My site has been going for 7.5 months I have reviewed 369 magazines and added the sumarised contents to the Web site. In addition I added 40-50 magazines of mainly those of to the much bigger archive which is off line currently on over 350 Excel Spreadsheets and 35 searchable fields. In the course of the period the sites been live I have answered many queries to help car enthusists find information on their car or a car they are about to buy not just here In New Zealand but also those from overseas...However
Not all have I managed to answer and this blog will serve as an ideal temporarly forum until I get a forum produced on the my main web site
MYSTERIES
4 queries come to mind 2 are from New Zealanders and 2 from overseas 1 of those I had approached myself off the British pre-war web site which is the partner to the excellent Vintage Magazine The Automobile. -In this instance I had to admit I had bitten off more then I could chew in that this car was a 'bitsa' made up of a Griur chassis; Fiat mechanicals and what looked to me like a MORETTI 750GS Spyder body of the mid 50s or was it a something like ever rarer company an ERMINI ( I ) which was around in the period 1950-1954/1956 I had to admit I am stumped as present owner believed car was a x Italian race car that raced in Europe and was later raced by number of Americans in the 1950s called MacArthur -Present owner is anxious to find what it really is as he wishes to do a professional restoration on it -
More... soon
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Any website business or service with no contact details is going to lose in the long run !
Ahhh.... Its late I had ment to write a blogg weekly but this stupid idiot- MYSELF forgot his password and user details and I have had a devil of a job trying to get it from blogger! -
For many weeks I pretty much gave up as I could never get an answer as reply from Blogger. Blogger kept sending me an email with link to a highway to never..never land! Ie looping me to hoop after hoop to type a phrase but there was still no password - thank goodness tucked away in far box in one of my many boxes of magazines that surround my feet still to be added to my car magazine index was scrap of paper with the details and here I stand before you...
There is something to be said with regard to automatic replies they do not work. people like to feel they are important and that there is a human being at the end of the line
There are many instances of big companies that dominate the internet - I Found this again with personal experience with other large predomiately US Corporations E-Bay, Pay Pal, Gateway all come to mind at different times.
Frankly those that have automatic repies have lost me as a customer.
In my capacity as a reviewer of car magazines both current and those of past its important to be in contact with the publishers and the publishers should be in contact with public - its called feedback and it should be is two directions not one way in favour of the magazine we want your money and we also want you to buy something from our advertisers who support us!
A disturbing trend I starting to see with the Car magazines as many seek to upgrade their sites they have the Bells and whistles but they lack something (Where the F is your contact details?) a case in point and in my opinion the market leader for inovation and the first car magazine to be on the web is the little known South African 'Car Today' is good example see www.cartoday.com
When a business first starts up the web site is still pretty basic with few pages - more functional then beauty. These sites in an early stage are called Infotmation Pages at Stage 1 but even these have contact details!!!
I chatted to a local Kiwi Publisher that produces Automotive magazines when asked them Why they do not have a section for letters to the Editor (After all it is Reader feedback)
This is this response
"We don't deal with the public
"It uses up too much editorial time"
Do you really want to buy magazines from these Guys? Is this unique to those of us who live down under or is it a worrying trend
Your comments
For many weeks I pretty much gave up as I could never get an answer as reply from Blogger. Blogger kept sending me an email with link to a highway to never..never land! Ie looping me to hoop after hoop to type a phrase but there was still no password - thank goodness tucked away in far box in one of my many boxes of magazines that surround my feet still to be added to my car magazine index was scrap of paper with the details and here I stand before you...
There is something to be said with regard to automatic replies they do not work. people like to feel they are important and that there is a human being at the end of the line
There are many instances of big companies that dominate the internet - I Found this again with personal experience with other large predomiately US Corporations E-Bay, Pay Pal, Gateway all come to mind at different times.
Frankly those that have automatic repies have lost me as a customer.
