I am afraid the old car group is gone.

[BeerDontCount]

Demand for our cars will ebb and flow as it does for all collector items. A 57 T-bird, 63 Vette, 68 Shelby Mustang and 70 challenger will always have value, as will a 71-73 Mustang, because they are all iconic. As far as kids going to car shows, they follow fads. All it takes is a couple of celebrities saying how cool classic cars are and the market can explode. If the market wanes I'll see it as an opportunity to reach for that 69 Mach that I can't afford right now. I guess my glass is half full.

Scott

 

[mach71351c]

move to southern california always a lot of shows going on

 +1

The lack of shows is not a problem it is the fact that young people are not getting into the car world anymore. I have 4 or 5 shows each week to pick from and once a month the city closes the main street and all the car guys take the cars out and everyone eats and dances in the street.

At the show they announced they had two members pass away that weekend.

I would never move to California, lol. When people have visited here from California they are amazed how green it is. No big fires, no earth quakes, no high prices. I can be at beach in 3 or 4 hours have several ski slopes to pick from in winter and mountains all around can walk forever.

The Charlotte show swap meet is impossible to see it all in 4 days. Hundreds of acres of gray headed people walking around or in electric chairs. They have electric chair rentals. NO YOUNG GUYS OR GALS.

If I moved anywhere it would be Africa love it there been 14 times.

Bound to happen how many of you want a 1914 Model T that will do 35 MPH and hand crank? Just like now find a young kid that wants a 71 - 73 mustang. Not many. My son has absolutely no interest in any of them just wants new.

I spent 6 hours on the 2 post lift washing under the car pulled wheels and cleaned tires and hubs. First time in the rain in 26 years.

David

 Believe me I would not recommend moving to California.  As far as it goes the weather and the car culture is second to none.

 

[Don C]

Are we a dying breed? Nah, we just smell that way after a day under the car.

Most of the people from our era really liked the factory hot rods from around 1961 to 1971. The first really fast car I remember was a Red 1961 Ford Starliner with a high performance 390 (401 horsepower) and 4-speed. The first fast car I had was a 1963 Ford Galaxie with a 406 and 4-speed. These facory hot rods would beat most of the home-built hot rods.

Then along came oil embargos and environmentalists. And then in an effort to meet gas mileage regs cars were designed by computers to reduce air drag, making cars look more and more alike. We tried to relive our Glory days, keeping our era of cars alive.

Now, with modern engine technology you can walk out of a car dealership with a fuel efficient car that will out run the 406 I had back when. No wonder the kids today are losing interest in our era of cars when our cars don't handle as well and cost more to build and maintain than a new one. You see a lot of decal, stripes, and aftermarket wheels as they try to personalize the look-alikes.

 

[Blue Mach 429 CJ]

I would encourage everyone in this forum to find a kid you know or are related to and take them for a ride. That is one sure fire way to keep them interested. You can't recreate the experience with any video game or modern car. I'll bet everyone on this forum has a story when they were a kid that caused them to appreciate these cars. Pass on the legacy. I made the mistake of trying to get my oldest son interested by going to work in the garage with me. I'm realizing with my youngest daughter it is the cruising in the car and car shows that are sparking interest...

 

[midlife]

Ummm...my unforgettable moment is NSFW, and I think the father of the daughter might get a bit upset with me if I try and recreate that moment....

 

[Blue Mach 429 CJ]

I knew somebody would go there....there are those memories too

 

[red351]

Child safety seats don't work in a 72 mach

 

[Heavy Metal]

My down fall was my brother who was drag racing Fairlanes and Falcons in the early 70's at US 30 Dragway in Thomasville, PA.

Then he got that 71'Mercury Cyclone Spoiler with 429 SCJ that got me hooked.

In 1971 the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever, when they got the Mach 1 up on 2 wheels for the alley stunt....pure heaven.

Or maybe Natalie Wood was my down fall.......hhmmmm

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

My down fall was my brother who was drag racing Fairlanes and Falcons in the early 70's at US 30 Dragway in Thomasville, PA.

Then he got that 71'Mercury Cyclone Spoiler with 429 SCJ that got me hooked.

