Super Chevy vs. Chevy High Performance

Guys-
I've recently been given the responsibility and the budget to make some improvements to both Super Chevy and Chevy High Performance magazines. Of course I've got my own opinions, but it's important to get into the minds of the readers, so I've got some questions about how you perceive these two magazines.  I'm really looking for your basic impressions, so comment however you like, but here some questions that might get your mind going.

Between Chevy High and Super Chevy, which one do you like better and why?

If you only read one of these magazines and not the other, why is that?

If you are a Chevy guy and you do not read either magazine, why is that?

If there's anything you specifically do not like about either mag, what is it?

Which magazine do you consider more technical?

Which magazine has better car features and why do you think so?

Anything else you've got to offer would be appreciated. If you prefer, you can email me directly at hotrod@primedia.com, and thanks for the help.

DF

David, I think I am like a lot of car guys and I buy all kinds of car magazines including Super Chevy and Chevy High performance. The thing is, I will pick up a magazine (like one of these) if I see an article that I think would be interesting.. since I usually buy at the newstand I end up with 'most' of the magazines that cover whatever gets my adrenalin going.
I mentioned in another post (read: In The Magazine forum Jan.10th about my G-body) I mentioned in that post why I dislike these two magazines (not hate, dislike!)
I realize everyone is different but I will sometimes pick up a magazine because it has an interesting Mopar or Ford story (not the high tech stuff, I am so tired of seeing those!) and I haven't had a Mopar since 1972 (and it was a clunker '65 cuda to drive to keep my 1965 GTO w/4:33 gears at home during the week)
Joe Oldham wrote a story in 1968 called "Street Racing is Where it's At!" (and yes, they got yelled at about it!) but I was into street racing at the time and the way it was written was awesome, I can still quote it even though I haven't read it since... well, a long time ago!  A few years ago I wrote Joe and told him how I liked it and he told me he was proud of it and was still one of his favorite articles.
The reason I think I liked the article is he wasn't trying to "sell" any parts (for the advertisers) he was just writing about guys doing stuff like putting a stroked and bored motor in a 'jacked up '65 Goat.. n' stuff like that!
Also, if I may continue.. the articles that tell you how to "do stuff" instead of ALWAYS BUYING SOME KIND OF FLIPPIN' KIT!!!! Case in point: in the early 80's when water injection got really popular one of the magazines had a story on how to make one using a couple of vacuum switches, a window washer pump/reservoir, a nozzle (made with a small soldered-end copper tube with a .030" hole in it) Now that was interesting!
I am an engineer/toolmaker and sometimes do freelance writing.. I wrote an article about converting your tail-lamp and 3rd brake light to LED's and NOT USING A KIT!!! I sent it to Primedia and do you think they were interested? Noooooo... not even a rejection letter.. Joe Oldham at least wrote to me and said that 'his' magazine was more along the lines of tune-ups, saturday mechanic stuff and not car 'crafting'... thus, such DIY stuff wasn't wanted.
Okay, I bet this is the last time you ask us our opinions!! But, good luck!
-Phil  

Kudo's

i agree.

Though I realize that sponsoring advertisers are important...i also think that selling magazines is important...and by inspiring stories of big rims and intercoolers and super-whatchamacallit injection with billet thingamajigs and razz-a-matazz...you lose the interest of alot of us POOR GUYS.

I can afford a 4 dollar magazine on the newstand....i cant afford a billet twin screw supercharger with alcohol injection.

but things that i can afford are leftover tunnel-ramtops that MIGHT be able to be modified to accept the 4 Rochester 2GC's I have sitting around...its worth a shot.

Obscure is cool and retro is neat....but nitrous and blowers arent obscure anymore and retro is blinged out....why not show us younger guys somthing that was retro-obscure...like....when people saw it in 1970 they where like...WHOA MAN....WEIRD>!!

Id like to see more multi carb functionality, how to modify intakes, homebrew porting tips, how to make home made tools, etc...improv...how to modify your ratchet shifter.
how to stiffen unibodies without a "bolt on kit" from brand XXX.
Bolt ons are neat cause they just bolt on...but If i  work for somthing I feel like Ive earned it...and i can say...hey...look at what I did..aint that cool...and even if they hate it...i know that I thought it was worth trying and liking.