In my capacity as a reviewer of car magazines both current and those of past its important to be in contact with the publishers and the publishers should be in contact with public - its called feedback and it should be is two directions not one way in favour of the magazine we want your money and we also want you to buy something from our advertisers who support us!
A disturbing trend I starting to see with the Car magazines as many seek to upgrade their sites they have the Bells and whistles but they lack something (Where the F is your contact details?) a case in point and in my opinion the market leader for inovation and the first car magazine to be on the web is the little known South African 'Car Today' is good example see www.cartoday.com
When a business first starts up the web site is still pretty basic with few pages - more functional then beauty. These sites in an early stage are called Infotmation Pages at Stage 1 but even these have contact details!!!
I chatted to a local Kiwi Publisher that produces Automotive magazines when asked them Why they do not have a section for letters to the Editor (After all it is Reader feedback)
This is this response
"We don't deal with the public
"It uses up too much editorial time"
Do you really want to buy magazines from these Guys? Is this unique to those of us who live down under or is it a worrying trend
Your comments
Monday, June 4, 2007
Obscure Italian Makers & Models - Lombardi -OTAS 850s-1300Abarth
Before I begin I am going to put a disclaimer:
I do not regard myself as an expert in any particular marque what I am trying to do is provide references for cars where there is either little in the way of information or some confusion regarding their orgins and history
My Ultimate gaol is help people get information - a lot of people on my web site have not used the search off line enquiry email - and I regularly see this when I lookup to see what subjects of inquiry punters are looking for.
The main emphasis of the site may appear to be the new magazines reviews to bring the punters in but this was not main intention ultimately its to get the 34 years of indexing on line but alas one is not made of the folding stuff....!
we Digress LOL...
Subject -The First Challenge
Lombardi GP -Otas 850S -1300 Abarth
This is a good one to choose as there is a lot of confusion on this car (I'm confused myself!) -This car was sold in different markets under a variety of names, Engines were Fiat based and it was built around Fiat 850 mechanical's some even had the bigger more powerful Abarth 1300cc engines and these are highly prized There is even a few were believed to have been sold in the UK powered by a Hillman Imp engine and these have since been powered by a Fiat version
2 Racing versions by Abarth and sold as 1300R were also produced
Another area on confusion is how many were Right Hand Drive - Some experts have said 2 some 6 but How do you account for the batch that were sent to Australia in 1971 and South Africa and these are Right Hand Drive Markets. In the case of Australia its is illegal to drive a new car in Australia that is Left hand Drive when it is new and one of these came up for sale in Unique Cars Australia recently, so there are survivors!
First of all Who were Lombardi?
Lombardi was small Italian coach-building company that begin around late 1949 (if you know different email me) One of their first designs was Debuted at Geneva Show in 1950 this been
a Fiat 1400 1950 2 door but a full 6 seater and it is mentioned in report on the show on 24th March 1950 Autocar (GB) Page 336 Vol 95 Issue # 2839.
Lombardi in the late 19 50s did design on Fiat 600 and made it into a 4 door sedan in 1957 there is photo as part of a report on Turin Show as 20th March 1957 The Motor (GB) Page 216 - They also in 1950s produced many Lancia Limousines for the Italian Government
Lombardi in the 50s had a business customising existing cars production cars and a feature was done by Gordon Wilkins in 1959 with the Subject Alfa Romeo Giulietta 4 door Ti by Lombardi this car shown had a longer boot; part of a feature on after market coach builders see June 1959 Wheels (Aus) V12 #1 Page 38
in 1960s they did the coach building of Fiat 2300 Long wheel base made for President Tito in Yugoslavia in 1966 as this car turned up for sale in France on see December 2000 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars Page 91 Issue #327
However there most successful car was Lombardi GP 850s
Lombardi OTAS GP 850S
This car first debuted and displayed at Geneva Show in 1968 see 21st March 1968 Autocar Page 54 Volume 128 Issue # 3762 for a photo as part of a report on the event
History of the Car Development References
I found little from magazines on this particular car - the only two I know as this stage was brief history on OTAS given in June 2001 Auto Italia (GB) on Page 63-64 Issue #58 as part of a feature on an Abarth example Taking part at the FESTIVAL STORICO DELLA VELOCITA Monza 2001 historic race part of a report by Peter Collins
Sept 1983 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars Page 98+ looking at one of few RHD British cars (Not reviewed by me)
(as I Still wading through a great deal of magazines as we speak.... they could be more in my piles...)
