Whats the future for Car show cars

peakandscoot · Apr 16, 2017

Last year i complained about the limited number of older cars at Carlisle and so its been 8 months before i decided to go to another show. To be honest i'm usually in it for the swap meets. I brought my 14 year old daughter because we are resto modding my fathers 62 Fury. It will probably be hers one day and shes the one who shows interest and loves the long distance parts gathering road trips. So on the way to South East Street Rod Nationals in Tampa i quizzed her on our cars history including engine and transmission sizes and swapping and assorted upgrades we have made to the car. I'm pretty sure she was the only teenager there and i honestly don't think there was one person showing a car who was under 65 years of age. Is this the end, what happens to all this knowledge? What happens to theses cars? Is this why there are no cars earlier than the late 40s because those people are gone? Is it just to expensive for younger people to get involved or is it just a cultural shift. If its just a nostalgia thing shouldn't there be younger guys showing 70s and 80s cars that they drove. I told my daughter remember this because in 20 years this wont be around anymore and the only place to see these are in museums.

dart4forte · Apr 16, 2017

peakandscoot said:
Last year i complained about the limited number of older cars at Carlisle and so its been 8 months before i decided to go to another show. To be honest i'm usually in it for the swap meets. I brought my 14 year old daughter because we are resto modding my fathers 62 Fury. It will probably be hers one day and shes the one who shows interest and loves the long distance parts gathering road trips. So on the way to South East Street Rod Nationals in Tampa i quizzed her on our cars history including engine and transmission sizes and swapping and assorted upgrades we have made to the car. I'm pretty sure she was the only teenager there and i honestly don't think there was one person showing a car who was under 65 years of age. Is this the end, what happens to all this knowledge? What happens to theses cars? Is this why there are no cars earlier than the late 40s because those people are gone? Is it just to expensive for younger people to get involved or is it just a cultural shift. If its just a nostalgia thing shouldn't there be younger guys showing 70s and 80s cars that they drove. I told my daughter remember this because in 20 years this wont be around anymore and the only place to see these are in museums.

No, lots of younger people interested in our cars. I'm seeing more youth getting involved in the older cars. This was a subject of conversation last night. Guys like Jimmy Shine seem to attract the younger kids toward the street rods. Interest in Rat Rods is increasing. Just look at the Rockability show in Las Vegas. Lots of younger people. Our hobby's future is very promising. So next time you are at a show and a kid drives in with a Ricer car don't look down on him/her but rather welcome them and maybe show interest in their car. They may get the old car bug.

69L48Z27 · Apr 16, 2017

It will still be around. When you were 20 you didn't go to car shows more than likely, I didn't. I was busy at the race track or doing something I shouldn't have been doing.

We had a swap meet at Maple Grove Raceway last weekend, tons of people and all ages.

The other phenomenon is called the internet. Places like Carlisle are shrinking for sure. I spent some time today taking care of a few lose ends with the GTX. The parts I need will be ordered today and be here by Friday just in time to go walk Carlisle. You don't need swap meets anymore it seems.

4mulas · Apr 16, 2017

I believe the muscle car generation of vehicles will be in popularity for quite some time. Yes the previous generations, like 57 chevies, seem to be fading off with the age of that generation. However, the reason I say muscle cars 66-72 ish will be in popularity for some time is that there are NO cars of interest made after these ones. IE: you won't see a glut of citation x11's cruising around in the future.

Darter6 · Apr 16, 2017

I agree it could be money,or lack of interest.I also agree that there are allot of gray hairs out there(Me included)When I was a kid I had no interest in anything older than the early 60's(My generation) I wouldn't give you 2 cents for a Model A or a 32 anything.BUT I was infatuated Muscle Cars.I got away from cars for 20 years till a teen nephew found his dad's 70 396 Chevelle that was bought new when he came back from VietNam.We worked together with him(17 at the time) and he did 90% of the work restoring it.The car phase goes up and down thru the years.Lets hope that it continues that trend.Only time will tell.

drobertson · Apr 16, 2017

But hey, when all you old guys pass away, just keep in mind that I'd take real good care of those cars!

