Attracting younger members

[Guest]

Just a thought. Could it be that we have trouble attracting younger members because we don't make allowances for them to participate? Examples-1) Many of the tours take place during the school year 2) A lot of us send youngsters scurrying if they even come close to our cars.

[Tom Deering]

Terry,<BR> I'll give you a Big Amen Brother on your second reason! People seem to be overly paranoid about their cars. I think it is usually----- oh never mind what I think. Anybody want a large collection of "DO NOT TOUCH" signs that have never been used?<P> Tom

[Guest]

Could those signs be combined with the Mafia Staff Car signs?

[Guest BruceW]

Tom,<P>I don't have any use for those signs. I'm glad to show our Model A or any of our other vehicles to any interested person young or old. If possible, I'll give them a ride. There is nothing like the smile on someone's face as they ride in an antique car for the first time. And the car is no more worse for wear than before.

[Dynaflash8]

1. As for the tours during the school year, there are several reasons why they aren't as often in the June-August timeframe. One reason is that there are simply more tours and National meets than could ever possibly be worked into the summer months. And, the summer months vary, in that in the South there are more summer months than let's say Colorado or Minnesota where it can be real winter up to June. Also, except for the Founder's Tour, the cars are not air conditioned. Many of our members, and spouses seem to voice this opinion to me most often,they don't want to tour in the summer heat in a non-AC car. For my wife and I, that is but a minor inconvenience, but we too have a 66 Chrysler that is air conditioned. Personally, I'd rather be hot than cold,.. I hate it under 70 .. but I think I'm unusual. The Founders tour is heavily populated with air conditioned cars. The Glidden tour is traditionally in September. The Divisional Tours are worked in where there is room in the National Tour/National Meet schedule. In the case of the Eastern Divisional Tour this past May, in which I was Chairman, and it was coined "the Sentimental Tour" because it was set up for 1928-1958 vehicles, I made sure it was at a time when the heat and humidity in Eastern Virginia would not be stiffling, and it got good response.<BR> Along this line, most of the places visited on these tours are historic or otherwise educational. Therefore, it should be possible to sell the school on the benefit of letting the child be excused from school. <BR> Of course, when my children were that age and I was in my 30s I couldn't have afforded to go on a tour if my life depended on it. <BR> 2. Now, as for the "Do Not Touch" signs. They were in heavy use when my children were little. I didn't ever consider them a deterent, nor did my children. On the other hand neither of my children stayed with antique cars, although one did judge until she had to get out on her own and pay her own dues, and the expenses of young adult life set in.<BR> I think one reason for the difficulty in attracting younger members is that people 30-45 y.o. may not have been exposed to AACA in the 1960s/1970s in large numbers. At the time, until 1974, cars had to be as old as 35 y.o. to participate. Many enthusiasts with these cars moved on. I'm talking about 1936-1950 cars at the time. Therefore, their children weren't exposed and now they're doing something different. Unfortunately, if they followed their parents footsteps into old car collecting, they seem to have strayed to the "street rod" scene. I have no real answer to that, except to say if we keep doing our cars well and original, and enjoying them as such, and be friendly to those folks, maybe as they age, a lot of them will decide to try their hand and an original restoration. Education by example in other words. I don't know if that makes any sense or not.<BR> The other thing we're doing is a real program for children. Obviously people my age can't hang on until these children grow up, but if we are able to interest those children, the effect, hopefully, is that their parents will begin to participate in order to include their children and those parents are the 30-45 y.o. people we need so badly. And, of course, that's a theory, but I think it is a theory with a real chance of a good result.<p>[ 10-06-2001: Message edited by: Dynaflash8 ]

[novaman]

At our meeting last night we were discussing street rods and how to "handle" them at a show and interact with them. We have a special show in the fall that benefits the Hospice org. At this show we have street rods and we have also had a few of them at our regular show. There is a unorginazed group of people with antique and street rods that gather a one of the local Sonic Drive-ins. One of our members had stated that there are a fair number of these street rod people that have said the would like to restore a car in the future. That serves as a reminder that we need not judge a person by what they drive. That person you decide to disassociate with because he is driving his street rod today just might be driving his restored Packard tomorrow. You don't know what he has in his garage (unless you already know him and what he has) and therfore we should treat him as we would any other AACA member because he shows he has the number one requirement to belong to AACA. That is an interest in old cars. We just need to accept them (as a person) and try to lead them down the right path, into restoring cars instead of street rods. <BR>These people are faced with some of the same fights in legislation. <P>I'm not saying that we need to acccept the cars into AACA. That's not we are about. But that is no reason to shun people. If we push them away now, when they do get into restoring an antique car they probably won't come back and jion us. Would you join an org. that rejected you before? We just need to take them time to talk to these people and make sure they understand that we are about restoring to factory condition not customizing, the rules for a national show don't allow street rods and that we are willing to accept them if they can handle that.<P>Hope that made sense.