There may be others but more then likely in Italian....
Where were cars sold outside Italy?
In Europe in general particularly Belgium as there appears to be a big Abarth following there, In Germany and there may have even been sold in Cyprus as one turned up in a poor state there in 1998
Outside Europe - There was the all important market of the USA
They were sold in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia
What were they sold as?
In Europe as the Lombardi Grand Prix Coupe
In South Africa in two names as the Fiat 125 OTS Scorpion and Fiat 125 OTS Scorpion S for the bigger Abarth 1.3S
In the United Kingdom Lombardi Grand Prix 850S
In the US as Fiat 820 Grand Prix and by an account of x US dealer in a letter with following information: -Automobiles of Italy in Tulsa;Oklahoma who had 2 in his showroom 1970;standard car was called a Tugre also had a prototype Targa top version of the Abarth car that was later rolled;Scrapped?;Source Anatoly Arutinoff see April 1991 Classic & Sportscar (GB) Page 24 Volume 10 Issue #1
Right Hand Drive Models (abrev . RHD)
These Appear to have been sold in United Kingdom, Australia & South Africa
First a Look at the British ones -
One was featured as press photo in Autocar which strangely had no supporting information this one of the unique to Britain Hillman Imp engines models that was proposed it was a full A4 Colour photo of one in Left hand drive Orange with black interior see 20 March 1969 Autocar (GB) Page 45 Volume 130 Issue #3814 although a proper preview was done earlier looking at the car at variety of angles on 3rd October 1968 Autocar Page 16 Volume 129 Issue 3790 and the UK main distributor was given as a Greek living in Britain called F Demetriou Group Queensway London -it was believed 6 were sold as Right Hand Drive
One of the 6 turned up for sale in 1983 in poor tatty condition see November 1983 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (GB) Page 103
a Former owner of one of these was a letter by Tony Higginbottom wrote in about owning one; photo included see April-May 1981 Alternative Cars (GB) Page 6
and one RHD was featured (with some history given but I have not previewed this issue) see September 1983 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (GB) Page 98+
Although in 1977 the figure 6 in UK could be disputed (they might not all be RHD) 15 was given by a seller selling a 1970 model see October 1977 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (GB) Page 58
That there were Left hand drive models in the UK is confirmed as barn find discovered in 1990
by Philip Blake of East Anglia car that was first reg UK 1971 but is older x Europe -LHD -is a Abarth or a Grand Prix - but fitted with non original engine Fiat/Seat Unit 1100cc see December 1990 Classic & Sportscars Page 29 Volume 9 Issue #10
The Australian Ones
In the course of my reviewing and indexing I have not found any information on these cars I did remember seeing an Advert for few been available by the sole distributor in Australia around April 1971 Wheels issue but for some reason I did not record the 1/2 A4 black & white advert!
The Question is how many were sold in Australia?
A Figure was 20 was quoted by a seller selling one see March 1995 Australian Classic Car Page 134 Issue #20 car had Australia Registration plate PT-450
Although in 2001 6 Right Hand Drive was quoted as one turned up for sale asking 14950 pounds in restored condition model given as a 850 Sport ; with the tel 00618 86786874
The South African ones
I have seen no information on these cars apart from references to the cars been tested new
Road Tests / Driving Impressions -
Who Road Tested Them (English Speaking Road Tests)
South Africa
FIAT 125 OTAS SCORPION AUG69 CAR TODAY (ZA) (not reviewed by me)
FIAT 125 OTAS SCORPION S NOV70 CAR TODAY (ZA) (not reviewed by me)
now in 2003 Car Today were selling reprinted Tests for a few Rand and this was link to connect now since not valid.
www.cartoday.com/carmag/content/carmag06.shtml
In 2006-2007 I tried in vain 6-7 times to contact the magazine for the updated link but they were not replying ( pity their site is market leader on the Internet and they were the first Car magazine to be featured on the web but their contact details is poor! (So if there are any South Africans out there we need your help...)
