Bear market in Classic American Cars?

[glenn in camino]

My grandson's parents bought him an electric car.

[BlueSunoco]

Clara Ford drove a 1913 Baker electric car, because she didn't want to crank a Model T!

I bet that drove Hank nuts!!

[BlueSunoco]

Originally Posted by boomerusmc

While not a GenX-er (I was born in 69), I'm surprised how many folks my age have no interest in hands-on stuff like wrenching on cars. I know I got my itch from my grandfather, who always had some contraption or vehicle to work on (all either named "Hez" or "Hesitation"). He always made it fun, so I learned without realizing it....maybe that's the answer to getting some younger folks interested.

Welcome to the Fordbarn and may I add, for a Marine who was/is 'three up and three down' we extend to you the utmost respect!

History Channel has a good lead in about a segment on the battles around Dak To during VietNam, where the speaker comments 'The most fearsome animal in the WORLD is a 19 year old pissed off U.S. Marine.' Well put and very true!!

[Greg out west]

Hi Guy's


The Car "Culture" we all grew up with is Fading. I payied $ 500 for my Coupe at the old Ford Obsolete in 69...Now what does it cost to get into a "Driver" 5 grand ???


People,, as they get "Older" go back & get the "Car" they had as a Kid...It's a whole different deal now..I was talking to this 20 something "Kid" about engines...He asked about the A engine...I said it's a 4 cyl 200 CI..He got this blank look on his face....After a few second's I realized he didn't know what I was talking about ??



I said it's about a 3.3 liter..It was like a light went off,,all of a sudden he understood..Look at the new car commerical's..are they trying to sell us old Duffer's a new car ?...no they are aimed at the 20 to 35 year old's & most of the commercial have young women in them !!!



Remember the car commercial when we were kid's ? A guy driving a Convertbile with a Sexy Blonde...Remember the Mercury big Cat with the sexy gal ???? So all these grayed hair old guy lusting after some old Mustang, Camero, Corvette will be in the not to near future Gone,,,



Last night at the store I see this old guy pull in driving this old Caddy..It had to be late 70's early 80's A beautiful car... I told my sweetie look a real bumper !!! All the trim around the wheel moulding & door's & windshield really made the car stand out..Look what you get now Plastic..



It's not really these young kid's fault,,,Just a different generation, different time ! Like one of the other guy's said the Car is "Evil now" There's not the connection to the car we had as a kid...The other day this old HOT mustang pulled up next to me at a stop light...you could hear the engine even with the window's up...



I rolled my widow down & yelled at the guy Rev it up !!!! Brought a tear to my one good eye hearing that old mustang...So with all the old stuff as the old guy's die off the prices will drop sad but true


In the mean time keep driving while you still can !!!!!



Greg out West

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Greg out west

Last night at the store I see this old guy pull in driving this old Caddy I told my sweetie look a real bumper !!!

I rolled my widow down & yelled at the guy

In the mean time keep driving while you still can !!!!!



Greg out West

Rolled the 'Widow' on Valentines Day huh??

[SDJason]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by boomerusmc

While not a GenX-er (I was born in 69), I'm surprised how many folks my age have no interest in hands-on stuff like wrenching on cars. I know I got my itch from my grandfather, who always had some contraption or vehicle to work on (all either named "Hez" or "Hesitation"). He always made it fun, so I learned without realizing it....maybe that's the answer to getting some younger folks interested.

Don't wanna break your bubble - but you're smack in the middle of Gen X.

But anyways, I digress - I have to agree with your assessment, the majority of folks our age ('65 here) aren't much interested in cars, although there are numbers of them who are (my experience might be skewed, though, having grown up in the Detroit area and a stones throw from the GM Tech Center). At the high schools I attended (Detroit and Los Angeles areas), we were the last ones with full-blown metal, wood, and auto shops. Walking into the auto shops was like walking into any full-service garage (as far as tools and equipment that were there). Those just don't exist anymore (at least at the high schools I attended - out of curiosity, I looked up my old neighborhood highschool in Michigan, not far from the GM Tech Center - no shop classes at all in the curriculum!!)

