Todays youth NOT interested

I get what you were trying to do, but I can guarantee the reactions were less than appreciative. I've been there, when I was the high school kid.

 

IMO a lot of these tuner kids will get into hot rods as they get older and deeper into different types of cars. I think it's more a time and space thing than a money thing though. The kids up the street have way more coin tied up in their subarus and skylines than I do in my '29....I have to say though it's cool that they do a lot of work on their own cars. driveway engine swaps, all kinds of kids showing up for brake jobs ect. ( sound familiar?) And these kids don't seem to have all the stupid foot high bolt on spoilers on their deck lids, so I'm thinking some of them at least will be wrenching on older stuff in the future...interesting side story, directly across the street from the tuners lives a guy with a nice '49 ford a real period correct mild custom beauty right down to its bias ply wide whites. I work with his next door neighbour and he tells me '49 guy hates those punk kids across the street and all those damn cars in the driveway... Better phone the city and take care of that ...


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Exactly.


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every time i see someone cutting up/modifing a chassis or a body beyond all recignition i fear for the future a little... they dont make them like that anymore.also worry about vhra club looking down their noses at solid steel vehicles with m11 and accept fiberglass bodies with aftermarket replica suspensions.M11 isnt the end of the world

 

DAMN! The kids up your street have Skylines?! Must be a hell of a neighborhood.

 

When all a kid sees is stuff like this and the price, he's not going to be interested.....and can you blame him???

 

Let's just say it's a " mixed" neighbourhood


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found an old 50's shop truck - 56 Ford Panel - in my friend's salvage yard this week - nice with a local Dallas auto related business logo still looking good on the doors...thought I'd give the new owners of the business a call to let them know about it -

"yep- we were there - that thing's a basket case"....I said a few choice word's and then wished them luck....

freind most likely paid under $500.....a 56 Ford panel...cheez....

 

An individual posted on here the other day wanting to know if it was best to put a Nova subframe and automatic transmission under a old pickup he had bought with a four speed or just buy stuff out of catalogs. I think the first reply was "oh boy". Now I am presuming that this was a young person with out much if any car knowledge. So where does he start? We could all help out here by not being so high and mighty when someone needs some real direction.

B

 

I believe the bulk of teenagers today may not be as obsessed as my generation but to completely dismiss this group as not having interest is unfounded.

I grew up without television but my mother saw to it I read and one day at the local drug store I spotted a hot rod magazine and I took the bait,hook,line and sinker!

In the rural South I went to school,played ball with my friends and read Henry Gregor Felsen books & hot rod magazine.

Today teens have so much pulling them in every direction,unbelievable amount of activity's involving school,cable TV,the internet,hanging with friends at the malls and inexpensive foreign imports,,instant gratification!

These kids for the most part grew up when schools no longer offered auto shop to help imbed the hot rod bug under the skin.

Not all is lost,some of these Teens & young adults have found this site and have embraced the idea of building a hot rod,,it's up to us to help nurture their enthusiasm.

I love to share my obsession for old cars with anyone,regardless of age and never miss the opportunity to take them for a ride. HRP

The kid....

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177546

The old Gent...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=216670

 

I have gotten out of rockcrawling, and was doing a shop cleanup, sell extra crap on craigslist. I had an extra tcase, some guy texted he wanted it, would come by friday when he 'got paid'. (yeah sure) friday evening, 830 he says hes on his way, I'm working on the v12 in the shop late anyways, car pulls up, two 17 year old kids just off of work at the farm come in. we talk about the piece, he does not whine about the price, and hands me cash.he says his truck is 'broke', he had to borrow his mom's car (an alero) but that he has (an oil soaked) blanket to put on the back seat to keep the gear oil from leaking onto the seat. (the trunk is FULL of personal belongings) I say hold on, go to the house, grab two large heavy weight trash bags, and we wrap and tape up their new purchase and place on the rear seat. I say "those are heavy and stupid shaped to put in" he says NO PROBLEM, we are going to work all night to get the truck ready for a mudbog in the morning!
Hearing those words, and seeing their excitement took me back to when my buddies and I used to have the passion and drive to work on stuff no matter what. I said "Kid- good luck, have fun, and here's your money back" He was wide-eyed and thanked me, then left.
150 bucks to me does not mean as much as it does to a young GEARHEAD working his dick off trying to get shit running.
anyways, thought it was a fun story

