What's the future of the Model T and Model A hobbies?

[Ted Duke]

Originally Posted by Franchise_24

We need more younger people to get involved. I know in our club, I'm 35 and my wife is 33 and we are the youngest, with the next closes ages in their 50's.

We All need to invite someone younger than us to Model A or other old car meetings or event.

[Roadster62]

That is the general feeling I get from many people here on The Ford Barn, I can count the "friendly" ones on one hand and I have fingers left. I got into the hobby when I was 10 years old and was the "Kid" at every event for many years. I found the hobby all on my own, the current cry for "Young Members" is just foreign to my way of thinking, if you have an interest you will find the hobby. Love of the cars is NUMBER ONE, the people can kill or kindle your interest. Don't let jerks bother you, if you get a bad feeling about someone ASK others, 9 out of 10 times they will confirm your gut reaction. I'm 63 now, last time the T was out was 15 years ago, and Dad's A was parked in 1983. Having the cars is the fun part for me, if they never run again what is it to you? My Grandson will get them, if he wants to spend the time and money to put them on the road fine. The cost of everything does have a big effect these days. A quart of primer and the stuff that goes with it will eat up most of a hundred dollar bill. A load of metal to the sandblaster will run you 200-300, so you now have clean parts in primer, but not any giant step in progressing to a finished project. Do restorations get started and finished by people 60 and older? Does it matter? Bob

Originally Posted by bart78

I think what keeps a lot of younger people from restoring model A's. Is the attitude of a lot of the guys I have met. There are allways the one or two guys that know everything. And want to tell you all that is wrong even though you have not asked them. When you are at a local small car show. An you are telling another guy his tail lights are wrong. Or his wheel color is wrong. People don't want to hear that. I have known a lot of model a guys to be worse than Corvette guys.

[bambooboy]

I've been in the hobby 10 months&on ford barn 10 months(daily)I agree with most on younger generation.without getting political,we have to realize youngsters are paying huge taxes.in n.y. city you can pay up to 55% in taxes.this hobby should do fine at least another 20 years(maybe lower prices) with the 50,60&70 yr olds.got my almost finished bargain at age 70.seems almost daily I see (newbee here or got my 1st A asking a question or showing us pics.is this the normal thru the years or were there many more in the past? tom

[Fred]

Originally Posted by BlueSunoco

Exactly Newshirt. Example: Look at NASCAR, and what's happening there. 12 or so years ago it was the 'cool' thing to be involved with. Today, attendance numbers are heading south big time. Teams are trying to merge. Who in the heck wants to drop $700 to go to one race with a couple of kids in tow,NOT a family oriented event. Naw, most folks are finding better things to do with their money and time.

Also, in the early 70's when I was in high school, I was the only guy interested in Model A's. My buddies thought I was nuts. So things really haven't changed all that much today

Really ?? Try and find some good seats at Richmond Va., Spring or fall..I am very close to the S/F line, row 27 & on the aisle with four seats @ $85.00 Each..

[Mike V. Florida]

I think it looks great. Better parts are being made. We have parts available equal to or exceeding any other car out there. I've read about the end of the Model a hobby for years now but we still read about cars being restored after being found all the time. With little of no modifications they can handle all the roads but highways with ease and for long duration's.

[BlueSunoco]

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Originally Posted by Fred

Really ?? Try and find some good seats at Richmond Va., Spring or fall..I am very close to the S/F line, row 27 & on the aisle with four seats @ $85.00 Each..

Fred, the TV must be playing tricks on my eyes because I see tons of empty seats in most NASCAR races I've stopped to look at. Maybe all those folks are out peeing.

My brother in Orange County, Calif. goes to Fontana quite a bit and he tells me the same, the place is not crowded at all lots of empty seats. Compared to years ago, he says attendance is really dropping out there.

[Great Lakes Greg]

Great comments. Somebody mentioned the target group should be the 40-60 year olds, not teenagers. Agreed. Teens and early-mid twenties are broke, consumed with their hormones, and live in apartments. It is a poor stage in life to try to get anybody to buy an impractical car.

[BlueSunoco]

And on another note.......... just spoke to my brother in SoCal about an hour ago, he's into cars too but of the muscle car persuasion. We were talking about the future of the hobby, and he says that even cars in the muscle car era are going to die off, that the interest just isn't there anymore. The cars are too expensive and the kids only want to play video games on their smart phones, etc. just like we've discussed here. He said 'Just stand on any corner in Southern California today and watch the traffic. EVERY other car is a Prius. You don't see the 60's early 70's cars anymore like you used to 15 years ago.' He also was over at Santa Margarita Ford this week talking to a good friend who sells new cars. He told my brother that 'We can't keep the plug in Hybrid Fusions on the lot, they sell as fast as they get unloaded especially to the young crowd. They think by doing that they are going 'Green' and turn their noses up at other models we have!'