Fast forward to today - at the County Fair this past summer (San Diego area), I saw that the local high schools had their auto classes enter cars they had restored, so I wandered over to see what the kids had done. Every single one of them was nothing more than bodywork - absolutely nothing else had been touched on the cars. At least two of them were nothing more than the body put on a rolling chassis (no interior, no engine or drivetrain, no working systems at all, unless you count the hood latch). My point? Even if a kid nowadays has an interest in learning about working on cars, it likely won't be coming from his school - it'll have to be from the parents - and how many parents nowadays have the knowledge/resources to teach their kids anything about working on a car?

I think the numbers will dwindle, but never entirely disappear. Also keep in mind that most people don't have the extra $ for a hobby car until after being established a bit - I would hazard a guess of the late-30s to late-40s. Going to the local car shows, I see plenty of cars, but for the most part, they're Baby Boomers and their hotrods - maybe 90% and upward fit that description. Come to think of it, the reactions I get from most Baby Boomers who see my Model A fall along the lines of "when are you going to chop it?" or "what, how can you NOT want to hotrod it and paint flames on the side?!!??". It seems only the older or younger folks appreciate it as it is.

On the plus side - if there's dwindling demand, that'll mean lower prices - I just hope they aren't sent to the scrapyard or turned into something unrecognizeable...

[29closedcab]

I'm 31 years old. I have no interest in cell phones, I pads, video games or the like. I've never had a car newer than 1934 in my garage( different story in the driveway). When my buddies come over, even the neighbors they ask, " what is it? I reply a model a pickup. They tend to say boy this is neat, but is it fast? Try explaining to them that its not about speed. Although they seem interested and typically say, "I need to get one". No one ever has. Probably due to their buddies driving huge diesel powered pickups, or small rice burners. I guess it's tough to be the guy who is different among a crowd. I pretty much don't care and I drive it proudly. It doesn't take much to be different, and I encourage them to dive in but no one will do it.

[springerpete]

If things are as bad as they seem ( see above messages ) perhaps the pendulum has swung all the way over and is about start on the trip back. The car shows I go to, from Hershey to local Friday night'ers, seem to have a good cross section of ages.

[Merc Cruzer]

Advertise a classic in AARP....I wonder if you can....talk about the perfect demographic! How about a X-box program rather than grand theft auto...how about take trip on Route 66 in your 53' Merc convertible (or the classic of your choice)....I have to believe that they could recreate the whole road, with the original motels and diners, and correct engines for the car of your choice.

[Tom Cavallaro]

My grandchildren are under three, but I noticed at Christmas when I put up trains how they laid on the floor and watched and smiled. As far as the A is concerned, they like going out to the grage and sitting in and pretending to drive. It's all about the exposure, if no one takes the time and make a big deal out of it with them it ain't gonna happen. At the car shows, any kid the looks at my car I suggest to the parent...take a picture of them sitting in the car behind the wheel. You'd get a kick out of seeing the eyes light up. Now that's the exposure I'm talking about!

[Tom Wesenberg]

Yep, TC is right. When I take my Model A to car shows I encourage the kids to sit in the seat and toot the horn, and the kids love it. My 6 year old nephew likes to go for rides in my A, and just yesterday the old MARX electric train I bought for him off ebay arrived. It's even much nicer than I expected, and I'm sure Kevin will be excited when he sees the engine puffing smoke. The seller had poor pictures and not much of a description of the train set (even in it's original box), so I was the only bidder and got it for $20. There are some good train deals on ebay to get the kids interested in things mechanical.

[Mike Peters]

Old cars in general, and Model A's in particular will never go out of favor. Markets are cyclic for any commodity, including cars, old an new. Model A's are worth double what they were back in the 80's, so I'm not complaining. There will always be a slice of the population that will love old cars.
My approach is to start them out young. This is grandson Zach at a year and a half. He loves anything that's held together with nuts and bolts. The plan is to keep him interested and immersed in old cars as he grows up, but not so much that it becomes work. Just fun.