I hope they get it.
But I love CC...as far as chevy hi perf or super chevy...I think they cater to more of the hire it done type.

but....I did like that silver camaro that was alcohol injected with the 409ish (dont recall...short stroke) BBC and the turbo...that was cool...sucker for pro street.

-Shred

You are RIGHT ON about this Sir-Shred-a-lot (luv that handle)
It's like there are endless articles about putting injection on older cars but not many on finding something that would work not involving a high dollar kit! Case in point: My 87 Monte Carlo SS that I talked about the T56 from the junkyard, I also went "kinda" high tech on my induction. I bought a TPI unit for $100 from a 1988 Camaro, I then converted it to Speed Density (makes for a cleaner intake 'charge'. I couldn't afford large tube runners at this time so I ported the plenum and manifold. I then bought a computer out of a 1989 Trans Am burned a chip for all my modifications and re-wired a harness from a 1981 TBI V6 Monte Carlo. These mods are not hard to do at all, you just need some pointers to do this stuff right.
For my cold air intake I wanted a trick one-of-a-kind intake so I crafted an intake system using Styrofoam, running it to where the battery was located (I moved the battery to the trunk) I have a 'box' with a cone filter there and a curved fiberglass "tube" connecting to the Monte air 'box' in front of the radiator. Oh, yeah I didn't say how I did this.. anyway, after I made the foam system, I covered it with fiberglass and after it was cured I used lacquer thinner to dissolve the foam. I could have then made a mold using this but since I was only building one I simply built up the thickness I wanted, sanded it and put a nice smooth coat of resin on top. Oh, I made the connecting tube out of cardboard, brushed on fiberglass resin inside and out then covered it with glass. It worked out real well.. if anyone wants to see it I will take a picture of it.
Anyway, isn't that the kind of articles that car crafters would like to see? I am sure some of this might be more than some people want to do but if you are like me, you have more time than money and you can afford to spend more money on other stuff. It sure is fun to do stuff like that and get compliments from people and you can say "I built it myself!" instead of "I bought a kit, and bolted it on!"

I do have to hand it to Car Craft on their white Trans Am TPI, they are doing a lot of cheaper stuff (like porting the plenum instead of buying a new one) oh, wait... they only did that because they COULDN'T buy an Edelbrock plenum!! Sorry David, couldn’t help it!!

Super Chevy seems like more of a "Show-car" mag and more geared towards cosmetic restification stuff than CHP.

CHP is more tech involved to me.

CHP was running a little too LS1 heavy for me for a while but they seem to breaking away from that lately.

I subscribe to CHP and not Super Chevy, although I still occasionally purchase a Super Chevy off of the stand.

CHP appeals more to me but I think Super Chevy has an important niche to fill and probably it's own market and might only get hurt by adding more tech articles.

I would like to see more "junk-yard tech" stuff in CHP.  Make it a little more like a Chevrolet-only Car Craft.
(I know, you Ford guys think CC is Chevy only)

More cheap car builds in CHP.  Take a 80's Malibu, Monza, S-truck, etc. Throw a budget-trick smallblock in it and take it to the strip. Something in the 12's for under 5 grand.

I respect Ro and enjoy his editorial pieces but I think he might be getting to the age where he is concerned more with comfort and braking than painting long black stripes on pavement.

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Between Chevy High and Super Chevy, which one do you like better and why?

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CHP

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If you only read one of these magazines and not the other, why is that?

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CHP to get up to date on newer motors, SC to see what happen at a SCS show and who won

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If there's anything you specifically do not like about either mag, what is it?

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Not enough detailed coverage on cars in the Super Chevy Shows. It reads like National Dragster, so-and-so won against so-and-so, but I want to know is what is so-and-so running in his car.

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Which magazine do you consider more technical?

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CHP

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Which magazine has better car features and why do you think so?

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Retoration features-SC, Tech features- CHP

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Anything else you've got to offer would be appreciated.

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What I presume these rags offer me

Hot Rod - Vintage articles I love, dream cars I would never own but can respect. What is the latest newest thing going on out there

Car Craft - Real world how to junk yard articles, how to Mcgiver and Frankenstein my car but it works and is safe to do, love the cross breeding. Knowing I have a cheap way of doing something and the pros and cons, and a pricey way of doing it.