1967coronet · Apr 16, 2017

I think most of the young folks that are at a show are there because a older family member has brought them.
Kids today for the most part are not that into old cars like we were. The world has changed and the economy. We bought our 1st home in 76 for 30k I worked in a packing plant for $11.00 per hr.
A young couple today are looking at 100K for a starter / 1st home around here and that same plant is still open starting wage is $9.50 to $10.50

We could buy a nice muscle car in 76 for $1000.00 a nice one today is 25k plus.
Once the kids grow and get their home paid and their kids through college and have a few gray hairs then mabey we will see them. LOL

gkent · Apr 16, 2017

I agree that its an economy thing. When I was younger I'd go to these shows with buddies (wife was never interested) and we'd put 6 guys in a room - it was the only way we could afford it. I'll be 65 this year and I usually go to Carlisle alone. I can finally afford it but at the price they charge for hotels just because there's a show on, I can understand why that can scare off younger people who have other financial priorities.

HEMI-ITIS · Apr 16, 2017

I do Carlisle almost every year for the past 25.I get there for the kickoff show Thursday night,race at South Mountain on Friday.Hang on the fairgrounds on Saturday and leave mid day on Sunday.Attendance numbers are in the thousands.
I enjoy a verity of shows and hit the strip 4 or 5 times a year.

Last years Easter day Parade
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4d0-emmURo

Dennis H · Apr 16, 2017

Car gigs are social events. Yes, lots of geezers. LA last week, Vegas this week. Love the road and the enjoyment of my time machine. Not concerned where the hobby goes. A person either has the interest or not. We can encourage it and I do when I can. Never gets old for me.

It was a gift to grow up in an era of freedom of wheels. The younger among us who live in a video screen or handheld device don't get it. Can't get it. Will never get it. You can see the young drones riding along watching the crap that fills their heads. They don't even look out the windows. The real world is not interesting. Poor bastards. The parents promote this because it keeps them out of their hair.

polywideblock · Apr 16, 2017

I'm guessing that a lot of these young'uns are like I was . between house payments, car payments ,kids and a wife I was lucky to have $5 to my name the day after payday . it was only after the kids grew up and the sponge left to find herself, that I had any real money . so when they have a few grey hairs and the kids are grown who knows what they will spend their extra cash on , could be like me and finally be able to afford the car(s) of their dreams :thumbsup:

Bruzilla · Apr 17, 2017

There are several issues in play.

1. Car "hobbyists" buy cars that they loved, mainly when they were younger. For most of us that was 60s and 70s cars. For the folks in their 30-40s today, i.e., the people with some disposable income, they are buying up every F-body Mustang and 80s and 90s Camaro they can find because those were the cars that were hot when they were kids.

2. When we were growing, most all of us spent quite a few weekends helping Dad or Uncle Somebody or a neighbor troubleshoot and repair their car. The family ride would need a tune up every few months, new brakes, new shocks, oil changes, etc., and Dad et al would deal with these. Now, thanks to extended service plans and better engineering, these efforts are fast disappearing. Most cars today go 100k miles before needing a tuneup, never need a transmission serviced, and there's a discount brake shop or Jiffy Lube on every block. And forget about shop classes in schools. So a lot of what harnessed our interest in cars back in the day are gone today.

3. When we were kids, and we wanted to play driving a car fast, all we could do is angle the Hot Wheels track a bit higher and see who's car could get further and faster. We couldn't wait to see what it felt like to drive a real car. Kids today can sit at an XBox, dial up a simulation of any car they want, and sit in front of a high-def monitor and get the thrill of their lives and for them it's just as good as the real thing.

A lot of this is what our Project Pittsbird car was about. Instead of taking a high-end, professionally-restored, trailer queen to shows we take a car that's showable that we did ourselves and for less than half the price of a Ford Fiesta. Brains and know how can take the place of a lot of $$$ is we take the time so show people how to do it, which is where I see the real value of car shows.

peakandscoot · Apr 17, 2017

HEMI-ITIS I was a Carlisle last year and yes there was alot of people there. My disappointment with that event was there were rows and rows of Challengers off the lot with a little more money put into them. I went hoping to see examples of what my car would look like when finished and get some help from them guys. I found 1 62 Fury convertible and 5 hard tops not a banner day after driving 1200 miles. Back to my point though my car was on the roteccery and blasted not to make a show car but for other reasons. I took off every nut and bolt, rubbed wax and grease remover over every inch of that car before spraying epoxy, pressed my own bushings, rebuild my own transmission. I know this car on a level that no amount of money can buy it must be earned. I try to include my daughter in this to spark the love. The love she will have for the car her grandparents dated in. I would like to see the older generations better cultivate more of this. I turned 50 this weekend. I waited 30 years for this car to get to me. Now i am where i could put it back on the road. Now i do have money i didn't have as kid. Im not putting down shows or even the new cars i want to encourage everyone to help not let the early 60s and older cars disappear. I dont have the answers just get disheartened and fear its coming.

burntorng70 · Apr 17, 2017

I believe its all about finances, these cars are not cheap. Most young people can't take out a loan to buy a car that is used only on Sunday to sit at a show. As they age and money is more available, they will buy their B Body. I also am tired of seeing the rows of new Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers but you can finance them for 72 months and drive them all week. The reaction and enthusiasm I get from kids when they see my car is the same as ever.

