Getting younger people interested in the hobby..

[30ccpickup]

I am 50 and I am the youngest member that meets at our local club. The next youngest is 60. If you look at the recent poll data (Poll: Ford Barn Member Ages) 46 % or under the age of 60.

My questions are: Is it the same at your local club? Dose the younger generation (which in my club is me at 50) have the cars and we are just not attracting them to our club?

[KGBnut]

My daughter's Girl Scout Troop is getting ready for the 'Pinewood Derby.' (YES, I said GIRL Scout Troop.) On race day I'm hoping to bring my '30 Coupe and let the kids experience it. (Notice I didn't simply say "see" it.)

[700rpm]

My grandchildren all (except those under 8) have expressed an interest in my Model A's, and I have begun taking the local ones to meets, tours, and other members' garages to show them the scope of the hobby. I only have three cars and eight grandchildren, so I don't know how I'm going to divide them fairly in my will. Maybe I'll just have to get five more Model A's! (I can say this because my wife doesn't read this site.)

[2935ford]

Have you ever been driving along in your A and go by a group of pre school kids out for a walk with their caregiver........from some distance away they automatically hear the A coming, turn in your direction, smile and wave! It happens to me every time.

I have pulled over a couple of times and chatted with them.

Now, that's a very impressionable age to get them started!!!!!

[gunmetal blue]

I started when I was very young, I always told people that I would own one some day. When I was 15 I bout my 1st. Model A(Town Sedan Murry body 1929 with avery option they had back then. By the time I turned 18 I owned 5 Model A. 29 Town Sedan, 29 CCPU, 29 Tudor Sedan, 31 Tudor Sedan, how noes little bet of every thing.
Now that I turned 54 I bout a 29 CCPU AA to restore, Its my avator. I would take them over any other cars or trucks.

[Keeper79]

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I am 32 and been working on my father in laws A for almost a yr. I have always turned wrenches on something be it cars, trucks, motorcycles, 4wheels, lawnmowers.

Love older cars, they are sexy and badass. They have class and style also the history is awesome.

I do love the looks of older gentleman I have met at little car meets and strike up a conversation on certain things they have done to their "A". They just pause and look at me funny and have to ask. "son, how old are you?" Then I tell them I am redoing my father in laws '29 for him.

As for keep the younger ones involved. My father in laws "A" is going to be left to my son. He is 7 now, so he has plenty of time to learn how to also wrench on it, and appreciate it even more.

[John Duden]

I got into it, when dad bought me my Truck, I Have always LOVED anything Old, (dad did too)
John

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by 30ccpickup

I am 50 and I am the youngest member that meets at our local club. The next youngest is 60. If you look at the recent poll data (Poll: Ford Barn Member Ages) 46 % or under the age of 60.

My questions are: Is it the same at your local club? Dose the younger generation (which in my club is me at 50) have the cars and we are just not attracting them to our club?

I think you are correct in this. I am also 50 (1932 Tudor). Frankly with work and kids, finding time to work on the car is hard and time to go to meetings is harder. I also agree that the best thing you can do for the hobby is drive the cars. Most outside people think the hobby is about trailer queens.

[Arlen]

Guess there are still a few of us younger Model A'ers out there. I'm currently organizing MAFCA's 2013 national tour and I'm only 29. The person helping me is only 30. This year I was asked by some of the MAFCA higher ups to run for a board member position. I really can't with my real job but it shows there is room for younger people to get as active as they want to. I still feel the best way to get youth involved is for grandpa to hand over the keys some, not just drag the poor kid around to national meets.

[dumb person]

Never throw anything away, no matter how bad there might be a future technology to repair it with. That way there will be something for them to work with when they do take interest.

[Roadster62]

Can someone put a year on when this obsession with "Getting Younger Members" into the hobby started? If you like old cars you'll find a club locally or nationaly and join in. I did that in 1961 when I was 10 years old.

[BrianBurkert]

After reading some of the comments above, I noticed some saying how children are the ones who turn, smile and wave as a Model A goes by. I do notice that children show as much interest as, if not more than, the older folks.

