How long before no one cares about what we love?

A big hit to the market, if not a total loss of interest, would likely be a good thing.
As with houses, the mentality that everything is an investment first and foremost has produced absurd prices that are unsustainable and which are close to locking out fresh blood in the hobby. What's the point in a young person getting interested in '32 Fords or even musclecars when they are entirely out of reach until you have put in a lifetime of hoarding money? Entry level now often means cars too far gone for an entry level person to fix or cars that are waaay over on the boring end of the hobby.
We are close to having everything really good on ice in a static collection based on the assumption that prices are going to rise forever.
If prices for old Ford stuff crashed, wouldn't most of us be better off in most ways?

 

as long as the cars are loud!, burn rubber easily! & have wild engines! - somebody will care

 

When I was growing up, the guys with money were doing a lot of Brass era cars, because it reminded them of their childhood. Values softened a bit as time marched on. With the boomer generation, most of it is "muscle cars." The next generation it will be Honda Civics etc. but only the guys that were wrenching on them now, probably. Wrenching will probably go away. I'm not gonna do politics, but I think that the last line of the quote is probably right on the money. I think that we are in for a rough ride. There is not much room anymore for the individual spirit that created our obsession. The muscle cars and all that may be in museums or trailered around by some electric vehicle to shows, where they will not be allowed to start them up. "Alky" cars, maybe. There probably will always be people interested in "hopping up" whatever the mode of transportation becomes, except mag lev trains or an LPG bus. Hydrogen anyone?

 

I agree, and have said the same thing about the musclecar hobby. Too many of the cars are owned by people who own them for the investment (like any car is an investment), too many hoard parts and cars they will never use/build...leaving the bucks down young hot rodder with "late model" crap and imports. They aren't going to find a running '57 hardtop for $2500 like I did. THAT is where the hobby is going to be in trouble.

 

I told my son I was going to leave all my cars to my oldest grandson because he seemed to be the only one interested in them. Lately my son has been taking more interest in what I am doing...

 

How long you say?? Never...It all started with Adam and Eve...
cars are only second interests

 

My 21 year old and 6 year old sons are already dividing my stuff up. When I point out that I'm not dead yet, the oldest smiles and says " There's no since in waiting till the last minute"...

 

Judging by some of the poorly built shit I see, I'd say some already quit caring
As far as passing the torch? All I can do is make sure a car doesn't "age" while in my care. I fix rust, instead of encouraging or perpetuating it. That's what I'm doing. I have no kids or nephews to pass the shit on to. If I did, I don't think I would anyway. I'm pretty selfish like that.

 

Funny you say this. Yesterday I had an older gentleman who has restored nothing but 53-54 chevies tell not to buy anything before talking to him. So far he has given me stainless for my fenders, a new valve cover and side plate, brand new 6 volt battery, 3 speed trans, torque tube, and rear end, wind lace, headlight rings, and rocker stainless. He is currently looking for the other stuff he has laying around. He doesn't have time to price everything and he likes me.

 

i got old harleys , trucks , cars & twin girls . They don't care bout the ole man's sheeeeet . Maybe the ole lady can trade the stuff for sex when she getts horny & old.

 

Wont happen here if I can help it.My son is 4 now and all he wants to do is work on or ride in the hot rod! Unless he is in the mood for his mortorcycle. My neice as well! We gotta keep it goin and pass the torch!!!!!!

 

I hope the movement survives but with all the scrapping out of metal, and the condition of whats left eventually different decades of rides will die out and later more abundant period iron will replace it. With the popularity of all the latest reality tv shows, all the old timers with hoarded old iron think every piece is worth a million bucks and the shows have spawned a new crowd of trash pickers egerly looking to scam nieve people out of the old cars & parts just to make a killing at a swap meets or on ebay. It's sickening in a way, as for wanting to help the youth today I'm for it, but I don't dare tell or show people I see walking down my street what I have in my garage cause in this day and age they are looking for the next score or to come back when I am not home and steal it all.

 

I'm 70 years old now; I was a teenager in the '50s and saw a lot of the golden years of rods & customs. I thought it was all dead by around 1970, and stayed that way until the late '80s. I was pleasantly surprised when a widespread interest in the old stuff showed up some 20-odd years ago, and I got to relive my childhood. Admittedly, a good number of those interested were old farts like me, but I thought it was gone forever and then it came back. Maybe it'll recycle from time to time.

 

For a youngster to want ('that old orange hot rod in the garage because All the other kids will think it cool when I drive it' is just as much about what traditional hot rodding is, than not.

I know that kids don't see things in the same light as I do, but if they like it, for whatever the reason, thats a plus!! A kid that has that insight is less likely to sell that car or part it out after you are dead than just about anybody you could pick that had other motivation.

It's my opinion that his reason for wanting it is more traditional than your reason to keep him from him having it.

 

How long before no one cares about what we love?

If you are talking about traditional Hot Rods or Kustoms; Forever. Some of our cars will be passed down, Forever.

Did I say forever?

