Navel gazing & the future of the car hobby

[ronn]

And Ford as we know has been #1 in truck sales for 40 years in a row.




add chevy pickups to GMC pickups and GM has outsold ford at times..........




all how you quantify it.............

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by Tim Ayers

Well, I'm 47 and have been going to car shows and fooling with cars for almost as long. I will say this, those DJ's at those car shows must only own 2 or 3 greatest hits of the 50's CD's for it's the same old tired songs played over and over. There is so much music from that time period, but jezz, how many times can you really hear Sixteen Candles before you never want to hear it again?

How about some Sun-era Elvis or Howlin' Wolf or Muddy Waters? Mix it up a bit.

Amen glad I'm not the only one who noticed that

'Little Deuce Coupe' '409', 'Little GTO' enough is enough I too vote for a mix of era songs

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I'm giving up cars driving & resorting back to my 18 MPH Scooter.
Bill Fleetfoot

[Jeff/Illinois]

[QUOTE=P.S.;1652650]
Also, Dave Ramsey says the rule of thumb is to not own anything with wheels or a motor that, all of their value totalled together, exceeds half of the total of your household annual gross income. Assuming the average income is $50,000 per year, you should not own more than $25,000 worth of cars (combined). My Model A 'collection' is worth more than my annual income by far.


I heartily disagree with Mr. Ramsey's statement. You have to realize that Ramsey, Suzy Orman, and etc. make a lot of money on book sales, CD's, personal appearances, radio and TV spots, and all that telling YOU how to handle your money.

Any accountant or economist will tell you that it makes absolutely no sense to restore or own an old car. They will tell you 'Forego that daily 85 cents cup of coffee at McDonald's, put that money in a Roth IRA-401K-Mutual Fund whatever AND by the time you are 67 years old you will be wealthy. (We had a 'financial advisor' tell us this exact thing once in a meeting at Deere)

Go all thru life and never have anything considered a luxury or something that makes you happy or have fun, put that money in the bank, so that when you are an old man sitting in an adult diaper in the nursing home in your own pee and feces watching that big bank account evaporate, you can rest assured that 'But at least I used to have a bank statement that HAD a big figure on it.' Was that 'fun', looking at that quarterly statement all thru your life? Now it's too late brudder.

That is no way to live. Go out and but another old car now, that's MY advice.

[Ted Duke]

"It all depends," is what my Dad used to say and he wasn't talking about diapers. Reading what each of you wrote above, it depends on WHERE you live, what millennial's you know, etc. For example, I have two young men who on occasion help me around the yard and farm. One (21) has a $25k "wild" street rod, a car and a pickup truck, the second (23) is married, has a "big modern truck" and they all work on them. Those brothers bought Dad's cabinet business and work on all of their own vehicles. They once each had a jeep they "resurrected" and used on trail rides.
One of them drove my 1970 VW Karmann Ghia today and loved it.


My three sons all have antique autos and all of my 17 grandchildren are interested in my 29 Ford, my 61 Corvair, my K-H and my wife's 65 Mustang.


It all depends ...

[slammin]

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Originally Posted by Synchro909

It’s not just that the younger people aren’t interested in old cars, they are anti car all together. Many of them haven’t even driven a car by the time they reach 30 and don’t want to.:

The generational difference has always been there, but a large percentage of today's youth have no interest in cars. Many never get a drivers license, a far cry from most of us old farts. When I turned 16, I couldn't wait to get my license. Freedom! My first escape vehicle was a $75.00 53 Chevy.

[P.S.]

Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois

I heartily disagree with Mr. Ramsey's statement. You have to realize that Ramsey, Suzy Orman, and etc. make a lot of money on book sales, CD's, personal appearances, radio and TV spots, and all that telling YOU how to handle your money.

Any accountant or economist will tell you that it makes absolutely no sense to restore or own an old car. They will tell you 'Forego that daily 85 cents cup of coffee at McDonald's, put that money in a Roth IRA-401K-Mutual Fund whatever AND by the time you are 67 years old you will be wealthy. (We had a 'financial advisor' tell us this exact thing once in a meeting at Deere)

Go all thru life and never have anything considered a luxury or something that makes you happy or have fun, put that money in the bank, so that when you are an old man sitting in an adult diaper in the nursing home in your own pee and feces watching that big bank account evaporate, you can rest assured that 'But at least I used to have a bank statement that HAD a big figure on it.' Was that 'fun', looking at that quarterly statement all thru your life? Now it's too late brudder.

That is no way to live. Go out and but another old car now, that's MY advice.

Ha !! You crack me up, Jeff!! Your last part is absolutely spot on!!

The point I was making is that the generation listening to Dave Ramsey, and heeding his advice, would be talked out of owning a collector or classic car. Come to find out, Dave Ramsey's show is the 3rd most listened-to radio show in the country. One would have to assume that means a LOT of people are taking his advice as well.

