OVERVIEW:
Road Test was published from 1965 to 1981 in Los Angeles California. The magazine was essentially a buyers guide and published objective road test results on U.S. and foreign automobiles. This covered the range from up-scale sports cars to small economy cars. Each magazine had the following text in the opening pages, "Devoted to automobiles, other vehicles and automotive products, ROAD TEST is designed to present the complete facts about cars, trucks, accessories, equipment and automotive products without fear or favor." The intent was to be objective and become a trusted and authoritative source. Early issues indicated the magazine was not funded with advertising. However, it is uncertain if this continued through the entire publishing cycle.

It started as a bi-monthly magazine and then switched to monthly in 1968. This continued until 1978 when there was a break in publishing. It restarted on an erratic bi-monthly schedule.

OWNERSHIP:
The first publisher was Bill Quinn, and first editor was OCee Ritch. It appears Mr Quinn closed down Motor Sports Illustrated in November 1964, then used the same staff to create Road Test in December, 1964.

In October, 1974, Quinn Publications sold the title to George Dougherty. Mr Quinn stayed on as Vice President for a few issues during a transition period, then Mr. Dougherty became the publisher and owner. In short order he hired Steve Thompson as the editor.

But this started a revolving door of publishers and editors. Frank Kirmos became the publisher in 1979 and brought back William Quinn as the co-publisher. Walt Woron, the first editor of Motor Trend, joined the team as the editor. In early 1981, Jim Hall was the publisher, but by late 1981 Jay Sampson became the publisher. This is an indication of a struggling publication, and the title ended in November, 1981.

The table of contents, if available, can be seen by clicking on the icon.

CONTENT COMPLETENESS:
A total of 164 issues was printed from December, 1964 through November, 1981. Cover images are complete for this title except for: 6/81.

Road Test Dec December 1964
Dec 1964 Vol 1 No 1
Road Test Mar March 1965
Mar 1965 Vol 1 No 2
Road Test May 1965
May 1965 Vol 1 No 3
Road Test July 1965
July 1965 Vol 1 No 4
Road Test Sept September 1965
Sept 1965 Vol 1 No 5
Road Test Nov November 1965
Nov 1965 Vol 1 No 6
Road Test Jan January 1966
Jan 1966 Vol 2 No 1
Road Test Mar March 1966
Mar 1966 Vol 2 No 2
Road Test May 1966
May 1966 Vol 2 No 3
Road Test July 1966
July 1966 Vol 2 No 4
Road Test Sept September 1966
Sept 1966 Vol 2 No 5
Road Test Dec December 1966
Dec 1966 Vol 2 No 6
Road Test Feb February 1967
Feb 1967 Vol 3 No 1
Road Test Apr April 1967
Apr 1967 Vol 3 No 2
Road Test June 1967
June 1967 Vol 3 No 3
Road Test Aug August 1967
Aug 1967 Vol 3 No 4
Road Test Oct October 1967
Oct 1967 Vol 3 No 5
Road Test Nov November 1967
Nov 1967 Vol 3 No 6
Road Test Dec December 1967
Dec 1967 (unnumbered)
Road Test Jan January 1968
Jan 1968 Vol 4 No 1
Road Test Feb February 1968
Feb 1968 Vol 4 No 2
Road Test Mar March 1968
Mar 1968 Vol 4 No 3
Road Test Apr April 1968
Apr 1968 Vol 4 No 4
Road Test May 1968
May 1968 Vol 4 No 5
Road Test June 1968
June 1968 Vol 4 No 6
Road Test July 1968
July 1968 Vol 4 No 7
Road Test Sept September 1968
Sept 1968 Vol 4 No 8
Road Test Oct October 1968
Oct 1968 Vol 4 No 9
Road Test Nov November 1968
Nov 1968 Vol 4 No 10
Road Test Dec December 1968
Dec 1968 Vol 4 No 11
Road Test Jan January 1969
Jan 1969 Vol 5 No 1
Road Test Feb February 1969
Feb 1969 Vol 5 No 2
Road Test Mar March 1969
Mar 1969 Vol 5 No 3
Road Test Apr April 1969
Apr 1969 Vol 5 No 4
Road Test May 1969
May 1969 Vol 5 No 5
Road Test June 1969
June 1969 Vol 5 No 6
Road Test July 1969
July 1969 Vol 5 No 7
Road Test Aug August 1969
Aug 1969 Vol 5 No 8
Road Test Sept September 1969
Sept 1969 Vol 5 No 9
Road Test Oct October 1969
Oct 1969 Vol 5 No 10
Road Test Nov November 1969
Nov 1969 Vol 5 No 11
Road Test Dec December 1969
Dec 1969 Vol 5 No 12
Road Test Jan January 1970
Jan 1970 Vol 6 No 1
Road Test Feb February 1970
Feb 1970 Vol 6 No 2
Road Test Mar March 1970
Mar 1970 Vol 6 No 3
Road Test Apr April 1970
Apr 1970 Vol 6 No 4
Road Test May 1970
May 1970 Vol 6 No 5
Road Test June 1970
June 1970 Vol 7 No 6
Road Test July 1970
July 1970 Vol 6 No 7
Road Test Aug August 1970
Aug 1970 Vol 6 No 8
Road Test Sept September 1970
Sept 1970 Vol 6 No 9
Road Test Oct October 1970
Oct 1970 Vol 6 No 10
Road Test Nov November 1970
Nov 1970 Vol 6 No 11
Road Test Dec December 1970
Dec 1970 Vol 6 No 12
Road Test Jan January 1971
Jan 1971 Vol 7 No 1
Road Test Feb February 1971
Feb 1971 Vol 7 No 2
Road Test Mar March 1971
Mar 1971 Vol 7 No 3
Road Test Apr April 1971
Apr 1971 Vol 7 No 4
Road Test May 1971
May 1971 Vol 7 No 5
Road Test June 1971
June 1971 Vol 7 No 6
Road Test July 1971
July 1971 Vol 7 No 7
Road Test Aug August 1971
Aug 1971 Vol 7 No 8
Road Test Sept September 1971
Sept 1971 Vol 7 No 9
Road Test Oct October 1971
Oct 1971 Vol 7 No 10
Road Test Nov November 1971
Nov 1971 Vol 7 No 11
Road Test Dec December 1971
Dec 1971 Vol 7 No 12
Road Test Jan January 1972
Jan 1972 Vol 8 No 1
Road Test Feb February 1972
Feb 1972 Vol 8 No 2
Road Test Mar March 1972
Mar 1972 Vol 8 No 3
Road Test Apr April 1972
Apr 1972 Vol 8 No 4
Road Test May 1972
May 1972 Vol 8 No 5
Road Test June 1972
June 1972 Vol 8 No 6
Road Test July 1972
July 1972 Vol 8 No 7
Road Test Aug August 1972
Aug 1972 Vol 8 No 8
Road Test Sept September 1972
Sept 1972 Vol 8 No 9
Road Test Oct October 1972
Oct 1972 Vol 8 No 10
Road Test Nov November 1972
Nov 1972 Vol 8 No 11
Road Test Dec December 1972
Dec 1972 Vol 8 No 12
1973 to 1981