Hot Rod Mechanix Year 1996 Magazine Back Issues

Hot Rod Mechanix (HRMX) magazine focused on traditional rods. Many readers believe this was the last hot rod magazine in the modern era really geared to the "scrounger hot rodder". The readers were less interested in calling a 1-800 number to purchase parts, and instead they searched for old parts in a more traditional manner and did much of the construction and fabrication themselves. The magazine was started by LeRoi "Tex" Smith. He had a long career with Petersen Publishing and greatly influenced such magazines as Street Rodder and Rod Action. Tex was both the editor and publisher. Organized from his home in Driggs, Idaho, HRMX was sold subscription-only except for sales agents at car shows and swap meets. As described in his book, Inside Hot Rodding, he raised subscription levels up to 11,000, but his breakeven was 13,000. When the Gulf War started in 1991, renewals dropped to very low levels and Mr. Smith closed the magazine. The title was restarted by CSK Publishing under Stephen Schneider in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. However, Smith's name was still used on the cover. Tex must have had a hand in giving the editor role to Ron Ceridono. It was printed through July 1996, then it was merged into American Rodder in the November 1996 issue. A total of 39 issues were published from August 1987 through to July 1996.