CHP - What's up with F. I. newer GM stuff, keeping up to date on newer cars, cam basic's, cylinder head comparing. Wish they would show a way of running an S10 E.F.I. T.B. on an early car, and how to run two of them on a tunnle ram or dual carb mainfold set up. Also how to run/hook up a 4LE80 (Jeff Smith was perfect for this stuff)

SC - Restoration tips on tri 5's, nova and Camaro stuff, how to build an over kill bottom end for the street, how to put a bolt on rack and pinion on an early car, how to mustang II a front end. But what it lack was how is everyone else doing it. This rag was more for a guy who puts in a crate motor in his car and basic bolt ons.

PHR - Nostagial racing coverage, love it. But I would like to see more of what is in their combo. What worked in the past works today.

High Performance Pontiac -What other guys are doing to their cars, lots of real world cars racing at a dragstrip using different combo's and achieving the same results. No secrets BS, just facts and figures on spec's and not leaving out the Cam spec's or the rear end gear.

Mopar Muscle - Seeing what's new with hemi's and wedges, love the restored Super Stock car write ups

Sport Truck -What's up with air ride stuff.

Sports compact car - seeing how the other half lives

Engine masters - Combo's, combo's and more engine combo's

I like consistency-when a question arises and I'm try to inform myself on which part to run and get, I like to see what others have tried. My Idea would be to make the rags more consistent. If I want ideas on how to put body panels and paint on a a chevy, keep those articles mostly in one rag like SC, and it I want to know more about cam swaps and performance keep that in CHP. Make one more towards handling and one more to straight line stuff. What most rags lack for me is in Bracket racing stuff, Nitrous articles, tuning a blower or turbo, Super Stock stuff, like what makes these thing so fast. How were they built, what combo did they use? These things could use a home in a rag of it's own or in one of these. PHR pull out is getting bigger hope it continues.

We ran a Super Comp Dragster, and decided to run the next class up, we thought of the cheapest way to do this, we went with nitrous. We activated right off the line with a 200 HP unit and achieved it, we went old school, but while testing we ran the nitrous fuel rich due to the cold weather and washed out the rings. Where would I find info on what rings to use on nitrous, the ill effects of being to rich on the gas side, and how to solve the problem short of taking it apart, how to wire up such a system, how to use it with a trans brake, difference between using a bottle blanket and a bottle warmer? All these things we had to answer ourselves. We tune our nitrous just like a carburetor, when we were fuel rich, we reversed the nitrous jet with the fuel jet to get our jetting closer and it worked, we then went to a bottle warmer to richin the nitrous side and put the jets back to their original order. Since we had success with our digger, others at the track are doing the same to get more out of there combo's but want to go with a small shot like 100hp, to take advantage of the cooling effects and to be more consistent. So they ask us for help, what we are finding is; what a difference between kits, some run fuel rich, while others run fuel lean. No consistency in jets either between kits. I would like to see if one brand of jets flows the same as another brand. We stick to the NOS charts and compare in order to try to get apples back to apples in comparison.

Now when we bought everything for the nitrous including timers, ignition delays and relays, bottle heater, kit, we are in it @ $1000, to go 1 full second faster, but if we were to spend double to triple, we could have gone blown and been @ 1 and 1/2 - 1 and 3/4 sec faster. Something that has had us thinking that maybe we should try it.

If one rag stuck to all their artilcles being on power adders, and the other on N/A motors.

When a rag gets to tech without a lot of detailed pic's, it feels like homework, not a hobby. I like seeing when a+b=c, but when c=a/bx(d%e) I get bored. I also get bored when you get to c and there is no a or b and you have to fill in the blanks. Sometimes I like the recipes on going fast over the theories of it.

I like seeing what others have done like in Engine Masters

If anyone can do it, you can, but all in all use the K.i.S.S method over and over (Keep It Simple Stupid) and use articles that get straight to the point.

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More DIY tech articles in WHATEVER magazine you do, please!!

I think a lot of guys out there want to know just how to do a proper DIY EFI system.  We're just about to the point where the masses are ready for "Look, this isn't that complicated and the benefits are huge!" kind of article.