I got into Model A's when I was younger because my grandfather used to tell stories about old cars. Two of my great-grandfathers had Model A's. I liked Model A's because they were different, and they were a link to the past. I started working on them because I liked to to tinker, and I continued to enjoy them because I could tinker and actually fix them.

[Jason in TX]

^^ I agree. I saw a restored stock 1932 B (4 cyl) roadster at a gathering that a lady owned. I couldn't stop staring at it. You see so many hot rodded 32s that I was amazed to see one in it's original form and see how they transitioned from the Model A roadster to that body style.

[Steve Plucker]

I got into the hobby when the price was right (1966)...now look at it.

For instance...it cost me less than $200.00 to have my engine redone...now look at it.

But for sure...we need to do all we can to educate the youth about these cars (and trucks) and to let them know just how fun they can be and to let them know that when driving...you need eyes on all four sides of your head and be most aware of your surroundings.

Pluck

[Chris in WNC]

thanks for posting your story, Jason. I still appreciate the photo help you gave me when we both had unrestored '37 Plymouths.

I've told all the grandchildren they will be taught how to drive the Model A as soon as they can reach the pedals, regardless of any of their Moms' concerns. hope at least one of them catches the bug......

[LukeDahlinger]

I for one would like to see more younger people in the hobby. I'm not sure there is a magic formula that would work to get people my age into the hobby, it's up to individual taste. As someone who grew up around the old Ford hobby(not just Model A's)I've seen the changes over the years from the time I was a kid.

The part about there not being enough time to work on the cars with a day job and raising kids does hold some truth. The vast number of customers into my resto shop are folks who don't have the time to do serious work like paint & body, heavy mechanical repair, etc. Some wouldn't do it if they did have the time, they'd rather drive and leave the dirty work to people like me.

I do my part of getting people my age into the old Fords by asking pretty girls to "go for a ride in a piece of American History".

One thing the clubs can do is on a local level- I've been to some club meetings where arrogance and stereotyping rule the day and leave a bad taste in your mouth. I attended one Model A club meeting at the invitation of a customer. As soon as I walked into the restaurant I was asked- "are you at the right place, who are you looking for?" I told the man I was here for the Model A meeting and that was my black '31 Roadster in the parking lot he said "You're too young to know anything about those cars, quit BS'ing me." I left after giving him a few choice words of my own which I won't print here.

Some local clubs don't accept newcomers very well, especially when the newcomer is half their age or more.

On the same note, I've been to some club meetings where I felt like it was old home week.

[spdway1]

I am 38 and have been into unmodified Model A's since I was 13. I have owned and sold many Model A's and AA's over those years as my likes changed. I learned to drive a standard transmission on a 31 Sport Coupe. Wish I could find that car now. (picture attached). I was never into sports and school activities when I was younger. The auto shop teacher in high school let me do my own thing with Model A parts that I brought in. I was so involved in my early teens with A's that I credit this to not getting caught up with all of life's bad offerings at that age (drugs and alcohol)! My only addiction is Model A's.
Now us younger people need some of those older folks to loosen up a bit and reasonably sell your hoard of parts and cars to us younger folks, LOL!

I let any interested people of ALL ages sit in the vehicle, touch the vehicle, I take pictures of them with the vehicle. Anything to share the hobby with.

Model A's and AA's are A+ in my life!

[jim1932]

I also thing it is incumbent on us younger guys to help get people in the obey as well. If the impression is out there that it is a retired guys hobby, it is because us younger guys aren't as visible with our cars. Drive it to work, drive it to starbucks. Talk about it. Don't keep it hidden in your garage until you go to a meet.

[LukeDahlinger]

I drive one of the Vintage Fords on a daily basis. Whether it's a Model A or a '50s Ford they all get questions, but I'm pleased that the Model A's get more questions and genuine interest than the 50s cars.

As long as I'm not in a hurry and they're asking legitimate questions I'll talk as long as they want to ask questions or make insightful comments.

