Suggestions for Toyota Trails? Maybe

[RIDDLER]

My suggestions are real simple: Could the Trails focus a few articles on normal budget or near stocker buildups if possible. Under $20k? Under 10k? Best beater page?

Example: A custom SOA FJ40 with nitrous, twin stick, and a $8000 engine is not what the average drives nor is a custom LX470. Does the average reader spend 40k on a truck? No way. I saw the crap storm that followed the guy that made a big deal out of the Lexus and threw around threats etc. So let me be very clear. I think that Lexus is Toyota etc etc. No issue here with it being Toyota quality. Honestly great for the wife around town and freeway but no way would I take that on a tight trail.

Maybe the business side of Toyota Trails requires such writeups. Is this the issue? If so then fine, I understand.

Personally I would love to read more articles that get back to the basics aka older stuff 40, 45, 55, 60, and yes 80.

How about some stocker articles on rare OEM FJ45's, or FJ55's?
Maybe a short writeup on the early FJ40's.

Years ago I remember reading the magazine 4 Wheel Offroad and thinking two things bug me about this magazine:

#1 way too much Jeep stuff
#2 trucks are not real to the average reader (the guy that has a truck budget).

Please let me know what you think. I don't want this awesome magazine to become like 4 Wheel Offroad with month after month of $50k project buildups that are showpieces.

thanks and I hope this doesn't start the endless parade of flames. I love the Trails and my feedback is intended to make it better. I think a lot of folks are thinking some of the same things.

Aaron

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Not to be a smart alec or anything but it is YOUR TT. Submit an article of what you want to see. Might take a couple trys to get something that reads/flows well but I'm sure YOU can do it...

Nick Jennings

 

[woody]

gotta agree with Nick a little...the publication is almost entirely volunteer with their writing staff, so if you have basic writing skills, a handful of good photos, and something to say, it's a great way to get yourself published.

I'm working now on a hybred rear axle article, with luck it'll be done by the weekend.

The 40 in your sig line looks like a nicely done ride, and I'd wager an article on it's buildup would be well received. LOTS of people are looking for the "basic" buildup information, unfortunately most of those submitting articles are a bit beyond the standard stuff....

Oh, and my POS has maybe $17k in it over 15 years....far from high budget....tho it won't win any shows...lol

 

[RIDDLER]

Trails

Nick and Woody- hmm I didn't think it worked that way. Hmmm I learn something new every day. Makes me sound dumb but I honestly thought that staff wrote the articles.

Thanks for the update. I was just trying to open it up a bit. Now I understand that those articles are submitted from individuals. Now it makes sense. The guy that spends $50k wants to see his rig in print so he sends it in with photos.

I didn't take the replies as "smart alec". I was trying hard not to be like the "ass hat" that slammed the Lexus back in 2004 I think.

So I think I would start with trying to submit/do a "best beater landcruiser page". I knew a guy in Boise last year that wheeled a $1500 FJ60 with a club. He went anywhere in that beater... Dan Gotsch. I think he calls himself Owyhee Jackass.

Anyway how should I go about soliciting photos and tech specs of individual rigs for the writeup? To be specific, can I use the FJ40/FJ45/FJ55 tech forum to seek out photos and info on beaters or email individual TLCA clubs?

I have lot's of ideas. I am glad I finally sent the message and got a clue about how it works.

thanks guys

Aaron

 

[woody]

you are MORE than welcome to hit up the forums for interesting rigs....and IMO, a "best beater" section would be a welcome addition to Toyota Trails. I know TT will want digitals at a minimum 3.2mp resolution, no compression, with 5mp or higher preferred...or prints/slides/films APS cameras are a poor choice, 35mm is better (and cheaper) I do all my stuff with a $250 Nikon 3200 digital at 3.2 and it's "sufficient" for normal 3x4 cropped pics... (that HD40 axle build included a few of my pics, Nolen's outside the box dealio a few issues back)

Mine started as a $200 junkyard purchase, so anything is possible....


oh, and don't quote me on this, but I believe TT will pay something for good articles...yer not gonna retire on it, but any cruiser funds are good funds

 

[Kaderabek]

Woody pretty well covered it there. I'd only add that if the photos have been on the web (which a ton of Dan Gotsch's have) they most likely won't be published in Trails. Shoot original material, submit it to Trails along with the article, and otherwise keep the article out of the public view. That's pretty much the drill.

Two other things, first that short of expanding the magazine we don't have room for another regular column (although I am always looking for fresh content to publish as space allows). And as Woody says, we do pay for articles but it's more like enough to get some lunch and not something like a locker. Wish we could do better.

