After meeting these young men I can attest that it’s in good hands. @guthriesmith ‘s youngest and his two buddies just left my house this morning (1:30ish) after picking up some parts for his dad hauling a beautiful Galaxy convertible. The enthusiasm these kids had whenever they were showing me the car was contagious. They really reminded me of myself when I was their age gallivanting all over Gods creation with my buddies getting cars, parts, hitting shows and swap meets. Heck if I wasn’t in my jammies I would’ve hopped in the truck with them and finished the trip! These kiddos were living the life and enjoying every minute of it!
They were 10 hours into the drive and had another 7 to go and was just as chipper as ever! Oh how I miss having that kind of energy
The hobby is not dead or dying, its just getting younger, both with the age of the cars, and the age of the owners. Most of the guys here are stuck in an era that is 70 + years old, and they refuse to see anything that doesn't fit into their era.
Looking back to when I bought my 48 in 1973 I was 26 years old and the 48 was 25 year models old. I drove it to the NSRA street rod nationals in Tulsa that year. One of the highlights if the trip was having a 16 year old who had an AD at home getting his photo taken in front of the 48. Now a 25 year old car is a 2000 model. Still I think down through hot rod history most guys build what they can afford or if you are starting out older build what you wanted when you were young. The reason so many guys in their late 50's and 60's show up at cars and coffee or local events with 60's 70's super cars. Many of my former auto shop students from when I taught between 1978 and 1991 have the cars they wanted in high school and one still has the same car he had in high school and another who passed away a couple of years back had the same 70 Chevelle with a big block and 4 speed that he had in high school along with a real nice 55 chev 2 door post with a big block that he built from frame up.
Thanks again for meeting them at such a crazy hour! And, yea, I agree that there are still some that will continue on with this stuff. One of my sons buddies used to see me drive either my 60 Thunderbird or 56 Fairlane to their school regularly. So, hopefully I helped plant a seed with these kids at minimum. Oh, and he still isn’t home. They got to his buddies house about 9:00 or so this morning, but then he went to church and has been hanging out with other friends all day. I also wish I still had that kind of energy.
This was Samuel and a group of his buddies headed to paint ball one day before he was 16. We rode in the 56.
No of three guys under 30 building cars of there own two of them 55 chevy gassers, there's good number of C-10 and F100 lowriders in town in the 40 and younger club gives me hope for us 40 and older guys that once we are gone your cars and stuff wont just be pushed into a hole some wear.
I really enjoyed seeing them! I was wondering when they made it back to the house, and if I didn’t live on a narrow dead end street it would’ve been easy for them to park their rig and camped out with us until the morning. That way they’d be rested and had a full tummy before heading out. But they were ready to get home and backing out of the neighborhood wasn’t on their list of things they wanted to do
At one time I was the younger generation! Haha. Not only has Jeff raised gear head sons, they’re GOOD boys too.
Wherever you are at with your old ride if a younger fella/ gal asks you questions, take the time to spend the time with him/ her on the question / interest. You have no idea what that could mean to them, not just in cars/ trucks but life in general as well. Take the time and thank them if they compliment/ comment on your ride. Many times, I let them sit in the drivers seat of mine and the facial pictures are priceless. Parents with them will shower you with appreciation.
I’m always letting the kids sit in my cars or take them around the block, it makes the cars more accessible as such and most times later in life they are swinging by the house showing off their old cars that they just bought as their first ride. And through the years I’ve helped build motors, do bodywork, paint, anything that I can do to help them out.
Im VERY fortunate for my 3 of 4 kids to be gearheads and have their Hotrods...Growing up in my business shop and being around all the different kinds of cars i worked on.... That started with my uncle letting me work in his carshop/machine shop/parts store... he got em coming and going ,..... FULL service... LOL
The car hobby is not really dead. It has just moved on. Nostalgia is for old duffers, flatheads have no appeal. Kids do not look back and become fake 50's greasers and build chopped 50 Fords. Today's youth is just running the cars they know and can afford. Spending $60,000 to buy a 60's Chevy Camaro or Ford Mustang is not a thing for them. Yeah some can dig 'em, but they are the exception not the rule. The Honda Civic is what the guys build with a K24or B engine swap and laugh at old guys get annoyed at the 4 inch exhaust. If they can afford a new car, Mustangs and Dodge Chargers are a thing too. Maybe throw in some newer Camaros or a GTO. Hey I am an old guy and love my hot rods, but I recognize that it's not the future. I get some attention when I roll into a gas station in my 56 Chevy for sure. But I also get a lot of attention from the young guys when I pull up in my 2005 GTO hot rod. And to tell the truth, the GTO is super fast, great handling, and that LS 2 rumbles and makes the kids turn heads. Hey time marches on and the era of the automobile has moved on too. Plenty of cranky old gold chainers that haven't. Me, I just plain love cars (ok Korean cars not so much) and love to the youth modify and run any car.
The Jalopy Journal
