Hall of Shame - A new weekly post and the story behind it...

There is a story behind this new, "Hall of Shame" thing I will share with you now on every Sunday. The whole things started with an innocent email exchange with PJAlau over at Elementhis blog.

On september 1, 2009, at 12:06 PM, [PJAlau] wrote:

Bug o Rama?

I'm thinking about heading up there... You interested? I've got Saturday and Sunday free, I have no problem stopping by in Petaluma, picking you up, and heading out there. I was thinking a one day trip - no need to spend the night.

-P

To which I replied:

Ah, we are heading out on a 3-day camping trip in Blue to nor cal. I never know why they do bugorama on Labor Day! Totally would have gone if we were planning on camping.

You going to finnon? I took that Friday off to head up early...

PJAlau replied:

I'll be there. I'm travelling most of September, made sure I was going to be back for that one. If you need me to find anything for you, let me know.

-P

I thought about this awhile. What could I make Peter do for me that could be potentially embarrassing? Then it hit me. I sent this email back:

Subject: Your bugorama mission

Should you choose to accept it...

$30 spending limit on the cheesyist hot vws magazines you can find. The worst covers, girls in Miami Vice-like bathing suits, awful paintjobs, bad conversions. The best of the worst. Should make for good reading and scorn at Finnon...

I didn't hear from PJAlau until the 7th, when I received this email:

Mission Accomplished. $30 worth gets me 20 magazines:
Hot VW's:
June 1993
Nov 1985
Oct 1991
Sept 1979
Nov 1980
Jan 1991
Dec 1980
Apr 1986
Aug 1986
Feb 1994
Sept 1992

VW Trends:
Dec 1989
Jan 1990
Nov 1990
Dec 1985
Feb 1985
Jan 1988
Oct 1990
Mar 1985
Feb 1991

Issues with a Bus on the Cover -7
Issues with scantily clad female on cover - 14
Issues with Neon on Cover - 5
Issues with a WTF? kit car on front - 4
See: http://www.rqriley.com/phx.html
See also: Total Recall - the movie. No seriously...

-P

He delivered the magazines to me at Fall Finnon Fest. Apparently, the idea worked a little as he said he felt foolish digging through stacks of magazines looking for the ones with "chicks" on the cover. Ultimately, the joke was on me. Because I use the scanner at my office for this stuff and that was embarrassing.

So, I now add, a "Hall of Shame" (if anyone has better ideas for a name, let me know. The well ran dry when I was thinking about this). Every Sunday I will post a picture of cringe-worthy cars or events or ads.

Below, as a kick-off to the Hall of Shame, January 1988 VW Trends (which, it turns out, is much worse that Hot VWs), which features the "Mechanical Maiden" and a well-trimmed model of the era (who looks like she should be on the cover of Guns & Ammo).

Anyway, a small preview of the "hall of shame" period:

I'm not sure why the magazines of the era felt the need to put barely clothed girls on the covers but everyone did (check out a Truckin' Magazine from the early 80s for some interesting stuff).

Don't worry - I'm not denying you the chance to see "ZZ Top's Rad 'Vert!". That post is coming...