I have to admit, Ramsey did help me rein in my spend-a-holic wife when I needed someone to back me up. I'm a saver, always have been. She had to learn how to be a saver. Jeff's analogy about later in life does cross my mind from time to time. However, being debt-free and a net worth over $1M in my 40's gives me assurance that I will still get to play with Model A's (and antique radios, model airplanes, etc.) when I reach my golden years.

[Railcarmover]

Its art,not money.Building cars is an expression of yourself,writing checks to do it cheapens the satisfaction

The big push for net worth derives from the creation of the IRA,the brokers are the best advertisers in the world,they convinced you to slave and save for your 'golden years' using one of their funds,which they profit nicely from.Im a real dinosaur,I have a defined benefit pension..the operators of that skim it as well as the brokers.

[aermotor]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

I'm giving up cars driving & resorting back to my 18 MPH Scooter.
Bill Fleetfoot

DUI's will make that decision for you in South Carolina.

John

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

I'm giving up cars driving & resorting back to my 18 MPH Scooter.
Bill Fleetfoot

I guess you haven't been watching the scooter market. Some of them are nicer than my car. Where are all these pimped out golf carts coming from?

[SeaSlugs]

[QUOTE=Jeff/Illinois;1652734]

Originally Posted by P.S.

Also, Dave Ramsey says the rule of thumb is to not own anything with wheels or a motor that, all of their value totalled together, exceeds half of the total of your household annual gross income. Assuming the average income is $50,000 per year, you should not own more than $25,000 worth of cars (combined). My Model A 'collection' is worth more than my annual income by far.


I heartily disagree with Mr. Ramsey's statement. You have to realize that Ramsey, Suzy Orman, and etc. make a lot of money on book sales, CD's, personal appearances, radio and TV spots, and all that telling YOU how to handle your money.

Any accountant or economist will tell you that it makes absolutely no sense to restore or own an old car. They will tell you 'Forego that daily 85 cents cup of coffee at McDonald's, put that money in a Roth IRA-401K-Mutual Fund whatever AND by the time you are 67 years old you will be wealthy. (We had a 'financial advisor' tell us this exact thing once in a meeting at Deere)

Go all thru life and never have anything considered a luxury or something that makes you happy or have fun, put that money in the bank, so that when you are an old man sitting in an adult diaper in the nursing home in your own pee and feces watching that big bank account evaporate, you can rest assured that 'But at least I used to have a bank statement that HAD a big figure on it.' Was that 'fun', looking at that quarterly statement all thru your life? Now it's too late brudder.

That is no way to live. Go out and but another old car now, that's MY advice.

Whole hardily agree. Nowhere in any law, religion, doctor say you will make it to 95 in good health. Do what makes you happy, sure its smart to save for the future but i have seen people come and go and never make it to retirement age due to car accident, cancer, natural disaster, etc. You can never have too many hobbies or collections. Gotta find somethin in life to keep you going. I think everyone should sit down at any age you are now and write out a bucket list. Doesnt have to be elaborate things or destinations.

I developed a love of model a's as they are super simplistic yet engineered so every part is absolutely necessary with extreme tolerances. I also have a love of anything from that era when everything from a frying pan to a car was designed to last 100 years. I hate the way the world has become a throw away society due to cooporate greed making awful products designed to break.

Be interesting to go back in time around 1920 when cars were taking over by young people and the horse and buggy by the old. Probably claiming dont know how to put on a horseshoe or run a plow. There is an old article floating around from a 1800s book about a school principal complaining kids these days dont know how to write on slate without smearing it nor how to clean a slate tablet- thier all using paper - what will they do when paper runs out?
So yea the older generation will continue to complain about thw generations behind them. I feel im only a few years away from complaining about kids playin on my lawn myself haha. Every year at IOLA it amazes me to see young kids buying vintage tonka trucks and such and learning the art of haggiling from the old generations. This year i couldt help but watch listen to a kid maybe all of 7 haggiling over the price of a tonka fire engine with a easily 85 year old guy.

[steve s]

I think the old car hobby will be okay; the old car investment phenomenon may be in trouble.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by steve s

I think the old car hobby will be okay; the old car investment phenomenon may be in trouble.

Well said!

P.S. I listen to Dave Ramsey from time to time, he does have a good radio show..... I guess I feel that you have to have a balance, you have to have hobbies and not be afraid to spend a little money on your hobby! The Financial people argue differently.

I just went thru a deadly Lymphoma cancer, I'm OK now but it sure reminds you about just how life can change on you in a heartbeat. Ain't nobody guaranteed tomorrow. 4 of my best friends, all about my age, have died from cancer in the last couple years.

You are sitting in good shape my friend, good for you! Go out and buy another antique car!!

Later

[steve s]

Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois

Well said!

P.S. I listen to Dave Ramsey from time to time, he does have a good radio show..... I guess I feel that you have to have a balance, you have to have hobbies and not be afraid to spend a little money on your hobby! The Financial people argue differently.

