The VMR Magazine

[Ian Grace]

Last call for Wanted and For Sale adverts for M 145 which will be completed this weekend and go to the printers on Monday morning.

[Ian Grace]

M 145 went to the printers at the beginning of last week. This time, instead of sending me a .pdf proof, they are running off a printed 'first article' copy for me to check, because the last issue (and M 137, I think) were not printed in the highest resolution as the print staff had their machinery on the wrong setting. This first article process is taking about a week longer than the .pdf proof process, but I hope you will think it worth it if it guarantees the highest quality printing and images. I am scheduled to have the first article today and have the rest of the Magazines in my hands by the end of next week, so posting from here Monday 15th is the goal.

M 146 is also well on the way, so please send in photos, reports and other material you might have. Thanks.

[Ian Grace]

I visited the printers today to check the printed M 145 first article - to make sure that the graphics resolution was OK. It wasn't! We investigated. The quality of the graphics in the original Word documents I provided (one per article), was perfect. But the concatenated .pdf of the entire magazine was not. We disovered that apart from this M 145 first article, M 137 and M 144 were assembled by the owner of the company as opposed to his graphics staff. And these were the other two poor quality issues. On checking his PC, we found that he was exporting his .pdf files from Word in web publishing quality and not print quality - bingo! There's the problem. So they are re-woring the print master .pdf using the proper setting and we should be good from now on. They promised to get me the magazines by this Friday so I will plan to pack them over the weekend and ship them out a week today. As I said above, apologies for the delay, but I was determined to ensure we have the graphics resolution sorted before we went to print this time.

[Ian Grace]

Visited the printers again yesterday - to check the second first article! It was perfect, so I have them the GO to print. I should have M145 in my hands next Wednesday so plan to ship it out to everyone by Friday.

[Ian Grace]

Just collected 270 copies of M 145 from the printers - they look sharp!

I was due to collect Wednesday, but had flu so just returned to work this morning.

I'll get it all packed this weekend and shipped Monday. It will include an entry form for our Summer Rally and 67 delinquents will get a subs chaser!

[Ian Grace]

UK/Europe/South Africa copies posted from Herefordshire this morning.

[Ian Grace]

M145 will be the last Magazine that includes inserts such as subs forms, rally entry forms, etc.

The cost of postage in the UK is 50p for the Magazine, but the slight increase in weight of a single insert takes it into the one pound ten pence category!

This means that subs chasers and rally forms cost an additional GBP 109 for M145!

The included rally forms are downloadable from the website, assuming that all members are electrically connected. We'll have to work out a solution for others, and for subs at the end of the year.

[Ian Grace]

M 146 packed ready to bring to England with me as excess baggage! I'll be hand delivering to all Midland Weekend and Summer Rally entrants. If you don't think I know you are coming to either weekend, let me know. The rest will be posted.

M 147 is already under way and has some great content already!

[Ian Grace]

M 147 completed today, will be proof read this evening and delivered on thumb drive to the printers tomorrow. Expect it to arrive mid October. Copy for M 148 should be sent in without delay, so we can get that issue to everyone in time for Christmas!

[Ian Grace]

Just collected M 147 today, looks great. Starting to envelope it tonight. Will be in transit by Friday.

[Ian Grace]

M 147 finally shipped worldwide today. Apologies for the delay, but I had an emergency trip to Idaho to deal with and there were also a number of inserts that needed sorting for various members.

But we are stilll very much on track for getting the Christmas Magazine to everyone in time for the holiday. Let's have any input, correspondence, ads, etc. ASAP please.

It seems incredible, but next summer's Magazine will be our 50th, so a bumper issue is being planned!

[Ian Grace]

M 147 was posted on from Hereford to UK and European members today.

[mike houston]

Magazine received today, looks excellent and I'm looking forward to a good and informative read. Thanks also for the very comprehensive blueprint for the s/sports seat back, and the pictures on cd. These are already proving to be very useful! I'll post some pictures when further progress is made.
Regards Mike.

[Ian Grace]

Thanks Mike,

I have received reports of other Magazines arriving in the UK today - not bad for second class post, posted two days ago.

[Ian Grace]

Alex Dempster reports this morning that the Oz and NZ Magazines have arrived and have been posted on, so that's M 147 done - now on to M 148!