Art & Inspiration Thoughts on the future of the hobby

As someone who just recently joined in on the hobby, and who is their 50s’, I was wondering what folks thoughts are on keeping the hobby relevant in the coming years. This is in light of an aging population of hobbyists, coming climate change legislation outlawing gas powered vehicles, etc.
Specifically, I would like to know if there are organizations or groups geared towards recruiting younger people, and promoting the hobby at large.

 

Ever take a drive through "Horse Country"? That'll be us in the future.

 

Hot rodders feel threatened by electric cars, but the truth is that less dependency on internal combustion by the masses is good for the longevity of internal combustion vehicles in our hobby. Less gasoline used by others means more for us.

This topic comes up in one shape or form regularly. There are a number of younger guys in the hobby, boomers dying is not the big catastrophe to our hobby some people want you to think it is.

The best thing you can do is to be welcoming to the kid or young adult that is showing interest. As someone that is in his 30's and grew up in the hobby, it wasn't until the last couple years that I don't get hassled or looked down on by some of the older generation.

 

Just get on and enjoy it, you could be knocked down by a truck tomorrow

 

The Future Of Our Hobby Depends On Your Interest Just As It Did When We Were Your Age....Changes In The Culture Will Not Deter A True Hot Rodder...

 

And the doomsday prediction makes its debut.
That’s moving backwards not forwards.

 

Hot Rodders will survive

 

^^^^^
Love it!

 

I find it a little ironic that all those boomers are younger than me...

Russ

 

I get it, but in all seriousness, I look at what is going on in Australia at the moment where there is a push to shut down off-road trails. A popular off-road YT from there is now seeing what they can do to ensure their hobby/sport is not legislated out of existence. They seem to have been caught off-guard. Twenty years ago, I learned that “off-roading” was essentially illegal in Austria, unless done on private property.
Obviously, I want to keep the politics aside, but I’m more interested in the advocacy perspective of the hobby.

 

Saw a post recently on Speed and Kulture where 14 and 16 year old kids both built banger powered early hot rods. I think we are fine, there are folks still restoring steam tractors and attending threshing bees.

 

As has been mentioned in previous threads on this subject, right now, the younger generation is essentially priced out of the hobby with the desirable cars bringing astronomical prices.
Eventually the prices will come down, the younger folks will be older and making more money. Neither of my sons (13+15 years old) are interested in working on my Oldsmobile…

 

I've said it in other threads about this similar subject...........I don't care. I don't care what trends are (never did), I HAVE to do this, it's not a want, it's a need.

Future relic or future outlaw........so be it.

 

You missed my point completely.

 

I sincerely believe that hot rodders and old-car nuts have every reason to support walkable urbanity. Here is something I wrote on it: https://c4ss.org/content/57192 (warning: politics)

I also recommend forging links with the rising diy/right-to-repair movement.

As for bootleg E85, why stop there? Hydrous E90 ftw!

 

Look at it this way...

 

"they" will NOT be outlawing gas powered vehicles in USA

 

I can pull an old issue out of my magazine collection from any of the 50s 60s 70s 80s and 90s lamenting the death of the hobby. So far they are all wrong.

 

What Tman said. Think I've got an article from Rod Action from the 70s talking about the death of the hobby. Of course, the situations rodders face aren't what we expected back then. We are all in for many bumpy rides in the future.

 

We had a meetup this last Sunday, I wasn't the oldest, but alot of the guys there ranged from 20s to 50 and one or 2 in the 70-80 area... This was a group of 30 of us... I'm not the youngest at 44 but there were more there younger than myself. I have been playing with this stuff since I was in my late 20s... So you may find regionally that your local scene may be that way but I think the hotrod/kustoms is still alive and well and with the internet its like an online car show if you wanted it to be.

There is too much money in oil and gas, and you have to remember that gasoline used to be dumped on the ground in early refining. Trying to go at this the best way without getting political. Every time a certain mindset of people get into higher office, they play the climate card like a uno wild card. But you have to remember how many other folks in office get kick backs from big money. Its all a dog and pony show. Once oil prices come back down the push for this junk and games will subside.

End of the day... Dont overthink things... Love your friends and family and enjoy today.

 

Even undesirable cars are stupid money!

As the fly said while crawling across a mirror, "Well, that's one way of looking at it!"

 

The biggest problem with the future of old school hot rodding is the lack of younger people interested in getting involved. Too many have no interest in, or appreciation for, old cars. Hell, they don't even notice them! For example, I was getting gas in my Model A the other day and a young guy walked across the parking lot to the convenience store entrance and as he passed me he said, "Hey", and I said, "Hey", then he said, "Cool shoes", and walked into the store, totally ignoring the car. If seeing cool old cars doesn't spark at least a little bit of interest in young people we're going to have a hard time keeping the hobby going.

 

I agree with this. I drive an old car almost every day and I'm always surprised at how many people simply don't care. It isn't that I need the praise or anything, I'd rather be left alone anyway, but to someone that is obsessed with old cars, it's always strange to me when I'm driving something that's 90 years old down the road and it doesn't seem to be interesting to anyone else.

( Also, I see a couple of my stickers on your gas tank, thank you for that! )

ironandsteele.com​

 

The hobby will be fine. The focus will probably change, but the hobby will go on.

 

Mine gets noticed all the time.
Gas stops turn into conversations.
Folks taking selfies.

I guess mine is just cooler

 

To quote Carly Simon.
“I'm no prophet and I don't know nature's ways”

 

Alternative powered vehicle owners sacrifice so we don't have too!

 

Hard to add to this topic, that hasn't already been said.
Enjoy what you have...promote the hobby when the opportunity arises.

.

 

Out at the Old Time Drags I agree with that. Lots of 30-50 year old's filling the gap of dead boomers.
This year was overflow for entries and spectators...hot rodding is alive and well.

 

Thread a few years ago on this same topic.
Nobody noticed his T-bird at the gas station.

I guess the T-bird wasn’t cool