Kids These Days

[Cooter]

The really smart "kids" are the ones you never hear....Those are the ones that are really fast. It stood yesterday, and it still stands today. The ones that are making the $$ from Street racing at the track (Betting on legal street races. Or "Grudge race" as it used to be called), are the ones that never talk sh*t, they just go shut you down...

[FinallyRearDrive]

The really smart "kids" are the ones you never hear....Those are the ones that are really fast. It stood yesterday, and it still stands today. The ones that are making the $$ from Street racing at the track (Betting on legal street races. Or "Grudge race" as it used to be called), are the ones that never talk sh*t, they just go shut you down...

I love it! Too true! You know what they say: "It's the quiet ones you gotta watch out for"

[74CudaDave]

I've had my 74 big block for a couple years, my step-son has been playing with his Hondas for about the same amount of time. His latest civic has an Integra engine with a turbo on it, and it generates some serious horsepower. My 440 is bored .030 over, cammed, flat-tops, the usual stuff. Thing is, we both have respect for each other's car. Ordinarily, I'd look at these cars with a certain amount of disdain, but watching him learn his way, fix and improve his car, he's into his as much as I'm into mine. So it caused me to think a little differently about the situation. Sure, there's boneheads out there on both sides of the coin, if it's more important to prove your car's `better' than the other guy's car, good luck. You probably enjoy arguing about religion and politics too. But real car nuts respect the hobby, no matter the era. Nobody has to like my car, but I appreciate it when they do.

[GranCuda1970]

I agree I know people that restore and race Pinto;s ...To each his own   but if it is a PRI-ASS you have no excuse!!!

[FinallyRearDrive]

I've had my 74 big block for a couple years, my step-son has been playing with his Hondas for about the same amount of time. His latest civic has an Integra engine with a turbo on it, and it generates some serious horsepower. My 440 is bored .030 over, cammed, flat-tops, the usual stuff. Thing is, we both have respect for each other's car. Ordinarily, I'd look at these cars with a certain amount of disdain, but watching him learn his way, fix and improve his car, he's into his as much as I'm into mine. So it caused me to think a little differently about the situation. Sure, there's boneheads out there on both sides of the coin, if it's more important to prove your car's `better' than the other guy's car, good luck. You probably enjoy arguing about religion and politics too. But real car nuts respect the hobby, no matter the era. Nobody has to like my car, but I appreciate it when they do.

    I guess now's as good a time as any to admit I built and raced a Honda for a couple years before I pulled together the balls and the money to jump into a 'Cuda. Fast little car, that Honda. Not since I started this post have I knocked new cars since I, myself, am a former import tuner, but my concern is that those who are hard into their imports won't ever give classic muscle a chance. I've been to import nights (before they were broken up around my town), and we all had relatively similar viewpoint on modern cars, but when it came to muscle cars, I was all alone. This thread and the discussions on it have both encouraged and disheartened me. Some very conflicting opinions regarding the future of muscle cars, and all have valid points. I wouldn't be half as concerned as I am if the mutual respect you speak of was common in kids these days, but as a kid, who hangs out with kids, and all talk about cars, I know how the majority regard classic muscle, and I find it hard to believe that your step-son's is a popular viewpoint. Kids will take over the world some day, and when they do, and don't want a muscle car, what will happen to them all? These glory days of motoring will die out quicker than the Dodo if noone wants to save them. This was my concern, but the very fact that I'm not alone in my worry is a little comforting. And I gotta tell ya, all this talk about youth corruption and kids and grandkids talking about how awesome your MOPARs are has done wonders to put my mind at ease.

[GranCuda1970]

They will be sitting in my back yard!! Cause no one will want them and I will retire happy and as a old man knee deep in cool classic muscle.

[Cooter]

Each Generation thinks the one after theres is just a bunch of idiots when it comes to cars. I know when I was comin' up, I loved the old skool Musclecars as well as a brand new IROC Camaro I so Cherrished. When the Musclecars came out, there were what we refer to today as "Rat Rod" folks that if the car didn't have the fenders removed and a Flathead in it, they didn't want it. They thought the musclecars were just "Buying the HP" instead of "Building" the HP". It still holds true today with the BMW M3 Guys, the Lexus guys, the Toyota 2JZ guys, the Honda guys, and the Nissan Skyline RB23 Guys...After this Generation is done and retired, there will be another that thinks the Hondas were coolest and these new fangled "George Jetson" flying machines that move at the speed of light aren't real cars....

