Interesting article on our hobby

[ozbilt]

I have been on about getting the younger generation into our hobby for years. Most of the time it has fallen on deaf ears. My opinion is, if we fail, then what we have will be worth nothing.

Read the link & comment .......

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/ba ... it-feature

[hybrid]

The other thing that's often missed also, is that the baby boomers enjoyed a very prosperous 20 years, so many of them were pretty cashed up.

We won't see that kind of environment for a little while, so less people will have the spare cash to shell out, even if they had an interest in the older cars.

The end of the article says it all to me though. I built my car to enjoy, not to worry about how much it's worth. That's why I bought the basic C code and not something special - although I couldn't have afforded something "special" at the time anyway.

[boofhead]

I agree. You need a market to sell into otherwise the cars will be emotionally worth millions to us but fetch next to nothing in the real world. We do need to encourage the young. This site is helping in its way. It is hard to see if they will see our cars as being cool or desirable - when I drive around I do get some attention and often young people take notice so I wave. Only time will tell the story.

[boofhead]

Hybrid - yes - prosperity will influence the out come. I like you have a base car so it was affordable for my budget. You like me get into it and do work on it ourselves - because we like to and because of the costs involved. The younger generation appear to not like to idea of using tools or getting dirty. Maybe see it as being below the standing or they are just lazy. I expect that to change over time, e.g., become a hobby to learn. Same appears to be happening with cooking. Young did not want to learn then later start to see it in a new light - hence the TV programs and such catering for the interest. It will be interesting to see what occurs - in any case - if someone interested in the hobby asks questions I intend to be patient and friend and help if I can.

[Astro]

Every old idea becomes new again, except the younger generation think they invented it, it's time will come again.

Closer to home, we can get our children involved and excited - my 23yo is on his way.

My 2 yo nephew has been willed the muzzy, I reckon I've got about 25 years left behind the wheel and the way SP is screwing it together - he won't have to touch it for 25 years either

Cheers

J

[MaxPower]

I consider myself on the younger side of people into classic cars, I'm 32. But I can not relate to the majority of teenagers. I have an 18 and 11 year old and can not get either of them interested in anything but themselves or an electronic device. My 5 and 7 year old are happy to join in what ever it is I am doing and love going for a drive in my steel bumpered cars as they know they are special. Plus they can remember them being around most of their lives so they grew up with it.
However I know my outlook on the hobby is different to some of the older generation. I do it because I enjoy it, not as an investment. The cars will go to my kids one day and they can do as they please. Drive them, sell them, give them away. What ever they want to do. As long as I get to enjoy them while I have a pulse.

I think the cars that pull those giant figures these days, wont be worth that in decades to come. I agree that it'll just be another thing to die out. Just like clock makers, farriers and blacksmiths. Sure there will be some around, but most people simply wont care.

[Ronin187]

I'm in the same basket as MaxPower. 32 years old, and doing this not for an investment, or looking to sell-on at a later date to make cash, but because I still look at my 67 and get movement in the front section of my pants.

If I'm fortunate enough to have a kid, I'll certainly be trying to teach them about cars, I think it builds a good analytical mindset that can translate into many varied skillsets.

but in another way I hope it does die out, then I might be able to get that 32 ford hi-boy I've always wanted..

[malscar]

The last sentence sums it up for me

The happiest people in the hobby are the ones who buy what they like first and let the market worry about return on investment

My 21 year old daughter has stated she wants the car over the house. I bet that lasts up until she realises the value of the two.

[MaxPower]

Last week my 5 year old son told me that when I die, he gets the boat so he can go night fishing. It was good to know he enjoyed our last night fishing trip that much but not so much the waiting for me to die part.

[scott66stang]

I got my eldest girl now 28 a 56 VW notchback, unfortunately she turned 17 and i hadnt finished it so she got a loan to buy a VS dunnydore.
But that didnt matter my middle daughter now 26 also liked it but i soon changed her mind when i found a cheap EH ute she fell in love with and we were going to paint it Purple.
Unfortunately i didnt finish it before she turned 17 so she got a loan out for a AU ute.
My youngest daughter now 22 likes all my old cars and is also into old stuff like polaroid cameras, record players everything retro, unfortunately she saw how her elder sisters had to wait for their cars to be done and didnt really push me and is happy enough knowing that one day she may get one of my many projects finished or not.
Oddly enough i was able to find enough time to completely rebuild and licence her 83 and then a 90 Celica, fix all the rust in her 89 Triton ute and the horse float she was towing, spend 8 months trying to sort out an electrical problem in the Hilux 4runner she brought to replace the Triton but has never driven to this day. More recently i had to rebuilt the motor etc and fitted solar charging system to a 97 Hiace camper which she has now taken off around Australia in.
Before she got the Hiace, she was so excited that we found a 73 VW Kombi for $200 that i was going to do up for her Australian trip, but guess what......... she didnt want to wait.

[cage]

Luckily my son who is currently 15 absolutely loves both modern cars and old classics. He actually has a real affection for old Rolls and 40's style American cars. He doesn't want to own one though just loves the lines.

He does however currently have a 65 XP Falcon which he drove for the first time a couple of weeks ago and now he wants a XY GT, XB GT Coupe, BMW 2002, GT500KR 2010 model, XU-1, DB5, shelby cobra, A9X and a Ferrari Le Ferrari so I hope the hobby for our family atleast is in good hands. Hope to god he eventually gets them all too, now that would be cool.

My daughter who is 12 would much prefer to have a classic car over a modern one. She really wants a Kharmann Ghia, aren't these things climbing in price. So again I think the hobby may be somewhat safe with her.

The problem to me is the missus and the safety factor. Why wife is not happy with my son having the XP as it is not safe in her mind cause it has no airbags or modern safety equipment. This is where the real problem in the future may lie, safety concerns by parents, who usually pays for the kids first car.

[Stallion67]

I am 28, single and interested in all these daughters of blokes on here with nice cars I bought my 67 as a gift to myself for working away in port hedland for 3 years. My original idea was to get an e39 m5 as in my eyes it is the best car BMW ever built. I also love old BMWs and Mercs. When i was looking for an 01-03 m5 they were still quiet pricey and ive always loved classics. So then my search went to older falcons because i am a ford man through and through but GT prices are bullshit in my opinion, complete rip off. So i was looking at GS models and XP/XRs as they are my favourite models but wanted a V8 and any falcon with a v8 is still expensive. So i turned to mustangs because i think they look better and parts are abundant. I've always liked mustangs but didnt know to much about them, thanks to you guys on here i know a lot more and hopefully will pass this info on to someone younger than me. Im trying to turn my 22 year old cousin off all the jap cars he plays with and get something classic. One day..