[Dynaflash8]

Novaman: I think we said about the same thing. One of our best members has a street rod, a semi-original Chevy and a beautiful all original '65 Corvette. He is also one of the only members here with young children, and one of the few who signed up for all or part of the Divisional tour we had here this year.

[fordee9r (Ron Springstead)]

Hey Earl,<P>In Doug Drake's first message to the troops he mentioned a program called "The Automobile and Its Parts" that was aimed at youngsters. Can you find the details of this program and post it for the rest of us? <P>Another thing to consider is that today's kids have grown up with cars that weren't easy to tinker with unless they had tremendous electronic knowledge.(unlike the cars around when we were growing up) <P>Today's kids outgrow their bicycles and what do they turn to? Hanging out at the mall, big stereo systems and playing in front of their personal computers! <P>Maybe we should find the kids who are tinkering with their bikes and expose them to old cars (that they could learn to work on) before their hobby interests turn elsewhere. <P>Just a thought.....

[Guest]

I agree with a lot you guys are saying. But for myself all the whining about no air, too far to drive our old car, etc., etc. just don't get it. We drive our 15 Ford everywhere. I will admit it gets hot in summer (we live in Ga.) and if it rains you get wet, but that is part of having an old car, isn't it? BTW, I am a life member of AACA and am no longer what I consider to be young. These same sort of arguments are what I hear from all the T guys that have later model engines installed so they have electric starters instead of hand cranks. I love to show young children our 15, which is fully restored; in fact I encourage them to get in and have their picture made, honk the horns, etc. I know that I am increasing the risk of damage, but quite frankly I consider it an acceptable risk because ther is no way that these kids are going to have any interest in old cars if we continue to shut them out. As a further observation, if we think electronics on cars stops them from working on their cars, then how can we explain the popularity of the NOPI shows that atrract 1000's? Just thinking and rambling on.

[Guest]

If you want to attract younger people, take the time and let them experience your car, tell them about it, let them touch it, and sit in it. When I was 14, my Great Uncle, he was 61 at the time, took me to a car show and I was introduce to the prewar cars, there was no car newer then 1940 there. The 1st car I saw was a 1932 Duesenberg Phaeton, the guy that owned it let me sit in it, I still remember almost every thing about that car, an other man there, let me ride in his 1910 Apperson Jack Rabbit as he drove it into his car hauler, what a thrill for a 14 year old. I was hooked and told my uncle someday I would own an old car like the ones at the show. It took me 29 years to find one, but 4 years ago I purchased a 36' Packard 1404 Club Sedan, and yes, I let the kids sit in it, I have even taken some for rides. The trouble I have at the shows are not with the kids, but with the people in there 40's to 60's, that think they are at a use car lot, one time, from coming back from getting a cold drink, I found a guy sitting in the car, I asked him where he lived so I could walk in to his house and watch TV when he wasn't home, he got the Point.

[Dynaflash8]

All of these last points are good, and they are interesting. Let me have a swipe at a couple of them.<P>1. Doug Drake's program "The Automobile and It's Parts" is not a written document, sofar as I know. It is an "on-sight action". In other words our President gets down on one knee and talks to the kids at their level and then disassembles a part, typically a Model A distributor, shows them the parts, puts it back together and starts the car, lets them see the spark jump, etc. He takes pictures of them as they look under the car at some point he is showing. Then, if any come to the banquet that night, he introduces them and shows a group of computer generated slides (for lack of a better word) of the kids participating in the program. <BR>Perhaps when Doug has more time, he will put the program down in a written form in some way if he hasn't done that already.<BR>This is long, so I'll go to another post for the other thoughts.<p>[ 10-08-2001: Message edited by: Dynaflash8 ]

[Dynaflash8]

