Keith’s Blog: How Should SCM Celebrate Its 30th Anniversary?

Next year will mark the beginning of the fourth decade of SCM.

From its humble beginnings as a two-page mimeographed Alfa Romeo Market Letter, it’s grown to a market-leading publication. It never occurred to me back then that I would be creating a job – actually a career – for myself.

I must first give thanks to all of the hard-working staff at SCM, under the leadership of Executive Editor Chester Allen and Managing Editor Jim Pickering. Along with the great people in the art department, the sales and subscription departments and Cheryl Cox, our tireless financial manager, they put in the long hours every day to create Sports Car Market and its sister publication, American Car Collector.

The greatest pleasure I have gotten from SCM has been all the enthusiasts I have met and spent time with, all over the world. From Shanghai to Argentina to Chile to Panama to Milan to London and Paris, I’ve shared a glass of wine and swapped tales (molte fantastico car stories) with enthusiasts like you.

And now that our 30th Anniversary is approaching, we’re musing about how to celebrate it.

In the interactive tradition of SCM, we’ve decided to ask you for your opinion.

At the bottom of this column there will be a link to a quick poll where you can tell us what how you’d like to see us celebrate this important birthday of a magazine that belongs as much to you, our loyal readers, as it does to us.

Here are some of the things we are considering:

We’ve never done any kind of tour. So perhaps this is the year to have one. Tours come in many flavors, from the ultra-exclusive and expensive Colorado Grand to the impromptu flights of fancy of a few enthusiasts who get together and head for the best roads they can find.

Here are some tour options; select your favorite using the poll below.

• How about an exclusive Alfa-only tour, for cars from 1974 and earlier. This would be four or five days, all-inclusive with lots of goodies, and cost about $5,000.
• Same tour, but open to all sports cars 1974 and earlier.
• A simpler tour, where you pay a $1,500 fee and secure your own rooms and some meals. Pre-1974 and earlier.
• Have a three-day tour that ends up at the Forest Grove Concours, with a special class for SCM subscribers and their cars. Cost $1,000 plus you pay for your rooms and some meals.

These are just a few of the many options we are considering. Your votes will help us decide.

We look forward to having you as a part of our celebration.