Advice on getting a feature?

[trapin]

If you want to be featured in one of the major magazines, your car better be one of three things; over-the-top, something completely different, or cost a bazillion dollars to build. If you miss on any of those 3 criteria...you're chances of a feature in magazines such as Car Craft, Hot Rod, Popular Hotrodding, etc are slim to none. You have a sweet car there, Eric...but I would aim for "Readers Rides" or "Hometown Hotrodding". Nothing wrong with getting in there, hell I hope to get into one of those sections someday. But if you still feel like you want to try for that feauture, I would say your best bet might be over at Camaro Performers or Chevy Hi-Performance where they don't put so much emphasis on the "Wow!" factor.

That's the reality of it. I wish it wasn't like that...but in this industry..."sex sells".

[ProdigyCustoms]

First and foremost. You have to be where the magazines are. in other owrds at shows. At the Year One experiance, there were many magazines there, they shot dozens of features. They promote it as a "get your car in a magazine show".

Second, and maybe more important, find a editor that takes a shine to your car. If they like it, your in. If they think the asspect ratio on your tires if off, your out!

Is there anyway to know what one editor will like and another hate? hell no. One editor may show no interest, another do flips for the same car.

3rd, And maybe most impotant to our group is to build anything but a first gen Camaro.

[Stuart Adams]

Take your car to some high end shows, there will be magazines there - SEMA, etc. If the car qualifies , if you know what I mean, then your chances are good at someone seeing it and being interested.

The other side is, if your car is average and you take it to a high end show they probably will walk right by, nothing personal on their part just survival of the fittest.

Bottom line, the better the car the better your chances.

[Mean 69]

And maybe most impotant to our group is to build anything but a first gen Camaro.

Yep, what he said. I love my 69 and will never part with it, but I will also probably never build another first gen Camaro for myself.

I like the current trend of actually testing the cars, as PHR and Super Chev do with regularity. If you build a stompin performance monster, it will at least get the attention of PHR, less so for Super Chevy. If it doesn't pull well over .9 g's on street tires though, well, try a different approach.

Don't forget though, in the end, you should be building the car for yourself if you intend on keeping it, if others don't dig it, that should be okay.
M

[nitrorocket]

I agree, it seems to be personal choice of the editor. You have to be at the right time and place to be noticed at a show. That is probably the best bet.

My next step is flowers.....would any editors please P.M. me your mailing address?

[ProdigyCustoms]

Originally Posted by nitrorocket

My next step is flowers.....would any editors please P.M. me your mailing address?

Hookers, not flowers!

[nitrorocket]

Stupid me.... I will have Hookers drop off the flowers!

[Derek69SS]

Originally Posted by ProdigyCustoms

Hookers, not flowers!

Will Hedmans work? They're ceramic-coated.

[slck6t9]

Like Scott said, alot of the editors frequent this site. That is how I ended up getting an upcoming feature in PHR. Stephen Kimm of PHR saw my car on this site and contacted Scott which lead him to me and the rest is history. I by NO means have an over the top car. It is just ANOTHER first gen camaro. It is by NO means in the same class as a bunch of cars on this site. Its just a plain ol car built on a LOW budget. I was as shocked as any when I got the call to have a feature done. So as for it having to be over the top and something no one else has done I would have to disagree. I think it just needs to be appealing to the guy shooting the pictures and writing the article. Plus I agreed to travel a couple hours away twice to get the shoot done.

Dec. issue here I come!!

Scott

[KAA]

Is there something i can do to increase my chances?

Build a bitchin' G-body. I hear Chevy High Performance is looking to feature one.