Future of collector cars

Beams said

As a younger person(28, and started at 24), I’ve made the following observations of the “younger” folks (and this truly may not reflect everyone).

They don’t know what it takes to start the hobby. Like, that they can start with a 1500 dollar heap and get it running, and try to enjoy the process of starting from little. You don’t have to start with an iconic muscle car.

Most people my age have no clue how to go about working on a car. Learning is scary, and takes screwing up. There’s a lot of time and money involved.

The sheer unknown of it all is overwhelming.

Those that are remotely interested in the hobby are into restomods, swapping Subaru engines in their bug, or love suggesting a Cummins for my 65 Dart.

I have been fortunate to meet good folks who have experience and provide support through the unknown. Also had good opportunities for cheap car, parts, etc.

I try to encourage people to consider the hobby, but I understand how/why it can be hard to take on.

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I’ve said this before, and I think it rings true. There once was a natural progression where you learned how to use the lawnmower, learned how to start it, where to put the gas, and how to check the oil. Next step was a mini bike, then a dirt bike, then a car, and back to the cycle when you bought your own house and needed to mow the lawn. You had kids and showed them how to mow and the whole cycle started again.

Nowadays, we have a lawn service, first step in understanding internal combustion, gone. No mower, no mini bike, because there’s nowhere to ride it, and the neighbors call the cops if you do. No motorcycle because of no skills with internal combustion, or riding and maintaining your transportation. Then a car, almost maintenance free, and too complicated to fix most things when you don’t have the above skills. All cause Dad was too lazy to mow the lawn!

Heres my son, 12 at the time, showing off his first burnout, using his sisters car! And the both of them as teenagers, just back from driving the GTX. Yes, my son mows the lawn.