United States of America
Fiat 820 Grand Prix fitted with 817cc 4spm Driving Impression
Feb 1971 Sportscar Graphic Page 26-29 Volume 11 Issue #2
Are there any others?
Non English Road Test (Again not reviewed by me)
Lombardi Grand Prix Abarth 1970 1970 Auto Motor und Sport #22 in German
Are there any more : email me julian.walls@xtra.co.nz
Cheers Julian
to be continued.....
I do not regard myself as an expert in any particular marque what I am trying to do is provide references for cars where there is either little in the way of information or some confusion regarding their orgins and history
My Ultimate gaol is help people get information - a lot of people on my web site have not used the search off line enquiry email - and I regularly see this when I lookup to see what subjects of inquiry punters are looking for.
The main emphasis of the site may appear to be the new magazines reviews to bring the punters in but this was not main intention ultimately its to get the 34 years of indexing on line but alas one is not made of the folding stuff....!
we Digress LOL...
Subject -The First Challenge
Lombardi GP -Otas 850S -1300 Abarth
This is a good one to choose as there is a lot of confusion on this car (I'm confused myself!) -This car was sold in different markets under a variety of names, Engines were Fiat based and it was built around Fiat 850 mechanical's some even had the bigger more powerful Abarth 1300cc engines and these are highly prized There is even a few were believed to have been sold in the UK powered by a Hillman Imp engine and these have since been powered by a Fiat version
2 Racing versions by Abarth and sold as 1300R were also produced
Another area on confusion is how many were Right Hand Drive - Some experts have said 2 some 6 but How do you account for the batch that were sent to Australia in 1971 and South Africa and these are Right Hand Drive Markets. In the case of Australia its is illegal to drive a new car in Australia that is Left hand Drive when it is new and one of these came up for sale in Unique Cars Australia recently, so there are survivors!
First of all Who were Lombardi?
Lombardi was small Italian coach-building company that begin around late 1949 (if you know different email me) One of their first designs was Debuted at Geneva Show in 1950 this been
a Fiat 1400 1950 2 door but a full 6 seater and it is mentioned in report on the show on 24th March 1950 Autocar (GB) Page 336 Vol 95 Issue # 2839.
Lombardi in the late 19 50s did design on Fiat 600 and made it into a 4 door sedan in 1957 there is photo as part of a report on Turin Show as 20th March 1957 The Motor (GB) Page 216 - They also in 1950s produced many Lancia Limousines for the Italian Government
Lombardi in the 50s had a business customising existing cars production cars and a feature was done by Gordon Wilkins in 1959 with the Subject Alfa Romeo Giulietta 4 door Ti by Lombardi this car shown had a longer boot; part of a feature on after market coach builders see June 1959 Wheels (Aus) V12 #1 Page 38
in 1960s they did the coach building of Fiat 2300 Long wheel base made for President Tito in Yugoslavia in 1966 as this car turned up for sale in France on see December 2000 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars Page 91 Issue #327
However there most successful car was Lombardi GP 850s
Lombardi OTAS GP 850S
This car first debuted and displayed at Geneva Show in 1968 see 21st March 1968 Autocar Page 54 Volume 128 Issue # 3762 for a photo as part of a report on the event
History of the Car Development References
I found little from magazines on this particular car - the only two I know as this stage was brief history on OTAS given in June 2001 Auto Italia (GB) on Page 63-64 Issue #58 as part of a feature on an Abarth example Taking part at the FESTIVAL STORICO DELLA VELOCITA Monza 2001 historic race part of a report by Peter Collins
Sept 1983 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars Page 98+ looking at one of few RHD British cars (Not reviewed by me)
(as I Still wading through a great deal of magazines as we speak.... they could be more in my piles...)
