Changing times

[mcdarrunt]

Our shop has space for 15 cars under going restoration or street rod conversion and even five years ago the work was split 50/50. Today I took a tally and it has two restorations ( 34 Chevy Master 2dr, 57 Ford Fairlane HT) and 13 rods. Half of the modified ones are Resto-Rods (stock looking with modern drive train) and the others are pure evil (speed is king). I can remember going to shows or meets where I was looking at stuff from the 30's and 40's, a generation older was looking at T's and A's, and the old guys were looking at the brass cars.  Now everything has been shifted up the ladder two or three generations and they have completely different interests. I guess it's just as important to save a Camaro as a 34 Roadster.

[TerryB]

In my circle of friends of my age (mid 60s) I was one of the few messing with pre war cars in original condition.  The others were interested in street rods or muscle era cars.  In my son’s eyes, he’s 25, old cars are pre 1980s models.  We all gravitate to what we like best.

Edited June 1, 2018 by TerryB (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

A generation comes of age every 20 years. The cycle of traits, attitudes, and priorities cycles on an 80 year basis. The cycles range from a community closeness at the beginning to personal independence at the end (usually a crisis revives the community).

Today is a time a friend and I call The Age of Entitlement, most want it their way, from Model A's to Camaro's. The babies of 2010 will be restoring 1980's cars faithfully, if the laws let them.

 

Here's a beginning to follow: http://www.westlakelibrary.org/files/(Economy 090928) Into The Fourth Turning.pdf

Bernie

 

 

[padgett]

You mean other than we are in a period of inflation just not being admitted ?

 

Biggest difference between when I was a kid and now is then I was mainly interested in cars less than a decade old, now it is more (only car less than a decade is my tow car).

 

Could say a few generation ago it was Ts and As. Now it is T/As.

 

Part of the issue was that cars peaked in interest in the US in 1967. There were a few bright spots later but was mostly about MPG and the EPA. Past that there were some innovations (Cosworth Vega, FIAT XI/9, SD T/As, DOHC- 6 5 speed Grand Prixs (really GM was trying in the 80s and 90s with DOHC 4s (Quad 4), 6s (Twin Dual Cam), and 8s (NorthStar) but rarely sold for performance (and head tightening sequence changed monthly). Then around the turn of the Century, things got interesting again. Convertibles and retractables were back. After years  of 200hp being A Lot; DOHC and 400, 500, even 600 hp engines abounded. My Jeep has a 290hp DOHC 6 (true, it began as a Merc design but...).

 

Fact is between the Model A and the early 70s the main differences were speed, reliability, comfort, and styling. Other than that someone raised on a flathead would have no problem identifying the components of a SD455. Automatics had fewer gears than in 1939. Muffler was a muffler. Most complicated were the FI Corvettes and turbo Corvairs and Oldsmobiles, all of which were gone after 1965. They even could all run on gasolines available in 1973. In counterpoint cars of today are so different in execution and controls to be almost unrecogiseable. I know people who have not a clue how a carburetor works.

 

Bottom line between about 1973 and Y2K it was not PC to be a gearhead. That has changed. 55 mph is gone. But kids today have a lot more recent fun cars than something with a 262 chebby and mostly with disk brakes,  more than 4 gears, and lacking a thirst for 100 octane leaded). The times they have changed.

[Bhigdog]

 "I know people who have not a clue how a carburetor works."

 

I've got news. I have not a clue how my 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee works. The only thing I feel competent to replace is the oil/filter and then only because that is the only thing I recognize. I assume it has spark plugs but I have no idea where. Maybe they're buried under all those plastic shrouds. What makes the spark and how does it get to the invisible plugs? Beats me. Timing? I think that's adjusted by PFM as is everything else it seems to do of it's own accord. I'm certain it has a battery. Somewhere.

At 100,000 miles I had the dealer change the invisible plugs. He didn't mention how he found them.

My plan is to trade it in on a new one before I have to replace some thing else that bears absolutely no resemblance to what I know about cars, or where the Hell it is....................Bob

[mcdarrunt]

You are absolutely right and one of the places most affected are the mom&pop junkyards. Almost NO ONE can repair their car anymore so only the big operators with multi-yards and/or ones catering to late model crash parts are making it. Gone are the days that first, you knew the name of the part, and second you could do some price shopping and replace it yourself. A friend that is a 3rd generation yard operator has his crushed out, cleaned up, and the real estate for sale. Happening a lot.

[padgett]

Nowadays most of my parts come from Rock Auto, Amazon, or a local Pick-A-Part.

 

I also have a '12 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Best tow car I've ever had. DOHC V6, 4 wheel disk brakes, front and rear sway bars, and IRS. I also have the factory service manual, a scan tool that can talk to everything, and a Chrysler lifetime warranty.