Where is the new blood?

[87cutlassfloorshift]

Yesterday, I participated in my first cruise night in almost 10 years! I saw some great cars, met some nice people and walked away with a $25 gift card and a free auto appraisal! There was about 40-50 pristine cars and trucks. I had a great time!

The one thing I was disappointed about was the lack of the younger generation involved. Everyone participating and helping out last night was 65+ in age! What's going on? There was a complete lack of the (cough) younger (cough) generation...30s and 40 year olds! Back in the day, that's all my buddies and I did... eat/sleep/breathe cruise nights, car shows, and the occasional evening drag race in the country. What's happened? I saw only 2 families with kids walk by...the rest were seniors! Maybe this is just where I now live...about 1.5 hours away from a major city. I hope that's not the case! A majority of these people working the cruise night won't be around in 15 years. That will hit the hobby hard when there isn't new blood to pick up the slack.

What are you experiencing in your part of the world?

im 17 and i have two good friends also 17 and all we do is old cars and no we dont make donks we do factory origional restorations

 

[Qdub24]

Most older car enthusiasts can't tolerate the stock 20s that came on my 2012 Camaro 2SS, and definitely not the 22s on my Cutlass or the 26s on my Caprice. It's best to just not force the intermingling of the genres. They have their shows and we have ours.

 

[Gozer442]

axisg,

I'm with you on your observations. We have a chance with our kids to make some changes. Teach them that the "Throw Away/Disposable Society" is what is hurting everyone. Too many cars are heading for landfills. Fewer and fewer youth are going into trades like mechanics, or autobody...driving prices of repairs up...driving insurance rates up. It's becoming cheaper to replace then to repair everything.

Holy crap! I gotta stop ranting! Sorry guys!

Go to any car show you can! I guarantee you'll learn something, or catch an idea to try on your own ride!

And, support local apprentices and apprenticeship programs! They are the ones building and maintaining our great nations!

 

[Gozer442]

Most older car enthusiasts can't tolerate the stock 20s that came on my 2012 Camaro 2SS, and definitely not the 22s on my Cutlass or the 26s on my Caprice. It's best to just not force the intermingling of the genres. They have their shows and we have ours.

Qdub24, I have to disagree... the more we segregate, the less we learn from each other...the divide will grow more and more, hurting the hobby as a whole. I was the loudest car, by far, showing up at the cruise night last night. Sure I got some sneers by the same guys that sit on their front porches, yelling at kids to get off their lawns...but I was more then welcomed by the organisers. That is the how it needs to be. Acceptance. For the good of the hobby.

 

[tkruger]

I have found that in my area cruze nights tend to attract everyone from teens to retired people. The key is the ones that survive allow anything and welcome anyone regardless of age. They rand in size from 50 cars to 300. The largest has a section for offroad vehicles, bikes, modern, exotics, oldies (yes even a 1915 model T un-restored survivor that's driven there) etc.

As for shows the local ones tend to limit what can enter. Most state 73 or older cars only.

I have noticed that as cost increase there is a decrease of who is working on what. I am vary limited due to budget on what I can do. I do not have a show car. Mine is a daily driver that is good from 15 feet.

 

[Qdub24]

Qdub24, I have to disagree... the more we segregate, the less we learn from each other...the divide will grow more and more, hurting the hobby as a whole. I was the loudest car, by far, showing up at the cruise night last night. Sure I got some sneers by the same guys that sit on their front porches, yelling at kids to get off their lawns...but I was more then welcomed by the organisers. That is the how it needs to be. Acceptance. For the good of the hobby.

Nobody wants to go to a show where they're clearly unwanted, ridiculed, and uncomfortable. Acceptance isn't always worth the hassle.

 

[UNGN]

My 17 year old son goes to a car meet every Saturday Night @ 10pm. No 50 year old geezers like me are allowed because we would question some of the stupid stuff some of the kids do to their cars and that might drive people away, so they have shows past our bedtimes.

At least these kids are smart enough to know sitting, baking in the Texas sun for 6 hours for the chance of a trophy is a stupid way to spend a weekend afternoon. It took me over 20 years to realize this.

Cars are built to be driven.

 

[Qdub24]

My 17 year old son goes to a car meet every Saturday Night @ 10pm. No 50 year old geezers like me are allowed because we would question some of the stupid stuff some of the kids do to their cars and that might drive people away, so they have shows past our bedtimes.

At least these kids are smart enough to know sitting, baking in the Texas sun for 6 hours for the chance of a trophy is a stupid way to spend a weekend afternoon. It took me over 20 years to realize this.

Cars are built to be driven.

That's what I like about the "Coffee and Cars"/"Caffeine and Octane" meets in TX. They do it one Sunday a month, early enough in the day that the sun doesn't fry you.

 

[UNGN]

Gozer442, That is my complaint about "Goodguys". They can do what they want, its their show, but having 1972 as a fixed cutoff is stupid. A rolling 30 year cutoff would bring in more new blood.

 

[Gozer442]

Qdub24, the point is, there shouldn't be a hassle. But if you're at a show and they make you feel that way, they don't deserve your presence, your love of the hobby, or your passion. They won't be around for much longer!

You're welcome at my garage anytime.