There may be others but more then likely in Italian....
Where were cars sold outside Italy?
In Europe in general particularly Belgium as there appears to be a big Abarth following there, In Germany and there may have even been sold in Cyprus as one turned up in a poor state there in 1998
Outside Europe - There was the all important market of the USA
They were sold in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia
What were they sold as?
In Europe as the Lombardi Grand Prix Coupe
In South Africa in two names as the Fiat 125 OTS Scorpion and Fiat 125 OTS Scorpion S for the bigger Abarth 1.3S
In the United Kingdom Lombardi Grand Prix 850S
In the US as Fiat 820 Grand Prix and by an account of x US dealer in a letter with following information: -Automobiles of Italy in Tulsa;Oklahoma who had 2 in his showroom 1970;standard car was called a Tugre also had a prototype Targa top version of the Abarth car that was later rolled;Scrapped?;Source Anatoly Arutinoff see April 1991 Classic & Sportscar (GB) Page 24 Volume 10 Issue #1
Right Hand Drive Models (abrev . RHD)
These Appear to have been sold in United Kingdom, Australia & South Africa
First a Look at the British ones -
One was featured as press photo in Autocar which strangely had no supporting information this one of the unique to Britain Hillman Imp engines models that was proposed it was a full A4 Colour photo of one in Left hand drive Orange with black interior see 20 March 1969 Autocar (GB) Page 45 Volume 130 Issue #3814 although a proper preview was done earlier looking at the car at variety of angles on 3rd October 1968 Autocar Page 16 Volume 129 Issue 3790 and the UK main distributor was given as a Greek living in Britain called F Demetriou Group Queensway London -it was believed 6 were sold as Right Hand Drive
One of the 6 turned up for sale in 1983 in poor tatty condition see November 1983 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (GB) Page 103
a Former owner of one of these was a letter by Tony Higginbottom wrote in about owning one; photo included see April-May 1981 Alternative Cars (GB) Page 6
and one RHD was featured (with some history given but I have not previewed this issue) see September 1983 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (GB) Page 98+
Although in 1977 the figure 6 in UK could be disputed (they might not all be RHD) 15 was given by a seller selling a 1970 model see October 1977 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (GB) Page 58
That there were Left hand drive models in the UK is confirmed as barn find discovered in 1990
by Philip Blake of East Anglia car that was first reg UK 1971 but is older x Europe -LHD -is a Abarth or a Grand Prix - but fitted with non original engine Fiat/Seat Unit 1100cc see December 1990 Classic & Sportscars Page 29 Volume 9 Issue #10
The Australian Ones
In the course of my reviewing and indexing I have not found any information on these cars I did remember seeing an Advert for few been available by the sole distributor in Australia around April 1971 Wheels issue but for some reason I did not record the 1/2 A4 black & white advert!
The Question is how many were sold in Australia?
A Figure was 20 was quoted by a seller selling one see March 1995 Australian Classic Car Page 134 Issue #20 car had Australia Registration plate PT-450
Although in 2001 6 Right Hand Drive was quoted as one turned up for sale asking 14950 pounds in restored condition model given as a 850 Sport ; with the tel 00618 86786874
The South African ones
I have seen no information on these cars apart from references to the cars been tested new
Road Tests / Driving Impressions -
Who Road Tested Them (English Speaking Road Tests)
South Africa
FIAT 125 OTAS SCORPION AUG69 CAR TODAY (ZA) (not reviewed by me)
FIAT 125 OTAS SCORPION S NOV70 CAR TODAY (ZA) (not reviewed by me)
now in 2003 Car Today were selling reprinted Tests for a few Rand and this was link to connect now since not valid.
www.cartoday.com/carmag/content/carmag06.shtml
In 2006-2007 I tried in vain 6-7 times to contact the magazine for the updated link but they were not replying ( pity their site is market leader on the Internet and they were the first Car magazine to be featured on the web but their contact details is poor! (So if there are any South Africans out there we need your help...)
