Future of collector cars

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Ron816

Ron816

Mopar forever
Joined
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I was wondering if the collectibility of older cars will continue, I’m 59 and get excited every time I see an older car, I’m sure everyone here has been on the road and has spotted an older car up ahead and would chase so you could see what it was. Are the younger people getting into this hobby? And if so are there enough of them around to care about preserving the classics?
 
I am the same as you, love seeing the old iron on the road and yes, I have to wonder if the younger guys will be interested in the hobby like our generation is. I'm 58 and have had close to 140 cars, trucks and motorcycles in my life. Lots of them were just ordinary drivers but I still enjoyed them as more than just transportation. Would anyone be interested in the Hondas and Toyotas that were popular in the 1990s? Maybe a few, but I really don't think many. Or today's factory hot rods, the Challengers, Chargers, Camaros or Mustangs? These modern cars are far more expensive and complicated than the ones we are familiar with. I have owned a 2013 Mustang GT and a 2011 Camaro SS, both of them were very enjoyable cars, but they didn't have the same intangible feeling that the older ones had. I called it the soul of the car, just something that was not the same in my opinion. Maybe I'm just too caught up in the 70s IDK, but I felt that the attachment was not the same.
 
Some young folks love them, they just can't afford them.

Once the Boomers start to die off, prices will drop on the not-so-special cars. Basic supply and demand.
 
DemonDave said:
Some young folks love them, they just can't afford them.

Once the Boomers start to die off, prices will drop on the not-so-special cars. Basic supply and demand.
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I’m just wondering what my 68 GTS h code big black car four-speed is gonna be worth in the future
 
I really believe that the future will not allow gas combustible engines any longer everything will be electric
 
Ron816 said:
I really believe that the future will not allow gas combustible engines any longer everything will be electric
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That's what some people probably thought in 1905 too.

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I think EV's have their place. But there are some applications that I think will always need an IC engine. Can you imagine a Cat D11 trying to run on batteries?
 
I have a confession to make, my wife has a Tesla, She asked me what I thought about it I told her it’s an overpriced golf cart
 
I think, as we seen here, the old gray beards like me for the most part will continue the muscle car craze until the grave :eek:. We owned them when we were young and want some youth back, and a chance to use and buy :) new tools. I think some of the next generation following ours have enthusiast in our era, but not as many as we have had. Would think it will continue like that. I would believe the car thing will continue just look different, as ours did from our fathers. Have to figure the muscle cars of the last decade will replace, for the most part, our 60/70 muscle. Their loss IMHO.
 
Ive met plenty of guys my age, (70) who have new hi performance domestic cars, plenty of guys into all kinds of iron...... Many of these guys had older cars and some still do but they like their new Mopars, Mustangs, Corvettes
I met one guy (not that young) had three older mopars including a 69 GTX, a A body and something else I dont recall.
Guy shows up at a cruise in a brand new Porsche....What a car and why not, good for him
I turned 18 in 1970, graduated HS June 70 so I was I was at the later stages of muscle car era, when 1973 came, the gas crisis, safety bumpers, as far as im concerned that age was over
In late summer 1973 when I got home from active duty I went to Briggs Chevrolet, was looking at a new Monte. They had two 73 super sport Chevelles with 454 engines, I could have gotten some deal on those cars, brand new and they couldn't give them away
The hobby isn't going anywhere so relax and enjoy yourself
 
Ron816 said:
I was wondering if the collectibility of older cars will continue, I’m 59 and get excited every time I see an older car, I’m sure everyone here has been on the road and has spotted an older car up ahead and would chase so you could see what it was. Are the younger people getting into this hobby? And if so are there enough of them around to care about preserving the classics?
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Do you see Tri-5 Chevy’s selling for cheap? Ten plus years older than muscle car mopars.

BTW they made 1.5 million Tri-5 Chevy’s.
 
The reality is that among my peers (I'm 62) there are VERY FEW who have a classic car of any kind. We were uncommon in the 1980s and uncommon today. Most of my high school friends drive modern cars.

I also know quite a few "younger" folks who have an interest in the old stuff. These range from guys in their 20 all the way up. AND, anybody who thinks these "kids" can't afford to buy a classic, you should pay attention to them. I know a guy around 40 who owns a very successful concrete pumping business (not inherited from his folks). He still owns the '73 Challenger he had in high school. Another young man (getting close to mid-40s) still has his first car ('65 Satellite convertible) and a lot of other "old" stuff. My younger son still has his '67 Dart GT convertible (might get it back on the road this next year). Both of my sons will get one of our convertibles (yes, they want them).

As for what the government might do, that's anybody's guess (except California has already played their hand). It's also anybody's guess whether there will be any pushback from the "people"...
 
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.
 
Just ask any young person if they know how to set dwell or timing, you may as well be speaking German to them
 
Another. I know a young man in college who recently bought a '65 Mustang. It's "only" a 6/auto, but he's got plans. I had a reprint of the factory shop manual for one so I gave it to him. I also helped him put headlight relays in. If us older folks don't help and encourage there will be no future, but that's the way it was 45 years ago when I was getting an interest.
 
We boomers have the advantage of taking shop classes. I learned every industrial arts skill before I graduated high school. Those classes have been unavailable for the last two generations. But today kindergarteners can write computer code. I will carry the hobby to my grave.
I've driven modern muscle and it's fine. But my Barracuda and I talk, my car has soul and I will always drive it while I'm building my next one.
 
Ron816 said:
Just ask any young person if they know how to set dwell or timing, you may as well be speaking German to them
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Depends how young you're talking.

I daily drive a 68 dart and I'm 35. Although I realize that's rare, we do exist.

It depends on where someone grew up and what things they saw in the their surroundings as they grew up. My adoptive dad still has his A56 69 cuda that he bought as a used car in 1972 so I grew up seeing that car and riding in that car and even when I was young I knew it was different than new cars at the time, but it just seemed normal to me because I saw it everyday. I didn't know anything about A56 and 340s or what I was looking at till later in life but that comes with evolution.
 
Ron816 said:
I was wondering if the collectibility of older cars will continue, I’m 59 and get excited every time I see an older car, I’m sure everyone here has been on the road and has spotted an older car up ahead and would chase so you could see what it was. Are the younger people getting into this hobby? And if so are there enough of them around to care about preserving the classics?
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I don't really know if the young people will preserve the hobby or not but I think my perspective will be for me to continue to enjoy the ones I have and hopefully build and acquire a bunch more before I die and whatever happens after that will be out of my control anyhow.
 
Im'a be 68 next month. We of advanced age are in a prime position to see things as they actually are... the old junk we like is exactly that, junk. But we can work on it with basic tools and understanding, and we can afford the stuff we like to play with (for the most part). If you need the high dollar stuff, your motivations are different from mine, but no less valid. If you can support them...
 
Where will classics be? Well I won't be here, but YOU might, and GM is offering a "crate" electric conversion drivetrain. ...........I wonder if it comes with a 5KW sound system to "play motor sounds". As someone on another forum mused, "I wonder what all that **** weighs....."

GMs Electric Vehicle Future | Performance

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