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Todays youth NOT interested

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by fordstandard, Aug 27, 2013.

  1. socal kid
    Joined: Jul 30, 2010
    Posts: 12

    socal kid
    Member
    from california

    idk about the rest of this screwed generation but im gonna be a damn good metal bender
     
  2. wicarnut
    Joined: Oct 29, 2009
    Posts: 9,052

    wicarnut
    Member

    I believe todays youth still have interest in cars, hot rods, etc. Different times and cars for different generations. 40 years from now,they will be at shows with their turbo charged something tuner type and a percentage of them will like the "Old Stuff" just like we do. I've heard, way to many times, negative coments at shows, directed at youth and their rides, Its not a surprize to me they stay away from us "old guys". Be nice and you might be surprized at the interest they have, if you talk to them and give them a chance. John.
     
  3. REBEL43
    Joined: Feb 17, 2007
    Posts: 722

    REBEL43
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from TENNESSEE

    Our hobby is cars and those young guys are the same as us old guys 20,30, or 50 years ago, When I was young kid I didn't want an old 40 ford coupe my grandfather had bought to put the engine in a cattle truck, I had a 53 convertible. But wasn't long till I was into T buckets, Model A's And would have given anything for that coupe.
    If it has wheels And their Interested in it, their still part of our car culture.
    Be nice and watch the interest in their eyes.
     
  4. I picked up my son at middle school in my 62 t bird. At best only 2 kids looked for more then a couple of seconds.
     
  5. Big-O
    Joined: Dec 28, 2012
    Posts: 119

    Big-O
    Member

    I Understand what you are getting at. I think a lot of it has to do with how they are brought up. I grew up watching my grandfather and uncles wrench on muscle cars, where as my 23 year old brother cant put the video game down long enough to get a piece... Also as other have mentioned money and scarcity of rides. Personally I dig old 4 doors but most youth are watching gas monkey roll nothing but coupes and rag tops. They would probably enjoy it if they could put the phone down, video game down and turn off the 10,000 channels of nothing to watch. Bottom line though I think is money. The job market sucks, a lot of the old iron is rusting away, and it is VERY expensive unless you are running a camaro, mustang, or chevelle...
    I do think there is hope for what we do though. There are a lot still interested it and but there is less opportunity. I am sure most of our finds are by accident and again ya gottta pry yourself away for the phone long enough to see the rest of the world. I am seeing more and more younger guys into it though. The HAMB for instance has a very diverse group. We just keep doing what we do, driving what we drive and with any luck we will spark some motivation in more of them.
     
  6. 1929Essex
    Joined: Jun 5, 2010
    Posts: 83

    1929Essex
    Member

    I have to agree to a point. I'm 26 and have 3 hot rods, a 29 Essex,.27 dodge and a 28 model a coupe. I got into hot rods at a young age but am the only one around here my age that have any desire to work on them. I think its the way things are today, we are in the technology age, phones computers, iPods, etc. Not to mention that there are quite a few old dudes, especially on here that bash the young crowd and discourage them to continue with the hobby because not how they think it should be done. And as for the Hondas and lowriders, my opinion is that they are todays hotrods. In the 50s they used 30s cars and in the 2000s they use 90s stuff.
     
  7. denis4x4
    Joined: Apr 23, 2005
    Posts: 4,198

    denis4x4
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Colorado

    Just as there are some old pharts here that "bash" the younger set, there are some of the "bashees" that bring it on them selves with foolish comments as to "how it was back in the day". I have two grandsons 21 and 19 that have no interest in cars even though they were exposed to the hobby. Same with my sons. I live in a town that is tuned into bicyles. Beleive it or not, some kids would rather have a $5000 mountain bike instead of a car! When I was growing up, there were three TV channels, no internet, cell phones didn't exist and there were zero video games. To put things into perspective, in the first 24 hours after Grand Theft Auto 5 was released last week, sales exceeded $800 million!
     
  8. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,627

    The37Kid
    Member

    Sold some 1938 Pennsylvania license plates to an 11 year old kid yesterday, for less than I'd priced them, gave him one from California too. Reminded me of deals I got when I was his age. Kids will find the hobby, you don't have to force it on them. Bob
     
