Car Club Declining Membership

[MarkV]

I just received this from the Cadillac La Salle Club, it is a sign of the times. I believe that my generation has very little interest in joining ‘clubs’ as we have the same fellowship in local events and on social media in speaking about cars. 
 

Our Club is like the majority of households and businesses in America. We are dealing with a 40 year high inflation rate, skyrocketing prices, supply chain issues, and declining investment income. Our major source of income is membership dues, but our membership numbers have been in a slow but steady decline since our peak back in January of 2011. In September I mailed approximately 700 letters to members who had not renewed. We recovered a few, but unfortunately many have passed away, are experiencing financial difficulties, and/or have sold their cars. We are being successful with attracting new members using the new reduced E Membership rate along with an increased social media presence. We have even convinced some existing members who were on the fence about renewing to use the new reduced E Membership rate. Even though the Grand National in Lombard was a wonderful event, we barely broke even due to escalating food and transportation costs, and less than expected attendance. We also have lost several major advertisers due to economic conditions and the gradual shift away from print advertising. Luckily we missed “the bullet” regarding our insurance coverages. We were made aware last spring that our insurance carrier and other carriers as well were no longer covering car clubs. In fact one car club obtained a new policy and carrier with a $20,000 annual increase over the previous policy period. Glenn and myself, but mostly Glenn, spent countless hours searching for a new carrier that would provide the coverage we needed, and we now have our needed coverage as before with just a minimal increase in expense to the club. When the Publications Committee made its presentation to the full Board in June during the Lombard Grand National event it was estimated the cost for producing the 2023 Directory would be in the neighborhood of $23,500 (compared to $7,595 for the 2022 Directory after offsetting advertising was factored in) and with the severe paper shortages printers were facing at the time there was no guarantee we would be able to have the Directory printed, even at those elevated costs. The Treasurer’s report just presented at the board meeting stated the club’s finances were running significantly behind the year before at that point, so the Board made the forward looking decision to suspend the Directory for 2023 with plans to revisit the matter when it was time to make a decision for the 2024 directory.                 Due to paper shortages, increased printing costs, and increased postage costs, the Board made the painful decision to suspend the printed version of the 2023 Directory. The Board did, however, agree to spend $1,500 to produce the electronic, on-line version of the Directory for our members’ use, so even though the traditional, printed version was not approved, all of the information we have come to expect and enjoy from our International Membership Directory is still available in electronic form. The Finance Committee as well as all other committees in the CLC will continue analyzing all expenses for the current fiscal year as well as future fiscal years and will make recommendations to the Board in Concord with suggestions on how we can right the CLC financial ship; no areas are off the table for consideration. Unfortunately, with increased expenses across the spectrum, our dues and advertising income are not sustaining the financial aspects of our club’s operations. In fact, in some cases, we are actually losing money on supplying our “The Self-Starter” to certain members due to the rapidly increasing printing and postage costs. There is some good news: it appears we can expect a profit from the Albuquerque Grand National next June as costs in New Mexico are more in line with costs we have experienced in years prior to the Lombard GN and excellent attendance is anticipated for the location. Every effort and consideration will be afforded the publishing of a 2024 International Membership Directory, but many factors as outlined above will needed to be taken into consideration. Some might ask “what can I do to help out?” My suggestion: pass out membership applications at all car shows and events you attend, plus consider giving a CLC membership to a car enthusiast you know for Christmas, it would be an enjoyable gift and will provide some much needed help to your Club. These economic times are very difficult for many businesses and individuals right now, plus many financial experts predict a continuation of these difficult times well into 2023, but we can weather this storm if everyone will lend a helping hand and understand we are doing everything we can in hopes of keeping the changes we may be forced to make to an absolute minimum.

[NailheadBob]

I believe this was all sparked by not giving Cadillac membership directory’s  this year, and the backlash from the complaints on the Cadillac forum, this really looks bad, like a black eye, especially for a possible new member looking to join the CLC, they are a GREAT club. I hope they overcome this .

Bob

[1935Packard]

A "slow but steady decline" in membership is certainly common to a lot of car clubs.  All the more for clubs focused on antique cars, and especially hard for those clubs (not the CLC, as the "L" part is small) for orphan cars that haven't been produced in a long time. 

 

On the other hand, electronic member directories are a lot more useful than paper ones, so that doesn't seem a big loss. It's easier to run text searches for places and years and models than to leaf through the paper version.  And getting annual books when the changes are modest year-to-year seems a bit extravagant even in the best of times. 

[1937hd45]

Maybe nonmembers are clueless as to what CLC is? 

[MarkV]

2 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Maybe nonmembers are clueless as to what CLC is? 

Cadillac and Lasalle Club

[CarNucopia]

I can’t help but think that Grand National attendance was hurt by the fact it took place on the same day and about 3 miles from the BCA national. I would have attended both if they were on different days. How is it possible for clubs to schedule their events in such a way that there is a conflict?

