I have a question for everyone................Back ground for me first.....35 years in automotive parts and service. Hobbyist for most of them, E bay seller and buyer and the last 10 years have been restoring a poor mans GTO a 1972 Lemans.
Where do you see our hobby in the next few years? I know we need resto parts and my car has some, we need access to far away junk yards, rust free places and parts stashes in grand dads garage but ever since I started the resto of my car I have a decrease in it's worth. Do not get me wrong, im doing it to drive it but I still am market watching and it seems worse today then before to restore a car then buy one?
Yes if you restore it yourself it would be original as you see it or as you want it but does anyone else see the line between old crap driver or junk yard dog getting slimmer compared to a resto car for sale? Absolute looser for most restos?
Are we loosing the automotive allure to the honda and nissan children of today?.......or has the internet caused this price drop?
73SC said
Aug 28, 2013
My opinion is that this "hobby" is predominated by Baby Boomers, babies born after WWII, so 1945 to 1960 is generally regarded as the era. That makes us 68 to 53 years old. This also corresponds with growing up in the golden age of the automobile in North America and therefore this is a hobby founded on nostalgia. For some reason we grew up in the Golden Age of everything, Movies, Sports, Original 6, TV, Rock'n Roll and Radio... you name it. I think it is unrealistic to expect kids growing up today to feel any attachment to our old cars, hockey cards, movie stars or music. These kids will probably collect cell phones when they are our age! Upshot is who is demanding these old cars and driving up the price? Most of us are on the backslide and dying so the answer is nobody.
macsleuth said
Aug 28, 2013
45 to 65 in the US, 46 to 66 in Canada is what is know as the Baby Boomers. That gives the hobby, another 5 to 6 years of boomers. :)
Pontiacanada said
Aug 28, 2013
cdn1972 wrote:
Where do you see our hobby in the next few years?
Mr. Doomsayer says; The market will continue to slide, and will never recover.
Pontiacanada said
Aug 28, 2013
73SC wrote:
For some reason we grew up in the Golden Age of everything, Movies, Sports, Original 6, TV, Rock'n Roll and Radio... you name it.
Especially movies ... I can't believe the calibre of "movies" these disposable "stars" are trying to "act" in nowadays ... 90% of the crap should be direct to Netflix! (said in grumpy old man voice)
dualquadpete said
Aug 28, 2013
Just look back to the generation before us, they were collecting the "Brass" era cars & through to the pre war cars [ 1942 & down] Look around at Cruise in, don't see many, if at all, restored of that era!!! Nobodys interested in them [me included] as a 45 MPH vehicle "just doesn't do it for me" As for market value, I think if you set your price at $?? deduct about 35% from that, & you may get that $ value if your lucky!!! People just aren't buying toys, unless their not worried about economy & can afford it, but not "RETAIL" price, they know they can "score" deals when market is low!!! Ray is correct on ages. Take a look around at next cruise, grey hair, no hair, beards!! [ I fit all there] No young people other than spectators & none of this group can afford the Hobby, & interests are for the JAP cars & LOUD STERERO'S which is why they aren't "welcome" at most events, they drown out the disc jockey [ sometimes might be a good thing] I had the 64 Catalina up for sale earler this yr. gave up!!! Just low ballers & trades for Harlies or 'crotch rockets' bikes!! At 66 yrs old don't "need or want" a bike, so just enjoying both old cars & Puttin Miles On!!!
427carl said
Aug 28, 2013
I agree with the comments.. Even though I'm 64.. I feel 40 I love the old cars... respect their part in History....
I chuckle at the efforts of bigger intakes and bigger carbs and wilder cams and then overdrives added to make cars muscular and fuel miserly
*even though most 98 and up LS1 powered GMs are faster stock with the a/c on......
I see hundreds of "old guys" at shows but a few younger ones as wel...l
I think small shows will wizzle up, as old guys get tired of doing all the work...
I think we will gravatate to bigger shows and travel a little further.....
and here's a e.g. for Baby Boomers
my wife says don't buy a stick shift who's gonna drive it when you drop dead nice eh?
Fake68 said
Aug 28, 2013
Yes fortunately, or unfortunately, most of the ultra rich are only attracted to the super rare pedigree cars and do not prop up pricing for regular old American iron like they do for Ferraris and Duesies. I guess they can't impress their friends with a stinky old big block.
More for the "Carls"
73SC said
Aug 28, 2013
427carl wrote:
I chuckle at the efforts of bigger intakes and bigger carbs and wilder cams and then overdrives added to make cars muscular and fuel miserly
*even though most 98 and up LS1 powered GMs are faster stock with the a/c on......