Count me in for any Megasquirt-related articles.  I'm always down for helping with a good "HOWTO" article.

-scott

D.F.
When I was a little boy about 6 years old my folks would sometimes go out for the evening. They would call the babysitter who was very strict and easily angered. When I would misbehave as young boys often do.. she would lock me in the bathroom with the lights off! I would curl up behind the toilet where it was dark, damp and dirty, as mother didn’t clean behind there very often… I would be huddling around the cold, smelly, damp porcelain my young mind racing as I imagined all sort of horrible evil creatures lurking just inches from my small quivering body. You can imagine the kind of terror and fear that would go through a little 6 year old's mind in this situation… well, these same thoughts and fears come racing back into my fragile mind whenever I pick up a car magazine and it only has stories about things like $9000 frame kits to make my Tri-five handle like a Corvette and stories about $1300 serpentine belt drives!!
Get Chevy High Performance and Super Chevy back into the realm of the real car guys and gals and help prevent mental breakdowns. Remember Freiburger, my  sanity is in your hands!.
 

YES!...I like you wulff.

Id love to see your creation...post that bad dad picture for all to see...and few to admire...hehe...I will.

real men have forgone chest hair in favor if fire retardant kitty hair and resin...great for sculpting imaculate pectoral lines...chicks dig it...too bad they dont dig flat black tunnel ram monza's eh?..open headers anyone?

Love it. God bless
-Shred

P.S.- howd you keep it from running lean..i thought you where running a 406?...or did the reprogram involve fuel enrichment?
Just wondering.

I used to buy CHP magazines like religion.  But about two years ago it seemed like all the build up articles switched from Gen 1 engines to LS1's and LS6's and backyard mechanics don't wrench on those.  People with the money to put an LS6 in their '69 Chevelle pay other people to turn the wrenches.    Just don't see any reason to pay the 4 bucks or whatever when there's only 1 article about the good old 1968 - 1990 smallblock.  

Considering what Super Chevy started, (Super Chevy Sunday), which took on a life of its own, I sure can't condem it. However, when I check it out on the newstand I don't purchase it. Ain't bought one in years, and it had all you guys beat for awhile, way back when. Bring back Doug Marion. I'm serious, whatever it takes.

CHP needs Matt King. I don't want to hear any crap that you guys have lost him. I don't even care if all he wants to do is race a Mustang(we all need our off time) Now put him to work!

                                                                                    Respectfully yours

DF, Sorry, I'm a bit late in this gig, but here goes.  I have a lot of respect for a magazine guy that will ask the questions you're asking. I am just shy of the big 50 and my tastes run to the traditional carb'ed small and big blocks, 15 inch wheels, street/strip cars. If the magazine I pickup or subscribe to is mostly about the latest LS engine or fuel injection or how to add a cat back system or install another vintage air system I either will not buy it or I will skip the article. Tech articles are always interesting if they are about something us ordinary guys will need to know for the cars we drive/race/restore. There is something to be said for schmoozing the advertisers, but if the magazine is about super interesting tech items and really accurate and complete features on real world rides with a little racing and history thrown in, you will sell gazillions of magazines and THEN the advertisers will be begging you to take their money for ad space. Take a look at what Hot Rod has been doing for the last year. They have their lug nuts on tight! Super Chevy can't seem to get even the tire sizes right on the features, and the writing style for them is perfect for a nine year old to read. Not to mention the .25 cent photos of the cars that belong to the people who spent all their hard earned money restoring their pride and joy, drove many miles to the show and paid $$ to get in to show or race. I'm sure there are those out there in our great country that like the late models and want to know which fuel injector to use on a hopped up late model engine and what the latest 20" wheel will do to attract the members of the opposite sex, but I'm not one of them. Maybe the license plate on my '57 Belair says it all about me. DINOSOR  

Well, I always liked Chevy High better myself but of course I dropped my subscriptions to both so I could double up on car craft.  

You must be here for the free CAR CRAFT license plate....  

Well here's a new look at things.  I looked at the new chevy high performance at work today.  They promised some dynoed combos.  One was a 572 and another was a 540.  What the hell good does that do for your average guy?  The only other options were mild small blocks.