United States of America
Fiat 820 Grand Prix fitted with 817cc 4spm Driving Impression
Feb 1971 Sportscar Graphic Page 26-29 Volume 11 Issue #2
Are there any others?
Non English Road Test (Again not reviewed by me)
Lombardi Grand Prix Abarth 1970 1970 Auto Motor und Sport #22 in German
Are there any more : email me julian.walls@xtra.co.nz
Cheers Julian
to be continued.....
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Introduction
Where to Begin that always a difficult question ....relates to 2 points
What is carmagreviews?
What Gaol am I hopping to achieve?
What is carmagreviews?
What you are looking at is a world first (that's no bull shit ... I challenge you to look around...) I am a kiwi who has reviewed Automotive or car magazine contents of most of 'main established' car magazines in the English speaking world (I would love get some German & French but my year 10 language skills are pretty poor) this has been a massive job.
Because I review the car mags hence my name carmagreviews
Magazines reviewed is on going see List that I will create *
Currently I am wading through in depth Auto Italia magazines 1999-present lent to me by David Brise of Fiat Club Wellington New Zealand
This Job and project as been a 'labour of love' I started this at 12 in an old exercise book (I am now 45) then the database was converted into Lotus 1-2-3 and finally into update versions of Excel - Currently Database stands at 300+ Spreadsheets each with 5000 lines of text and more and 35 fields. I have covered 60 years of 50 different publications from publication date 1947 to present!
I covered not only car magazines but Heavy truck & van. New developments include Hot Rods, motorbikes, Military vehicles and even farm tractors!!
I covered almost everything noted, these include tests, previews, driving impressions, buying articles, book reviews, letters to the editor, barn finds even rare cars that come up for sale like the one below where learned historians like Michael Worthington-Williams have never mentioned:
1952 an ATLANTA 4 door DHC Coupe 12 cylinder 1945 recorded in a classified on 18th January 1952 Auto Car (GB) Page 44 in supplement area Volume 97 Issue # 2929 for sale by a private seller for 900 pounds sterling telephone in the UK old phone number 60 9299 (I never knew they made any post war.....
I got a professional web design consultancy to build me a professional site (I have sunk my life savings into ...) this site reviews in depth automotive magazines over last 2 years (2006-2007) which is fully search-able on http://www.carmagreviews.co.nz/ if there are inquiries prior to 2006 send me an email and i will give you some references julian.walls@xtra.co.nz
In timeI hope to host the old database and it will be fully searchable but this will cost me tens of thousands and use up 1 gb to host!
Note I tell you the references I do not give you the copy as I respect copyright - For Kiwis and hopefully in time Australia I can direct you which library has the magazine with the relevant article (If librarians from other countries are reading this please email me your holding of magazines...and I will update the site information.)
In reviewing the contents of car magazines I believe I am well versed to comment on the magazines themselves and note I am impartial and not connected with any magazine or publisher (To Read about me go to 'about' section on my web site)
The number of magazines to review by1 man is almost an impossible task I probaby reviewed well over 20,000 in last 34 years as I am adding 2 new magazines to the website and 3 magazines to offline database per day!
in 1950s there were very few magazines probably around 20, by today there are 500 plus
of which I review around 35 regularly!
Today's times there are more specialised magazines either on country of origin like Auto Italia, Australian Muscle Cars or specialised on a marque, Mini World, Fast Fords, Land Rover International so I tend to be choosy what I review.
In today's environment The publishing world has changed very few magazines are produced by independents. Most are run by big media companies where accountants are making decisions on what story to run with less control by editors. Big companies like Emap, Fairfax, Petersen Publishing, Chevron, Channel 9, Hemmings these are more production run publications.
But smaller companies who hold out here -Straight Eight Publishing, Kelsey Group and Parkside Media more still concerned at grass root levels ...
