I Read It for the Pictures

Road & Track data panel

Dad had this idea to buy an old Porsche and put a VW Beetle engine in it. That was the first I'd heard of Porsche. I bought my first copy of Road & Track at a swap meet not too long after. I wanted to read more about foreign cars, but I didn't want any guff about it. So began my years of hiding a guilty pleasure. "It's for my cousin. He's a shut in." Each new issue was delicious for its photos, off-the cuff writing, and magazine design. My comprehension of performance details never really improved, but I could name almost any car on sight. And, if Road & Track liked it, so did I. I was a slavish devotee and it served me well.