With the other questions, I almost do not know where to start.<BR>1. whining about air condition or lack thereof: well people will be people. I also do not personally have a problem with driving the '39 Buick in 100 degree heat (if the car doesn't mind that is....haha). However, as my wife has gotten older she seems to suffer more from the heat than before. Many of the wives have voiced their unwillingness to go on a tour in the summer without a/c, but I suspect a lot of guys agree. Otherwise, guys, it puts the ball in your court to lay down the law....oh, can't do that? Well, see what I mean? We have to deal with the facts of life sometimes.<BR>2. Many people seem to think their old car is too fragile to run on a tour; for example the earlier poster with comments about Model T's and his willingness to use his 1915 Model T. I have begun to trailer the '39 Buick to distant tours because of the lack of mechanics who could work on a torque tube drive or clutch, for example, and also because replacement parts are getting harder to acquire and I have decided not to use them up on the interstates. Also my pre-1940 cars do have inadequate lights at night which makes them more difficult in that case. However, as for the tour itself, there should be no problem. I do think attending tours that feature cars with similar capabilities is easier and more enjoyable to tour with, than tours which incorporate dissimilar cars. My dad and uncle would drove a Model T from Washington, DC 100 miles to this place on a weekend to go on a date. World War II vets drove '37 Fords and '40 Buicks back and forth across country during the War, often several times. So I tell people there is no reason why those cars can't do the same thing today if they've had the mechanical details taken care of at the same level as the paint job.<BR>3. Speaking of the paint job, trucks throwing stones on the interstate is another good reason to trailer long distances, but I would rather drive. So, I have a "driver", a '66 Chrysler for which NAPA still has most parts readily available and a front end that isn't exposed so to rock-throwing trucks. That is not to say I don't drive the '39 Buick to events within 100-150 miles....I do try to avoid interstates, but sometimes I can't. <BR>4. Let kids sit in the car? Should I drive the car? Should I use the car? Cars are made to be used, touched, driven. When they wear out you get another one. In this case, you restore it again, or repair it. Costs money? So does a new car, a vacation cruise, golf course green fees? On and on. Enjoyment costs money, and your old car is enjoyment, or I hope so. It's okay to be protective to a degree (for example I usually leave the hood down at shows to avoid belt buckles and cameras rubbing the fender while people look in), and it's ok to be overly protective of a new restoration until you win the best awards you can win. After that, though, use the car and enjoy it. We're interested in old cars, aren't we? If we're more interested in money, then we might as well get a CD or Stock certificate, or throw greenbacks into a pile and roll around in them.<BR>4. My uncle had a Model T sawmill I played on when I was very young. The same uncle drove me around in his Chrysler Airflow when I was about 12. My parents took me on trips that were lifetime highlights of my childhood in a '39 Buick they drove for 10 years...my most impressionable years. There were no car shows then. I think early life experiences did attach me to old cars. But if that were the case, can it be possible some child today will want a '93 Ford in twenty years? Hmmm. I expect so.<BR>5. Any such thing could instill interest in a child today. And, any interest we can instill in a child today may well come to the top somewhere down the road as does religion to some who go to Sunday school, stray away, and come back to it many, many years later (the only example I could think of).<BR>6. But, what we have to solve first is: instilling real interest in these childrens parents (age 30-45) who will keep the hobby alive while these children are growing up.<BR> Whew, I didn't mean to write all this....I'm sorry....I'm trapped home today while some painters are redoing our kitchen!!<P>[ 10-08-2001: Message edited by: Dynaflash8 ]<P>[ 10-08-2001: Message edited by: Dynaflash8 ]<P>[ 10-08-2001: Message edited by: Dynaflash8 ]<p>[ 10-08-2001: Message edited by: Dynaflash8 ]

[ply33]

JanK said:<blockquote>Like another poster mentioned, we also find quite a few adults who "forget" that someone owns these vehicles. They're taken aback when you ask them to remove themselves from your own vehicle. These are usually the same people who let, or even encourage, their kids to climb all over your car without asking permission first. (Frankly, I think this disrespect for other people's possessions is just another sign of the times, but that's another thread in itself.)</blockquote><p>This was a concern among people with collector cars when I first got interested in old cars 30 years ago. And I have seen mention of it in books about restoring vehicles that were written in the 1950s. Yes it is a sign of the times But that part of the times has not changed recently. People will be people.

[Guest]

Folly Golly Sakes, Tod! It can't be 30 years ago in Baltimore that we met!!!. I remember a guy at the Reisterstown Road Shopping Center Meet (Baltimore) who climbed all in and over a friend's Studebaker. The man was incensee when my friend asked him what he thought he was doing. Yeah, people will be people. I've sort of gotten immune to that after 39 years. It is a pretty rare thing. Most people lift their children so they can see in the window. Like I don't open the hood, I just try not to be tempting. I know, if I saw a child sliding down the fender (I've seen that happen to someone else) I'd be pretty distraught, but that's why we have insurance, and nobody can live in a capsule. <BR>

[Mark Huston]

