The Under 40 Roster

[novaman]

We have been talking about the under folks being involved in AACA here. I thought it might me interesting to see what ages we do have here on the DF.<P>novaman - 35yrs

[Guest SalG (Sal Grenci)]

SalG - 38

[29 Chandler]

Chris Gorman 34<BR>Jill Gorman 33<BR>Chandler Gorman 2.5

[RoadsterRich]

Well 40, not quite under, but on the cusp!<P>Rich

[Guest]

Charles (Chuck) Ridley-34<P>Lucas (Lukey) Ridley-4<P>Nickolas (Nickolopogus) Ridley-1 3/4<P>Sarah (Berrry) Ridley-1 3/4<P>Judy Ridley-?, says none of your business!

[Guest BruceW]

BruceW - 40<BR>(but still feeling much younger) <P>Di - less than 40

[Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL)]

Hal Davis 38

[Guest]

John Lanning - 45<BR>Hey, but I feel 30...does that count??

[Guest]

41<P>But I think they made a typo on my birth certificate since I too only feel like 30. <p>[ 02-05-2002: Message edited by: Chris NJ ]

[Guest]

Graham - 37 years

[Guest]

40 on jan 17, 2002. ::sigh::<p>[ 02-06-2002: Message edited by: peterg ]

[JanK]

Okay, I'm officially one of the "old ones." But I'm not so far off the mark, only 44.<P>Jan K.<BR>Wis Region

[Guest]

Phil Menhusen, 37

[ted sweet]

iam 39

[Guest]

Bill Voorhees 74<BR>After looking at above replys guess I should be in wheel chair.

[RoadsterRich]

Bill,<P>I think you misinterpret the other posts (or rather don't read them with the same rose colored glasses I do)! By my calculation you should be middle aged based on the average 'adjustment' to age given here! Besides, in my opinion age is irrelevent. I'd like to see a survey of age based on how long one has been restoring antique cars, along with their actual age. Now that would be interesting to see.<P>Rich

[Guest]

36, er...37 on the 19th.<BR>I've been breaking parts off cars (I mean restoring) since my first car in 1982. New here, just sent in my membership app 2 weeks ago.<P>Dwight V.<BR>1970 Fiat 124 Spider (original addiction)<BR>1965-66 Ford F-100 (soon)

[fordee9r (Ron Springstead)]

I'm only 30..... and that's the same story I've been using for the last 22 years!

[Guest]

Rich ~ Actual age 69. Started restoring 1st car in 1962 - 40 years. Joined AACA in '63. Still have that car. Still muddling around in AACA ~ hvs

[novaman]

Well, Howard you started it. age 35. AACA member 19 of those years. Working on my own old cars 21 of those years. Messing with other people's old cars (my dad's)- about 30 yrs. going to antique car club fuctions, since dipers were the fashion statement for me (35 of 35 yrs) . I've been around the red field at Hershey, carried. And I remember the show being held IN the stadium. I don't remeber the flea market under the stand though. Don't forget I was too young to know what all the parts were about but I knew an old car when I saw one.

[Guest trevor ward]

JUST TURNED 40 LAST XMAS EVE, BUT ALL THE SPENDING AND TOILING IS AGING ME LIKE I'M IN SOME SORT OF TIME WARP FROM HELL! ! ! ! ! .........<P> BUT NOT LONG NOW......<P> TREVOR......

[Guest]

Bill ~ Thanks for your first hand observation that restoring a vehicle correctly is more difficult than rodding it.<P>I made this statement last week on another thread and having some backup from someone who does rods gives me a real warm, fuzzy feeling. ~ hvs

[Guest snkchevcol]

Just turned 34 a couple days ago and that makes 31 years since I was introduced to cars and my first Hershey Meet. Been a few changes since that trip in 1971.<P>Rocky Sink

[Dave@Moon]

I'm presently 43. I started my first restoration at 16 (1951 Pontiac). I started my first restoration that resulted in a car at 30 (1960 Falcon). I've been working on the next one now since the last Bush was in office. In the mean time learned to buy one that runs to play with during the restoration process!<p>[ 02-08-2002: Message edited by: Dave@Moon ]

[Peter J.Heizmann]

har-umph, snort, gag, cough. (That's not an indication of my age, or, health. Just the sound of choking and starting my car). Have a collection of "one" car. Owned since new, it became of age for AACA entry, maintained, not restored. Went to Hershey as an observer in 1996 and became involved (hooked) since.<P>I'm 54.<P>Regards,<P>Peter J.<P>

[DGPoff]

39 with a 96 year old car!

[1937hd45]

Joined AACA when I was 19, that was in 1969.

[rocketraider]

45. 30 of those years messing with old cars of one type or another. It started at age 15 with a 1966 Oldsmobile Starfire, which at the time was considered a used car but was still damned hard to find anything for it (and it's no easier to find Starfire stuff now, believe me- currently in the throes of a 1964).<P>Joined AACA in 1994 when the 69 Toronado turned 25. Hard to believe the cars that I considered daily transport in high school are now all AACA eligible.