 

I live in a small town of @1100. Raised a boy and 2 girls so far. Eldest was son, carried him on my shoulders hunting at 3, always kept him in the shop tinkering. Repaired forklift tires up to 10:00x20 before school from 13 years old on. Had shop teachers with woodworking backrounds. A lot of the auto projects he was teaching the teacher on in high school. He was always there asking questions and working along side me. Was one of the VERY few that did not party or smoke dope. Working on cars and riding motorcycles was his thing. He now has a son age 5 in his hip pocket. The tradition will go on. His 1923 Chevy coupe opens every eye on kids of all ages on a cruise. I bring my cars to the town's car show every year to show support and just maybe help a kid see what can be done with time and work. Most of them just need to put their phone down as this hobby can't be realized with an App.

 

Should clarify, by mixed I mean rich and poor....me being more on the poor side !


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A lot of young people get interested in my unfinished coupe, more than some of the near finished projects I have had. Schools don't teach much hands on any longer and you don't see a lot of welder flash in the neighborhood in the evening nowadays. We car guys may be the only people encouraging them to do the things that create, making them self sufficient and proud of what they accomplish. They can touch my car, sit in it, whatever. Guys did it for me and I will do what I can for the next set.

 

When I drive my Model A the most smiles and thumbs up come from
in order..
1. Ladies from about 30 to 55 years old.
2. Guys from about 12 to 35.
3. Girls 30 and down.
I have found guys from about 40 and older will glance my way and then they seem to ignore my car on purpose especially if they have a wife/girlfriend them. And yes my A is H.A.M.B friendly.

 

That's a failed ego at work. He thinks you showed him up in front of his woman. (insert caveman grunt). But you should be glad he keeps going. That's the type of guy, who'll get into hot rods because he wants to attract attention. He doesn't care about old cars. He cares about being noticed. He's the guy who thinks EVERY car without fenders is a "rat rod". About the only thing good about him, is that he'll give business to a shop, so he can have an old car to look cool in. But don't ask him anything about it, because he doesn't have a clue.

Getting back on topic, I don't know about you guys, but while going to community college for welding, I have found that a LOT of recent graduates are just plain stupid. Honestly, I don't want a lot of these kids near a car, much less an old one. Most have the attention span of a 2 year old. Last week, a couple tried to cheat on an OPEN book test!

The ones that are interested will find it. I really don't care about the rest. Let them walk into traffic, while texting naked pictures of their teacher.

 

Wait just a cotton picking minute Fred,,I could care less about the walking in traffic but where's the photo's on their naked teachers? HRP

 

Debra Lafave. Half nekkid.



http://www.nbcnews.com/id/14499056/#.UqY0UX_naeZ

 

It's the same in Iowa!!!! ladies alone in their car smile and wave, but if they are in w/ their man they won't look!!

when the collage kids are crossing the street only 1 in 5 will react to the model A, most likly female!!!

 

I dunno Fred,,like you I still like the old black & whites of Candy Barr. HRP

 

That was a great story.

 

I didnt read whole thread but I get the jist of it. Ive been building cars since I was 17 im now gunna be 30 next year I know im not the youngest pup but I know quit a few of younger guys who have or would kill for some of my rides. I think the hobby will be around for as long as laws will let us cruise the streets. Here are some of my rides
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My son is in his 20's....his daily driver is a GEO Metro with a turbo setup he engineered himself....uses it to drive around scrounging up parts for his 28 RPU....not sure how traditional a turbocharged/V860 is going to be. But he's doing it all himself.

