History Where is this hobby headed?

And, AMEN!!!

 

Yeah, you're absolutely right... but that would require the obsolete concept of "Common Sense"! (which ain't so common any more)

 

Too many people now, are paying 50% of their income on shelter.
The price of necessities is absolutely insane.

Too many people now, do not own a car.
Chances of them ever owning a hot rod = Zero.

Too many people now, are not hands on. Anything more complex than typing,
or opening a beer, and they are screwed. NO way they can build their own car.
They never learned one end of a hammer from the other. Their school system has
failed them, and so have their parents. Our local high school, removed their Automotive
shop and Machine Shop, and turned them into a Drama classroom. Great idea.
Something breaks now, they just buy a new one. I met a 14 yo kid last week, he had NO
idea what Needle Nose Pliers were! I had to teach him how to use an Adjustable Wrench.
Seriously. Also taught him how to Solder, and read electronic schematics. Is he smart
enough to learn how to work on cars ? Yes. Will he ever be in a position to build a hot rod ?
I think it is more likely he will become President.

 

All, Too True !

 

So the Baby Boomers answered their Country's call and the Woodstock Generation dodged the draft? Ron

 

Thats the agenda in the schools...remove deductive reasoning and now we have the younger socialist generation...We let it happen..

 

I know some dope smoking hippies that went to Nam.
Learned a lot of metal shaping from a long haired, dope smoking hippie.
Dude built some killer rides.

 

Still waiting for Edwardian Era, and Brass Era, cars to be popular again.

Generally, people want what was cool when they were growing up.

 

I was directly behind the Woodstock generation. For the sake of discussion let's say they're 10 years my senior. I graduated in 75. Now I could easily crop dust that smoke pot burn draft card socialist ideal. The ones most active in the old car life? 50s to 80s age groups. I'm in the middle. Some are way more of means than I am. They can afford more. Of course I only know them because we share the same social spaces and activities. No end in sight, bigger crowds, higher prices/values, more stuff coming out as the even earlier generations go off to their heavenly rewards. Those folks hung with and educated us. Anyone who thinks this chosen life will ever be stocked up with 20s, 30s and 40s types is smoking too much of that same pot spoken of above. News flash, this was NEVER mainstream. NEVER. Yeah, I said it. I had the only 30s hot rod in my graduation parking lot. When I posted it in another thread I said it seems more hip now than I thought it was back then. So fuckin eh, it was to me. The 2 or 3 who laughed at me? Probably boring office types now who do as their told to maintain their massive house payments and property taxes. Drones. Never ever could "get it" like we do. Kool. Fuck em. Show of hands, who wants them in this life. Anyone? No? Just what I thought, me neither. Does that make me sort of a snob? Ask me if I care. Love the smell of gas fumes...

 

Back to our regularly sceduled program..

 

One thing that will help is when young dudes realize chicks still dig old rods. Contrary to popular people every female human I've met gets a lil giggly around a vintage car. Even the ones that claim to hate them. When I first got my 53 in fact there were to women who didn't like dudes that made a point to hang out while I was tinkering lol

 

Some of it's headed to Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, etc.


Some of it's headed to furnaces.


Some of it's rotting wherever it's setting.




The place with the most old cars per capita is probably Cuba.

 

They already done gone political.

 

Vintage car: 1919 - 1930
Antique car: 2024 - 45 = 1979
Classic car: 2024 - 20 = 2004

I'm working on keeping two classic cars (2001, 1999) going, and getting an antique car (1961) going. Only one was bought new. Mine were bought used for cheap. Most cars in the HAMB classifieds aren't cheap.

 

Not that I have a lots of money but I have never considered buying ,working on all old cars , ,a investment etc. I,m 80 ,reliving great times in the 60,s all the fun,friendships,chasing girls with my old cars. I don,t care about the future. My kids have no interest in the hobby,when I,m gone .Maybe someone will get one heck of a buy So What ??? Gene in Mn

 

Smart man.
Too many think life is all about numbers. This is how they keep score.
Their hobbies have to pay for themselves, and everything has to be sold at a profit.
All about the Benjamins.

 

Check out this hot rod. I participated in a Challenge Bibendum working (<= barely) with a hydrogen hybrid electric car.

Link for the above: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g43480930/history-of-electric-cars/

A couple of cool old cars:

 

Tell ya what, I'm fairly happy with my gig having an element of self sustainability. Until it becomes some social revolution that makes selling extras for profit illegal I will continue. I always had a personal issue using "rent money" to pay for the fun stuff. Instead it had to be majority "hustle money" so the home doesn't falter. The hot rod hunter-gatherer in me has something to sell to attain what I need. I never understood why so many frown upon it. I had to pay for what I needed. I don't care if who I got it from actually got paid to have it available and got paid again from my purchase. I'll be even more candid, I think that hustling and trading is fun and a good measure of this life. Am I unworthy of participating because I made a notable profit on some parts to get $$$ and build my car? Should I have sacrificed grocery money? Should only your monthly wages be used? If this sounds like one of the related topics that, in my opinion, picks a scab that's correct. It does. Like I'm one of those who deserve scorn because I got lucky on something, or realistically provide a service to help my fellow car addicts with shit they need. All about the Benjamins? Show me a car that was built without em. Oh wait, telepathy isn't totally viable yet, sorry. Yes, I'm a dick...

