[Shop Rat]

Bill just turned sixty-five on July 2nd. He started working on what are now antique cars when he was nine with his dad. His dad bought cars that people didn't want to spend any more money on. They worked on them, fixed them up and sold them. When Bill was old enough to drive he rarely was without a car. They had For Sale signs in them and when they sold hopefully there was another one to be driven around.

I turned fifty-eight on April 30th and growing up I liked looking at old cars but we sure couldn't have afforded one on my dad's newspaper editor salary. I helped my dad when he worked on our modern cars but it still was working on a car with my dad. I got into antique cars because of Bill. We now have three. Two project cars and the M-B 450SL driver.

I think that kids need to be exposed to old vehicles. If for no other reason than if they aren't, how will they know if they might be interested? It is also a way to teach them respect for where the cars of today started. Respect for the property and hard work of others. And it gets them out of the house and away from the electronic world.

I don't know if our young friend Daniel will love old cars when he grows up, but he sure enjoyed the ride in the M-B on the day this photo was taken.

[john2dameron]

I think young people are still interested in old cars. I used to stage a car show and model exhibit at the local K-8 school and the kids were crazy about it. I set it up where some of the older kids could help with the show such as giving parking directions, registering cars, tallying votes, passing out door prizes, etc and they had a ball. One of the car owners told me one day, John, these kids love these cars. I think the deterrent to more kids getting involved in the cost to play, not having people to expose them to old cars, and being encouraged to stay away from the cars at shows. i know the cars have to be protected but is it taken to extremes sometimes? I was at Winchester, VA for the AACA show there in May and Reggie Nash gave a young fellow maybe 15 a ride in his 1909 Nash. That kid came back with a grin as wide as his face was. If I knew how to contact the kid for his permission I'd post the photo here to prove it. Reggie then took my 16-year old cousin and me for a ride and I doubt Jonathan will ever forget that.

[old car fan]

not to burst no bubbles,shop rat,but to me your m-b is not old ,lets get them into old cars,pre war .

[38Buick 80C]

I'm 30. I'm BCA's National Vice President and an AACA life member. I have two pre-war cars.

Seems like youth is involved in old cars to me!

[keiser31]

I always jump at the chance to take a kid for a ride in my '31. It seems that their families never hear the end of it. They are always excited. A lot of them think that my coupe is a truck, so I simply educate them to the fact that this is what cars used to look like and that the designs changed as technology progressed (not in those exact words). They always seem eager to learn. One kid is STILL telling his family about his ride from 7 years ago. Now, if that means later that he will be into getting an old car, who knows? I hope so.

[Dave@Moon]

Originally Posted by Shop Rat

I think that kids need to be exposed to old vehicles. If for no other reason than if they aren't, how will they know if they might be interested? It is also a way to teach them respect for where the cars of today started. Respect for the property and hard work of others. And it gets them out of the house and away from the electronic world.

AMEN!

I think the history of our generation is very different than the history we're writing for our kids' generation. Most of us, myself included, starting tinkering around with old cars (to the best of individual abilities) around age 14 or 15. What ELSE did you have to do when you when you were 14 or 15??? If you weren't on the football/baseball/hockey/track/etc. team you could:

a. hang out on the corner.
b. watch soap operas one of 3 TV channels.
c. play with toys intended for small children.
d. play an instrument or listen to records.
e. stare at a fish tank.

My son (17) spent the last 5 years fighting aliens and stealing cars in "Liberty City".

If you go outside in any suburban neighborhood today you'll see empty lawns. There is just too much in our society geared to 13-15 year olds (TV, movies, video games, Facebook, iPods, etc.) They have too much to do already, and it's our fault for giving it to them.

Anything that exposes kids to something that isn't bought at a Target or at Gamestop is a plus.

The idea of a separate juvenile division and judging I think is excellent. It may be that some of us will have to live with seeing AACA badges on Maaco painted Fairmonts and Mazda trucks, but if that's too much for us to bear for our kids then it says more about us than them.

[Shop Rat]

Originally Posted by old car fan

not to burst no bubbles,shop rat,but to me your m-b is not old ,lets get them into old cars,pre war and not dessert storm

We have a 1939 Dodge that Bill is working on. We have a 1963 1/2 Falcon Sprint also being worked on. They are not currently running. So we drove the car that does run up to his house to take Daniel, who was six then, for a ride in it. He was thrilled. To him that is an old car.

[old car fan]

Shop Rat,not meant to be,rude,just was pointing out,or trying to,that 70s 80cars are not old to me.60s cars do not seem old,pre war cars do seem old.Heck here ,if is not 4wd ,or funny exhaust ,the younger folks will not stop and look

[windjamer]

Thank goodness for page two. I was starting to think I was part of a group of grumpy old illegitmates defeated befor the start. I dont know if my idea would work,but I do know if you allways do what you allways did you allways get what you allways got. At the concours last year a youngster maby five was trying to see inside my car. His mother was all hiper telling him get back ,dont touch.!! I thought she would flip when I picked him up and sat him behind the steering wheel. With both hands on the wheel and a smile from ear to ear on his face I snaped a picture. When I gave him back to mom all he could say was I want one. Wish I knew how to post that picture. Bottom line if you dont invite them in, they wont come.

[Dandy Dave]

It's a cycle...First cars, tractors other machanical things. Then dates and romance. Then pitter patter of little feet. Then after all that wears off, the seed that was planted at a young age takes over and it is back to cars, tractors, and other mechanical things. So just plant the seed while the're young.......

As for me, I never left the first stage. Dandy Dave!