magazine articles

[BRIAN]

What is the deal with EVERY Hot Rod type magazine not giving real opinions on parts they install or test?? How can it be in the 20 years of reading these rags that I have never read; "This part does not work or perform??" If you read import or Euro type mags they give honest opinions on the parts they are testing. With the US mags there is always a BUT and then an excuse if the part doesn't produce a positive result. I really believe this is why our cars have such a lack of driver type parts. The MFG have no interest in improving anything.
I received my latest Super Chevy and went directly to the test of the Camaro since it had a good combo of suspension pieces that were interesting to me. The performance figures were ok but in the article they made a point in saying something was wrong but NEVER SAID WITH WHAT PARTS OR WHY??? I can't be the only person this drives crazy. I rarely spend more than 5 minutes reading my mags because it is always the same nonsense.

[Nine Ball]

Thats what message boards are for!

Personally, I like seeing actual dyno numbers and track performance times on feature cars. Kinda depresses me when neither is listed for a car.

[OHCbird]

I'll give ya a hint: look at how much staff turnover most of those mags have. The industry still loves a 'free' comercial for their products, and does what it can to keep that going.

Maybe Freiburger will chime in- although he's a bit busy these days.

Ask yourself this- how many of these products are just out of the development phase? My bet is that most of them have been proven in one arena or another.

[Salt Racer]

Personally, I like seeing actual...track performance times on feature cars. Kinda depresses me when neither is listed for a car.

I'll second that (I don't care much for dyno numbers). :icon996: for those who have guts to have their cars tested!

[69 panel]

May I suggest that these same product mfrs are
advertisers. The magazine can't bite the hand that feeds them. What we need is a publication that does not rely on advertisers for income. Similar to Consumer Report, although I am "suspect" of them occasionally.

[harshman]

Ok…I’ll chime in here. I’ve seen this Camaro that was in Super Chevy. It is genuinely bad ass. It has all the bells and whistles that should make the car out perform any other fourth gen Camaro. However, the tests that they conduct proves that you can have all the shiny parts you want but what really matters is the numbers that it puts out. I do know for a fact that it aint the driver. His name is Andrew and he is the track driver for Super Chevy. The boy can drive.

I think it comes down to this: there is a time to stop talking about the pretty parts and start testing them with hard data. This car should see .90g or better on the 200’ pad and it should have roasted the comparable car. Why didn’t it? I have no idea. I can tell you that having had my car go through these tests I learned a ton. These tests show you what real performance is and what you need to do to achieve better times. Because that is the definition of true success.

Point blank: the magazines will never show negative data of their sponsors only uplifting data. It is up to the end users to determine what is the best product for their particular car and goals.

If you want to turn numbers: instead of buying the polished manifold go get yourself a G-Tech or other device that will give you some hard numbers to play with.

[67Sally]

..........If you want to turn numbers: instead of buying the polished manifold go get yourself a G-Tech or other device that will give you some hard numbers to play with.

Let's take this idea a little bit further; becasue you never know who is lurking. It sure would be nice to get G-Tech numbers for the featured cars.........sounds like an advertising opportunity to me.

[Salt Racer]

...I do know for a fact that it aint the driver. His name is Andrew and he is the track driver for Super Chevy. The boy can drive...

Yup, he's a pretty damn good driver. Too bad he's no longer with Super Chevy.

...I think it comes down to this: there is a time to stop talking about the pretty parts and start testing them with hard data. This car should see .90g or better on the 200’ pad and it should have roasted the comparable car. Why didn’t it? I have no idea...

Probably due to lack of tuning. Let's say you built an EFI'd SBC with all the right parts. Would it make good hp w/o spending time calibrating fuel and ignition maps? Nope. Suspension is no different. I spent quite a bit of time designing geometry, calculating ride rate and roll rate distribution, adjusting corner weight and alignment, etc before our car was tested.

[WS6]

GMHTP has a section in the back of their issues everytime that does this, but they really dont straight out say this doesnt work. they usually come up with a reason or an excuse.

a lot of these parts(im talking simple add on stuff) work in theory, proving them their way may not produce the results, but does it mean it doesnt work? depends. heres an example. Vara Ram makes a ramair system for C5s. they claim something like 40hp, your not going to see this on a dyno, but i dont know anyone who hasnt provided better track times and speeds and i know a couple personally that say they can definetly feel a difference from a roll. which after all is how the system is supposed to work. but heres the other side. they should know better and test accordingly.

a lot of these parts arent needed either. companioes hand them over and say here test this. three points on this are everyones insistance on needing SFCs on an fourth gen and how they improve handling, wrong not worth the money if handling is your goal. a strut tower brace and how it works, again wrong. neither one of these will make a big difference they should not be on the top of the list for these cars. what should be is a bigger front sway bar and better shocks and springs. and last and certainly not least is the warnings on lowering a car without adjustable LCAs and how its so dangerous at speed if you dont have them or how your car wont handle correctly without them. yeah tell that to the many roadracers and some of the nations best autoxers who dont have them and who have lowered cars. the point here is the mag guys arent scientists, they are enthusiasts just like you and me. they learn from the companies making the products and the company making the product isnt always right. i know of a few people who diagree completely with a lot of the info on BMRs website, yet hes respected and listened too.

so like tony said thats why the internet is great. if you dont wont people hearing about it or it getting out youll find it on the net.

but be careful the net is full of misinformation