I just went thru a deadly Lymphoma cancer, I'm OK now but it sure reminds you about just how life can change on you in a heartbeat. Ain't nobody guaranteed tomorrow. 4 of my best friends, all about my age, have died from cancer in the last couple years.

You are sitting in good shape my friend, good for you! Go out and buy another antique car!!

Later

Thanks, Jeff, but my "shape" is tenuous too: having DBS surgery for Parkinson's in two days.

This same angst is troubling another of my hobbies, Lionel trains, and I feel the same about it. Ever since my wonderful wife, years ago, suggested I quit my real job and become a fishing guide, I've been adamant about not making my hobby into a job. It's a personal thing, to be sure, but I just don't want to add an additional layer of financial stress to the things I do for fun, whether it's playing with cars or trains or guitars, or fishing, or tying flies, or ballroom dancing, or yard work, or just reading. Life is short.

I'm sure that playing the investment game must be fun for some folks. Maybe what the world needs is a separate forum where they can share their problems like the rest of us share our car problems here.

[updraught]

The future car restorer

https://i.amz.mshcdn.com/ohLaeiUydi_...triccar-11.jpg

[dan]

Chiming in a little late... I'm a less-regular visitor these days because of school and life...

Anecdotally, there are plenty of kids who are interested in cars. In a class this Spring I saw a presentation by a guy in his 20's who buys late model cars that were wrecked and then fixes them up and sells them for a significant profit. Another young guy, just a college senior, is working on his 50's Cadillac in his dad's garage. There are at least 200 students who are in the Auto Restoration program who are interested in pre-70's cars. It might surprise some here to see the number who are interested in pre-war cars. Of course, that's one school in one small town in Kansas, so perhaps not a completely representative sample.

But look on youtube and there are plenty of videos of younger guys wrenching on classic cars or driving them. The 365 Days of A guy wasn't all that much older than me at the time (40). And when I travel to car shows here in mid-Kansas there's a good mix of older guys, younger families, and kids.

The biggest problem, IMO, is the perceived cost of entry. When you have so many car TV shows focused on the $3 million dollar one-of-a-kind classics, there's a perception that the hobby is just for those with deep pockets. And to some extent that's true: you're not going to find a Model T for $1000 that you can just drive away and then fix up as you have time. But it's not out of reach of people of modest means. The kids I'm going to school with are a case in point: there are a good number who drive a classic to class every day, so they must have afforded them somehow.

Like a lot of old things, there is interest out there. Likely enough interest to keep the hobby humming along for the foreseeable future. So don't fret...

[Ted Duke]

Originally Posted by Ted Duke

"It all depends," is what my Dad used to say and he wasn't talking about diapers. Reading what each of you wrote above, it depends on WHERE you live, what millennial's you know, etc. For example, I have two young men who on occasion help me around the yard and farm. One (21) has a $25k "wild" street rod, a car and a pickup truck, the second (23) is married, has a "big modern truck" and they all work on them. Those brothers bought Dad's cabinet business and work on all of their own vehicles. They once each had a jeep they "resurrected" and used on trail rides.
One of them drove my 1970 VW Karmann Ghia today and loved it.


My three sons all have antique autos and all of my 17 grandchildren are interested in my 29 Ford, my 61 Corvair, my K-H and my wife's 65 Mustang.


It all depends ...

One of my granddaughter's (15 years old this week) was here to help me with some work today and backed my 1970 Karmann Ghia out of the shop so we could "extract" my wife's 65 Mustang and then re-parked the KG. Grinned the whole time. I pointed out it was 48 years old and the grin got bigger.

[denis4x4]

As I said in my original post, there will be ‘barners that have grandchildren that have used 5/8” combination wrenches to teeth on in their play pens. That said, the millinials, are not picking up on the old car hobby like we did in the fifties and sixties.

[Synchro909]

[QUOTE=SeaSlugs;1652816]

Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois

Be interesting to go back in time around 1920 when cars were taking over by young people and the horse and buggy by the old. Probably claiming dont know how to put on a horseshoe or run a plow. There is an old article floating around from a 1800s book about a school principal complaining kids these days dont know how to write on slate without smearing it nor how to clean a slate tablet- thier all using paper - what will they do when paper runs out?
So yea the older generation will continue to complain about thw generations behind them. I feel im only a few years away from complaining about kids playin on my lawn myself haha. Every year at IOLA it amazes me to see young kids buying vintage tonka trucks and such and learning the art of haggiling from the old generations. This year i couldt help but watch listen to a kid maybe all of 7 haggiling over the price of a tonka fire engine with a easily 85 year old guy.

I recall reading at about the turn of the last century about the head of the US Patents Office being asked in 1899 (just before the turn of that century) what he thought might be invented in the next 100 years. He said he thought the office would be quiet because just about everything that could be invented had already been invented.