 

I think that part of the reason for the revival in nostalgia and restoring cars in the 80's-90's was the teenagers of the 50'-60's retiring and spending there hard earned cash to re-live there youth the way the remembered. this of course rubbed off on the younger generation and spawned the newstalgia movement. so when those guys are gone the next generation up for retirement will hit it strong and they are the muscel car guys. just think in 2050 the rice burner generation will be retiring and wanting to rebuilt there first hot rods..so if your smart start hoarding all the honda's & toyota performance cars you can in your back yard and hope you can make a fortune on them!LOL

 

Another observation of mine is this:

1-the ones that have lived and breathed this hobby for all our lives like myself will die one day, and along with that, a big chunk of the hobby

2-a pretty large part of the younger contingent seems to not be as dedicated for the long haul. I've seen a big part of that crowd jump from music, to skate boards, to motorcycles, or just give up all of a sudden while telling me they're "over it". Not all, but enough to make a difference in the life of this

 

This debate has been ongoing for some time: ebay, TV shows, televised auctions, etc. have grossly inflated the prices of old cars, parts, antiques, collectibles and so forth. However, these same "evil forces" have brought to light a lot of material that would have otherwise been scrapped, dropped in a landfill or left to continue rotting in someone's backyard.

Ultimately, market forces will prevail as to what is a "fair" price. Perhaps we should stop complaining about what we have to pay today and instead gloat a bit about the great deals we got "back in the day"!

My opinion regarding the thread question is that there will be people who care about our passion long after we're gone ... perhaps for different reasons, but they will get excited about owning or building a hot rod or custom. Example: there are still many people who get excited about Egyptian relics, Medieval weapons, American Civil War artifacts and reenactments, etc. Old bottle, new wine....

 

Hi I have 2 Daughters, 1 loves Mustangs then Hot Rods, other would love to see My Hot Rod on road they both help out when they Visit, Grand Kids 1Grand son is Motor Bike Mad, 2 Granddaughters help out with build because they want to Show off Driving Rod in front Freinds and School,{ages 10, 6}Hot rods have a Future in My Family,they will always Survive. Cheers Rebel Koolsville Down Under.

 

Back in the 50's I used to sit on the curb and drool over cars I couldn't avoid to own and today I'm still doing the same thing. It just keeps getting prohibitively more expensive. I don't, however, believe the large majority of us are going to sit back and let the tree huggers etc; outlaw our "hobby". To start out with, there's too much money involved!

 

My brothers neighbor passed away a few years ago. Big into brass cars. Guy was in his mid 80's. His two son's had no interest in the cars or the antique tractors.
All the guys that showed up to the auction for the most part were 75+ years of age.. but they were still buying the cars (at low prices).

I just came back from a cruise this evening and 90% of the guys there were 50+.

 

I built mostly mid 50s cars in my youth, then went for the mid 60s muscle cars later on. Most of these were quarter mile ground pounders, I didn't have a use or need for older 30s or 40s hot rods until later on, and I didnt care about the love that anyone would put into one of these cars, until I got educated about them from some older guys. Then I started to really have fun with cars. So I think it is up to us to educate the younger guys now, and in the future about this hobby that we all cherish, and not just give a frown when someone shows an interest, no matter how silly or off base the question might be. This will keep it alive. HOPEFULLY

 

For all this "driving up of prices" there still are a ton of cheap cars out there, and plenty of good ones going to the scrapyard every day. A '32 Ford may start out at big money for a complete, halfway decent one, but you can buy a whole lot of Model A for a tenth of the price.

 

Screw the bastards that don't like our cars. You are right we need to keep the young ones interested.I always encourage them to get interested in what we do.I talk to them and when they tell me about the 70 or 75 what ever car they have,I listen and talk about cool things they can do to there rides.After all that was us as teenagers talking about 55 Chevies we were fixing. Now the rat rod movement is mostly the young guys thinking they started something new ( ha ) but I say go for it guys,at least you arn't working on Hondas,LOL. But they do need a little guidence for SAFETY built into the cars they throw together.I have seen way to many unsafe shit boxes.I like old style hot rods but safe to drive ones. We do need to have the young guys take over after us old bastards die off,LOL.

 

there will always be hope. the old car era will always be the old car era. i really dont see someone spendin money to restore a 1990 dodge daytona or anything like that in fifty years. there won't be a 1990 corolla at barret jackson in fifty years. anything pre 1972 will always be the tops. and its all in the eye of interest. i got buddies that are in their early 20s that love the old hit and miss motors and pursue hangin out with old time farmers and stuff. not everyones kids will love what we love to do but you can't really change that. i believe there is still plenty of good tin left in the world for atleast another 50 years. it'll never die i believe. i try and hang out with old guys as much as i can. mechanics, racers, farmers etc. and ya never know what they might give ya just because ya really enjoy shootin the shit about things that they know and love and see you love it too. hell, look at these people who live and breathe enjoyin doin civil war reenactments and colonail shit. they love it, and never had anyone alive to show them stuff. just a short ramble of how i feel.

 

I think we may be in trouble if the cap & trade bill is passed and enacted. There are alot of things buried in that bill that could kill the hobby in one fell swoop!
If you have the time and patience get a copy of the proposed bill and give it a looky see.
I am not offering any of this because of a political view point, but merely because this hobby has been a big part of my and my family's life.
We have to be aware of the repercusions that this bill may have on our beloved hobby.
I pray that nothing will happen, but who knows?
Enjoy what you have, and be quick to share it with others!

 

My son is 6 and my daughter is 10 , both like all the old cars and trucks that i work on. I just hope that they stay interested so they can keep racing and building hot rods.

 

I'm pretty impressed by the amount of faith you all have in the future. The way things are going in this country, I think the bigger question is- How long before we lose the freedom to do what we love.


0h and- Soilent Green is PEOPLE!

 

he is right, there's roman chariot freaks out there.