecar didn't come with top-of-the-line performance and appearance features and every option in the book, since every "restoration" adds all these pieces. History is lost.

[60FlatTop]

A friend of mine subscribes to Hemmings Classic Cars. He gives me his issue when he finishes it. My wife and I both read it and talk about the articles. Then I pass it on to another friend who reads it. I have always loved cars. Walked around new car lots with my Dad, walked around junkyards with friends and alone. and I walk through the grocery store parking lot checking them out after dropping my wife off at the door.

 

I have seen the grocery store parking lot comment on this forum a few times. Those comments take me back to 1959 and 1960 when I first got involved in the hobby. When I read it I think of the rows of Ford Model A's and T's and the sour shriveled up old men standing by them.

 

I came for the cars. And stayed in spite of the people.

[John_S_in_Penna]

15 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

I came for the cars. And stayed in spite of the people.

 

I came for the cars;  and I stayed because of all the good people.

 

There are so many good people in this hobby, and even

the rare one outwardly gruff may have an interesting historical

story to tell.  And as a past regional newsletter editor, I can

affirm that there is a TREMENDOUS amount of history in old

books and magazines that is totally forgotten even by experts today.

 

Any good magazine should have no trouble getting insightful content,

without devolving into modified cars. 

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[a griffin]

This thread, I feel, follows along my theory as to why the hobby is dying. Some do not want to accept change and continues to discount anyone or any company that will include "late model cars" or newer technology.

 

While I agree that you spend your money where you feel welcomed, there seems to be some that have zero interest in allowing a company to sway a little in it's product.

 

While it would be nice to have a publication that focused on factory pre-war cars, or just factory cars for that matter, one has to remember that our wants are in the minority. The pool is quickly drying up as the majority of the people around when these cars were on the road are getting out of the hobby, due mostly to age and health. A company can't succeed on a business plan they followed many years ago. I don't care for it, but that's reality. Look at kodak, they refused to transition and they are now all but gone.

 

In the above responses, there seems to be very few people that voiced their displeasure by trying to contact the company. Maybe if more phoned to express their disappointment, perhaps the magazine would see there is still a following for things other than fuel injection and disc brakes. By not renewing your subscription and not voicing your opinion, what does the magazine have to go on? My thought would be that the customer had probably died, knowing that my demographic was typically and older male.

 

I'm sure the editor would be surprised if he started receiving multiple calls about the lack of stock cars.

[Terry Bond]

Remember what happened when "The NEW Coke" came out? HMN should study some history. Yes, it's a business decision, but good or bad, there are consequences.

Terry

[JV Puleo]

5 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

 

Any good magazine should have no trouble getting insightful content,

without devolving into modified cars. 

 

Surprisingly, it is more difficult than you'd think., at least in so far as my experience with a similar (but not car related) magazine demonstrates. In general, we deal with two types of authors...the enthusiastic amateur who often knows his subject inside and out but has a difficult time telling the story in a coherent fashion. Their usual mistake — and it's almost universal — is to presume the reader knows almost as much as they do, presumably because their friends (who share their interests) do. These articles have to be rewritten and that is both a lot of work and it demands that the person doing the rewriting have extensive knowledge of the subject as well.

 

We also get some articles from "professional writers". These are often sloppy - with poor research, lots of jargon buzz words and, in one case, frequent use of foreign works that the writer, and more important the reader, doesn't  understand. The are often more work than the first type. Ultimately, the success of such a specialized publication depends on the knowledge of the people in charge. If their background is "journalism" — presuming that a journalist can write about anything authoritatively, they are doomed.

[1912Staver]

I am also a former subscriber to both HMN and Hemmings Classic car. I read HMN for decades , but as time wet by I followed it less ond less. Not for lack of interesting cars and parts, but more because anything that interested me was 99.9 % of the time too far away. And coverage of pre 1920 cars seemed to fall off in Classic Cars at least 4 or 5 years ago. So when it was time to renew I let that one drop as well. 

I am still very interested in early North American cars. But for a range of reasons the lions share of my hands on activity is on late 1950's to mid 1970's British cars these days. I think the fact they are very usable cars keeps my engagement up. The early cars are wonderfull artifacts but not very practical around here for use.

[Pfeil]

  Sad to see the end of it. Only subscribed to HCC and let that go about two years ago due to content, misinformation, quality of paper used, inability/refusal of the editor to respond to a question (that started not after, but with Lentinello ).

  Now Hemmings has changed the web site and for the worst.

