Is the hobby dead or just broke?

[Bladecutter]

A lot of younger people don't understand how to work on these older cars. They can't just take it to autozone and hook up a computer to see what's wrong with it. It costs money to build and keep these cars going. On top of that, sometimes it's hard work.
Most younger people don't have the funds, knowledge, or desire to put forth the effort.
They have an interest to looking and have lots of oh's and ah's. But that's about as far as it goes.

The ludicrous part is that these cars are far simpler, easier to work on than the newer electronic nightmares. Carburetors & points ignition......break on the side of the road,,,,,. any wrenching ability at all can generally figure out cause of problem & 9 times out of ten at least limp it out of there. Computerized EFI ****, doesn't matter how good of mechanic one is.....9 times out of ten they going to call for a tow.

 

[Darter6]

The wife and I did a coast to coast trip in a 67 Dart.People stopped us to talk everywhere we went. She would say "Old cars are great,you can fix anything with a screwdriver,hammer and a pair of pliers."

 

[eldubb440]

I call it WW2 technology

 

[monaco66coupe]

At least they are EMP proof! Lol

 

[747mopar]

The ludicrous part is that these cars are far simpler, easier to work on than the newer electronic nightmares. Carburetors & points ignition......break on the side of the road,,,,,. any wrenching ability at all can generally figure out cause of problem & 9 times out of ten at least limp it out of there. Computerized EFI ****, doesn't matter how good of mechanic one is.....9 times out of ten they going to call for a tow.

Except the introduction of Ethanol, had to learn a few new tricks to make these old cars except the garbage.

 

[monaco66coupe]

The fuel does suck! I avoid ethanol, but am not totally successful at it. I found the new cams available were designed with the gas in mind. I Installed one in my 340 Dart recently, and the pinging has gone away, even with 10:5-1 pistons. However, Instead of Timing @5 degrees at 750, I have to run 15 degrees advanced to get my vacuum at 16 Inches@750. The engine still pulls very well, and goes faster than I care to go.

 

[Superb Bee]

I think the parts and projects are still good to sell, you will always have dreamers out there thinking they can finish the car for $2500, they are easy prey, and then you have them same people buying parts for that car.
Then they will notice that its a lot of work, time, and money and give up and resell it as a project, and it all starts over again.
I bought a 69 coronet out of Worcester, it was online for sale 4 different times 4 different guys, went from Webster to Fitchburg, to Attleboro, and then I bought it out of Kingston RI, (by then it had a bunch of new parts included, door handles, repopped bumpers, seat covers, all new never installed) off of a body shop that never got paid for the work and wanted to sell it with no paper work, which was fine with me because it was a parts car, it was a parts car when it was in worcester 6 years prior, the truth of the matter was I paid $3500 for the car, and to finish into just a driver would have cost $20K, and the car would never be worth that 20K never mind the 3500 the car cost... I parted it out and pulled about 10K profit out of it over the years (It had a PERFECT nose), then sold the body with a junk nose I pieced together, soft doors, and deck lid and junk bumpers, with some mismatched chuck around seats (mid 70s seats) for $5000 to a guy in new York, I haven't seen it back online yet, but I don't see how someone can justify buying that car.


Where I think the deals are right now, are in completed cars, not projects, if you are buying a project now its because you cant afford a finished car, but in the long run Ill bet a finished car would cost you less...

 

[monaco66coupe]

Yes,Sir. Someone else's labor is almost always free.Young people have one thing most of us older guys have depleted: Enthusiasm and energy!

 

[polywideblock]

"they" have been predicting another GFC for 2 years now , I think people are sitting on their cash and waiting to see what happens

 

[Fran Blacker]

At least they are EMP proof! Lol

After the EMP hit the gun store and Costco. Don't forget to bring a big hammer to get in.

 

[monaco66coupe]

Yes, and a generator to run the fuel pumps at the gas station.

 

[BeatersRus]

I sell a lot of parts and projects to young guys. sorry, around here young people really like them.
Period. and they pay.

i do too,and this is my observation.
i get a lot of kids who buy the car then start fixing it up,and quit.
either they run out of money quick,
cant be bothered to figure out what to do,
or they give up and go buy a fart can.

most of the next gen are attached to their fones and cant even tell you what day it is.

 

[Northwest]

The 'sport' will never be what it was for you and us. The reason nearly ALL of us got into the sport is because we had fond experiences of the muscle car era when they were driven. When they were in high school parking lots, and cruises were not something that needed to be scheduled, they just happened every Friday and Saturday night. When the car that mom, dad or some uncle drove looked and sounded kind of like that hot rod you wished you had. When the family car you had as a kid had character and is a collector today.