[BlueSunoco]

Mike Peter's avatar reminded me, and it would be a lesson here on this subject of old cars, that antique tractors are about the hottest thing around the Midwest anymore and ALL ages love 'em. They ain't cheap either!! Lot more $$ than even 20 years ago. A LOT more but that doesn't stop the interest in them. Go to any thresher's reunion in Iowa-Illinois-Minnesota and the place will be mobbed I guarantee it. Country Music, garden tractors on display sometimes old cars, everybody having a good time and they are free admission or very low price admission.

[Pinstripe]

Originally Posted by BlueSunoco

What Leo and Terry said,,,BIG TIME. More and more, teens today could care less about driving a car. You see it nationwide. They Smart Phone their way to communicate with their friends, where we used to hop in the car and go see our buddies and have fun. Not today. And with the driverless cars that are going to come out eventually, we'll have a generation of people who will be totally lost when the grid goes down, people who will be helpless. Not only can't drive a stick shift but can't operate a vehicle, period.

At least I sure wish electric Interurban trains would make a comeback and all railroading in general.

amen

[freak]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Yep, TC is right. When I take my Model A to car shows I encourage the kids to sit in the seat and toot the horn, and the kids love it. My 6 year old nephew likes to go for rides in my A, and just yesterday the old MARX electric train I bought for him off ebay arrived. It's even much nicer than I expected, and I'm sure Kevin will be excited when he sees the engine puffing smoke. The seller had poor pictures and not much of a description of the train set (even in it's original box), so I was the only bidder and got it for $20. There are some good train deals on ebay to get the kids interested in things mechanical.

It doesn't always work. I bought my kids a very nice slot car set and they never touch it. I have one HO and one O train set NIB sitting on a shelf and they never ask about it or want to play with it. I've bought them high end RC 4x4 trucks and I have to get them out myself in order for them to be played with. Bought my boy a used lawn tractor... if I didn't make sure it always started he'd never touch it. My wife on the other hand has bought them all kinds of ipods/ipads/whatever... that is all they want to do.

[BarracudaBoy]

Most cars build now you can't really work on and younger guys haven't. Most of the current generation has never driven a car with a carb, let alone dealt with a choke and points. They are just as bewildered by a old mechanical car as some here are by facebook, twitter and I-Pads. Most of them think it's cool but have no idea where to begin with something like a Model A.

[freak]

But if a kid is going to be mechanically inclined you notice it at a young age. They start out with toys, move to bicycles, then small engines, then cars. I don't like the argument that you can't work on today's cars. I have no formal mechanic training and I work on modern cars all the time. I for some reason enjoy ODBII and figuring out a problem. Just did a brake job today, 2010 Hyundai, outdoors, 10 degrees F. But I was born to do it.

[jimalabam]

Driving and working on a Model A is where it's at, and not concerning yourself with what the car is worth. As posted many days ago, if pressed for a for sale figure - Simply reply: "Start stacking up your $100 bills, and I will tell you went to stop." jim/Alabam...

[Terry,NJ]

Not only stoke their interest in things machanical, but counter the filthy polluters allegation. Make no mistake about this, they're being brainwashed against any kind of independency on anyone's part (You're only a small cog in a very interdependant society) is the message. On another note, I was a product of a vocational school. And has been said, it was a very well equiped shop. (Tool and die, Aircraft eng). Today the buildings are empty. Employers around Essex Co, NJ are on a constant search for people who can do this work. I couldn't believe when I heard they cleared the tools out, now the chickens are coming home to roost!
Terry

[freak]

Originally Posted by Terry,NJ

Not only stoke their interest in things machanical, but counter the filthy polluters allegation. Make no mistake about this, they're being brainwashed against any kind of independency on anyone's part (You're only a small cog in a very interdependant society) is the message. On another note, I was a product of a vocational school. And has been said, it was a very well equiped shop. (Tool and die, Aircraft eng). Today the buildings are empty. Employers around Essex Co, NJ are on a constant search for people who can do this work. I couldn't believe when I heard they cleared the tools out, now the chickens are coming home to roost!
Terry

A friend of mine bought a whole school's industrial art department. Metal shop and wood shop. He went in to talk to the guy about a price, the guy looked at him and said (paraphrased) "I can tell you don't have much money so I'll give it to you for (some real low dollar amount)". He hired a flatbed semi to pick all the stuff up, kept what he wanted and made a small fortune on craigslist/ebay.