 

Kids can get bored pretty easy at a car show. If you can, let a kid sit in your car next time you have it at a show.
Anytime I take my eight year old to a show I give him the camera and tell him to take pictures of anything he likes. It gets him involved and occasionally he takes some pretty cool shots.

 

I agree with HRP. In recent years since I have gotten away from muscle cars, I have found many Hot Rod friends much younger than myself. Groups like Roamin Chariots, VooDoo Kings and guys like Voodoo Larry and Hot Rod Chassis here in Chicago more than prove the younger generation is alive and well. Some of the individuals are extremely talented and are constantly pushing the envelope to keep Hot Rods, Traditionals, and Customs alive and well. I don't think we have anything to fear except for potential cars rotting away in fields and barns. Just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions...

 

I think people shunning away things such as turbos or nitrous are troublesome for the scene. We're just out here trying to build the best and fastest cars we can with what we have available. I run a 51 Chevy gasser I built myself that runs a scrounged together 350 with nitrous and runs 7.40's in the 1/8. When that one blows up we will probably do a turbo 5.3 just cuz there cheap and plentiful, just like real hot rod guys do. Myself and the guys I race with are in our 20's and having been building racing and breaking old stuff since high school whether it be a 4 door 60's lowrider or a 30's roadster.



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It has alot to do with the area... I hit gear headomed hard when I turned 15, allready used to motorcycles and atvs I wanted something to work on. South GA...home of rednecks...and well more rednecks.. I picked up a 71 dodge d100 at 15 and sold it at 16 to get a 68 chrysler newport. I loved that car and was totaly engrossed in the custom vibe, I painted it white with watson styled scallops I loved my car, lowered on stock caps and pinner whites It was huge and awesome. So I entered it into a few classic local shows and well just had all these people who I thought was interested in the same thing turn theyre noses up to me.

While this hasnt slowed me down and my love for older custom cars, that hasnt changed one bit. I know alot of guys getting into it localy give up becouse they felt like they were being shunned by everyone but me and just a few others, hell even on here Ive been shunned for my choice of drivetrain... but as you may have guessed it nessecity breeds invention, I work and I work hard. But I have people to suport and a household, when I can build my car and drive it every where successfully for under 2k then I dont care how much you make fun of me I win! But on another note, becouse I have the ability to do all this work without paying a shop to do it for me I have this type of vehicle. Ive seen a few freinds practicaly kill themselves to try to scratch up enough coin to by a heep out of a feild or backyard to try to make it into something only to give up when you just plain out cant afford to rebuild the stock suspension or brake system, let alone swap in a mustang II front end...


Around here we are loosing rodders and customizers to the cheap imports and mini trucks that are still very much abundant. I almost bought two 56 pontiacs for $500 instead I gave them up to try to sell them to a few freinds that would be interested, but even though it was a great deal they shy'd away becouse there hondas and mini trucks still cost less to build. Theyre worried about engines, suspensions, glass and trim... once its gone or ruined it costs a mint to most to replace or find wich in turn makes it more costly to build. Hence the fact that they continue working on minitrucks and imports... a $35 fender sure feels better than a $400 fender that still needs work...


I try my best to help my closest freinds have new customs, Lil John 67 caddi 2 door, El Brantley 63 Impala wagon, big lance 63 impala.... if it wasnt for me they wouldnt build these vehicles and would just rust away, still pretty sad in this area theyre are that few customs...and the only rods around are owned by the (im to good to hang out with anyone crowd) those should just be bentlys and paganis.... thats they way they act. I think If people would sell some of these "projects" reasonably and parts were not getting harder to find more of our younger generation would consider building a rod or custom.

 

Good for you Sir !!!

 

My little girl WONT be one of those not interested. Shes already lovin it!

 

The traditional rod scene is not where the younger generation is gonna be found, with the exception of a few. Real hot rodding is about going fast w/ what you have. The true trad rods are a niche market- a market that ain't cheap.

Diesel trucks, turbo imports, rear wheel drive Camaros & Mustangs, 4X4s, mid-'60s & newer cars- that's where the young guys are. This niche of the hobby usually comes later in life.