California always sets the trend, that the rest of the nation follows. Not always bad, they were first in the 60's w/ the braless look thing but that is another story

[Ed in Maine]

Sometimes we must be careful what we wish for. If we over market the hobby, more people will be looking for Model As increasing the prices. I say keep it affordable and help the new comers that have the questions. It is a hobby, not an investment not a profitable venture. You don't have to have 30 years of experience with Model As to keep them running. As for getting new people into the hobby, take them for a ride. Let them look down that hood and see those two shinny head lamps moving down the road! It is what got me hooked! Ed

[P.S.]

Originally Posted by Ed in Maine

Let them look down that hood and see those two shinny head lamps moving down the road! It is what got me hooked! Ed

Truth be told... That is exactly what got me hooked also! Interesting that you would bring that up. Seeing the world go by in the headlight bucket reflection is so relaxing (as a passenger, of course).

Since I use my Model A as an "actual car" instead of a hobby, it just ends up that people end up riding in my Model A quite frequently. Nobody ever gets out of the Model A and says, "What a lousy ride!"

[SteveB31]

The clubs, both local and national, generally are mostly older folks. They generally do older folks things on the club tours (eat, drive, eat ,) which does not appeal to younger folks.

The cars appeal to many younger folks, just like they do to older folks, because they are affordable ( A new car now costs $30000. A Model A costs $15000.). As one who spends all week talking to Model A people, I assure you the cars are wanted, but not often used by the younger folks in a club atmosphere since they only see older folks in the clubs.

The younger folks will spend money on them, because they have more money. I cannot count how many times in the last couple months, that a car has been passed down from older grandpa to grandson, who drove it a bit, called me and said "Can these cars be made to drive 55mph and stop on a dime? When I tell them , yes they can, they jump right in and spend $6000 on a good engine, good brakes etc. Grandpa would never do that , because he neither had the money, nor the motivation, as he was happy at 45 MPH and lousy brakes, since that was how it always was for the last 40 years he had the car.

Just my observations......

Steve Becker
Berts Model A Center

[SteveB31]

By the way.....by younger folks I mean 30s-50s.

As stated above, teenagers and 20s folks dont have much money and are busy buying houses, having kids, etc.....

[Brother Hesekiel]

As so often, there are two sides to any coin. Model As are so affordable because there are just so many out there. Look for a Chevrolet of the same year as yours and you'll see what I mean. The more cars disappear from the face of the Earth, the more expensive the remaining ones get. Not too long ago, a friggin' Sixties' Volkswagen Beetle could be had for peanuts. Now even the lonely Sedans sell for over $10K. Try to buy a 1959 or 1960 VW Beetle Cabriolet and you'll have to spend twice of what a similar Ford Model A would cost 'ya. So just lean back, enjoy your time with your Model A(s), and don't worry about what's going to happen when the next generation takes over. It's out of our hands anyway.

[montanafordman]

There are many interesting points being made. I'm a young guy @ 33 and the biggest three are time, space, and money - in any particular order with interest being a close 4th. If there were time, space, and money the interest might be found in greater numbers but guys even a few years younger than me have had a lot less exposure to shop classes or anyone with the time or willingness to teach them and kindle an interest in basics from how to change a tire to how to pack a wheel bearing or replace a u-joint. (in something modern let alone a model A).

Another thing that is going against the car hobby that hasn't been discussed much is the lack of interest in cars as a whole. Our culture is changing big time. Kids don't go out cruising like I did in school just 16 years ago and cars are not the symbol of freedom and style like we viewed them. Now cars are looked at as polluters and a liability. People meet in the digital world more than face to face and even new car manufacturers and dealers are scratching their heads in finding ways to sell to the millennial generation. Without interest only a small percentage of people with means will carry on the car hobby. I see a waning interest in vintage cars and car restoration as a whole not just Model A's.

[mshmodela]

There will always be buyers for a Model A that is in basic running shape, now supply may exceed demand but the cars are going no where.... Enjoy the drive and put a few smiles out those who see your car... Keep the cars on the road as much as possible is best the advertising there is.

And who cares about the investment stand point! That what stocks etc. are for... There as pure fun! Just like these:

[Hardtail75]

Hi guys. I'm glad I found this thread. Perhaps I can explain things from my point of view to possibly help the community. I just turned 24. I'm sure I am one of the younger guys on this board..this will be a long post but I will try to explain how I found my way into this wonderful world of antique automobiles.