In 1971 the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever, when they got the Mach 1 up on 2 wheels for the alley stunt....pure heaven.

Or maybe Natalie Wood was my down fall.......hhmmmm

What is neat about the on two wheel shot is going in on one side and coming out on the other, lol.

David

 

[mudbilly]

maybe Natalie Wood was my down fall.......hhmmmm

What kinda wood doesn't float ?

Natilie

 

[donkost]

I think you mean Lana Wood, she was the one from Diamonds are Forever, played Plenty O' Toole in that movie. lol They don't make bodies like that any longer- it wasn't made in a gym or with a surgeon. She is/was Natalie's sister and is still alive. How that Mach 1 alley scene made it past editing is beyond me. It was a great chase scene otherwise. I like where it quickly drives up onto the sidewalk and also some of the power slides through corners. In '71 movies were being cranked out for people to view in the theater. No one expected people to be able to analyze the movies frame by frame close to 50 years later on a home dvd/blu-ray player or computer. ha

 

[Captain Morgan]

Old car interest alive and well here!

 

[Studdley]

Don't worry my college friends and I are keeping it going, we just get intimidated when we see a titleless rusted 5k dollar shitbox

 

[Spike Morelli]

The Old Car Group IS dying.....at least as we know it. Mine was a generation that, for boys in High School, liked either sports, girls, or cars, or a mixture of the three. My generation had shop classes, of which auto shop was one, but hardly exists any more. Changes in automobiles have occurred so fast, that a kid can't even learn the basics of cars and add the electronics and computer era functions too, in the few short years afforded in school to get an entry level job. Even the adult enthusiasts have abandoned building, or repairing their cars, to buying crate motors and paying someone to restore the car for them. Much of the automobile thing has gotten fairly expensive, so much so that even the biggest name in drag racing retired ( Don Garlits ), naming cost as one of the biggest hurdles....this coming from a guy who can, and has, done it all. Still, Mr.Garlits is a car guy. and he kept his beloved race cars.

I have a slightly unique perspective on keeping and restoring certain things from our past. At one time, the P-51 Mustang was just an ex-military surplus article. The jet age made it obsolete, many went to the crusher......but there were some who thought....."this airplane is just too cool to junk out", and these people bought them and preserved them , and because of them, we today have flying examples to drool over that are worth millions of dollars. Those owners had to maintain and house those old aircraft , and did so because they loved them.

We, as restorers, car enthusiasts, hot rodders, etc, carry the same torch. We believe that our stuff is too important to throw away. Only time will tell if we are junk collectors, or enlightened geniuses. I'll take my chances with the latter, regardless of fads and cultural changes. Someday, I will pass this earth, and I don't really care what my car brings in dollars, my kids won't get it either 'cause they're not into cars and it would rot in their care, rather, I could rest peacefully if it was GIVEN away, so long as the next owner keeps and cherishes, and enjoys the darned thing as it should be.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I have to agree with Spike... to a point.  

But there is still plenty of interest in cool, old muscle cars, whether it be from natural occurance because of the old car guys still lingering, or pop culture pulling the cool, old muscle cars back into the mainstream in the form of all the car project reality shows (Counting Cars, Bitchin' Rides, @ss Monkey Garage, et al), advertising, or making them unwitting supporting characters in movies (John Wick, Jack Reacher, Machete, etc., are just some of the latest ones that come to mind).  I think as these cool cars keep showing up more and more in the mainstream AS cool cars, the interest will continue... especially, when the high-end restomodders incorporate modern technology into the older cars - people take notice and a lot of them would rather have a cool, old muscle car with modern tech, rather than some plain vanilla toad econobox that can't even get out of its own way (the Tuner/Ricer crowd excepted, of course).

I do notice that whenever I get the Mach 1 out for a spin, it always seems to draw some interest whenever/wherever I wind up parking (car shows, gas station, convenience store, etc.) - usually, it's the old car guys, but I've also noticed lots of younger people interested as well... and they're usually car guys as well.