I have mixed feelings about this topic. Yes, I agree that younger people need to be incouraged towards old cars. But, at the same time I need to protect my cars from them and their parents at times. I have quit going to car shows, and only attend tours. The reason, to many people abuse the cars at shows. They think that since the cars are on display without ropes around them that it is open season and anything goes. The last time I took my '29 Studebaker to a show I had the windows down so people could see in and to keep them from trying to open the doors and breaking the pot metal door handles. At this showe I left the car for a second and returned to find a father holding his childs head through the window while the kid was kicking the door with his feet and their other child was already on the front fender headed for the hood to look in the windshild and the mother was looking on beaming at her darlings ingenuity. I was not very polite to that couple or their children. Did I ruin it for the hobby, I don't think so, to them an old car was just a hunk of metal with no value. Some people can't and won't be converted. But, I do agree we should try where we can, at those times I give it my best.<P>

[ply33]

Rest at ease Earl. It's only been a little over 25 years since we met. <P>My personal estimate from my volunteer work with the Forest Service is that about 1 in every 2000 people is a (er, how do we say it nicely? Oh, yes I've heard law enforcement people call them) "Adam Henry". Unfortunately that can be enough to ruin things for lots of other people.

[24T42]

Unfortunately, the sliding down the fender did happen to my father. He owned a unrestored all origianl beautiful 1934 Chevrolet Master Sedan. It was not perfect but still in excellent condition. It had only 34,000 miles on it. He took to a local mall for a AACA chapter display. The cars were not roped off. (Dad wouldn't have done that anyway). Dad stepped away for a few minutes and when he returned there was a kid sliding down the fender. To make matters worse, he was wearing jeans with studs on them. Dad has since passed away and I now own the car. And yes, the stud marks are still permanetly engraved on the fender. It is 20 years later and the car now has 34,000+ miles on it. Did it stopped either Dad or me from talking to someone interested in the car or letting them sit in the car? No. Although the incident makes you feel bad and mad, particularly to an unrestored 67 year old original car, it will not stop me from taking it out in public and sharing it.

[JanK]

I'm all for kids "seeing" cars their way -- with their fingers -- but it has to be on my terms. Yes, we usually post the "Do Not Touch" signs when we display, but we frequently invite interested people to take a closer look. I open doors, lift the hood, and open the trunk at the slightest sign of interest. Under the right circumstances, they sit in the cars and sometimes will go for a ride.<P>My eight year old friend has a number of friends who have been in, out and all around our cars, but we tell them what we expect from them first. This is no different that the behavior we'd expect from them when they enter our house! And there are some kids we won't let within 15 feet of our cars (or our house), because we've already learned that we can't trust them with things we value!<P>Like another poster mentioned, we also find quite a few adults who "forget" that someone owns these vehicles. They're taken aback when you ask them to remove themselves from your own vehicle. These are usually the same people who let, or even encourage, their kids to climb all over your car without asking permission first. (Frankly, I think this disrespect for other people's possessions is just another sign of the times, but that's another thread in itself.)<P>Jan K.<BR>Wis Region

[Guest]

I agree that many of today's young people did not get the "Automobile Experience" that those of my and older generations got. I remember that in the early 70's, people's attitude toward cars changed. They went from being something that was interesting and exciting (just watch a video of 50's and 60's car commercials) to being just plain transportation. The first energy crisis, I think, ended the love affair with automobiles.<P>On the second part, I still like showing and letting people see my car. It isn't that old (1964) to me, but it sure amazes people to see what features and options it has. But, I can see the point that some fellow members make about abuse. If you spend $30,000 to restore a car and then someone wearing a denim jacket with big brass snaps drags it across the paint while gawking at the interior, you have a right to be more than a little mad. Several years ago, I attended a Mopar show where someone put a cigarette out on one of my interior door panels. I haven't been back to that show since and yes, I now keep the windows rolled up!

[JanK]

Going back to the original question -- Are we keeping out younger members by not involving them?<P>I would have to say "yes" -- at least within our region. We have very few members under forty (it just kills me not to be able to include myself in that group any more) and I have heard several complaints from them on this very topic. Either the cost of an event is too high for their budget; the timing is wrong for people with children; or there is nothing for their children at the event, which usually means they can't attend either. I'm sensitive to the child-friendly concerns, since we still have a younger child ourselves.<P>Since many of our members have grown children, they typically don't have children on their minds when they plan our events. In fact, I think a few of them would prefer to discourage their presence at all! Luckily we have a few members (some childless themselves) who make the extra effort to find stops on tours that play to the kids, and in some cases, the destinations themselves are designed for kids. For example, our Fall Tour destination was Dubuque, Iowa. Not only did our son get to hit a ball into the outfield on the Field of Dreams, but he also spent way too much time (and money) in the Ertl factory outlet. Later that day we drove to Galena, Illinois. That pleased the older "kids" in the group. All I ask is that there be something for everyone, because we'll never all agree on anything.<P>We have a secondary issue when it comes to some of our younger adult members. They are often overlooked for leadership roles, even when they volunteer. Their capabilities are questioned by some, which turns off these volunteers. Our hope of them ever offering their talents and time again is impacted by the distrust shown by a few. Instead, we should be mentoring these younger members and grooming them for these leadership roles. Someone has to take over when we're no longer able to handle the jobs!<P>Jan K.<BR>Wis Region

