Sport Z Magazine Going Away - Maybe

[Danno74Z]

Yesterday, I received my fall 2003 copy of Sport Z Magazine and I'm afraid it's nearing end of life. The publisher, Robert Bell wrote an editorial "Best of? Worst of". Sounds like he is retiring: "With the Fall 2003 issue, Sport Z completes its third year of publication, and it appears the Winter 2003 issue could spell curtains." The article goes on to say that the numbers are just not there. Too bad as this is one heck of a magazine! I also just put in for a two-year extension to my subscription. Let's hope we get refunds and don't have to go through the BS like the "other" Z magazine pulled.

 

Danno74Z

[Z-Gad]

I just extended my subscription as well

[jimzdat]

Guys--read the rest of the editorial, especially the last couple sentences--he says the "by the way, one of the above statements is not true" or something like that--I'm thinking he was just trying to see if people were paying attention or not

[Danno74Z]

jimzdat,

 

Before I wrote, I did read the whole editorial! Why in the world would an editor even broach the subject (about closing down) if something wasn’t going on? To see if were paying attention, come on, this is not school. Anyway, if it is a joke, I don't find it amusing one bit - sorry. I and countless other people got burned last time around by the "other" Z car magazine a few years back and that still is hard to forget.

 

Danno74Z

[DavyZ]

...Why in the world would an editor even broach the subject (about closing down) if something wasn’t going on? To see if were paying attention, come on, this is not school...

 

I agree: very stupid. Makes one wonder if anyone will ask for the their subscription money back because the magazine is going bye bye based on his stupid comments. Now that would get his attention!!

 

Davy

[Guest smoov280zx]

Im just curious. Do you guys really enjoy SportZ, or do you just read it because it's the only Z magazine? I subscribed simply for their project 280 stroker which has been collecting dust for the past several issues. But my real point is, for me there are not enough technical articles except for the few blurbs about new stuff like the CVT from nissan. Alot of the past several issues have been just club meeting and event reports, and articles on "the best line" etc. I know the 300 guys are getting their fill with at least one article a month, and with the shift to the 350Z becoming the new "thing" the exhaust comparison was a great idea with actual dyno graphs in the article. The mechanic's letter page in the back is pretty hard to read though, for me, with the crap one liners and sometimes answers that dont really address the question. Maybe it's just not a magazine for me. I have let my subscription run out and short of a big change in writing or format, i cant see ever sending them money again. I know im in the minority driving a 280zx, but something on some car with an L-series motor(im talking tech article, not pinup in the middle) wouldnt be too much to ask right? Feel free to let me know what you think, i wont get offended if you would like to "tell" me something.

 

PS that "other" magazine was a better read IMO(280z with 300TT engine ), but i never subscribed to i can understand anger if you got burned by them.

 

Reading the internet because the magazine just doesnt cut it,

 

Mitch

[Tim240z]

I agree. The only reason I ge Sport Z is because it's the only game in town. There isn't any other Z specific mags out there. I don't think that it's all that good. They don't really tackle any new or cutting edge info. I would like to see them spend some time investigating some new oem conversions, like the Toyota 4x4 brake upgrades...there has to be some other oem options out there. They should have a section for "JY upgrades"...you know, like seats, brakes, wheels, engines, suspension etc. Now that would be good info for their readers as I believe that the vast majority of the Z ownership can't and won't afford the high $$ custom upgrades like big brake kits etc...we are basically all cheap @sses at heart!

My 2c worth. I bought a subscription mainly just to support a couple of guys who are trying to cater to the Z community. A valiant pursuit.

Tim

[Guest smoov280zx]

That's a great suggestion, oem swaps. ( i was waiting for the flames)

[Danno74Z]

Hey guys these are all really good suggestions, but I'm afraid they are falling on deaf ears in this forum. You, me and other folks need to express these suggestions to the editor of SportZ if the magazine is going to stay around.