That era is gone, and will never return. Most of us have these cars because we are 'reliving' the memories, or have never left the hobby after that experience in youth.

There are those folks in the 'sport' who have a car and have no historical connection to it, and even they don't seem to have a deep passion about the 'sport'. It is just a passing fancy, a toy for the extra money. Some distraction that could as easily be a vacation home, speedboat, a fly-in hunting expedition or European vacation.

My kids are into the sport. Why? Because we drive it, they drive it and they form memories in it. Can't be a future of the sport without establishing good experiences with it as a youth. So get out there with your kids, grandkids, neighbor kids, etc.

Next time you are at a car show, let a kid sit in the seat. Let him see what the road looks like from behind a mile of sheet metal hood or from behind a six pack scoop. Let him smell that smell that can't be replicated. Don't worry about the scratch, dust and fingerprints and let these cars go out and find a new generation of men and women who will keep the sport alive.

 

[GinoX]

As someone mentioned the latest iteration of F&F, this is where the (younger) youth are taking their cue. They weren't born when our dinosaurs were roaming around but they do have visuals (cinemas and the 'net).

 

[monaco66coupe]

My Kids all grew up with the mopar museum. My youngest daughter at 31 Now teaches at Berkeley. A couple years ago a nice demon showed up in San Fransisco for sale. However, I was uncomfortable with buying it sight unseen. So, I asked her to go check it out. They met the owner,drove the car, and called me while driving it. She gave the thumbs up to buy buy it, so I worked out a deal with the owner. That evening, he asked me: Who was that girl? I told him she was my Daughter.
He said: Man, she knew more about that car than I did! Of course, I said. She grew up with them, and I have had my Charger since she was born!
The funny story does not end there. I was able to secure a transport just two days later,as a guy was in Portland heading to Berkeley, then east to Chicago. a total of 563 dollars got the car home.
The driver of the seven car hauler showed in my little town,all of 25 years old and from Moldavia.His first question in very broken Moldavian was: what is DEMON? I told him, and he loved the car.He said further, that everywhere he stopped for fuel people would come out and look at Demon! He said: I have lexus,corvette,Mercedes,Porsche on the trailer, but nobody cared, they only wanted to see the Demon! I thought that was funny!

 

[Dennis H]

The 'sport' will never be what it was for you and us. The reason nearly ALL of us got into the sport is because we had fond experiences of the muscle car era when they were driven. When they were in high school parking lots, and cruises were not something that needed to be scheduled, they just happened every Friday and Saturday night. When the car that mom, dad or some uncle drove looked and sounded kind of like that hot rod you wished you had. When the family car you had as a kid had character and is a collector today.

That era is gone, and will never return. Most of us have these cars because we are 'reliving' the memories, or have never left the hobby after that experience in youth.

There are those folks in the 'sport' who have a car and have no historical connection to it, and even they don't seem to have a deep passion about the 'sport'. It is just a passing fancy, a toy for the extra money. Some distraction that could as easily be a vacation home, speedboat, a fly-in hunting expedition or European vacation.

My kids are into the sport. Why? Because we drive it, they drive it and they form memories in it. Can't be a future of the sport without establishing good experiences with it as a youth. So get out there with your kids, grandkids, neighbor kids, etc.

Next time you are at a car show, let a kid sit in the seat. Let him see what the road looks like from behind a mile of sheet metal hood or from behind a six pack scoop. Let him smell that smell that can't be replicated. Don't worry about the scratch, dust and fingerprints and let these cars go out and find a new generation of men and women who will keep the sport alive.

View attachment 395974 View attachment 395975 View attachment 395976 View attachment 395977

Man those are great pics. Thank you.

 

[1967coronet440]

Mopar prices are stil sky high when I search local CL ads

 

[Ron H]

Someone mentioned movies like Furious increasing popularity and this is the case with a lot of come backs like old songs heard on a new movie the younger gen never heard. Then that old 50/60's song gets a resurgence...a lot of purchased downloads. Lets see producers put some nice older cars on the TV shows or movies...or make a quality movie about the muscle car era like they got somewhat close to in the original American Graffiti...

 

[Darter6]

American Graffiti...Cool. A low budget film with a nobody producer at the time. Kick started George Lucas into history.

 

[WP29440SE]

IMO, 72 and newer will never be desirable......... low HP, ugly bumpers, ect

This is just bullshit. It's the same bumpers different brackets. What do you think people are snatching up when they can't find a cheaper way into a charger. Look on eBay , you won't find one under 8 k. They will bring more money before the bottom falls out , and it will. You want undesirable? Try a 75-79 b body