[GranCuda1970]

Dont think George Jetson cars will be reality until 2350 if mankind makes it that far before nuking or bio-weapon attacking each other to oblivion. I just try to imagine how much that would cost. Car makers want 25 to 60 thousands for cars today. Almost A friggin mortgage payment. The older cars may look more attractive. 10 years from now they will want 40 to 80 thou for a car unless you drive a Kia and in ten years they will probably want 20 or 30grand. Hell that stupid arse car plane thing they are selling now that you have to land at a airport 250,000 dollars. These older cars may still have some appeal then. I got lucky and payed 9grand for my 2002 Dodge Ram quad cab with 60,000 miles on it but no way in hell I am forking out 30 to 60 grand for a new one. I will slowly fork that out over time, My time on a cuda restoration.

[shadango]

I've had my 74 big block for a couple years, my step-son has been playing with his Hondas for about the same amount of time. His latest civic has an Integra engine with a turbo on it, and it generates some serious horsepower. My 440 is bored .030 over, cammed, flat-tops, the usual stuff. Thing is, we both have respect for each other's car. Ordinarily, I'd look at these cars with a certain amount of disdain, but watching him learn his way, fix and improve his car, he's into his as much as I'm into mine. So it caused me to think a little differently about the situation. Sure, there's boneheads out there on both sides of the coin, if it's more important to prove your car's `better' than the other guy's car, good luck. You probably enjoy arguing about religion and politics too. But real car nuts respect the hobby, no matter the era. Nobody has to like my car, but I appreciate it when they do.

Well put!

Put of the box cars these days make as much power if not MORE than our stock "muscle cars".  My wife's 11 v6 Stang will beat my fish and it is warmed up some.

Still, I get a bigger smile and better vibe from MY toy.

And that is what matters.

There will ALWAYS be someone bigger-badder-faster.  Its a race no one can win.

[Street_Challenged73]

You hold a valid point in that a lot of the newer generations have no real interest in the older muscle cars.  However, I have seen some hope with other auto enthusiasts who share a similar bond to their platform of choice.  Surprisingly enough, the ones I've met through the 3/S (3000GT/Stealth) forums, while mostly die-hard 3/S people, still all seem to appreciate the old MoPars & often state how they'd love to own/drive one if the prices weren't "through the roof".

As already mentioned, an attachment to a particular car is created from that first memory of seeing a cherry '69 Charger R/T or remembering that clean, sleek body of an impressively quick Import (which just so happened to be badged as a domestic) .  From that point on, the hopes of owning one of those cars continues to grow with you as you grow older up until the point where you're financially stable & can finally afford to make that dream a reality.   It's good to see people are still enthusiasts & haven't dropped to the same mentality of the masses who really just look at vehicles as strictly a means of transportation: as long as enthusiasts exist, the automotive market of classics & modern "muscle" will continue to strive for generations to come.

[barracuda7199]

i agree it blows my mind what people my age think are cool in cars. they all usually like my 71 but they don't see it for what it is. i am 30 and have had my barracuda since 1999 at the ripe age of 17. have had alot of fun with it over the years the 71 cuda was my dream car i found my car about 4 years before i got it and yes i knew what it was. i remember the first time i put my eyes on a white 71 cuda in mopar muscle and i knew that was my dream car and my first love. dad bought it for me for $600.00 complete but partially disassembled then he painted it and provided a 360 and 727 for me and gave it to me as a high school graduation present all my money went to the interior and a set of weld prostars. we have spent alot of time together working on it and the other cars we have. a few years later i returned the favor and bought him a 74 cuda of his own we rebuilt it together too. now i have to get my kids raised so i can make it my dream car!!

[FinallyRearDrive]

Man, you're lucky. If I had a dad that liked cars, or could at least paint mine for me, I'd still have my '70 and be on cloud 9. That's great you had that opportunity and it's even better you want to pass that on to your kids.

[ChallengerHK]

FinallyRearDrive, here's a resized avatar

[dutch]

seems there are a many who appreciate old mopars, but not many who fall in love. 

[FinallyRearDrive]

FinallyRearDrive, here's a resized avatar

Thanks