[Guest]

I am new to this forum. This my first post. From JanK's definition of younger members (under 40), I guess that I would be a younger member although I am not one yet. My explanation seems incredibly obvious, yet no one has offered it on this thread. The reason(s) that I, and I believe other younger folks, are not active is due to lack of financial resources and lack of time.<P>I have dreamed about owning a 1954, 55, or 56 Cadillac since I was in college. I cannot afford a finished restoration, and I do not have the time (with two young children) to restore it myself. Even if I had the money, or the time, those of us who are married with young children typically do not have a house that can accommodate storing, or restoring an antique auto.<P>So, your "do not touch" signs, or your tours that do not cater to those of with children have nothing to do with my lack of activity. I teach my kids to respect any car whether it is a 1985 K car with peeling paint, or one of the very few perfectly restored 1953 Cadillac Eldorados at a show. And, as far as making sure that there are kids activities at shows, and tours ..... When I was a kid I was taught that sometimes (many times) I was going to participate in family activities that were NOT geared to younger children. My children's 5 senses do not need to be constantly titillated for them to learn to enjoy an activity. We wonder why ADD has reached epidemic proportions!<P>I am happy to say that I have begun my search for the "right" Cadillac, and I hope to be attending one of your tours within the next couple of years. But, by that time, I will be over 40.<P>My 2 cents .... Dan

[Guest]

Dan-I certainly did not mean to imply that we should cater to the kids, however as a now 50 year old who did have 2 young kids in his 30's and also managed to have a collectible car, I found that my kids loved it when they could go wtih us to "old car" things. All of my friends in the hobby treated them (my kids) like friends and my kids in turn thought of them as friends too, just older. At that time I was one of the youngest members in several of the car clubs I belong to. Now I am glad to say that my kids are still interested in cars. My daughter, now in pharmacy school, did ALL the work to show paint her first car at the age of 16 and then took it to shows. She has already said that she intends to have another collector car when she is out of school. I have just bought a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T 440 4-spd. for my 14 year old son to restore with his encouragement. In fact, when I suprised him with it I thought I was going to go deaf from all the screaming. Neither of these things would have happened without the active involvement of my car friends.

[ply33]

Here are common reasons I hear about younger people not getting into the hobby. I think they are based on misconceptions. If these are common misconceptions then perhaps an educational outreach would help. <dl><dt>Money</dt><dd>It can cost some big bucks to buy that perfect car you want. A young person with college debts or a new family can't come up with that kind of spare change.<ol>[*]First, you don't need a car to be in the hobby. You can go to any show as a spectator. If you are a member of an AACA region (you don't need a car to be a member) or local club you will likely find someone willing to take you and your family on tours in their car. I will grant you that if your children misbehave and tear up a club member's car you will probably never get offered a ride again. On the other hand, the clubs I belong to allow (and usually have several) late model cars along on tours, so you don't have to be offered a ride in an antique to go on a tour.</li>[*]It is a pretty rare person that is able to afford their dream car as their first collector car. Lowered financial sights can find you a neat car that you can learn on. Practice those body work skills, those mechanical skills, etc. You sure would not want to make all the mistakes you will make starting out on that dream car anyway.</li>[*]Once you have some restoration skills under your belt maybe you can find the make, year and model car you lust after in less than perfect condition at a more affordable price. Now you can work on it a little at a time until it is what you want it to be. It will likely cost more in the long run, but the cost will be spread out and thus less painful. You will also have the pride that comes with doing large parts (or all) of the work yourself.</li>

So the financial cost can be very close to zero if you want. Or all the money in the world if you have it and want. The key thing is that many people don't know that the entry cost to the hobby can be so low.</dd><dt>Time</dt><dd>I don't think anyone has enough time to do everything they want to do. So you have to prioritize. For a person with children, family entertainment and activities are (or should be) high on the list of things to do. Car shows and tours can be great (and inexpensive) family entertainment. Local tours can be a great day outing both fun and educational. Join a local region or club and take a look at the tour and show schedules. I bet there will be at least a couple of events per season that your whole family would enjoy. If you are not restoring a car, your time commitment can be pretty close to nothing too.</dd></dl> <p>On the AACA side we can do a number of things:<ul>[*]Make sure that there are at least a couple of events per year that cater to children. Those who don't have small children might have nieces, nephews or grandchildren they might like to bring along.</li>[*]Make sure that the people you meet who seem interested in the hobby know that they don't need to own a car.</li>[*]Publicize your shows to a wider audience than just your monthly club magazine. Let people know you exist and you welcome the public.</li>

