As you well might imagine, it's an exciting time for us here at R&C. We consider our 50th Anniversary to be quite a milestone, and we're making every effort to appropriately mark its passing and to continue charting its future. It goes without saying that it's an honor to be a part of a publication that has, from day one, served the hobby so well and for so long, and we are extremely grateful for being given the chance to carry on a fine tradition.
Above and beyond our striving to produce an ever-evolving monthly chronicle of the rod and custom world, ROD & CUSTOM magazine and our parent company, Primedia, are embarking on a joint venture with The Rodder's Journal to publish the official 50 Years of ROD & CUSTOM hardbound book. It's going to be a lavish affair with over 200 pages, unlimited color, thick, glossy stock, and world-class reproduction.
Since we're plenty busy here producing our monthly issues of R&C, and we've long been fans of The Rodder's Journal (especially its in-depth history pieces), we thought, what the heck, why not turn them loose in our archives to see what treasures they might find? And, they're, as we speak, doing just that! We're also pleased to announce that Thom Taylor, noted illustrator and automotive author, as well as longtime contributor to both R&C and The Journal, has been contracted to write the text.
Taylor along with The Rodder's Journal staff are busy scouring our archives for little-known R&C trivia and un-published photos in their quest to showcase our history. The cover of every R&C, from day one, is shown for reference, and there are lots of previously unpublished photos. The book shows all of the best rods and customs from our 50-year history and gives an insider's view of our storied past, as well. For instance, did you know that in one particular year we published 13 issues? The 50 Years of ROD & CUSTOM will tell you when and explain why.
The history of ROD & CUSTOM is the history of hot rodding, minus the Camaros, and is elegantly displayed in this new hardbound edition.
We'll have more information next issue, but the book will be released in May 2003, just in time for our anniversary celebration.
The R&C 50th Anniversary book is a must for both neophyte rodders wanting to gain a little historical perspective as well as the avid collector who already has every issue in his library. And meanwhile, we'll be hard at work producing the fodder for our next joint venture-The Second 50 Years of ROD & CUSTOM!