May 1953: Rods & Custom magazine is born.
January 2013: R&C begins its 60th anniversary celebration.
Save for a little corporate-forced hiatus back in the ’70s, Rod & Custom has endured hard times, cycled through 11 editors, and has gone from its little pages format to a healthy, fullsize package to its current “trim” size. But above and beyond anything else, R&C’s always remained at the forefront of the hot rod and custom scene as one of the leading hard-core niche market publications.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I’m beyond grateful to have been given the honor of being the editor of THE magazine that got me inspired to become a magazine editor in the first place 20 years ago. Furthermore, having the privilege of doing so at such a pivotal point in R&C’s history—that being its celebratory 60th anniversary—is but even more icing on the cake.
Back when I was just cutting my teeth as a greenhorn at STREET RODDER—back in the good old McMullen & Yee days—Rod & Custom was truly the “competition”. Despite it being the foe, I secretly dreamed of one day working for the Petersen Publishing luminary (actually came real close to jumping ship just prior to the big merge that monopolized the mags and made us all one big family). In my eyes, R&C’s always been “it”, and while I’d have much preferred to begin my tenure, oh, say 10 years ago, I guess better late than never is the appropriate thing to say!
But my contributions are minor, if even worth much mention, when it comes to all the individuals who’ve bled, sweated, and teared over the years doing what they did best (and still do in some cases) in making R&C just that: the best. From Spencer Murray to Gray Baskerville to Pat Ganahl—and everyone in-between—it took the unique talents (and personalities) of all those and more to continually produce the quality publication you all have come to expect. And it’s that high level of quality that I’ve been relinquished the duty of having to meet month in, month out. Not the easiest of responsibilities, but one that’s well worth the blood, sweat, and tears required to do so.
Sixty years is quite a long time, especially for a hobbyist magazine to survive. That aforementioned “holiday” aside, R&C’s longevity is shadowed only by that of its big brother, Hot Rod, which is also celebrating a landmark anniversary this year (65 years and still going strong—happy birthday HRM!).
What does the future hold for us? That’s a question I can only speculate on, especially in this day and age of everything that defies traditional print logic. But the digital enemy doesn’t scare me—never has, and never will. My pride in producing magazines will not falter just because of some silly thing they call the Internet! For as long as they allow, I will continue living out my dream, making the finest hot rod and custom publication that not only I’m capable of doing, but all those who contribute are capable of as well.
My main goal—besides finishing my first hot rod project in 10 years (see page 38 for tales of the Tudor!)—is to see R&C reach the ripe old age of 75. Tall task it is, yes indeed, but definitely an attainable one. And even if not under my control, I still expect to see the magazine celebrate that next milestone.