How old were you when you started?

[montanafordman]

Hello Everyone. It was interesting to read the age group thread on Model A's and after seeing Runnerbun break down the numbers of how people ARE I am interested to know how old people WERE when they aquired their first Model A or got into the hobby. I suspect it might look a little different since I'm a comparably young guy at 32 but I haven't been in this nearly as long as a lot of you either. In my case my Dad, Uncle and Aunt let the car pass to me skipping a generation so I'm curious how age and circumstance enters into when people got into the hobby. Maybe this will be a telling sign on where our hobby is headed in the future as well?

My grandfathers generation (people today in their 80s-90's) were the ones that had direct contact with these cars when they were the most plentiful and new. I'm surprised to see how many of you are still active and sharing your knowledge. Belive me - we appreciate it! Its very fun to hear your stories.

It now seems like people from my fathers generation (generally speaking the baby boomers) are getting to the point where they are inheriting the cars or finnally have additional time and disposable income to do something with the cars. I'm also guessing some of the boomers also got their start in the 50s-70s as kids when the cars were plentiful AND cheap and the hobby was really starting to take hold either from a restoration or hot rodding standpoint.

These were the numbers that Runnerbun came up with in the current age thread. Lets see how they compare...
age brackets are:
Under 25 yrs 8%
26 - 35 yrs 8%
36 - 45 yrs 10%
46 - 55 yrs 20%
56 - 60 yrs 9%
61 - 65 yrs 12%
66 - 70 yrs 14%
71 - 75 yrs 10%
Over 75 yrs 9%

This might be a slight drift from my original poll and intent but I'll be curious to see how my generation takes the reigns for the hobby since most of my peers are much more into technology, video games, getting careers started, establishing familes/babies and new mortgages than thinking about classic cars. People my generation and younger also had classes like high school auto shop cut due to budget issues and schools seem to be focusing much more on technology than trades as well. There are far fewer people growing up in rural areas and on farms than there were 20-50 years ago which also handicaps the mechanical aptitude or ambition in future generations. I kind of feel like if the skill or background isn't there - the interest won't be either. Lets hope the future generations prove me wrong and we continue to grow!

[Steve Wastler]

I got my roadster at age 13, I'm now 44, and have 3 As..

[montanafordman]

I'll start out - I've been interested basically my whole life. My grandfather died and the car passed to me when I was just shy of my 28th birthday but I wasn't able to take possession until I was just shy of 31 a year and a half ago. So I'll say I got started when I was 30 and actually started learning! (and by this I mean hopelessly addicted)

[mhsprecher]

The first car I bought in high school was a 1930 Model A coupe. I never got it on the road and sold it before I went to college. That was around 1969. I finally got another one last year. Finally.

[roccaas]

Finally had enough money by 40 to spend on something other than the children!

[ken ct]

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I would say most if not all youngsters today like 16-26 have NO mechanical ability at all.I have a slew of nephews in that age group and none of them have any even to changing a flat tire on their cars . Its a throwaway society.They have scooters and bicycles piled up in the garage that need fixing. They just go out and buy another one.When the latest ipod or whatever they are ,there the first ones at the store buying one. To me its a sad situation its like this today.They dont know what their missing. I just fixed my mother inlaws Kitchen-Aid mixer for her for the second time. First time a wire at the motor switch came unsoldered i resolded it and bingo. this time another wire in there just came off the plug inside the same rear switch cover.Bingo again works fine.Shes also been useing a like new 10 yr old Nission with the original battery and it keeps going dead. I told her 2 weeks ago to go to Auto Zone they will install it for you free.No soap there either shes still havent done it yet. Shes 90 yrs old.Wont go for a new one.????? I just plain give up. She has to get 25 diff. opinions from every one in the family as to whats wrong with her car.And none of them have any M.A./ end of rant. ken ct. 73 yrs old. but still a grease monkey since 15 or so.

[Bob-A]

My Dad bought us a 1929 Chevy to play with when I was 15, he didn't like Fords. I learned how to drive and took my driving test with the Chevy.
While we had the Chevy I use to marvel at the J.C. Whitney catalog with
all the parts you could get for "A's", this was back in the mid to late 60's.
And I said to myself at the time: "I'm going to have to get me an "A" someday". In 1985 I bought my first one. Now I have two and another
'29 Chevy like the one my father and I had.

Bob-A

[kyvetteman]

I was 15 when my granddad told me one Saturday morning he wanted to take me for a ride and we went to the next county where there were FIVE model A's lined up at a car lot. He knew I loved them and we looked at them all and he told me to take my pick. I ended up with a '30 Tudor for $300. That was 1974... Man I wish I still had that car!

Many years later we partnered up on a '30 Coupe. Great memories! He is solely responsible for my love/addiction of old cars. He died 8 years ago at 98 and I still miss him like it was yesterday.

[Harold]

I was in High School when I got my grandfathers 1923 Model T Ford out of the barn where it had been stored during World War II. I still have the Model T and have restored it. Three years ago I purchased a 1929 Model A Tudor that the previous owner had started restoring 20 years ago, so it was a basket case with many missing parts. I hope to have it on the road this summer. Harold

[steve s]

Got my first and only A at age 17 in 1960. That's us in my Avatar oiling it up for a return run back to college--by that time I had converted it back to stock wheels.

[Rowdy]

Bought my first A when I was 13 and the second one at 16. Rod

[todd3131]

I was born into it but if you are going by when I purchased my first model a project I was twenty my first project was a 67 mustang fastback that I restored when I was 16
Todd

[Roadster62]

I was 10 years old when Mom dropped me off at the local HCCA Fall Meet for the day. I'd already swapped the floor mats out of the new '61 Ford for a 1932 Ford grille incert that I still have. Bob

[Bob C]

Started restoring my first Model A when I was 12 had it done when I turned 16, had to
mow a lot of lawns to pay for the restoration parts.

Bob

[jkeesey]

I bought my first A at 20 years old but have been working on old cars since birth. My grandfather had a junkyard specializing in antique cars so every Sunday we had family dinner and we would help Pop Pop in the garage and play hide and seek in the "junk" cars.

[Jack 34pu]

Hey,

My father got us started at a very early age. I'm guessing I was about 9-10yrs old in the photo. My younger brother sitting in front of me also has been into cars since then also. Still has a 37' Chevy coup he bought when he was 16. Desoto steering wheel, Matag washing machine motor and wheels from a little red wagon. I remember riveting brake linings to brake shoes about that time also. Dad had a setup on his workbench that splayed the rivets when you pulled on a long handle.
Anyone start younger that this?

[Jack 34pu]

Sorry,
Picture didn't attach properly on last post.

[mantta]

I was 13 years old. I have had one ever since and am now 70.

[RUNNERBUN]

Towed my first vintage car home at age 17 It was a 1927 Chevrolet. (that was before I saw the light and got interested in Fords) Never got to restore the Chev. instead gave it to a friend whom I owed a favour. I am now 61. I don't know what sparked my interest in vintage cars but I can distinctly remember sitting in school as a youngster drawing pictures of vintage cars instead of paying attention to my studies.
Started restoring at age 24 ( A 1927 Ford Model T Roadster) which I still own. Have been involved ever since.

[Russ B]

I was 12 or 13 when I got my first A. ...and 16 or 17 when I got my second. Got three now, fifty years later.