Looking back on my four-year stint as Editor, I have to laugh: when I was offered this seat back in 2004, the grim reality of life without our beloved F-bodies was starting to sink in, and I was faced with an undetermined amount of time without them. And soon after I leave, we'll all be ordering up a brand-new Camaro-the car that automotive enthusiasts worldwide can't seem to stop talking about. I'm thinking about an L99 with a cam swap myself.
When I look back on my nearly five years as Editor, there are very few things that I regret. Do I feel bad about throwing a tape gun with a serrated blade at a Muscle Mustangs editor and nearly slicing his thumb off? Not really.
Do I wish that I'd never attempted a second-gear burnout with the 2004 CTS-V and its fragile rearend? Sure. (And I bet GM feels the same way!) But I like to think that my and other journalists' criticism of that poor design somehow contributed to the stronger IRS rears today.
Do I wish that I could have crammed one feature and one tech story about every single platform and engine combo into our magazine every month? Absolutely. I had to smile this weekend while reading a forum post about my impending departure from GMHTP. One guy wrote: "Honestly, I'm kinda glad Jensen is going.... I do like the mag/articles in general, but I felt the mag had a less complete feeling since Hunkins left. Please trade some of the space on the Buick V-6 articles that Jensen used and mix it towards some other stuff."
To this poster, I say: keep it up-and send it to the editor directly. You wouldn't believe how little feedback we get (aside from the "I love this/I hate this") up here in the ivory tower. This niche mag doesn't get the in-depth market research that Motor Trend does. If you want to pester the new editor about this stuff, back your gripes up with solid reasons why your vehicle/engine combo deserves to see the inside of these pages. In regards to the Buick stuff...I love 'em, guilty as charged. However, I've been running a business after all, and if it took a ton of LS and Turbo Buick articles-which happen to be the vehicles that the largest chunk of our readers up to this point are driving-to keep this magazine alive in tough times. I was glad to do it.
Speaking of the new editor, I am extremely pleased to introduce Mr. Scott Parker as my replacement. When I first met Scott, he was a Mustang-driving greenhorn that didn't know an LS from a hole in the wall. Over the years he has matured into a passionate and knowledgeable GM EFI enthusiast, and he has taken up both technical subjects and photography with equal abandon. I knew he would be a good GMHTP editor during the last year or so, when, so wrapped up and prattling on about his ideas for tech stories, I basically had to kick him out of my office to get anything done. And the Mustang? For sale. I am proud of what he has accomplished and wish him the best of luck in his new position.
While the reasons why I'm leaving are personal, it should be no secret to you all that I will miss this industry very much. As a passionate GM EFI lover, when I sit in this seat it looks like one big candy store. It's filled with the boatloads of great EFI GM parts we see every year at the shows. The visionary business and shop owners who give us the inside track on some hot new part or technical process. The steadfastly supportive gearheads within GM Corporate, Powertrain, and Performance Parts who bust their butts to ensure that our hardcore niche magazine gets first dibs on some really cool stuff. My fellow editors and other Source employees who brought me into this business, make this such a fun, exciting job, and pitch in so this small magazine can do some big things.
Finally, entertaining and informing you, our dedicated readers, has been one of the biggest honors of my life. I offer a heartfelt thank you for your years of support, and hope that you continue to support Scott and GMHTP. I'll see you on the street.
Entertaining and informing you, our dedicated readers, has been one of the biggest honors of my life.