 

Sport Z is not a great magazine. I really don't know of any magazine that is off the charts. I admit, I'm a magazine junkie and my wife reminds me of that quite often as I subscribe to several car magazine. Out of all the ones I get the one I really like is GM High-Tech Performance. When it comes I read it cover to cover - period.

 

Danno74Z

[Guest smoov280zx]

I know what you mean. I have subscribed to several, motor trend, car and driver, road and track. The only one i still get it R&T, but my interest in that is fading. The only magazine i ever read cover to cover is Thoroughbred and Classic Cars which is from the UK so it costs $8.50 (ouch) an issue. It's got great writing, a different historic engine featured every month that is at least 3 pages of words, not just snapshots, and covers the wierd stuff you dont see on My Classic Car and other TV shows. They also give props to the Z whenever it comes up, that doesnt hurt. Hard to find though, gotta be there on the first of the month or you dont get one, and i can only buy it one place, booksamillion. But it's worth it to me to have a good read in the "throne room".

[Guest Sport Z Editor]

Gentlemen, I'll be the first to admit we can improve Sport Z Magazine. Three guys--all wearing many hats--with a shoestring budget makes the going a bit rough at times. That's why we need your help to get Sport Z to the next level. Specifically:

 

a) More Z experts. We need men (and women) who know the car inside and out; writing ability is not paramount--if you can put pen to paper, I can probably make it readable.

 

Specific story ideas. We'd like to get more technical with more detailed and cutting-edge articles. Thanks Tim for your suggestion on JY upgrades. That would make a great and entertaining series (and perhaps a permanent addition to the magazine). But this also ties in with a), more experts. If we get a great story idea, but don't have someone to turn to to write the article, it languishes. For instance, the 4x4 brake upgrade sounds great (thanks again, Tim), but for us to write that story we need 1) someone planning to the do the upgrade at that time, 2) that someone to be technically astute, 3) that someone to be able to take photos and write an article, and 4) that someone to actually turn it in. I'd love to assign one of our regular writers the article, but if they did a brake upgrade three months ago or have no interest in doing that particular upgrade, my request will fall on deaf ears. Which leads me to c).

 

c) Take action. If you plan on doing an upgrade to your Z that will interest our readers, write me before--not after. Too often we have great stories we can't use because photos don't exist (taking apart the car and putting it back together for the sole reason of getting photos isn't very popular). We can also provide potential resources to help you with your project, in terms of both parts and payment for the article ($325-$500).

 

d) Give us feedback. If you are not happy with the magazine, let me know, editor@sportzmagazine.com. Mitch, perhaps give us a try again in an issue or two.

 

Just an idea, but what if hybridz formed a panel of experts specifically for Sport Z Magazine? The panel could discuss what articles would be of the most interest to readers, and generate a "short list" of potential articles and potential writers (likely from the panel). I could help on the new parts end or with $$$ to acquire JY parts or for dyno time. In turn, I could also go to the panel with ideas/articles I get from other readers and get input--good, bad, stupid, whatever. Thoughts?

 

As to a few of the other comments, 1) the magazine wants and plans to continue publishing for years to come--the publisher doesn't want readers to take the magazine for granted so he wrote what he did. In fact, the magazine is "opening" the curtains on 8 more pages beginning Winter 2003. (As for his style, he's the boss--I can only edit so much! Heck, I even called him up after I read what he wrote.) 2) If for some reason the magazine goes under, all readers would get their money back. Bob has always said this to me from day one and he is a man of his word. 3) we are starting a series shortly on heavily modifying a 240Z, including putting in a 300ZX TT engine. The Project 280Z will continue, but the writer just went through a big job change and move, delaying the project.

 

I hope this answers some questions and concerns. I know this response is longer than it needed to be, but I want to make our magazine better and I appreciate any/all the help I can get from hybridz users.

 

Dave Bexfield

Editor, Sport Z Magazine

http://www.sportzmagazine.com

[SportZ2]

Thanks for giving me the chance to reply to your comments.

 

First I would like to say that if the magazine was to fold everyone would

recieve a refund of the unused portion of their subscription. We have said

this since day one and will abide by it. Now you have it in writing.