  9. Big-O
    Joined: Dec 28, 2012
    Posts: 119

    Big-O
    Member

    Some of them do bring the bashing on them selves. The last show I was at there were 5 rice rocket guys that came in. They parked together (birds of a feather thing), then they proceeded to walk around talking crap about the "old wore out pieces of****. Also you have to figure the techno thing. On a new Honda, Toyota, etc, ya just plug in a code reader and it tells you what's wrong. Hook a tuner up to it and it goes faster.... Throw a 100 shot on it and you got HP on demand, the art of the naturally aspirated V8 is fading. The trouble shooting skill is not taught because it is not needed.
    I know a guy in his early 20's who gave it a shit. He bough a '73 Rivera. It was not running right. I asked him if he set the points or the dwell. He said "Huh?" I asked him if he hit with a timing light. He asks me where do I buy a dwell meter or a timing light... I talked to him for a while and gave him some input. Figured he was a budding hot rodder. The Buick was up for sale and gone in a month... Moral of the story is he had to trouble shoot and learn new skills rather than just throw parts at it.
    On the other side of the coin... The Hamb is here and we have new members everyday. They cant just be old people...
     
  10. el diablo
    Joined: Apr 4, 2005
    Posts: 229

    el diablo
    Member
    from Norco CA

    Even if a kid liked your car he would try to send you a text message to tell you he likes it instead of talk to you..... thats if he looked up from his phone.
     
  11. afaulk
    Joined: Jul 20, 2011
    Posts: 1,194

    afaulk
    Member

    I hear ya but I'm thinking there's more young enthusiasts than there are old cars...
     
  12. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,263

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I purchased a beat-up, but fully functional 1969 Chevelle Malibu, for $600. SBC 350, TH350, 12-bolt. Sure, off-topic here, but plenty of cool, and potential, for a 16-year-old.

    In today's dollars, corrected for inflation, that same dollar value is just $1,090.01.

    What "car of merit" could you obtain for a grand? In California, the state will give you a grand, to take a pre-smog car off the road.
     
  13. inliner2318
    Joined: May 9, 2008
    Posts: 386

    inliner2318
    Member
    from Tyler, TX

    I believe that there are plenty of young people interested. However the youth of today have to work 3 times as hard to build anything now days. Prices are high, parts are not available, kid have no one to teach them anything, no wrecking yards with parts. What more can I say? Prices will stay consistent because there is always demand. But values will decline for unpopular 4 doors and off makes/models.

    Cars are not investments. They are expensive hobbies that consume a lot of time and energy. Thankfully I am proud to be in the mix and call myself a car guy!


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  14. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    Considering the number of import cars available at cheap prices, plus the huge supply of speed equipment and engineering for them, it's no wonder most youth today migrate towards them.
    I see a lot of young people stop and look over my cars wherever I park, but rarely do they ask questions. Occasionally I get the "what is it?" questions, but most are just slightly interested. More are simply puzzled by old hotrods, as they don't understand the theme, or reason for building a car the traditional way.
    There are still enough project cars around my area that it's not about whether they could find a decent car affordable to start with. It's more about not knowing where to start, or peer pressure to conform to what everyone else in their school is driving.
     
  15. scrubby2009
    Joined: Jan 9, 2011
    Posts: 204

    scrubby2009
    Member

    I dunno. In 1985 I paid $200 for a rusty '61 BelAir hardtop with a worn out 235 and wiring problems. Internet says that is $450 in todays money. For a 25 year old car. Last winter I bought a Toyota truck for my then-15 year old for about $500 including DMV fees. It was rusty and had some wiring issues. For a 25 year old truck.

    My daughter (now 16) worked to help purchase and modify her first "hot rod", a 21 year old Chrysler-product. Cold-air intake, stereo system, 6"lift and 35" tires, homebuilt bumpers... can't lose it in a parking lot if you try.

    Of course I'd love to see her interested in my '51 Fleetline, but if I just congratulate and encourage her in maintaining and modifying her older Jeep, we are still winning as a hobby, right? She loves older cars, but needs to be practical. What she wanted was a mid '60's Chevy truck on a '70's 4x4 chassis. I talked her out of it because of the fuel economy. When I started driving in 1985, regular was hovering around a dollar a gallon in the Portland/Vancouver area. It is around $3.75 for regular here in California right now, something to be considered. Interesting thread tho, we are an opinionated lot, eh?
     
  16. Sundown Kid
    Joined: Sep 23, 2013
    Posts: 118

    Sundown Kid
    Member

    Im 22 and I have the 26 coupe in my avatar. Im the only person I know that actually has something old, most of my friends are into cars but have newer ones. Mostly due to not being able to have a project car and a daily driver. Most of them like old stuff its just not super practical, as most older cars are more expensive as well. But I do agree, most kids today dont really have an intrest in hot rods, let alone cars in general. I think its because everyone drives around in plastic battery machines, and didnt have family to bring them into the hobby.