I don't think it's time to write-off the future just yet, but it certainly doesn't hurt to get more kids involved and drooling over cool cars.  I do wish there was more of a need, desire, or whatever for those same shop classes I took when I was a kid in high school in the early '80s.  Unfortunately, between the ease of manufacturing ('printing' stuff, CAD/CAM, etc.) and the information being so easy to get (YouTube, Instructables, DIY Repair Sites, etc.), there's less of a need to take any formalized training anymore, when you can just go a buy a cheap and easy replacement, or watch a video on how to fix it.  Going with crate engines or paying someone to build/restore that car for you is just a product of getting older and becoming more successful to afford such things.  People don't feel like that have as much time to dedicate to long-term projects - society has become more of an instant gratitude construct, with anything and everything at our disposal at the touch of our fingertips - we knew this was coming from all those TV shows about the future, and now it's pretty much here.  The only thing missing are the 'replicators,' which will be coming along soon enough, if 3D printers are any indication of the direction of things.  There's still going to be a car scene with lots of room for old car guys and cool, old muscle cars... it'll just be different as the generations change.  Despite the feelings every generation thinks there's nothing like the generation they grew up in, there will always be a presence and appreciation of the old stuff... possibly on a bit of a smaller scale, but I'm pretty sure it'll never truly go away (not while I'm around, anyway).

As someone who's passed along cars I've restored, maintained, and cared for to people who simply do not appreciate it (and watched them literally fall apart right in front of me), I don't think I could bear witnessing having my Mach 1 or Jeep passed along to someone who just doesn't give a sh!t about cars, and see all my hard work basically unravel before my eyes.  My wife has at least agreed to wait until I'm gone before getting rid of my toys (if I don't already have a reason before that time comes).

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

I disagree. It isn't dying, but it is evolving. There are usually trends in all hobbies and activities, where it will wax and wane. Old cars are cool to a wide range of young people. It is important that we encourage it. With the numerous TV shows promoting custom builds and hot rodding etc, I think people restoring and enjoying old cars are going to be around a long time.

 

[Fabrice]

[ It isn't dying, but it is evolving]

With Ford announcing the Mach-E and the next gen mustangs with e powertrain next year,

If we don't see a 71-73 with e power within the next 5 years in the build threads, then yeah we can start worry about the future.

For now, I still think the main issue stopping young starters are the costs to have 2 cars, a place to park/work on the old lady and of course an app on their phones that does the work

 

[Mister 4x4]

It's just a matter of time.  Here's a link to an article from Mustang Monthly sometime last year (or maybe even older) - I think the words on the cover were "Silent but Deadly" (made me laugh):

http://www.mustangandfords.com/featured-vehicles/1504-this-electric-1968-ford-mustang-kicks-out-a-shocking-800-hp/

All in all, pretty damn impressive.

 

[jowens1126]

One thing I made sure I did right was pass on my passion and love for classic cars and automobilia. My 19 year old son is every bit as passionate as me. He loves his 71 Mach 1. His aspirations for the future is a 69 John Wick Mach 1. He also wants a 70 Charger. He is getting to be a true car gear head. He reads constantly about it. So at least thats one more to carry on after me.

 

[1sostatic]

I know my son has no interest in any of my cars so I should just sell them.

What are your takes on the car hobby. There were no younger people at the show. It is amazing to see the change. I predict that the price of what we see as collectable cars will drop very soon. Just like when the Model T and Model A age group went away and the prices dropped.

David

I can think of several things going on here. 

I really resent having to rock up to my Jagwaaar XK8 2002 model with a damned laptop, to diagnose through some dumb code, relating to what sensor isn't making the grade today.

Then there is the "dark side of cars" ... those who wish to fill every corner with a speaker  ... it's no longer a car - it's a Bass bin capable of an open air rock concert by Pink Floyd.... except they don't play, or even know of Pink Floyd... they have to play rap crap with their bass ball hats on sideways. They have no interest in Engines 

Then there is the drifting nitrous, twin turbo rice burner, Demon tweaks shopping lot busy de-laminating tyres. These are the ones taking their precious little motorized pencil sharpener to the Dyno facility -- then wondering why oil is pouring all over the floor and both turbos clanked to the ground. ... You've seen them - they are on Youtube.

...or have I just become too old.  :chin: