Trying to convert new Generation

[Mssr. Bwatoe]

My 19 year old son is not a car guy, yet!! He has driven the 40, quite well one saturday night after a tequilla infused pool party required his services..but thats another story.......... I gave him my old Infiniti with manual trans to learn to drive, and that planted the seed of motoring thrills...now his buddy let him ride in his little Ford sprts car... I think he messed his pants!!

I have tried to explain " the old days" when cars were V-8s and 4 on the floor wasnt referring to the dog staying off the seat...

Yes, he gets it...He hasnt asked why the LZ wont go 90 in 2nd yet!

[Tom_Overfield]

My grandson, who is 18, wanted to learn to drive a standard shift last summer. There was no one in the family that had a standard shift. I wonder how many drivers are out there who never drove one. Amazing.

[Guest zazothex]

...to say nothing of how many have driven a 3-on-the-tree.

[DSpringer]

I gave my son my old 4 on the tree in high school (a Saab 96). He came home one weekend and said "Dad, why haven't you done anything with the Lincoln? Let's pull the engine." And that's when it started.

[Phil Knapp]

It's not only cars, clutches, gearshifts, and cars that a "shade tree mechanic" can fix.

I drive one of the courtesy shuttles at the local Ford dealer 2-3 days a week. I have used the free "Audacity" software to copy and clean up some of my old LP record albums on my computer and burn them to CDs. I drive a 2006 Ford Freestar minivan with 213,000+ miles on it. The van has a terrific sound system in it and I play some of my "old" CDs.

It's amazing how many of my passengers have never even HEARD of Benny Goodman, Pete Fountain, Morton Gould, Scott Joplin, Vladimir Horowitz, Boots Randolph, not to mention Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Vivaldi, Schubert, etc, These 40 and under kids (They're almost ALL kids to me these days) only seem to know keyboards, guitars, R&R, etc. How depressing!

Now and then I get carry a customer who appreciates REAL music and the ride to their home is sometimes too short!

What is our world coming to?!!!!

Edited October 15, 2011 by Phil Knapp (see edit history)

[MarkV]

Well I learned to drive stick on the '21 Chevy and taught myself! Those straight gears are something else to learn on! From that point forward the three speed column shifters were easy! I think I was about 16 when I learned to drive stick.

[Guest V12Bill]

Our local fire department has only automatic transmissions because no one can drive a stick! Sad isn't it.

[NTX5467]

Our local fire department has only automatic transmissions because no one can drive a stick! Sad isn't it.

They probably figured out that transmission fluid and filters are cheaper than clutch discs and pressure plates. Trans fluid changes they can do, otherwise, it costs the taxpayers bunches of $$$$$ to replace a clutch mechanism.

Regards,

NTX5467

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

It's not only cars, clutches, gearshifts, and cars that a "shade tree mechanic" can fix.

I drive one of the courtesy shuttles at the local Ford dealer 2-3 days a week. I have used the free "Audacity" software to copy and clean up some of my old LP record albums on my computer and burn them to CDs. I drive a 2006 Ford Freestar minivan with 213,000+ miles on it. The van has a terrific sound system in it and I play some of my "old" CDs.

It's amazing how many of my passengers have never even HEARD of Benny Goodman, Pete Fountain, Morton Gould, Scott Joplin, Vladimir Horowitz, Boots Randolph, not to mention Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Vivaldi, Schubert, etc, These 40 and under kids (They're almost ALL kids to me these days) only seem to know keyboards, guitars, R&R, etc. How depressing!

Now and then I get carry a customer who appreciates REAL music and the ride to their home is sometimes too short!

What is our world coming to?!!!!

The world, and in particular the U.S., has become a vast cultural wasteland thanks first to broadcast FM radio, now aided and abetted by the Internet. Of course it doesn't help a great deal to be living in an era where there seems to be a total of Zero inspired composers and lyricists. No George Gershwin's, no Rogers and Hammerstein's, no Henry Mancini's, no Glenn Miller's, no Dorsey Brothers, no Percy Faith's, etc. And who are the Jazz greats of today, whether musicians or vocalist?

[Ryan Q]

The world, and in particular the U.S., has become a vast cultural wasteland thanks first to broadcast FM radio, now aided and abetted by the Internet. Of course it doesn't help a great deal to be living in an era where there seems to be a total of Zero inspired composers and lyricists. No George Gershwin's, no Rogers and Hammerstein's, no Henry Mancini's, no Glenn Miller's, no Dorsey Brothers, no Percy Faith's, etc. And who are the Jazz greats of today, whether musicians or vocalist?

Sorry for the very late response... but I've been swamped at work for the last couple of months (and when you work on computers for a living, you don't always want to sit on a computer when you get home... but I often do listen to music during that down time...) and I needed to respond to this....

Actually I would blame the consolidation of the music industry for the problem... they often focus on what they know the majority of the purchasing public wants (which is primarily the age group between 14-24) rather than what is actually any good.. but, the internet has actually helped me find the rare gem out there worth listening to.

If you're looking for a modern Glenn Miller, I suggest you look up the Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra -- Bill Elliott composes movie scores to make a living, but for "fun" he performs with a swing orchestra that plays his original compositions... he even has a song on one of his albums called "twelve cylinders" that is no-doubt Lincoln inspired.

For jazz greats of today the scene is small, the market is small, but the music is as great as ever.. Look for Glenn David Andrews, Kermit Ruffins, and John Boutte.

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

Sorry for the very late response... but I've been swamped at work for the last couple of months (and when you work on computers for a living, you don't always want to sit on a computer when you get home... but I often do listen to music during that down time...) and I needed to respond to this....

Actually I would blame the consolidation of the music industry for the problem... they often focus on what they know the majority of the purchasing public wants (which is primarily the age group between 14-24) rather than what is actually any good.. but, the internet has actually helped me find the rare gem out there worth listening to.

If you're looking for a modern Glenn Miller, I suggest you look up the Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra -- Bill Elliott composes movie scores to make a living, but for "fun" he performs with a swing orchestra that plays his original compositions... he even has a song on one of his albums called "twelve cylinders" that is no-doubt Lincoln inspired.

For jazz greats of today the scene is small, the market is small, but the music is as great as ever.. Look for Glenn David Andrews, Kermit Ruffins, and John Boutte.

I guess I should have made my accusations about broadcast radio and the Internet a bit more clear. I should have eluded specifically to the nature of programming and as I think you intended to point out the genre limited broadcast radio. If one goes back to circa 1964 and before music of virtually all genres other than classical were a part of what one would find on the TOP 40 stations. I won't try to get into an analysis of what took place within the broadcast industry after 1964, but it is safe to say someone perceived more listeners could be captured with genre specialization. Not sure that was a correct assumption, but I do know it most certainly has lead to the music industry as a whole falling way short of what it once was. We see the same thing on Internet stations and without somewhat forced exposure to a wider variety of music via broadcast radio I think society as a whole has been living in a cultural wasteland.

But as I also pointed out we do not seem to have a preponderance of the very talented and inspired composers, lyricist, and arrangers we once had. The motion picture industry no longer sees fit to engage such people as it once did nor do they produce motion pictures with music as a significant aspect of the work. How many years have passed since a musical composition from a motion picture made the Top 40?

I could easily rant on, but I won't.

[Bleach]

There's only one classical radio station on the Portland OR airwaves.

[Ryan Q]

There's only one classical radio station on the Portland OR airwaves.

L.A. being the largest radio market in the U.S., we luckily still have a classical station (though it got bumped to the A.M. dial a couple years ago (which is great if I want to listen to it in the Lincoln, but bad if I want to listen to it in stereo)) During the day in the Lincoln I can also pick up a San Diego station that features "singers and standards" so plenty of Frank with some Michael Bublé thrown in... though in my daily driver I have a satellite radio which gives me the music selection I really want...

[abelincoln]

Radical idea: pull the Lincoln tube radio and speaker, put a nav/radio/bluetooth/ipad/mp3 behind the now removable speaker grill so no one knows what's there. You could also get a back-up camera to help with the impossible blind spot and un-seeable right side rear view mirror. (Haven't done this, but sure thought about it.) Then you could listen to Portland classical station or even the oldies, and put sub-woofers in the trunk behind the back seat. My right side mirror has a LCOC sticker in the window blocking view.

Abe

[Ryan Q]

Radical idea: pull the Lincoln tube radio and speaker, put a nav/radio/bluetooth/ipad/mp3 behind the now removable speaker grill so no one knows what's there. You could also get a back-up camera to help with the impossible blind spot and un-seeable right side rear view mirror. (Haven't done this, but sure thought about it.) Then you could listen to Portland classical station or even the oldies, and put sub-woofers in the trunk behind the back seat. My right side mirror has a LCOC sticker in the window blocking view.

Abe

I'm fine with listening to the happy sound of the V-12 when I'm driving my Lincoln... as for the blind spots, I find most of them vanish when I put the top down.

[abelincoln]

Top down is my favorite driving position too. But I really need to fix the heaters for this weather, its frosty here.

Abe

[Guest 40-41 connies]

I miss the great old bands from the 40's. A great time in music.

Being here in Texas I loved the real country music stars from the 50's and 60's.

In those days, stars such as Marty Robbins, Slim Whitman, Hank Williams, and others came to Dallas and played at the local wrestling arena for low bucks admission. That was the concerts they put on in small beer joints etc.

Now the so-called country singing stars are making big millions in Vegas etc and have a huge fan base. Not me, however, when they learn to sing and carry a tune, I might go see one of them.

[Guest notnow]

Connies, You got that Right..Especially the Female Screamers ! Most of the time I can't understand what they are "Screaming About" as I can't understand what they are trying to say!

[Ryan Q]

Being here in Texas I loved the real country music stars from the 50's and 60's.

In those days, stars such as Marty Robbins, Slim Whitman, Hank Williams, and others came to Dallas and played at the local wrestling arena for low bucks admission. That was the concerts they put on in small beer joints etc.

Now the so-called country singing stars are making big millions in Vegas etc and have a huge fan base. Not me, however, when they learn to sing and carry a tune, I might go see one of them.

oh now, don't get me started on what's become of country music... There's no such thing out there anymore, at least not on the radio.. there are a few good artists out there, but it's not likely you'll hear them on the radio... (Should you ever get a chance, pick up a Hank III CD (Hank William's grandson sounds so much like his granddad that it's just scary (though sadly his lyrics are not always what I'd call "family friendly" (first country artist to receive one of those parental advisory stickers on a CD)))) <---- I think I counted the amount of parentheses/fragmented thoughts correctly, but my apologies if I didn't....

but back to the Lincoln topic... I don't believe we have any AM country stations in the greater L.A. area that I can listen to in mine... ahh well..

[Guest Oldschoolgent]

There are a few young ones out there that respect and are a fan of old cars, music, and other things of antiquity. Myself being one of them. No doubt I am one of the youngest members of this forum, being 21, but I can relate to many of the previous posts. I enjoy Jazz age music, among many other genres from "back in the day", and I have a passion for classic cars. As a result, I get called "grandpa", and the like, frequently by my friends. It doesn't help that I drive a Lincoln Town Car either (no offense to any other Town Car drivers out there). haha

I will admit that I can't drive a stick (eager to learn). Both of my parents know how to drive a stick, but our family does not own a vehicle with a manual transmission anymore.

Today's generation isn't, entirely, a lost cause; but it is getting exceedingly difficult to find a young person with a passion for things of the past (or a passion for anything, for that matter).

[Guest 40-41 connies]

Glad to see a youngun thinking about the past and future. We need more young people who can think beyound facebook and twitter etc. My grandson bought an older Mustang to drive to school and the flack was bad news from the others at school. What! A Junker! etc.

He kept it thru school and now with a job to make payments, he purcased a 2010 Dodge Challenger with old school look and modern drive train.

I shop ebay in the cd dept for older country music C.D 's { Slim Whitman Lefty and Marty].

My truck has old music to listen to now days.