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  17. Jazz-LT1
    Joined: Mar 18, 2010
    Posts: 1

    Jazz-LT1
    Member

    I have three stepsons. 18,16,and 8. The two teens don't care about cars at all, don't want to learn mechanic work and are generally lazy in general it seems. I'm trying to save the 8 year old, letting him help me and trying to have fun and interest in cars.

    It's hard for me to imagine having a shop full of tools as a teenager and not having an interest in cars other than for transportation. Can't change it, but just makes me shake my head.
     
  18. herbet99
    Joined: Jan 16, 2009
    Posts: 194

    herbet99
    Member
    from Central NJ

    I think it's a little much to ask that every teen aged male person be interested in a some what narrow definition of the "hobby".
     
  19. woodiewagon46
    Joined: Mar 14, 2013
    Posts: 2,269

    woodiewagon46
    Member
    from New York

    It's up to all of us to keep this hobby going. I can still remember the sound a lead sled made when the driver let off the gas going down a hill when I was 10 years old in 1957. Around the corner a neighbor had a channeled but not chopped (east coast) Model A that all the guys hung around. I thought to myself, someday! We need to drive our cars and be kid friendly. My two granddaughters can name years and makes of cars and love to ride in my cars. I take them to as many car shows as I can and they know all of my hot rod buddies and their cars. I don't know about todays youth however, one show I was at with my Deuce roadster I was parked between a lowered VW and some kind of Honda and not one person looked at the roadster but they were all over the VW and Honda, oh well!
     
  20. ronnieroadster
    Joined: Sep 9, 2004
    Posts: 1,069

    ronnieroadster
    Member

    Saw a lot of young guys and girls this weeknd at the Land Speed Race in Wilmington Ohio. Seems to me we are in good shape.
     
  21. spiderdeville
    Joined: Jun 30, 2007
    Posts: 1,134

    spiderdeville
    Member
    from BOGOTA,NJ


    REALLY? Most problems on new cars never set a code
     
  22. Not me!!! I'm seventeen......
     

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  23. bulletproof1
    Joined: Feb 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,079

    bulletproof1
    Member
    from tulsa okla

    my 14 yo daughter just asked for a 74-77 Camaro like the first transformers bumble bee.. its not hamb friendly but its a start ....
     
  24. Well, I tried again. This time I picked up my son from middle school in the 55 t bird. Got the same response as last time , only a couple of kids looked for a few seconds then went back to their phones.
     
  25. nickk
    Joined: Feb 2, 2011
    Posts: 762

    nickk
    Member

    Im 22, Ive had a quite bit of older cars but down to my 30 ford coupe now. I pretty much have nooooooooo friends my age around here or period that actually has or builds hot rods. Talk about depressing. I fortunately have access to amazing old school tools and teachings from family and older people ive met. But at the end of the day Im usually by myself, welding and doing my own thing. Its unfortunate that there is so much to learn but hardly anyone cares.
     
  26. Dont be depressed by it. Sure it's fun to hang with like-minded guys your own age, but my observation is that young people these days are like sheep, they are followers. You, sir, are not a follower, you are unique amongst your peers. Although I dont know you from a bar of soap, I have the utmost admiration for you for following your heart rather than following the pack. I live in an area where the number of guys into 40s-50s hot rods is less than the fingers on one hand, where the guys into SBC street rods outnumbers us about a gazillion to one. I've come to enjoy being out on my own. Cherish the knowledge you are aquiring and maybe down the track you will inspire someone else to take up the torch. It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it! :)
     
  27. nickk
    Joined: Feb 2, 2011
    Posts: 762

    nickk
    Member

    Yeah and besides money I don't think a lot of people have patients for this kind of stuff, they have that 'I want it right now kind of thing". And a lot of younger people ive talked to say they dont do it because its exspensive, which is not always true. I dont always or rarely have money to buy stuff but im fortunate to have machining tools. If you cant afford fancy $5 acorn nuts, spend half a day making them. ill admit in a heart beat im lucky to have access to tooling but id share it in a heart beat too. at the end of the day its all about how bad you want something. Ive not gave up on younger guys, but we have a lot to learn because these guys that do stuff like pore babbit for flatheads for example arent going to be around forever. We have to take our time to learn too.
     
  28. Ratbuilder
    Joined: Sep 29, 2007
    Posts: 42

    Ratbuilder
    Member
    from Indiana

    I'm 30 and have been doing it for 15 years. I drive my rods everyday. I get nothing but kids stopping and drooling over my cars. I let them get in, take pictures, and hang out. I bet I get 15 people a week telling me they want to do something like that. Volunteer your time and what you know and kids will come around.


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  29. Muttley
    Joined: Nov 30, 2003
    Posts: 18,500

    Muttley
    Member

    Those people are lovingly referred to as dorks.
     

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