[Bill Stoneberg]

I am quickly approaching 50 and have been a Hot Rodder most of my life. Started back in high school with Jaguars.The Woodie is the first car I have restored as opposed to cutting it apart or otherise modifying it.<P>I must say it is a different challenge and one I am enjoying. But I also like the Rods too. Restoring it correctly is a much harder job though.

[ex98thdrill]

I'll be 34 in June. I've been in the hobby and been around a lot of the shows all of my life, but I wasn't a card carrying member until fall Hershey 2001. My father was a member in the 60's and 70's but due to other committments he didn't keep his membership active. We still went to a fair share of the regional shows, and we still went to Fall Hershey looking for parts, but we weren't both card carrying members until least year.

[29 Chandler]

I've been interested in cars as far back as I I can remember. One of my first jobs was working at a garage doing oil changes and the like. I was only 15 and was saving my money for my first car. It had to be a car that met two requirements. #1 a car that I could work on. #2 a car that would appreciate in value. A 1968 Mustang came along that fit the bill. I have had it ever since. Thanks to the stories my father has told me about his '58 Bel Air and other "Wish I still had it" tales from others, this one is a keeper. Left the job at the garage so I could attend college where i joined a new car club on campus, CARS (California Automotive Recreation Society) just a group of students that loved "wrenching". We were the host club for the annual Concourse event. This was when I first started to really becme interested in old cars. The club was intrusted with the University's 1909 Brush before the concourse. We were told not to try and start it, just hold on to it. But as I said were a bunch of students that loved wrenching. We were soon driving around the neighborhood in that old car. <BR>Met my wife around that time who had spent a lot of time working with er father on their 1957 MGA. They eventually rebuilt a MG Midget that she would recieve a s a graduation present. Then with money from graduation she bought a very restorable MGB. The MGB sat in the garage until it became the current project. <BR>Well one while driving on the highway with my pregnant wife we saw a nicely restored MGB zipping along. I remarked that I couldn't wait until we could go touring in the MGB. She asked where we would all sit. The hunt was then on for a car the three of us could travel in. We began looking for an old MG sedan as we knew a lot about MG's and her dad was restoring a 1934 MG PA at the time. The search for a suitable project took almost a year. While at a swap meet we came upon a pair of Chandler hubcaps. We had never heard of a Chandler car. Our one year old son was named Chandler, but we had never heard about the car. The price of the hubcaps was too much we thought for paper weights. (need them now!!) The research project was on to find out more on this Chandler car. We began collecting ads on ebay thinking we could decorate our son's room with them. Then our search for a suitable project car ending with a listing for a 1929 Chandler on ebay. <BR>The search for information contiues and led us to this forum and membership in the AACA. I guess our son is very lucky as he will grow up with old cars.

[OlJalopy]

Well now, I must be a younger member too, despite the OJ handle. I'm younger than the Better Half, and that pretty lady will never be old!!

[Chris Paulsen]

I've been watching this thread since it started in the beginning of the week. I was hoping to see someone younger than me. I just turned 29. Maybe everyone else younger is just a quiet and reserved as myself, and hesitant to post.<P>I have a 1914 Model T I built in high school, and a 1913 Buick I've had for 8 years.

[Guest Randy Berger]

You gentlemen who posted your age - thank you. I see the hobby is in enthusiastic younger hands and that's just great! <BR>Just turned 63 (but I don't look it - honest!).

[Guest]

I have been following this great thread of youth and the ages. If you are at the Philadelphia meeting ,please attend the YOUTH IN OUR HOBBY seminar and listen to 9 panelists with great thoughts about the hobby and some ideas to further the involvement of youth from children through young adults.Many regions already have some good programs and activities in place and we can give you some methods and suggestions to assist with this youth program in your area.<BR>Our goal is to have more inclusion of youth in the hobby. We all,no matter the real age we have, are young in our attitude or we wouldn't be having so much fun. The AACA has a good program started with the Junior membership, the Student membership, WHEELS, the junior's AACA newsletter and the Driver and HPOF classes. There is a high level of interest across the country that will excite the next generation. If each of you on the forum will assist your club, we can turn even more young adults and young families on to this great hobby and the appreciation of antique automobiles.

[Guest]

27 and looking forward to many more years of busted knuckels and dirty fingernails.