I seeing more younger people managing the magazines which although a good thing in that they are in tune with target audience of a younger generation most lack the knowledge base of the old, are totally up themselves and can not distinush between an advertorial and a non advertorial in their writing
Layouts have changed to more glossy formats with litte content bites that suggest its readers have a low concentration level or suffer ADD like the viewers who watch the E Channel!
Many are coming more lifestyle based and read like a copy of M2, FHM without the babes (What are we all 15?)
Proof reading is very poor despite many publishing groups having large teams of people who are employed to do just that. One British Classic magazine is frankly an embarrisment to Classic Car movement despite its strong selling ability that in its barn find page in terms of cars identification is regularly wrong - Each Month in its xspotters corner readers have to correct its writers. Recent embarassments have been They could not tell the difference between a Ford Zephyr Mk2 xand a MG Magnette Farnia or Difference between a Jaguar Mk2 and Armstrong Siddeney 234
The main danger in today's features is same material is been reproduced in different magazines and photographed by same out fit like LAT.
A lot of car magazines have been lying to us for years- about cars they have tested
'We Tested this Lamborghini' where is reality is Lamborghini test driver took it out and 'we' sat in the passager seat or tested by someone else but we claimed credit for it!
Examples
See my next post where I start a discussion in publishing cars where there is little information....
What is carmagreviews?
What Gaol am I hopping to achieve?
What is carmagreviews?
What you are looking at is a world first (that's no bull shit ... I challenge you to look around...) I am a kiwi who has reviewed Automotive or car magazine contents of most of 'main established' car magazines in the English speaking world (I would love get some German & French but my year 10 language skills are pretty poor) this has been a massive job.
Because I review the car mags hence my name carmagreviews
Magazines reviewed is on going see List that I will create *
Currently I am wading through in depth Auto Italia magazines 1999-present lent to me by David Brise of Fiat Club Wellington New Zealand
This Job and project as been a 'labour of love' I started this at 12 in an old exercise book (I am now 45) then the database was converted into Lotus 1-2-3 and finally into update versions of Excel - Currently Database stands at 300+ Spreadsheets each with 5000 lines of text and more and 35 fields. I have covered 60 years of 50 different publications from publication date 1947 to present!
I covered not only car magazines but Heavy truck & van. New developments include Hot Rods, motorbikes, Military vehicles and even farm tractors!!
I covered almost everything noted, these include tests, previews, driving impressions, buying articles, book reviews, letters to the editor, barn finds even rare cars that come up for sale like the one below where learned historians like Michael Worthington-Williams have never mentioned:
1952 an ATLANTA 4 door DHC Coupe 12 cylinder 1945 recorded in a classified on 18th January 1952 Auto Car (GB) Page 44 in supplement area Volume 97 Issue # 2929 for sale by a private seller for 900 pounds sterling telephone in the UK old phone number 60 9299 (I never knew they made any post war.....
I got a professional web design consultancy to build me a professional site (I have sunk my life savings into ...) this site reviews in depth automotive magazines over last 2 years (2006-2007) which is fully search-able on http://www.carmagreviews.co.nz/ if there are inquiries prior to 2006 send me an email and i will give you some references julian.walls@xtra.co.nz
In timeI hope to host the old database and it will be fully searchable but this will cost me tens of thousands and use up 1 gb to host!
Note I tell you the references I do not give you the copy as I respect copyright - For Kiwis and hopefully in time Australia I can direct you which library has the magazine with the relevant article (If librarians from other countries are reading this please email me your holding of magazines...and I will update the site information.)
In reviewing the contents of car magazines I believe I am well versed to comment on the magazines themselves and note I am impartial and not connected with any magazine or publisher (To Read about me go to 'about' section on my web site)
The number of magazines to review by1 man is almost an impossible task I probaby reviewed well over 20,000 in last 34 years as I am adding 2 new magazines to the website and 3 magazines to offline database per day!
in 1950s there were very few magazines probably around 20, by today there are 500 plus
of which I review around 35 regularly!