A quick read of the current magazines shows a Dodge Journey is faster than most of our "muscle cars" Camry, Accords too.
We grew up in a time when a family car that went 0-60 in less than 9 seconds was fast, now every SUV and pick up can better that. Was looking at the new Chevy Cruze turbo diesel...salesman says it's one of Chevy's faster cars, beats the V8 Camaro while putting up incredible fuel consumption figures. Like I said this is a hobby about nostalgia.
unburt said
Aug 28, 2013
Good comments, but is the hobby dead ....no not for a bit yet but its obvoius that the age of everyone will dictate the longevity of the hobby.
There are pockets of younger guys building some rat rods and doing other non mainstream projects which to me is a good sign. They have the bug and are creative so im all for encouraging their views. Ther are suprising numbers that like the muscle cars so my fingers are crossed that they will down the road get one.
As the younger crowd goes, its about getting to work and school in a reliable and fuel efficent ride so that really sums it up. This is what i see ,to drive a nicer old car in a canadian winter IMO isnt realistic.
The younger guys that are starting off are more concerned about paying school loans and getting established in the work world etc.
The old car afflection is a luxury if you can afford it.
As to the start of this thread ,build what makes you happy. I dont care about the investment part of it because i will keep my car and drive the wheels off of it. Thats what its really about.
rabbit64cs said
Aug 28, 2013
A 27 year old bought my 33 Chevy....and it wasn't a $500 car....
the hobby has changed , yes ,, but it is always evolving.....
-- Edited by rabbit64cs on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 11:42:04 PM
pontorquer said
Aug 29, 2013
I think it also goes with the era we were born and grew up around musclecars ... ruling on the roads. I was born in 1964 so was the GTO ... I still remember as a kid all the jacked rear wheel drive musclecars driving around and loved them ever since, who doesn't love the Beaumont or Chevelle SS or famous 69 Chargers ? Back then (late 60s early seventies ) My favorites toys were matchbox and I was dreaming to own a musclecar one of these days, still dreaming about one ...
Delta Tango said
Aug 30, 2013
I feel our hobby will live on. I envision some "kid" will buy my GTO one day, lower it, put some big ass chrome wheels on it, load it will techno-junk, maybe enven put an electric motor in it..........
But for today, I'll still use the saying "Over my dead body!"
65wagon said
Sep 1, 2013
its all how you raise your kids, i drive newer cars, all pontiacs just for the simple reason of not mileing out the old ones, and i dont feel like getting smaked buy all the bad drivers, my kids love the oldies and useing them, modifing, and just plain having fun in them. we can drive them everyday but dont have to now we have other options, if money is a concern or making money off this hobby then you are in the wrong line, its not a investment plain and simple, plan on losing money in most cases
muttwood said
Sep 2, 2013
I assemble cars for a living, as did my father before me. The plant I used to work in was full of enthusiasts, most older then me. Now, I am in a factory working in a area with people in their late 20s or early thirties. Most of my new coworkers know nothing of anything built before they were born and not much about the industry at all
Two exceptions,
An older gent who loves anything over 20 years old.
And then there is a lady who was born a month after me. Her dad always taught her to fix her own cars and she even owns code readers. and, Her first car was a 69 Laurentian
68 327 4spd said
Sep 2, 2013
I wouldn't say it's dying off. But the rising cost of buying one or restoring one doesn't help. There still are ones that can and want to have one. I saw this car later in the day at woodword and the two guys in it where in their mid 20's.
-- Edited by 68 327 4spd on Monday 2nd of September 2013 09:03:00 PM
Have fun with them, build them the way you want and enjoy, but I seriously doubt a 20 something guy will buy it off you for a profit 10 years from now. Are driver quality musclecars going to go the way of the dinosaur? Yup, I would bet they will in less than 10 years but I don't care. I don't play with old cars to make money. It's an addiction!
HI All
I have a question for everyone................Back ground for me first.....35 years in automotive parts and service. Hobbyist for most of them, E bay seller and buyer and the last 10 years have been restoring a poor mans GTO a 1972 Lemans.
Where do you see our hobby in the next few years? I know we need resto parts and my car has some, we need access to far away junk yards, rust free places and parts stashes in grand dads garage but ever since I started the resto of my car I have a decrease in it's worth. Do not get me wrong, im doing it to drive it but I still am market watching and it seems worse today then before to restore a car then buy one?
Yes if you restore it yourself it would be original as you see it or as you want it but does anyone else see the line between old crap driver or junk yard dog getting slimmer compared to a resto car for sale? Absolute looser for most restos?
Are we loosing the automotive allure to the honda and nissan children of today?.......or has the internet caused this price drop?