I am not sure what it is like in America, but I grew up in a small town here in Canada. Back in the 70s I'm told my high school was known for their automotive program. When I got there we were told that we would restore a Volkswagen Van from the 60s. The first day everybody touched a grinder. It was great.

Fast forward to the end of the year, that VW van sat there in the same spot with no work done to it. We basically learned theory all year and changed tires. It was uninspiring. We would detail our cars for those that were fortunate enough to drive a vehicle to school.

Speaking for myself, I have always been an adrenaline junkie. I road two wheels at the ripe age of 2 with no training wheels. At 5 dirt bikes. I've always wanted to go fast. I can remember my father telling me about his 1930 Ford 5 window coupe when he was a kid and blowing the rear section of the frame because it wasn't boxed in. Driving the piss out of his 69 Shelby GT 500 and all the other cool cars he had. These cars sounded great, but bikes are where my hearts at.

Most of my friends liked Motocross, but nobody was really into cars. When I was in high school the kid with the newest VW Jetta and a sound system was "cool".

First I bought me a Harley-Davidson, a 1975 XLCH. What a bike. It wasn't enough though, I have a strong appreciation for history. I looked at the Sportsters of the '60s and '70s and how bikers from those generations built them. Hooked. You do not see shit like that on the road, here at least. So I have been building my chopper ever since. This was all knew to me..the most work I have ever done mechanically was servicing my dirt bikes. I have never touched a grinder, welder, or hell a piece of steel. I restored the bike in it's original shape and then left to go to school to pursue some technical training. I got my Harley-Davidson Technician license.

When I got back from school I had the drive to build my vintage inspired chopper. It was an extremely daunting task. Off and on the bike was being built. I hard tailed the frame, built my prism tank, twisted the sissy bar, yada yada. My main source of knowledge came from the internet. I did not have many contacts to this world to get advice or inspiration from. But it's all documented on the internet. Most of the staff at my school fringed upon the generations of the past, gotta push the latest machines on you right. Sad how the motor company has become now.

So I am happy with my motorcycle project and I discovered I really do love building things. So I saved some money and wanted to get a classic car. I found a '66 Grande Parisienne. Not know anything about buying these things, I got a lemon. Took it to a mechanics shop to get them to check it over, discovered the body mounts were rotten. The car got some work done to it but then that was it, I did not know how to weld and I soon spent all my money trying to get something on the road that just wasn't going to happen.

It sat for just under a year. By that time I was comfortable welding from working on my bike. I was shown how to turn the machine on and that was it. So I said to myself, "look man you spent all this money on this metal, why let it sit there and rot further into the ground?". I made a hoist out of trees, literally cut down trees and braced them together to hold the body of this car lol.

This was a big WTF do I do now? The whole trunk pan was destroyed. So I patched everything the best I could to keep as much of the original structure that I could. It looked god awful. So I measured everything up and made one giant piece to fit from the rear seats all the way to the trunk latch. Looking pretty good now. I'm proud of that shit. I was not able to buy a trunk pan for this car and everyone told me you can't fix it....I wasn't gonna take that for an answer lol. So I rebuilt all the body mounts looking just like they came out of the factory. I just got a 454 and a Muncie 4 speed for this car so it should be a lot of fun.

This car was a huge learning process for me. Most of what I believe I could have learned when I was in high school. I do not have special tools for my Pontiac or my Harley. Everything was done with a grinder and a small mig welder. One thing I can say is that people my age do appreciate these things, but have no idea where to start? A lot of people I've come across are complete pricks. I go into the body shop to buy supplies, but I know absolutely nothing about paint so I'm looked down upon. When they laugh at me and say "hey kid what the **** could you possibly be working on?", a piece of me just thinks this is one reason why you do not see young people doing this kind of shit. Their attitude changes right quick when they hear about cars from the 20s-60s. It's like a deer in headlights they can't believe it.

One thing I can say is that you can use the internet to your advantage. I don't have a clue where I could get the advice that you guys give me here than in person. A few guys I have met with Model A's just laugh saying that my car will be rust for years to come, let me buy it off you. It's hard to find people that want to mentor.

Like many of you said when you go to car shows some people are snobs and pick at your vehicle. It shouldn't be like that. There should always be a sense of family. Those people forget that they are hurting the community when they talk like that, or are just oblivious to it. These things are supposed to bring people together. I'm just a novice, but I am extremely enthusiastic about passing on what I know.

Anyways I don't know what the hell I am rambling about but basically for my situation I was just determined to get involved with cars and bikes. If it was not for the internet I probably never would of been exposed to this world of cars. I do not see any of the clubs advertised ever.