  My only auto magazine today is Collectible Automobile. Interesting, because yesterday I received the new issue. In the new issue from page 1-48 the original glossy was present, the rest of the magazine the paper was thinner and in a matt finish. I thought to myself, this reminds me of HCC. I fired off an email to John Biel the editor asking what had happened and inquiring about a Datsun 280 Z in the new issue. Within two hours of my email Johns return email was in my inbox. FYI the problem was with the printer and not the magazine.

CA is old and newer cars up to about 25 years old (like AACA), foreign and domestic (like AACA). Also, if you have a comment (constructive/informative) about an article it's usually in the comment section in the next issue. 

[F&J]

1 hour ago, a griffin said:

This thread, I feel, follows along my theory as to why the hobby is dying. Some do not want to accept change

While it would be nice to have a publication that focused on factory pre-war cars, or just factory cars for that matter, one has to remember that our wants are in the minority. . I don't care for it, but that's reality.

Printed media now just costs way too much to produce/deliver, to support any type of dying market or hobby. The media companies simply cannot get enough advertisers dollars or subscribers.  Can we hate on them if they try last ditch efforts to keep publishing print? 

 

We can't bring back the past. The car "hobby" during my long life has continually been changing, and so has the road speed requirements!  During the last 2 decades, I only had 2 friends into stock prewars and neither drove them on the road! One just passed away recently, the other just went to senior housing. 

6 minutes ago, 1912Staver said:

I am still very interested in early North American cars. But for a range of reasons the lions share of my hands on activity is on late 1950's to mid 1970's British cars these days. I think the fact they are very usable cars keeps my engagement up. The early cars are wonderfull artifacts but not very practical around here for use.

^^Finally the same thoughts as I was writing mine; There are no stock prewars on my roads, and almost none at any show near here. There is a noticeable increase in me seeing prewar hotrods on my roads.  At my age 70, with limited sunsets left,  I now see no point in myself owning a car that cannot be driven (and fully enjoyed!) at my local road speed requirements, meaning keeping out of modern texting drivers way.  It's even stressful with my true every day year round primary car, a heavily modified 1932 with it's small signal/brake lights as I try to slow enough to get in my driveway on a 55mph State road.

 

My only other registered vehicle is a 1966 Chevy 4wd "very modernized" pickup (100% stock appearing), that I do feel very safe when pulling in my driveway, as it is so big, and very noticeable to them. I have owned it for 25+ years and it will safely cruise in the interstate high speed lane while towing a loaded car trailer, something that would be physically impossible if totally stock, even in the slow lane!  

 

I sold my 1930 Mopar roadster restorod in 1985 to buy a bone stock 1932 Plymouth cabriolet, but sold it in 1991 as I rarely drove it because it just could not quite stay up to our local road speeds.  I do miss driving a stock early 30s open car so I have 2 project ones left, but both now have better axle ratios if i ever finish either one.

[Richard Lentinello]

As the former editor-in-chief of Hemmings Motor News, when I started Hemmings Classic Car magazine in 2004 our goal was to feature a balanced selection of all types of American collector cars. Pre-war cars played a huge role in the success of HCC, which is why I always made it a point to feature a pre-war automobile in every issue. The current Hemmings management has different views than mine as to what the format of HCC should be. As a result of our different views, in 2019 I left Hemmings and started my own collector-car magazine; it's called Crankshaft. Unlike HCC, each issue of Crankshaft totals 144 pages and features a wide variety of interesting and historic automobiles, both American and foreign, pre-war and post-war. Crankshaft is a high-quality quarterly magazine unlike any other car magazine published before and features in-depth articles, engaging photography and creative layouts. The variety in each issue will amaze you. Best of all, it's written by some of the best writers in the business, including former Hemmings editors David LaChance, Walt Gosden, Milton Stern, Jim Richardson, Jim Donnelly and Pat Foster. Crankshaft Issue #3 is scheduled to be published in mid-January 2022; this issue has been delayed due to a paper shortage, and the time-consuming task of relocating our office to Knoxville, Tennessee. For more info, please visit our website: www.crankshaftmagazine.com.  Thank you!  Richard Lentinello, Publisher.  

[John_S_in_Penna]

20 minutes ago, Richard Lentinello said:

The current Hemmings management has different views than mine as to what the format of HCC should be. 

Are any of the current managers serious antique-car

hobbyists and owners?  Or has American City Business

Journals merely assigned businessmen to set the pace?

 

In an earlier discussion about the fall of Cars and Parts,

one formerly associated with that magazine said the

magazine had become an unappreciated step-child.

The managers weren't car people, and succumbed to

pressure to add modified cars to "broaden" popularity.

Their subscribership, instead, disappeared.

[Richard Lentinello]

Only one manager owns old cars, but most of the editors do. Nuff said.......