Attracting younger members

[Guest]

I thought I would have something profound to say about this topic but everything everybody is saying is true. I have a seven year old daughter who loves driving around in my old cars(66 Pontiac Catalina station wagon and 67 Pontiac Grand Prix convertable)but it's difficult to keep her entertained at car shows that have nothing or very little to offer youngsters.I also can't justify taking her to a car show in the middle of summer just to sit on a black top parking lot for an afternoon. So I have to pick and choose which events I am to participate in her and which events I have to miss.<BR> Secondly, a sad reality is, that the sources for older cars is drying up. I remember when I was a teenager,(I'm now 37), I could open the local paper and find a GTO or Firebird for a few hundred bucks, buy it, drive it around and tinker with it,then sell it again.(Wish I still had them).Let's face it those days are over. Now when I look for another old car I have to go to pulications like Hemmings or club newsletters and pay 10 times that amount to find something to "tinker" with. Just my two cents worth.Thanks

[24T42]

This is a concern that is obviously on the minds of a lot of people. There is a similar discussion like this one on how to attract younger members on the Model T Ford Club of America web page. Check out what they are saying. The link is - <P><A HREF="http://www.mtfca.com/forums/forum49/messages/1653.htm" TARGET=_blank>MTFCA web page</A>

[Guest]

Jim Mattes: It's the old story repeating itself all over again. First it was the real oldtimers with their brass cars, and then my generation with their 41 Buicks or 39 Fords and now it's your turn. I think that's why I hate to lose even one historical old car to the torch for junking or streetrodding. There are only a limited number of old cars made, and few are left. It will be soon up to guys your age to save those that are left, for posterity. An even more pressing problem is the drying up of parts. I'll bet when you were 17 the flea markets were a lot bigger at car shows then they are now that you're 37. Actually some streetrod enthusiasts help save one car by supply parts from another that they modify, so they do some service to the original hobby that way too. It makes me sad to go to a show now, and there are only 2 or 3 vendors there. Ebay may also be a contributing factor that that. Anyway, hang in there because for the hobby to live on, you're the coming generation.