Kids These Days

[brads70]

I'll tell you what I never see , maybe a few at shows..... The late 50's Mopars, Fury's, New Yorkers, Savoys' Love those cars NEVER SEE EM'.

Well I'm 44 and have a huge urge for a 1957 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer after seeing one at Carlisle this year.
WHAT A MACHINE! It's a work of art !

[dutch]

I guess the yougest generation ( say born after 2000 ) wont be able to drive them due fuel prices. Or they will not understand why the heck their parents were so irresponsible driving them gas guzzlers around.... I`m confident that generation will find ways to keep these icons going, maybe electric powered or H2 or something...
There cars are works of art with shapes that touch the heart and bring smiles on faces.  I sure the Ohhh`s and Ahhh`s will remain.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Well I'm 44 and have a huge urge for a 1957 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer after seeing one at Carlisle this year.
WHAT A MACHINE! It's a work of art !

Brad,

   I think that is my all time favorite grill. It just wants to take a bite out of ya.

But I can understand the younger generation not being so interested in older cars. I can only think of a couple of cars older than me that I wouldn't mind owning. I guess each generation feels their cars are the best for various reasons.     

[Chryco Psycho]

it is sad that Detroit seems to have completely missed the youth market , I know kids that would be embarrassed to own a Detroit built car

[Challenger6pak]

it is sad that Detroit seems to have completely missed the youth market , I know kids that would be embarrassed to own a Detroit built car

I agree.  We used to be embarased to be in a Toyota, especially if it was a 4 door. 

[Matt70]

I still have faith, my daughter (16) had her choice of any car (within her budget) and she insisted on a classic. She just loves the old Vegas, Novas and Darts. I actually tried to talk her out of it for reliability reasons. She ended up with a Dart Sport which she loves. So there is hope! 

[brads70]

Brad,

   I think that is my all time favorite grill. It just wants to take a bite out of ya.

But I can understand the younger generation not being so interested in older cars. I can only think of a couple of cars older than me that I wouldn't mind owning. I guess each generation feels their cars are the best for various reasons.     

Ya it just looks "pissed off"  gangster like..?

[bandt]

I also think the future doesn't look bright for 70's muscle.

I'm using my own situation as an example and have thought about this occasionally.
 I was born in 73 my dad was a hardcore car guy which is the only reason I have my e body. As kids we went to the drags, car shows, and helped him work on his cars. If you didn't have that as a kid you just don't get it.
Anyone my age almost without exception has absolutely no interest in my car. My friends and even some family think I'm nuts. My wife calls it a disease, and unfortunately for her I have it bad. The only people I see interested are in there 50's or 60's, who owned or wanted to own these cars during there prime.

I agree my generation and the ones behind me are not interested whats so ever. Its kinda sad.

Brian

[GranCuda1970]

Opposite for me , many like my car and look at the progress I have made but just don,t have the patience or money to bring em back themselves, they Love em though. They can be money pits and require time and patience, the new kids all have ADHD and lack the patience.

[FinallyRearDrive]

**In the original post, I meant what happens when Gen Y takes over (thanks HP2).**

my dad was a hardcore car guy which is the only reason I have my e body. As kids we went to the drags, car shows, and helped him work on his cars. If you didn't have that as a kid you just don't get it.

I'm going to have to disagree with you there. I am the only one in my family (immediate or extended) or my group of friends that likes muscle cars. I'm the only person I knew that thought $23k for my '70 Cuda was a good deal. I never went to a single car show until I was old enough to drive myself to them. And even now, I have to drag my dad, my brother, or my friends kicking and screaming. My interest in classics just sort of dropped out of the sky.


Some of what's being said here has been a little less encouraging than I was hoping it was going to be... haha. I have thought about those old deusenburgs, patrician sedans, and model a's before, and I guess I was just in denial about the muscle car meeting the same fate (the same fate being a very small, select group of die-hard enthusiasts versus the other 99.9% of the world). Although, as much as I love my carbs, I suppose I'm not entirely opposed to the idea of my kids putting in the latest powertrain in whatever MOPAR I pass down after I die, especially if something does happen, legally, keeping thirsty gas engines off the road (that one I never even considered a possibility until I read it here). If that's the only way to keep 'em alive, then it should be done.

i know exactly what you mean people are so happy when i show up to a car show with my car (me being only 22). The older generation is so happy to see some one young that is trying to cary on the tradition.