My opinion is that this "hobby" is predominated by Baby Boomers, babies born after WWII, so 1945 to 1960 is generally regarded as the era. That makes us 68 to 53 years old. This also corresponds with growing up in the golden age of the automobile in North America and therefore this is a hobby founded on nostalgia. For some reason we grew up in the Golden Age of everything, Movies, Sports, Original 6, TV, Rock'n Roll and Radio... you name it. I think it is unrealistic to expect kids growing up today to feel any attachment to our old cars, hockey cards, movie stars or music. These kids will probably collect cell phones when they are our age! Upshot is who is demanding these old cars and driving up the price? Most of us are on the backslide and dying so the answer is nobody.
Mr. Doomsayer says; The market will continue to slide, and will never recover.
Especially movies ... I can't believe the calibre of "movies" these disposable "stars" are trying to "act" in nowadays ... 90% of the crap should be direct to Netflix! (said in grumpy old man voice
)
I agree with the comments.. Even though I'm 64.. I feel 40
I love the old cars... respect their part in History....
I chuckle at the efforts of bigger intakes and bigger carbs and wilder cams and then overdrives added to make cars muscular and fuel miserly
*even though most 98 and up LS1 powered GMs are faster stock with the a/c on......
I see hundreds of "old guys" at shows but a few younger ones as wel...l
I think small shows will wizzle up, as old guys get tired of doing all the work...
I think we will gravatate to bigger shows and travel a little further.....
and here's a e.g. for Baby Boomers
my wife says don't buy a stick shift who's gonna drive it when you drop dead nice eh?
More for the "Carls"
A quick read of the current magazines shows a Dodge Journey is faster than most of our "muscle cars" Camry, Accords too.
We grew up in a time when a family car that went 0-60 in less than 9 seconds was fast, now every SUV and pick up can better that. Was looking at the new Chevy Cruze turbo diesel...salesman says it's one of Chevy's faster cars, beats the V8 Camaro while putting up incredible fuel consumption figures. Like I said this is a hobby about nostalgia.
There are pockets of younger guys building some rat rods and doing other non mainstream projects which to me is a good sign. They have the bug and are creative so im all for encouraging their views. Ther are suprising numbers that like the muscle cars so my fingers are crossed that they will down the road get one.
As the younger crowd goes, its about getting to work and school in a reliable and fuel efficent ride so that really sums it up. This is what i see ,to drive a nicer old car in a canadian winter IMO isnt realistic.
The younger guys that are starting off are more concerned about paying school loans and getting established in the work world etc.
The old car afflection is a luxury if you can afford it.
As to the start of this thread ,build what makes you happy. I dont care about the investment part of it because i will keep my car and drive the wheels off of it. Thats what its really about.
A 27 year old bought my 33 Chevy....and it wasn't a $500 car....
the hobby has changed , yes ,, but it is always evolving.....
-- Edited by rabbit64cs on Wednesday 28th of August 2013 11:42:04 PM
I think it also goes with the era we were born and grew up around musclecars ... ruling on the roads. I was born in 1964 so was the GTO ... I still remember as a kid all the jacked rear wheel drive musclecars driving around and loved them ever since, who doesn't love the Beaumont or Chevelle SS or famous 69 Chargers ? Back then (late 60s early seventies ) My favorites toys were matchbox and I was dreaming to own a musclecar one of these days, still dreaming about one ...
I feel our hobby will live on. I envision some "kid" will buy my GTO one day, lower it, put some big ass chrome wheels on it, load it will techno-junk, maybe enven put an electric motor in it..........
But for today, I'll still use the saying "Over my dead body!"
its all how you raise your kids, i drive newer cars, all pontiacs just for the simple reason of not mileing out the old ones, and i dont feel like getting smaked buy all the bad drivers, my kids love the oldies and useing them, modifing, and just plain having fun in them. we can drive them everyday but dont have to now we have other options, if money is a concern or making money off this hobby then you are in the wrong line, its not a investment plain and simple, plan on losing money in most cases
I assemble cars for a living, as did my father before me.
The plant I used to work in was full of enthusiasts, most older then me.
Now, I am in a factory working in a area with people in their late 20s or early thirties.
Most of my new coworkers know nothing of anything built before they were born and not much about the industry at all
Two exceptions,
An older gent who loves anything over 20 years old.
And then there is a lady who was born a month after me.
Her dad always taught her to fix her own cars and she even owns code readers.
and,
Her first car was a 69 Laurentian
I wouldn't say it's dying off. But the rising cost of buying one or restoring one doesn't help. There still are ones that can and want to have one. I saw this car later in the day at woodword and the two guys in it where in their mid 20's.
-- Edited by 68 327 4spd on Monday 2nd of September 2013 09:03:00 PM