[Dynaflash8]

I was 23 when I joined AACA. Our one night out per month with a baby-sitter was to go to the AACA Region meeting in Baltimore. Our 39 Buick cost us $120 in 1963 and we borrowed the money. We had a little house, but no garage, so the car sat outside and we used it as a second car. With dented fenders and frayed upholstery, we still participated in everything the Region had to offer. The Region had picnics and trips to a swimming pool in the summer and the girls loved those. The Region had a Christmas party with model cars and crafts for the kids and prizes. A little here, a little there the old 39 was "fixed up" and painted in '65, restored to a National second in '71 and re-restored to a National Senior in '82. In all those years I was very active as a Region Editor, twice President and then even served National as Chairman Judges Training in '76-78.<BR>Join AACA Dan and live the dream. Rome wasn't built in a day and dreams take time to develop. If you're willing to watch the dream grow and allow the time, provide an effort toward the culmination of your dream you will achieve it. And, along the way you'll make lifelong friends.<BR>Find that '55-56 Cadillac that you can afford , enjoy it however you can, keep the light of the dream lit. Don't try to compete with others who have aged into their dream. You'll get there soon enough.<BR>Join AACA and your nearest local Region or Chapter and become involved. You'll be glad you did.

[Dave@Moon]

I love it every time this subject gets broached on the forum. Dynaflash's description of how he got into the hobby is exactly the way most of us probable did. However, as you read this and the other threads on this subject you'll note what I think is an extreme reluctance among people younger than myself (43) to follow this path. <P>The reasons for this are numerous, and can be found in any of the old "young people" threads from 1-2 years ago. I suggest that anyone interested in that subject click on the search icon at the top of this page and search for threads with "young people" in the title.<P>By the way, to provide perspective, Dynaflash's 1939 Buick in 1963 for $120 would be the approximate equivalent today of a 1977 Buick for $1000. (Anyone remember the discussion on those old threads about NOS and reproduction parts for the emission control and computer equipped cars of that era?) <P>Also, Dynaflash's suggestion of a 1955 Cadillac as a starter would be the equivalent of starting into the hobby with a 1917 Cadillac in 1963. <P>Time flies when you're having fun!<p>[ 10-16-2001: Message edited by: Dave@Moon ]

[Dave@Moon]

I just tried to search out those old threads and they've apparently been expunged. The only one left is one titled "Young Adult Members". <P>I don't know what could've happened to those threads. They were started by different df'ers, including one I started and did not delete. There were 4 or 5 of them. <P>Any ideas?

[Janet Ricketts]

Dear Unregistered User Terry,<P>Getting back to one of your first statements that perhaps AACA could attract younger members if we held more tours in the summer.<P>Well, I think this would help encourage those with children perhaps participate. <BR>The board is aware of this and believe it or not, we try to encourage the regions and chapters to do this. We do not have control since the final decision is the choice of the hosting region or chapter- after all they do all the work.<P>The Founders Tour was started to attract younger people with newer vehicles. What has happened is the older folks went out and bought another car with air for the tour. The Founders Tour has not attracted younger tourists and normally is in the summer. The Reliability Tour, which is a tour for 1915 and earlier vehicles, believe it or not attracts families.<P>The Divisional Tours were started to attract younger people because they are shorter in duration for those who could not afford to take a full week off from work and to keep the cost down.<P>I do think AACA is making progress, with our Jr. Membership, Student Membership, Wheels newletter, Cars and Its Parts Program, and special meals for children at national activiites. Yes, we need to do more every year.<P>

[novaman]

I think some of those earlier post turned up missing when Peter changed the computer systems over to the current one. I had noticed a couple missing right after the changeover.

[Dynaflash8]

To DaveMoon: Yep, I'm telling my age aren't I? But it was good to grow up in AACA and make all those lifelong friends. I will say there are a few old '55s still sitting around where I travel, and around here a '77 Buick in the shape my '39 was in can be purchased for $200-$300. But there are no NOS parts for a '77 Buick hardly anywhere. Prior to 1955 dealers were stuck with obsolete parts, but after that these parts could be returned for destruction. As a former vender, I always knew that would hurt our hobby in later years.<P>Reference Janet Ricketts' comments: they are all true. National Meets & Tours share a limited number of weekends. Sponsoring Regions request the weekend they want. As the weekends fill up, those requesting sponsorship later on have less choice. Perhaps the Reliability Tour includes more families because it is usually held in the summer, and there were no air conditioned cars 1915 and earlier. It would follow then, that a summer tour that included only cars for which air conditioning was unavailable may prove very popular with families. Hmm, that's just an off the wall thought.

