Backfire
Back in the 1980s, I was just beginning my career after college. Mission one, cars. The first deal I got was a 1972 Chevelle SS454. My brother-in-law restored it, and as each month passed, he gave me his old copies of Hemmings Motor News.
These were the days before the Web. Things moved slow, and I spent hours scouring the pages. Soon, my friends would need a service, or a part, and Hemmings was the go-to. I have fond memories of cars I bought and sold through Hemmings.
I became a subscriber in the early 1990s, but by about 2000, I knew my dear go-to was on borrowed time. I was selling car parts on eBay, and it was swallowing up the business.
I don’t know who or who all the genius was, but to make Hemmings survive, it became a hybrid Hemmings/car magazine. The best articles, the best auction coverage, and we still could find that rare guy who worked on Delco 8-tracks, had replacement weatherstrip, fuel tanks, vintage tires....
Today, if I was forced to cancel 28 of my 29 subscriptions, would still be in my mailbox.