[Guest]

What I am about to say will fly in the face of what seems to be AACA party line regarding the youth movement, but what the heck, I've never been known for being politically correct.<P>I do not believe that the "kiddie corps" is the youth group that is going to be the salvation of the AACA. The people in the 25 to 40 year old group are the true future. Why? Because they have the interest to have become involved in this hobby on their own. No doubt a large percentage will remain involved far into their later lives.<P>Now as to the other group, the "kiddie corps", or as they are more properly referred to, the Junior Membership holders.<P>Most of these youthful folks did not ask to join AACA nor did they write the check for the membership fee. Mom and Dad, or the Grandparents signed them up because THEY were into the old car hobby and wanted the kids to be too. Why wouldn't the kids like it, they get a membership card, a name badge and a special publication. They also get to romp with other Juniors at Meets. Good clean fun and family entertainment. But, will they remain active members when the junior days are over and they must join up at full fee on their own? If we retain 10% after 10 years it would be surprising. What % of the under 40s on this forum will be with us in 10 years? A lot I'll bet.<P>It is my opinion, and as I always say, I could be wrong, but I believe our future strength and growth lies in the 25 to 40 age group. Let's not neglect this group in favor of the "kiddie corps."<P>And this from personal experience. My 2 children were exposed to, and a part of AACA activities almost from birth. I bought them life memberships when they were under 10. No family could have been more involved in AACA than mine when the kids were the age of today's Juniors. Today at the ages of 38 & 41 they have <BR><B>ABSOLUTELY NO INTEREST IN OLD CARS OR AACA!</B> Why? I believe it was a combination of burnout and no real personal interest on their part. There has to be a personal interest for the bug to really take hold. The 25 to 40 year old group has the bug <P>Sorry Fran, but you know this has always been my position. This is just the first time I have expressed it outside of a small group of AACA friends. ~ hvs

[RoadsterRich]

Howard,<P>Perhaps another factor is that the 25 to 40 year old crowd of today are some of the ones putting values in the heads of the kids of today. You cannot make one interested in something (at least that is my opinion) however you can teach them to appreciate things, even those things they do not particularly have an interest in. I personally believe that much of the future lies in the values and 'appreciations' we pass on to our own kids. My father is an avid amateur gunsmith, something I have no interest in, yet I have an appreciation for guns, and for the art and innovation that many express. I think most importantly for me was that my father taught me to respect, preserve and appreciate the past, whether it was my particular obsession or anothers. Well now I am way off topic and in to philosophy, suffice it to say I think it is important to have appeal for the kids, and vitally important to attract the generation in between.<P>Rich

[Guest]

There is also the problem of what are the future generations going to restore, a neon? a minivan? I doubt it.<P>I doubt these disposable autos will be around long enough to make it to antique age with cars being made to only last long enough to make it out of the warranty period.<P>I was lucky enough to be exposed to a different age of manufacturing when cars had thick sheetmetal and had engines that could be improved by aftermarket parts.<P>Nowadays if you even touch a vehicle it won't pass emissions even if you've improved it and the sniffer says so, if the parts are not stamped as approved you can forget it. No wonder cold air intake kits and low profile tires and big wings are all the rage with the youngsters, they don't anger the emissions Nazis.<P>The days when a kid could innovate and express his knowledge through his auto have severely limited his options, and he better be loaded with cash because this stuff is not cheap.<P>I remember during the last year of high school that our group were the last to have old modified cars, every one younger had a new Honda or Toyota to drive to school because in the long run it was a better investment and Dad couldn't be bothered to help them work on an old jalopy.<P>What do you do to solve this problem? I don't think it can be solved, it's already to late. I think ours is the last generation of do it yourselfers mainly because nobodies listening.<P>I remember when I went to see my guidance counselour during my graduating year, after filling out a 40 page skills assessment form I watched him slip it into the computer and wait for the results. I honestly was scared for my future as this was the mid eighties and I could not think of one single thing that really grabbed me as a good career.<P>He pulled up the results on the computer and his "universal career programmer" came up with computer programmer as the first on the list of careers I was suited for. Machinist/tool@die maker didn't even make the list. Go figure?<P>Thankfully I didn't listen to this goofball because I would not be in the position I am in today. Most of my friends ended up trying to be computer people, most dropped out because of lack of interest and the job does not pay all that well anyway.<P>The amount of time devoted to my career choice by this "counsellor" could be counted in minutes, on one hand. If you are out there Mr. Kelsh, thanks for nothing.<P>I learned one very important thing that day that I didn't realize until years later. If you are good at something-follow it. If you are diligent and try hard you will be successful at whatever it is you choose to do in life. You will enjoy life much more if you pursue something you are good at.<P>God help us when good auto mechanics that know how to set up a dual point distributor and diagnose a problem without checking the computer are all gone. I very rarely need a computer terminal operator who types 60 words a minute to help me fix my car.

[Guest]

We are placing an emphasis on the 20-40 year old age group.We are also trying to pull in and hold this age by providing some activities for their children so the parents in that age group can participate in the hobby. We are truly looking for and trying to be more inclusive to the "next generation" which means the "young adults". I have been asked to be a Youth Coordinator for 2002 and my own goal is to help the local clubs to be more receptive to the younger members and those potential young adult members by involvement at the local level.The forum has so many people that have listed themselves here in that age group that we know now they are out there.