[Guest]

I am a member of several clubs among them AACA& HCCA. I only joined HCCA a year ago after we purchased a 15 T, but I was instantly aware that more families are involved in the activities. Why? I believe there are two reasons- 1) events seem to be more child friendly & 2) Older cars can generally be bought for less money than the newer versions. I think that enables younger couples to get involved. I would however like to see more people bring children to our events. I am such a car lover that I hate to think of an entire generation growing up not loving them.

[ted sweet]

I prefer to drive my cars, no trailors, instead of showing. I am 38 years old.

[Guest]

I am 20 years old and unlike most young adults my age I prefer older cars! I really cannot tell you my favorite make or style of car because I like them all. I do not have my own car yet but I still like to get around to many of the local shows in PA including Hershey (first time there this year), most of the Carlisle events, York NSRA, and some smaller shows. I usually take a friend along that is also into older cars and we have a blast! Sometimes I do fell like an alien at shows because there is not that many people my age that attend

[Dynaflash8]

Good for you Nick Scott. I'm an old guy (only chronologically), but I was where you are once. My first car show was Winchester, VA in 1958 when I was 20. Keep coming, join, and become active. You'll have a blast for life. And, us old folks enjoy those older cars just as much as you do; we've just had more time to get to and through some of the fun stuff that comes with time.

[Guest BruceW]

I was 17 when I "discovered" my obsession with antique vehicles. It began when my grandfather gave me his 1935 Ford pickup before he died. After that, like Nick, I was an avid attendee of meets and shows throughout the years, including Hershey although always as a spectator. And like Nick, I was often by myself at these events. It was not until I was almost 30 and married with our first child that someone talked to me about the AACA. My wife Di and I joined AACA and Harford Region shortly after. But it was not until several years after when we attended the Annual Meeting in Philly that I really undertood that there was more to the AACA. Prior to that, the AACA was just the place we sent our national dues to. Now its a big part of our past time and lifestyle. I only wish I had known about the AACA earlier.<P>Unlike some, I was never around antique cars growing up.... and it wasn't that grandad was into antique cars, but more that he wanted to give something to his favorite grandson he seldom got to see and all he had worth anything was the old, rusty pickup sitting in the old shed on the hill.<P>One accomplishment I have achieved in the hobby was to get my parents interested in antique cars. Their interest grew as they heard about the events and places that Di and I attended, and in 1995 they bought their first "antique car", a 1965 Ford Galaxie XL500 convertible. Prior to this time, dad thought of a car only as nothing more than to get from point A to point B. Now they are active members in the club.<P>Its amusing when we go places together in the cars. People see the flashy, sporty convertible and instantly think it belongs to Di and I..while they are sure the old stock 1931 Ford Model A belongs to the elderly parents. Boy are they amazed when they see us climb in our respective cars and drive off.<P>The 35 Ford?.. yes I still have it all these years later after it ignited my interest in old cars. It is still not finished. I call it my "long term" restoration project. I am no longer "youth" anymore as I turned 40 this past summer but I hope to finishe the truck one of these years in time to enjoy it.

[Dynaflash8]

Teddy, I do too, except on interstates. Too many tractor trailer trucks throwing rocks. Glad to see you are 38. Hope you'll get active in a Region or in any other ways in AACA. We need more folks your age, no matter what kind of car they like.

[Guest]

This is my first time reading this board, so I hope my comments are relevant. After reading the preceding, thought you may be interested in what a true 'outsider' has to say.<P>I am currently 36, and have one collector car, a 1970 Fiat 124 spider that I cosmetically restored some years ago but is still an ongoing project. Essentially, this is the car I wish I'd had while in high school (I did own one, but it was, shall we say, less than perfect). It's not particularly old, and it's not a well-respected brand, so it doesn't fit in to the spectrum of most car shows as it is not an antique, not a street rod, and not a British car. The only show I attend with it is the Fiat marque-only show at our club's national meet.<P>The young people in their teens and early twenties don't seem to be attracted to anything but the current modified sport compact craze. I'm guessing that this is because the cars they grew up with as kids were pretty awful (mid 70s through 80s) so they have little appeal. I also find that most 'youngsters' have little interest in history, hence they find old cars peripherally interesting but they don't ignite any type of passion. This is the real hurdle to getting them involved I think.<P>As for cost, I scan the classifieds constantly for fun, and you don't need to be rich to have a hobby car. There are plenty of old cars from the 50s on up in drivable condition for as little as $2500. But, these will be oddball cars like Ramblers instead of Camaros or Roadrunners. I guess I'm more open minded than most as I'd have as much fun with a Kaiser as I would a Mustang. But there is the 'popularity' issue that must be considered as well. <P>Lastly, I think there is a perception out there that your car has to be beautifully restored to be 'accepted' by the AACA members. I've talked to lots of people and virtually no one has heard of the Preservation classes outside the club. I find unrestored cars far more interesting than the over-restored trailer queens that everyone associates with car shows. <P>These are some of the perceptions I have observed. Easy to see them, hard to change them. Wish I had some answers, but I don't. <P>Regards,<BR>Dwight Varnes<BR>Elizabethtown, PA