Today's times there are more specialised magazines either on country of origin like Auto Italia, Australian Muscle Cars or specialised on a marque, Mini World, Fast Fords, Land Rover International so I tend to be choosy what I review.
In today's environment The publishing world has changed very few magazines are produced by independents. Most are run by big media companies where accountants are making decisions on what story to run with less control by editors. Big companies like Emap, Fairfax, Petersen Publishing, Chevron, Channel 9, Hemmings these are more production run publications.
But smaller companies who hold out here -Straight Eight Publishing, Kelsey Group and Parkside Media more still concerned at grass root levels ...
I seeing more younger people managing the magazines which although a good thing in that they are in tune with target audience of a younger generation most lack the knowledge base of the old, are totally up themselves and can not distinush between an advertorial and a non advertorial in their writing
Layouts have changed to more glossy formats with litte content bites that suggest its readers have a low concentration level or suffer ADD like the viewers who watch the E Channel!
Many are coming more lifestyle based and read like a copy of M2, FHM without the babes (What are we all 15?)
Proof reading is very poor despite many publishing groups having large teams of people who are employed to do just that. One British Classic magazine is frankly an embarrisment to Classic Car movement despite its strong selling ability that in its barn find page in terms of cars identification is regularly wrong - Each Month in its xspotters corner readers have to correct its writers. Recent embarassments have been They could not tell the difference between a Ford Zephyr Mk2 xand a MG Magnette Farnia or Difference between a Jaguar Mk2 and Armstrong Siddeney 234
The main danger in today's features is same material is been reproduced in different magazines and photographed by same out fit like LAT.
A lot of car magazines have been lying to us for years- about cars they have tested
'We Tested this Lamborghini' where is reality is Lamborghini test driver took it out and 'we' sat in the passager seat or tested by someone else but we claimed credit for it!
Examples
- One British car magazines years ago said they tested a Lamborghini but I detected the profile of x 'Aussie bearded one' Peter Robinson driving the car!
- Silver Spear Race there was one Dodge Magnum XE Touring Wagon but 22 different journalists from different magazines claimed they were in it ( Now come on guys ....unless you trying to break the record how many people you can squash into a wagon ...you have got to be kidding..)
- Cars we've tested lately or 'Drive'
Take a Publicity Photo ; drive a similar car around car park and call that a driving impression - Joining a car manufacturer at cars new launch or debut at some exotic location it used to be the Middle East (buts thats bit unstable at present....journalists seem to get kidnapped :) now lately its Italy or Spain and car is been 'driven' in the company of other journalists but information provided has been sourced from the manufacturer - Jeremy Clarkson wrote in Car years ago in 1993 and featured in his book "Clarkson on Cars" highlighting his best columns what really goes on - the better story is based on how manufacturer's treats the journalist in terms of accomodation and gifts....
- We Tested this Car
Word 'Test' has been abused....
An Australian magazine years ago claimed on their front cover that they tested a rare Isuzu 117 Coupe now your's truly bought it for that trason but the test was not so. Lets face it when was the last time you saw one of these or a road test ( there was one in October 1973 Motor Magazine International Page 86-91 Volume 1 but it was later 1.8XE) this one claimed to be earlier 1.6 DOHC - But alas it was a photo feature!
Recently a local NZ Publication tested a Ferrari 599GTB Fiorana and all it was was red Ferrari outside a trendy Auckland Cafe in a photo shoot ...come on people are we going to stand for this?
Whats Gaols am i hoping to achive?
- Is it Keeping the magazines honest? could be one reason
- But really it to help YOU find that difficult reference you need for a car, truck or bike you are restoring, about to buy , about to fix , to find others with a similar car.
- Within 5 years time a person cxould give me any rare car or model I hope to produce its complete history of where that particular car occured in print, whether it was restored, tested past or present, took part in competitive activity, ownership details or was auctioned
I await your inquiry and discussions of anything unusual....
See my next post where I start a discussion in publishing cars where there is little information....
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