 

Working on old cars takes passion and skill, just like major league baseball, one without the other you are just another sport's fan sitting in the stands. Working on old cars, you sure don't receive a "big bang for the buck", but it is all worth it the first time you drive it down the street.

 

Yep. As far as making some side money- this hobby wouldn’t be what it is if at some didn’t make money, and as long as the money making is honest who cares. Me - I buy high and sell low lol
Dan

 

I dont give 2 shits if this hobby continues after I die. Im not sure why so many are concerned about that. If the next generation is into it cool, if not oh well...
Its all been documented,
So our history wont be lost.
Participation is up to those who are interested & resourceful enough to choose this lifestyle.

 

I have always enjoyed cars and always will....imagine the first man who invented the wheel...he must of been thinking.......I sure hope someone invents the internal combustion engine..........just sayin,,,,

 

Wherever its going, you guys will still be arguing when we get there.

 

It’s not arguing It’s discussing lol
Dan

 

See that's where I actually wised up early on. Best way to make a hobby self sustainable money wise for yourself is to pimp out skills you develop. Shop fees and waiting lists are high and long. So someone who obviously did the work themselves on their own ride offering to do someone else's for a fraction of the cost and very soon.... sometimes even same day.....is very appealing. I made a killing doing car stereos in central Arkansas in the early 2000s. Average stereo shop wanted $150+ to install a head unit. I charged $40 or $20 and a case of beer. Was installing so many I tended to keep crimp connectors and wire strippers on me lol. And considering my average daily expenses at the time were less than $15 if I did two in a day one day would nearly cover a week. And I typically did 4-5 a day. And each install took me about 15 minutes on average. $160-200 for around an hour of work is crazy $ even in 2024 dollars lol. And I didn't even have to sell any of my toys....often theyd offer more than my old stereo was worth after i upgraded to put my old junk in their car lol

 

Start off with syphoning gas and taking hubcaps quietly at night. Next street racing and cutouts, and finally romancing in the front and back seats. That's about it, they'll be interested. In short it's going where we lead it, they will follow.

 

I was trying to make the point there are two completely different mind sets within this age group, and while you and I don't always see eye to eye we can have a respectful difference of opinion. You and I have known each other a long time and I have never known you just to spout whatever ridiculous thing that comes to mind and will take all things into consideration as I will do if someone proves they knowable on the subject.

There are some of the Baby Boomers who have who may not have dodge the draft but have the "Woodstock" mentally "We don't have to listen to anyone" "We know more about it than those who came before us" "We know more than those who have dedicated their lives to studying the history, talking to pioneers listening to their stories."

The old timers tested us young guys before they shared their knowledge or let us in their shops, and now that traditional hot rods and customs are the cool thing and everyone who had to have a splashed graphic, tweed, and billet wagon have invaded, and the problem they see no difference between the two styles of car, and have come in started tell those of us who have been doing these before it was trendy or in some cases the legit old time hot rodders how they are doing it wrong or don't know it at all.

A great example my dad is 75 (born February 1949) he has been going to the races his whole life, started going in the pits as soon as he was allowed (18 years old 1967) he started working with Bill Roese who is ten years older later that year. Dad help work on the car helped Bill build a car, dad built his own car when he was 20 and has built several over the years, he also worked with Jack Miller and a few others.

This was in the era when you built cars out of the junkyards, Timken foalters, Buick backing plates/drums, some 9" Fords etc...and in that time he only remembers seeing a few old stock cars, and the where mostly sitting behind old garages, speed shops stripped of all useable parts for the next car, but yet there are people who claim despite being his age or a little younger to have seen hundreds of ruined early bodied stockcars in junkyards, they do the same thing when it comes to hot rods and customs.

I saw a post were someone was ranting about the Moon Rocket T-bird and how it should have a hood and that all customs "Back in the day" ran hoods.

We have the "A photo or it didn't happen" people but when a vintage photo surfaces that proves their point wrong, they continue to argue or make outrageous statements as to why the photo is wrong.

Obviously, I am partial to stock car racing, and I have said there was some god-awful stuff out there in the early days but there was also a lot of very well built, well-engineered cars.
The same goes for Hot Rods, Customs, Drag Cars, and Lakes racing, you have to look at history as a whole, you can't just pick and choose the parts you like or don't like.

Now can you have an option absolutely, can you not like the same things as me absolutely, it's when someone tries to pass their option off as a fact or tries to back their option with false or bad information that myself and other's object to.

I don't want to be around that or those people, and even though I take cars they supposed to be fun, it's not supposed to be a cutthroat dick swinging contest and that is what it has turned into and it is chasing many younger people off!