All I can say right now is this, if it wasn't for online communities such as this it would be extremely difficult for people to get involved without knowing someone first hand...and that's the case for many. Now when my friends see me working on this stuff they ask if they can help because they see something getting done. We youngsters are proud to get something on the road, just like you were at our age.

Even the kid driving the lowered Honda Civic with a Cherry bomb looks at these cars. He thinks it's a sick ride, but how the hell am I gonna build that?

[KR500]

Here in the U.S.the auto will always have a following. What I have seen overthe years are older guys having to give up driving and selling their A's. If lucky enough they have interested their son or daughter enough to carry on their passion for the car. Some may find an interested party who knows they have the car and eventually sell it to them. I recall many individuals owning ONE Model A and enjoying it totally. Now the trend would appear that there are less individuals who own a car and more who own 2,3, and 4 cars. My father who always dreamed of buying a Model A and finally was coerced by my brother and I to purchase this 1930 coupe. The owner lost his garage storage (1967) and had to get rid of the car. For $500 we became the owners. My father always encouraged his sons into cars. It became a passion of anything with 2 wheels and 4 wheels, the oldest to roughly at least 10 years old. I admit the younger generation does not have the same passion for our 4 wheeled friends as the older generation. The old autos will always hold an interest for younger people. How do you get them interested, Not by eliminating auto shop classes in school. Now the cost factor. I agree with those who if you are buying an old car for an investment, you are getting it for the wrong reason. Someone who collects stamps, coins, Match Box cars, 1/25 promos, matchbooks, or postcards doesn't do it to get rich. They do it for the love of the collecting.The hobby stays healthy when we keep this focus. I encourage any way you can to get younger folks into the hobby. You can give 5 or 10 free memberships in your local club to non-member young people and get them to the tech nights, tours, and meetings. If they like it they will continue to come and stay.

[KenCoupe]

My opinion is that speed plays a part in younger people not being interested in Model A's. My son (now 31) told me a few years ago "I got the dad that likes slow cars." However, his grandmother (my mother-in-law) passed away recently and he has seen the distribution of her estate. He now says he has "dibs" on the Model A when I go to greener pastures.

Back to the speed thing, look at the cars young people want now - "rice rockets". They have body kits to make them look faster, and speed equipment to make them go faster. If they are interested in old cars at all, they would want a muscle car that can go fast. The pace of life these days is faster than it was when I was a teenager in the late 60's. Video games are fast, TV shows have lots of fast action, etc.

A bunch of guys with old cars such as Model A's, early V-8s, etc. get together on Friday's at a local fast food place for lunch. I am not retired yet, but I have been able to attend a couple of times. One time, we had finished lunch and were out by the cars kicking the tires. A mom and her two boys - probably about 8 and 10 years old - came over and were looking at the cars. When they got to my 31 coupe, the older boy was looking in the window. I told him to push the black button in the middle of the steering wheel. When he did, the boys go big smiles from the Ahooga they heard. I hope they will remember that someday and get a Model A with an Ahooga horn of their own.

[hootchmonster]

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I'm doing my part.
We have had my grandfathers Town Sedan since April or so and are coming up on 1000 miles. My kids, and several neighbor kids, enjoy taking our A out for rides regularly. We have been to several car shows and a state Model A reunion with it. There are four other of grandpa's A's in the family. Three families have had their A's for 10+ years and I know we have put more miles on our car in the past few months than my aunts, uncles, and cousins cars combined. I think the two oldest kids might know more about A's then them also.
There are alot of other cars or trucks that I'd rather have, but since we got our car I have really enjoyed it. I wish the other family members were in a club. It's one thing that has really helped us out.

[BlueSunoco]

Originally Posted by montanafordman

........ only a small percentage of people with means will carry on the car hobby. I see a waning interest in vintage cars and car restoration as a whole not just Model A's. [/FONT][/COLOR]

Hate to be the pessimist but I have to pretty much agree with Montanafordman.

I know the emphasis today is on speed. That's what sells cars. Look at the car manufacturer's ads on TV. Especially the foreign makes. Every little four door four cylinder sedan is SCREAMING around some road way, sliding sideways while the tires are turning backwards and the little disclaimer on the screen telling you that this is a professional driver don't YOU do that. However, driving on America's roadways today, ain't nobody reading the disclaimer especially the 18 year old girls age group. Dang, getting very dangerous out there the way a lot of people drive. A new movie could be made 'No Country for Model A Fords' instead of 'No Country for Old Men'

Combination of our slow cars, inattentive impatient people driving up behind you texting and driving, people who only think of themselves and don't respect other's life and property, and a general culture of disrespect. Not the same driving environment of 1970 I'm here to tell you.