 

Now to my replies to your comments.

I saw Dave's response and felt it was to generic and not specific to any

one post.

 

Starting with danno74Z:

Thank you for the compliment.

And trust me, if the mag goes under you will get your money back. But I

don't see that happening in the near future.

 

to z-gad:

You would get your money back as well (see danno74z).

 

to jimzdat:

you are right, we put a lot of effort into this magazine and can't

understand why the Z community doesn't care about the only publication

devoted to the Z. I for one am a Z nut and buy everything and anything that

has a Z in it, even if it's not the kind I own.

 

to davyz:

Is this davyz from Kentucky? You have my attention, if the magazine pains

you that much I will cut a refund check for you tomorrow. I would rather

give someone back their money than have them relive the horror of recieving

an issue every three months.

 

to smoov280zx

Not enough tech articles in the past few issues? Lets start with the Spring

2003: Troubleshooting the electrical system in a 1st gen Z, Project 280Z

update, Married to the Mod, pt 7 and a how-to on a battery tray repair (a

280zx no less). Summer 2003: Performance driving 102, Solving overheating

problems in your 280ZX or earlier Z (whoa, another 280zx), and Readers

picks for best Z31 mods. Fall 2003: 350Z exhaust shootout, Wheel adapters

for early Z's, Improving on the Ultimate 280zxt, Jeff Priddy's pt 2 (The

Z31 guys will be pissed at us now), and Z31 Polyurethane bushings install

and driving impressions. Show me a magazine on the newstand today that has

something about your car. You'll be hard pressed to find it, but we've had

something in every issue, not including the centerfold.

 

We devote 4 to 5 pages to club stuff, in a 56 page (soon to be 64)

magazine, I don't believe that's over doing it.

 

Now to the fun stuff, you say the other magazine was better. How many

issues did you recieve? I will make this easy for you. They produced 16

issues in 5 years and in the last 2 years of publication out of the 16 only

3 were produced. The last 6 issues of publication was split 50/50 with Z's

and 510's/Roadsters. There are some good articles in them as well as a lot

of fluff. I have all 16 issues in front of me and you can take me to the

mat on any of them to explain what makes them better. And by the way, they

have a lot of club stuff in them. Don't get me wrong, I liked those

magazines. I have multiple copies and still have a complete set in ploybags

they were mailed in.

 

Looking back through all the issues and finding something on the 280zx in

every issue and it still doesn't cut it for you, that tells me that we

would never be able to make you happy no matter how hard we tried.

 

to tim240z:

Thanks for your support, if I wasn't a part of the magazine I'd be doing

the same thing you are doing.

Great idea with the JY angle. See guys, this is how it works.

As far as new stuff, it's hard to come by. You won't find to many

aftermarket companies making new products for a 30 year old car that

already hasn't been thought of. If someone brings something to our

attention you can bet we would write about it. (see the article Mike Kelly

wrote in a past issue). People ask us to do how-tos on engine rebuilds and

stuff like that is better left to manuals. They are just too complicated

for a magazine article. I did a V8 conversion in 2 weekends back in 95, do

I think people should do it, no. Do I think they could, yes. Should it be

written about, not in a million years.

 

About Ed's Garage, yes he is a smartass, but the questions and answers are

real. Find one answer that is false or misleading and I will credit you

with finding it in the next issue

 

to danno74z:

The door/email is always open. I have a hard time understanding assuming

something without trying first.

 

In closing, I have had many conversations about Sport Z with Mike Kelly and

Pete Paraska and I find them to be well versed in the modified Z. They

support our magazine because they think it is good for the Z community, not

because they think we are going to stump them with something they never

heard of. And for that I thank them as well as danno74z and tim240z.

 

Feel free to slap me back,

 

Art Singer

Associate Publisher

Sport Z Magazine

[RB26powered74zcar]

I just extended my subscription as well

 

I did last month also..... come on guys, we want this one to be around for a long while.

 

Let's all show our suport by re newing or starting a subscription...