[criswellnk]

First I think that what you need to do is come up with an agreed upon definition of what "younger" actually is. There are folks in the antique car hobby that are older than I am (I am well over 70, but lets keep it polite and not tell exactly) and those that are younger. I would think getting the "younger" crowd involved would be the 18-25 year old crowd, get them away from the tuners and stop texting for 10 minutes.

I won't tire you with a story of how long I have owned model A's or other cars or which ones I have owned, but I have been doing this for a while and have owned multiple cars. To me, the biggest detriment/obstacle/road block (whatever you want to call it) to getting younger people involved with a lasting passion for the hobby of antique cars is the "older" crowd itself. Please don't take this as though I am casting aspersions towards everyone of an advanced age that has an old car, I am not. I have seen this topic touched upon briefly in some of the posts in this thread.

We have all met "that guy" at a club function, meet or car show, no matter what, they are just not easy or nice to talk with. Unfortunately this is the guy that most of the younger crowd runs into and remembers. In the 1970's I would take my sons with me to shows and swap meets. After meeting some of these individuals, and being looked down upon by these "experts" with ther false sense of superiority and an attitude of I'm older than you so I know everything about this and you know nothing, so just go away, I am surprised that either of them wanted to get into the antique car hobby. By the age of 18-20 I would have put my sons up against any of these guys that they had run into years before, they definitly didn't know everything, but they probably knew more than the "old" guy did.

Just because someone who is just starting out in the hobby is asking you a question that you have known the answer to for 30 years is no reason to look down at them for asking. And you may want to listen to what they have to say as they might know something that you do not. Again, this is not "all" of the people in the antique car hobby, but you have all met this guy, I am sure of it.

Every time that I go to a local show I see the same routine each time. A group of guys from a local club (hot-rod, model A, model T, etc) arrive at the show, find a spot to park, shine their car and then set-up the tent and chairs about 15-20 feet behind the car and only get out of their chairs to get something to drink or to go to the awards presentation. They are close enough to watch the car in case someone touches it and far enough away so people do go and talk to them. When you actually go and talk to them, it is as if you are actually bothering them. Very seldom do you see anyone actually go out to interact with the public that is walking by. If you want to get the younger crowd, or any crowd for that matter interested in this hobby, here is your chance, TAKE IT! Go and talk with them, let them get into the car and touch it (drives the hot-rod guys nuts when I do that), answer their question, dispel their myths and misconceptions about the cars and how "expensive" they are and how hard they are to get parts for. Listen to their story about how grandpa had one just like it except it was a Buick. But most of all, be polite. If I leave a local car show with Cheeto/Dorito fingerprints on my car or an ice cream stain on the front seat, I know I did good and that all washes off.

The point of the older guys with their hoard of parts was brought up briefly and I could not agree more, let the parts go! I can not begin to tell you the number of auctions that I have gone to where the story is just a variation of the last one; collected old car parts their whole life, never sold anything and now I am standing at an estate auction bidding against hot-rodders and the scrap guy. We have all been to auctions like this, more often than we would care to remember, and I don't know about you guys, I would rather have bought the parts from them while they were alive.

The last auction that I went to I bought a box lot, contents- 2 dozen powerhouse generators, 4 N.O.S. powerhouse armatures and a dozen N.O.S. powerhouse brush plates (7 of the 5-brush and 5 of the 3-brush). I would have gladly and happily paid the previous owner handsomely for these parts, but I got it all for $25. I took what I needed and moved the rest of the parts down the line at a swap meet at bargain prices because I don't need to have that many extras of anything and I don't need to wring every single cent out of a part. Help the younger guys out with parts, that is critical.

In a nutshell, getting the younger crowd (whatever that is) involved in the hobby of antique cars or any hobby for that matter, depends entirely upon you. It does not fall onto the shoulders of the local club, the national club or anything else, just you. If you want to see a good way to get young kids involved in something, go to a stamp show, they know how to treat kids.