[Dynaflash8]

To Dwight: Everybody is trying to grapple with finding the answer. Last year, 2000, through the efforts of the AACA President and his Committee Chairman a new AACA Class was developed, called the "Driver" class. That, and an increased number of various tours over the past 10 years is an effort to address the issue of "everything having to be restored to perfect", or the conception thereof. There is no judging in the "Driver" class; as a team merely makes a determination as to whether the car is significantly modified or not, and there is some small latitude in that area. <BR> Your Fiat is an antique in AACA, and has been for about six years. If it is all original, it can move into the HPOF Class when it reaches the ripe old age of 35 years. HPOF stands for Historical Preservation of Original Features.<BR> So, if you are not an AACA member, come on in, we want and need you.<BR> I don't have the answers to your other thoughts either. When I was younger, most of my peers thought having an old, beatup '39 Buick was pretty dumb. They were buying new furniture. By joining a local Region, however, I found fun and enjoyment by associating with others who had old cars. My kids had a good time at picnics and swim parties, and we made a few new friends our age, and I always did like associating with and learning from older people. So, it worked for us.<BR> I keep thinking if we could get a few "younger" people active at the local level, their interest would rub off on some other folks their age, who they meet along the way. That's my idea of how to proceed with attracting younger, and active, members.

[Guest]

I agree with Dwight, young people today have no interest in history and even less interest in old cars. They might say "Wow! Cool ride!" when they see your car, but they don't have the desire to own it.<P>Another thing that has been mentioned several times in this thread is that you don't need an old car to join AACA. But then, what's the point? You can't participate in the tours, shows, etc. in a 1997 Honda, so why join? I don't think some of you long time members appreciate this situation. I know you look back upon long time friendships, etc. formed through the club, but put yourself in the other situation for a minute. If you were 23 again, didn't own an antique car and didn't know anybody in your Regional club, would you join?<P>A lot of questions, but no answers.

[Guest BruceW]

I believe one of the biggest problems is misconceptions. Although Dwight's posting was well written, he was unknowingly mistaken when he said his 1970 Fiat was not an antique (which it is as Mr. Beauchamp pointed out). The misconception is often made about cars of the 60s and 70s. Many people cannot conceive a 1970 Hemi Cuda as being an antique. Most people still think antique cars are the little tin lizzys put-putting down the road at a harrowing 25 mph. <P>As Dwight says, a lot of people think you need a beautifully restored car to participate in the AACA. This is true if you want to compete for a Junior , Senior or higher judging award. However, many people don't realize that there are other aspects to AACA, expecially at the Region level. Most of the people in our region do not have a car that could recieve a first Junior or Senior award, and most of them do not care as having a show car is not their purpose for being in the club. Most regions I know dont make a distinction of whether you drive a beautifully restored classic or an plain, unrestored antique to their events. If our region did, I would have never made it in the region with my ugly, unrestored 1957 Chevy pickup which was our only antique vehicle, and we used it in all our region events.<P>I think most people that join the club without owning an antique car is planning on purchasing one sometime in the future. We've had people join our region without owning an antique car when they joined. They usually eventually did purchase an antique car a year or two after becoming members. However until they did, they drove their Hondas or whatever to our regional tours and events. All we want is for them to have fun.<P>[ 10-25-2001: Message edited by: BruceW ]<p>[ 10-25-2001: Message edited by: BruceW ]

[Dynaflash8]

In answer to Mr. Krupsas' question, a pure and simple "yes". I was 23 when I joined the Chesapeake Region. After 40 years I can honestly say that the vast majority of my lifelong friends have been made because of that one thing --- joining. I could go on and on, but I've said enough in this thread. <BR>What we "old guys" need to do is simply care about folks younger than us, befriend them and mean it, and enjoy their company. It's friendship and inclusiveness that counts.<p>[ 10-25-2001: Message edited by: Dynaflash8 ]