The web-zine has a new look, and I hope you like it after you get used to it. There are two reasons: as a web designer, I wanted a more modern look (sheer vanity), and as editor, I needed something as easy to update as possible (sheer self-preservation). Marsha and I make our living designing stuff on computers all day, and in the evenings I need to concentrate on editing and writing, not endlessly reformatting web pages. And once in a while, it's nice to work on the cars.

There are a few changes to the content as well. I've decided to suspend publishing "Ask the Experts" as a regular column until I figure out how to make it work properly. We are still very much in the business of answering questions and helping Volvo owners whenever possible; don't think for a moment we're suspending that as well. The column may return in a different format, I don't know yet. We'll certainly find a way of publishing useful information gleaned from such correspondence.

"Photo Gallery" is temporarily closed for remodeling. I expect to have it back in operation by the next issue. We have lots of new pics that haven't made it in yet. Thanks and apologies for the delay to all who sent them.

A few rarely-visited pages -- how to submit material, and commercial advertising rates -- are closed for rework. As before, we dearly welcome any Volvo-related stories, photos, and any other materials you might care to contribute. Please just e-mail me directly for details or if you have questions on how to go about it.

Our sponsors' banners are gone from the "Links" page and now have their own "Suppliers" section, which they share with paid text ads, which were formerly in the classifieds.

Prices and projected delivery times are gone from the bookstore. Amazon.com changes these continually and without notifying us, and I don't want to mislead anyone with outdated information on our site.

"Life in Cascadia" will return when I have a chance to write up some of the goofy stuff that's been happening around here.

VClassics International, our print edition, is doing fine. Our main problem has been getting it into the mail close to on time. As of last weekend, Marsha and I each have our own up-to-date computer at home, both quite capable of dealing with high-resolution print graphics. We're no longer competing for time on the "good" machine, and that will help a lot. Publishing the magazine in color may also be in the offing as technology gets cheaper, but no promises yet. It has to look as good as the expensive conventional process, or we're not doing it.

As for Volvo projects, our 122S will soon be undergoing a thorough restoration, first at ProAmazon (see Cameron's article in this issue) and later at The Works. It will receive the B20E motor currently in our 1800S after I build a new street performance motor for the 1800. We'll cover both projects, you can be sure.

So there you have it. This will be a short issue; the October - November issue will go on line in early October ("Yeah, right!" you're all saying. HA! Just wait and see).