Speedbird · Apr 17, 2017

The question keeps getting asked.
I think the answer is as long as you can get fuel, fix it with a screwdriver and pliers instead of software, l there will be people that want them..

eagleone1983 · Apr 17, 2017

I have to disagree. At least here locally there seems to be a wide variety of cars and owners. As many have stated though for the most part any muscle car worth anything is way too expensive right now. The prices will fall just like the T-buckets and Tri-5s are now. I think the difference is though is our muscle cars have room for family and are fun to drive. Where the Ts don't have the room and unless it's modded the Tri-5s are just cruisers.

So guys now in their 20s/30s seem to be on a Subaru/Fast N Furious kick which is great, the bug is already implanted. Once our cars are a little more affordable they'll scoop them up and keep the hobby going. That's what I plan to do once you guys start selling your Hemi cars.

Bruzilla, on your point 2 I think the method of information has changed not the lack of desire of others to work on their own cars (though I don't even work on new cars, so there's that). I think kids that do have older cars, instead of asking neighbor Ol' Timey John they turn to Youtube or forums like these instead.

Bruzilla · Apr 17, 2017

burntorng70 said:
I believe its all about finances, these cars are not cheap.

That's been an issue for our cars since 1987. I remember watching an episode of Fast & Loud where they were buying a Ford Model A, and Rawlings said how these were not rare cars and you can probably find one within five miles of you. I didn't think that was true, but I looked for one and found three within 20 miles. And they were all under $4,000. I can't find many POS Dusters for under $4,000, despite them being less desirable and not as old/rare.

This all goes back to how warped our little segment of the car market by the infusion of millions of $$$ of investor money. We had all these people with $$ in their eyes snapping up every 60s and 70s car they could find because they were sure they could retire on them someday. The problem is many of them were bought at or near the top of the mark, and these people don't want to take a loss. Now that the market is reversing, these folks are selling but selling based on what they paid, and an old driver Duster that should be $500 or less is still listing at $5,000.

Why is a kid going to pay $5,000 for a roller E or early 70s B when he can buy an old F body roller for $500? Hate to say it, but our part of the hobby isn't dying... it's committing suicide.

vintage chromoly · Apr 17, 2017

If car shows go by the wayside, who is going to put the bop in the bop shu bop?

4mulas · Apr 17, 2017

eagleone1983 said:
I have to disagree. At least here locally there seems to be a wide variety of cars and owners. As many have stated though for the most part any muscle car worth anything is way too expensive right now. The prices will fall just like the T-buckets and Tri-5s are now. I think the difference is though is our muscle cars have room for family and are fun to drive. Where the Ts don't have the room and unless it's modded the Tri-5s are just cruisers.

So guys now in their 20s/30s seem to be on a Subaru/Fast N Furious kick which is great, the bug is already implanted. Once our cars are a little more affordable they'll scoop them up and keep the hobby going. That's what I plan to do once you guys start selling your Hemi cars.

Bruzilla, on your point 2 I think the method of information has changed not the lack of desire of others to work on their own cars (though I don't even work on new cars, so there's that). I think kids that do have older cars, instead of asking neighbor Ol' Timey John they turn to Youtube or forums like these instead.

You may be right about all of this. One way I see it though is that I'm 45 now and plan on owning and enjoying muscle cars for the next thirty years at least, I have friends that are 10-15 years younger than me now (30-35) that are equally enthused about muscle cars too, so by the same theory they will be wanting, buying, collecting muscle cars for the next 40-45 years of their life too. Especially after they have a few more years to save some cash. Yes they currently do mess around with fox bodies and camaro's but have openly said it Is just the consolation prize for now, they want the real thing and will get it eventually.

Only saying this because if you really want that hemi car, I really dont think the price will be coming down anytime soon, so you should find a way to make it happen now.

eagleone1983 · Apr 17, 2017

No I don't really want the hemi car. I'm 33 so I've go some time to wait though, I'd be fine with a 440 Cuda or convert RR of any engine. Right now one car is all I need since I've only got a 3 car garage (1st world problems, I know) Plus if I ever get another car it's going to be what ever my woman wants. Though she has been eyeing Cudas

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