 

joel

[Guest Neil]

That was awsome! I appreciate the fact that the guys from Sport Z mag are willing to chime in to respond to the concerns of their readers. Where else do you get that type of attention. I love the Z community.

 

I also love my Sport Z magazine. I always get excited to see it my mailbox and I read it from cover to cover, even though I may not have a particular interest in every article.

 

You have to remember that Sport Z has to cater to all Z fans, not just those interested in V8 swaps and trubos (although I don't know why you'd be interested in anything else ). If I want extensive how to's and detailed technical information, I can always come here. If I want to know what it's like to own a 350 Z, however, I can read Sport Z ('cause that's about as close as it's going to get for me, I'm afraid).

 

I'm not trying to hurt anyone's feelings on this site, mind you, but I like the mag for what it is; a magazine about Zs.

 

 

 

P.S. If anyone wants to write a technical article about any performance upgrade, I'll be happy to let you use my car as a subject and let Sport Z pay for it.

[Guest Anonymous]

Can I subscribe on line?

[SleeperZ]

I like the magazine as well, but I think the technical articles need more scrutiny. The issue before the current one had an article concerning L28 cooling issues, and there were a number of inaccuracies in it. The main inaccuracy was a point the author made regarding an overheating engine and how a lower temperature thermostat would fix it. That only works if the thermostat itself is causing the overheating (and a standard temp 'stat would fix it as well), but that's not the point that was made. Sounds like a miracle of thermodynamics that lowering the opening temperature will somehow enable the radiator to shed more heat.

[280Zen]

I renewed my issues as well! As a matter of fact I received the latest issue just in time to take it with me on my vacation. Of course I got harassed by my buddies for reading a Z car mag while at a convention for salt water aquariums which is my other even more expensive hobby.

 

To the SportZ mag folks, Keep up the good work, for a guy who has dang near zip in knowledge where Z cars or any car in general your mag is golden to me.

[Guest smoov280zx]

It does make me happy to know that the people writing the SportZ mag. read this forum, but i guess i should have been clearer.

 

By technical i mean more "creative" mods. Part interchanges and projects that might not be CARB legal. For example, how to remove all emissions equipment and maintain everyday drivability, maybe weigh the pros and cons of removing this equipment. If i had known the magazine was made by only 3 guys, (i knew the shoestring budget part ), i would have been a little more supportive. I do appreciate that there is a magazine devoted to a great car that is not produced anymore, but maybe you cant make me happy. I like mod's like the p79 .080 mod, but done by a print magazine that would actually detail dyno testing and maybe small bumps and problems along the way. I didn't know you relied on readers for the mod articles, if i did i would have had a little more sympathy for you guys. It's probably not easy to make a 3rd party deliver a well written article, keeping it readable for the average joe and maintaining its technical integrity. Personally, i hate magazines like motor trend because they cater to the non-technical portion of the auto industry and dont really do anything except follow the trends, even the bad ones (i hope that makes sense, sounded good in my head), but i realize that you cant please everyone and we all have to start learning somewhere. I would imagine its not easy when you are a small publication that is possibly a second job for its staff. As i myself dont have anything to offer in terms of technical articles or mods that i have done and know they work 100%, ill just shut up now, and go back to browsing hoping to find that next "magic" mod.

 

No hard feelings.

 

Mitch

[SportZ2]

I don't think I have any. These posts have been great for me. It shows me that there is still a passion out there for the Z. Everyone needs to remember that I'm no different than anyone else that loves the Z's. The only difference is that we're taking it a bit further by trying to create another outlet for the Z nut. I want the magazine to succeed because if it doesn't I don't think that there will be anybody behind us that will be willing to try a third time, and to me that's not an option. Every promise that we have made to this point has been kept and that commitment will not change. I can only hope that people will see what we are trying to do and support us instead of blaming us for things that have happened in the past.

 

Time will tell and more discussions like this can only help, not hurt to educate and entertain the Z community.

 

Later, I've got a Z waiting in garage drooling to have a V8 put in her. Let the fun begin.

 

Art Singer

Associate Publisher

Sport Z Magazine