Another terrific guy who has served us well is Isaac Martin, who was our technical editor, and later the editor of Chevy High Performance. When the pressures of publishing became too much for Isaac, he moved on to full-time freelance writing where he could enjoy his freedom and stay closer to home. He was a terrific tech editor who knew Fords better than anyone, with a style and personality our readers could relate to.
When I think of great magazine photographers, I think of Scott Killeen and Randy Lorentzen. Most will agree no one does it better than Randy, who shoots most of those awesome shots you see in Ford ads and sales literature. Scott remains a friend who owns his own business today along with his wife, B.J. When working with Scott, you never doubted where you stood. Scott would bark, "I'm gonna smack your momma right in the mouth!" which made it all quite clear. In his quest for perfection, Scott was always on the ragged edge emotionally, but always great fun to work with. We have missed him for many years at Mustang & Fords. Jim Brown is another former Petersen shooter currently living in Oregon we have missed through the years. He always had a philosophical approach to everything. Christy Jewel, another Petersen photographer, was always as her name implied - a jewel in every way, and a splendid shooter. She was also a terrific friend and colleague.
Sweeping, Positive Changes
Throughout the 1980s, Petersen executive John Dianna watched Hot Rod's Mustang from a distance with his creative wheels spinning. He understood Mustang needed significant changes in order to be a runaway success. He saw the potential and was hell-bent to get it there. When Dianna became group publisher at Petersen's Automotive Performance Group in 1989, he took charge of Mustang, and immediately ordered changes in both appearance and editorial content. John got what he asked for - Mustang with a fresh look and an improved editorial format.
In 1990, John sat in his office high above Sunset Blvd and thumbed through Mustang. Despite a lot of positive changes under his direction and in the capable hands of Editor Bruce Caldwell, John believed it was time for more significant changes in the magazine. He had his eye on a young Petersen staff editor at Car Craft who showed promise. That staff editor was Jerry Pitt, who is publisher at Hot Rod Magazine today. When John offered Jerry Hot Rod's Mustang, it was a decision that would forever change the magazine's persona and direction.
"When John Dianna provided me with the opportunity to edit Mustang & Fords in 1990, my goal was to infuse my enthusiasm for Ford products into the magazine," he tells us. And that's exactly what Pitt did under Dianna's guidance. When Pitt assumed control of Mustang & Fords, it took on the adrenaline and passion of a man who has always loved Fords. Jerry's interest in Fords came naturally because Fords were all his father had ever owned.