I got that at every show I went to, too. Nothing made me feel better than to drive up to a show and, after about five minutes of convincing everyone the Cuda was mine and not my dad's, I got all the "Oh my God! This is yours!?" and "You got great taste in cars!" and a couple "I didn't know kids your age even knew cars like this existed!"

[wally426ci]

I think alot of cars will "stay in the family" if the hobby/lifestyle is going to survive.

Everytime I meet a guy who isn't handy, I can;t believe it. I think that in 20 years that its going to be the guys like me who had parents with Mopars growing up. Not to mention that there seems to be less on the road each year. Even mine has only been out of the garage 4 times this year, life is happening and I havent gotten away much.

That said, there is no other feeling that riding through the country with the windows down. 

[jimynick]

What an interesting thread! I, too, believe that many of the younger generations haven't got the mechanical bone that many of us, do; but, having twin sons who have been gearheads since old enough to pull a wrench, I feel that there IS hope. Yeah, the numbers may decline, but as mentioned several times, the allure of beauty and power is a powerful intoxicant and there will always be those who want and desire her presence. My car will be left to my sons and I wish them the joy of owning/driving it. That being said, it's funny how many of us love these cars and spend huge amounts of time and money on them, only to find some excuse to leave them in the garage once they're done. It's also why I have no real use for the chalk mark mentality. If you don't drive it, with all the attending possibilities, then it's not a car, it's a knick knack sitting in your garage rather than on a shelf. Go on, take a walk on the wild side and get that Ebody out and LET the new generations see just how fine they were! As an aside, Brad, my old man had a 58Custom Royal that my mom drove so fast one night, that she threw the re-treaded tires off somewhere north of 100 mph, blowing out the headlamps at the same time and my own first car was a 58 Crusader 2dr ht. I know how you feel about those cars and I do, too. Restore 'em, don't crush 'em and DRIVE them, too! 

[FinallyRearDrive]

That being said, it's funny how many of us love these cars and spend huge amounts of time and money on them, only to find some excuse to leave them in the garage once they're done. It's also why I have no real use for the chalk mark mentality. If you don't drive it, with all the attending possibilities, then it's not a car, it's a knick knack sitting in your garage rather than on a shelf. Go on, take a walk on the wild side and get that Ebody out and LET the new generations see just how fine they were! I know how you feel about those cars and I do, too. Restore 'em, don't crush 'em and DRIVE them, too! 

   Every word... Amen, brother. 

[footin70rt]

I am one of those lucky ones that fell into my E-Body the fall after I graduated high school in '85, yes that makes me 44. I actually almost didn't buy it because I had my Dart and a pickup at the time, but for $2000 I couldn't really pass it up either, boy am I glad I got now.
My daughter was born in 02 and took her first ride in the car at 5 months old, a real  challenge to get a rear facing car seat in the front seat of a Challenger, can't put it in the rear because the car is a rear seat belt delete. Anyway  she just giggled every time I throttled the motor at all, needless to say she has been hooked ever since. My 4yr old boy had to wait a bit longer before his first ride but he had about the same reaction. I will say this that I trust my daughter with the keys, the boy, well, I don't know if I'd trust him in a pedal car. Both love going to car shows and to the drags, the boy when he hears a ricer with an open exhaust he yells FARTCAN!!
They both know cars are meant to be driven, and muscle cars need to be driven hard (at times), so running down the 1/4 mile happens at least a few times a year. I feel I have done my part on corrupting 2 of next generation.

[AARCUDADEN]

I don't have any kids and being at age 44 i don't see me ever having any but i do have lots of friends with kids and for the most part they all know i'm a motorhead and love the Cuda. I treat them like my own and in fact i consider a couple of the girls my nieces. Most all my buddies kids have rode in my car at one point or another and tell thier friends how awesome it is  I go to car shows and if i see kids looking at the car i try to tell them about it or answer any questions they may have. Anything i can do to keep the hobby alive i'll do it.