Thanks for your interest in Toyota Trails and I look forward to hearing from you.

TJK
--
Todd J. Kaderabek
Managing Editor, Toyota Trails
78 Grovewood Road
Asheville, NC 28804
828-251-0412 (H)
828-253-0467 ext. 728 (W)
todd@larkbooks.com

 

[nuclearlemon]

about ten years ago, tt used to feature a reader's ride in each issue.

 

[wngrog]

We are planning this for the new TLCA website.

 

[Chef]

Aaron;
Todd is the Managing Editor of Trails. Nolen is Marketing VP. I'm Pres Todd's the only one of us making any money, and it's not nearly what he should be paid for his work. We have no staff writers other than member contributors. I like your idea, and encourage you to become part of the solution by writing and submitting articles you'd like to see featured in TT. Thanks!

 

[Radd Cruisers]

Just recieved my first issue and think its very well done magazine.

Readers rigs is a great idea.

How about someone submitt a build over a couple of issues?

How about a do it yourself section, little on body work, welding etc?

Couple ideas.

 

[Josh83]

Hey Todd,

I'm getting ready to do a complete stock to built buildup of my 80. Would you like me to do writeups of some of the stuff individually and submit them as a series? Not really like a long term, ongoing thing, but a series of 4 or 5 articles. I could do one on bolt on armor(really beginner 80 stuff), then do one on pulling the diffs(I'm having 4.88's and ARB's put in fr/rr) and wiring to the factory switches and lights and doing the plumbing. I could have one on installing a lift. When I do the lift I plan to install some custom made by me adjusters in the upper rear links and in the panhards, so that could be some good tech. Really basic stuff, but I would be happy to do it if you think it could be used at some point. I have a nice 3.2MP camera and really do have good writing skills when I'm not just banging something out on mud.

 

[Kaderabek]

Sounds good. Hit me off the board (todd@larkbooks.com) and we can talk about the details.

TJK

 

[haystax]

I really like that the articles are member submitted - the Trans Americas expedition is a personal favorite. I can't beleive that there is as much very good content available for each issue as there is - i would pay my dues just to receive the magazine for the interesting artilces already published status quo.

Tech is tech and most relevant full-on build questions are best answered online or on the telephone with a shop IMO - I've only been receiving TT for a year now, but overall i am very impressed with the quality of the mag. You guys deserve a raise! But for now maybe all i can offer is a

 

[madams557]

I know this is a pipe-dream, but I really would like to see Toyota Trails someday on the magizine rack in the future. I just get tired of going to the local rack and seeing 2 -3 Land Rover Mags, two J**p mags and everything else.

I just think Toyota Trails is just as good as those others...

Anyway, like I said - a pipe-dream.

 

[Kofoed]

We are planning this for the new TLCA website.

I ran a monthly newsletter for 3 years for an organization. It had about 450 members. I finally got most of them to receive the newsletter via email. Some sister org's in the area only have an email newsletter. I would suggest to you to have an "email only unless paper is requested" and charge more to receive the paper copy. It greatly simplifies things. I saved about 2 bucks per edition over email. I saved the organization almost 800 bucks a month right off the bat.
Think about that for a second! That one little change.

I did the newsletter in Word, then converted it to Adobe Acrobat for reproduction and email. A 12 page newsletter with graphics ran about 400kb, so even dial up people didn't mind. You could also just send out a message with the link in it so they can download it from the website.

P.S. I sent this same message to Jackie at TLCA

 

[woody]

considering the Toyota Trails is of higher quality than any of the nationally produced rack magazines, I wouldn't expect any changes to the publication...

Kofoed, you a TLCA member?

 

[Kaderabek]

Appreciate the suggestion. On average the PDF file that goes to the printer for a single issue of Trails is about 1.2GB. I don't know many folks that can handle that large of an email bomb.

TJK

 

[Kofoed]

considering the Toyota Trails is of higher quality than any of the nationally produced rack magazines, I wouldn't expect any changes to the publication...

Kofoed, you a TLCA member?

14868. And I'll be calling CCOT for some of those sexy HFS springs

 

[Kaderabek]

14868.

Good man.

TJK

 

[Kofoed]

Appreciate the suggestion. On average the PDF file that goes to the printer for a single issue of Trails is about 1.2GB. I don't know many folks that can handle that large of an email bomb.

TJK

You should gat a handle on the resolution of the pics. Also, you need to screen optimize when converting. Print optimization makes the file like 10 times the Word file size.