[BucketofBolts]

Young people do not appreciate "rolling art".  Vehicles are now made by robots with a vehicle's parts manufactured in a two dozen countries with most parts now made of plastic.   Even a new Bentley will use a chrome plated plastic shell and chrome plated plastic grill instead of metal. The craftsman of yesteryear are just not appreciated as they were years past.     

[edinmass]

The American car culture that dominated the 1910-1970 decades died a death from 1000 cuts. Oil embargo, inflation, insurance expense exploding, advancing technology making the shady tree mechanic fade away, lack of brand loyalty, the list is endless. Just add Father Time in the equation and you see what we have today. Very few teens are car crazy. We drove over to a girls house to hit on her in my day……….and the car was part of the experience……….today you can face time her, and don’t leave the family room. Thr digital world is consuming time, money, and in many instances creativity. People don’t have time to do normal around the house activities……..and cars demand time & money. Hobby isn’t going to die or fade away, but it’s gonna change. As a dinosaur…….I resent the change. For me, it’s all come full circle. My car experience that I desire today is just the pure experience of driving. It’s where I started as a 13 year old with his first car………..trophies, shiny paint, and trailers were all things I desired when young and broke. I achieved them, and got tired of them, now I’m back to buying barn/garage finds, making them run, and enjoying them as is. 

Edited November 15, 2022 by edinmass (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

I'm glad I found the hobby in 1961, meet some great people, got to work on some great cars, have projects I'll never see finished. Did my thing with "clubs" just enjoying the memories now. 

 

Bob 

[Buffalowed Bill]

I used to think that young people would never respond to our old American iron. I reasoned that it must be so because when I went to the larger car meets you could count the number of younger attendees on a couple of hands. Then I, out of self defense, joined the Studebaker Addicts, Facebook forum. I quickly realized that it wasn't the cars that the young people didn't like, it was the organization that went with it. I thought back to my youth and remembered the rebellion of the people my age against the establishment. Very few young people want to hang out with their grandparents, and certainly not for any length of time. IMHO the car clubs will only survive until the last of the Baby Boomers are gone. 

 

As I mentioned in another thread, I found that social media is the one place that we old timers can communicate with young people. It provides a filter against all the differences that may exist between multiple generations. Anonymity replaces the human interactions of people and reduces it to it's most basic common denominator, the car.

 

Some observations that resonated with me. For starters pre-war cars seem to have no interest to most newbies. They are as dead as last night's beer. Size seems to be another limiting factor-the bigger they are the harder they fall. Another take away is that styling does matter, but not necessarily as we understand it. Speaking in the context of Studebaker-the unusual body styles of the 50's does appeal to new people. What surprised me was how the young have taken to the little, squared off, compact, Lark. From the Lark's genesis the styling always seemed like a step backwards. It would take decades for me to accept them into my collection, and then only because they were such good driving cars. The compacts, like the Lark, seem to be much more in keeping with what they grew up with and can relate to. It seems to me that the die has been cast. We have as much to learn as they do. We can teach, but only if we learn to listen.

[kgreen]

2 hours ago, Buffalowed Bill said:

 

As I mentioned in another thread, I found that social media is the one place that we old timers can communicate with young people. It provides a filter against all the differences that may exist between multiple generations. 

 

That right there is a gem!  

[Steve_Mack_CT]

The trend is what it is, but social media only goes so far, and is not the same experience as club membership.  

I hope consolidation occurs before extinction.  Two Model A, two Packard nationals for example, may be a bit much in the not too distant future.

Also, not unlike finding a good mechanic, good volunteers make for good clubs, and the trends today will make that component tough.

Those clubs that incorporate social media as part of the big picture stand the best chance, but it should be an entry way, not the only aspect of a club. 

The issue is like so many other aspects of social media, it is easy for that to become the focus.  This is a hobby best enjoyed in real, not virtual life imo, and the club aspect adds a lot of value.

[alsancle]

I don't worry about it.   You can bury me with all my club directories.   As long as I have a few friends that share the same interests I'm happy.

 

Btw,  it is not just car clubs that have problems.  The notion of a "club" was a much bigger deal 50 years ago.  It was a way of socializing and making friends.   Garden clubs, social clubs, book clubs, etc.   All are not what they once were.

[8E45E]

5 hours ago, Buffalowed Bill said:

Some observations that resonated with me. For starters pre-war cars seem to have no interest to most newbies. They are as dead as last night's beer. Size seems to be another limiting factor-the bigger they are the harder they fall. Another take away is that styling does matter, but not necessarily as we understand it. Speaking in the context of Studebaker-the unusual body styles of the 50's does appeal to new people. What surprised me was how the young have taken to the little, squared off, compact, Lark. From the Lark's genesis the styling always seemed like a step backwards. It would take decades for me to accept them into my collection, and then only because they were such good driving cars. The compacts, like the Lark, seem to be much more in keeping with what they grew up with and can relate to. It seems to me that the die has been cast. We have as much to learn as they do. We can teach, but only if we learn to listen.

Unlike Studebaker, Cadillac is still around to have younger members who like the newer examples that appeal to them.  I'm actually starting have some appreciation for the CTS-V; especially the station wagons:  https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/stove-huggers-the-non-studebaker-forum/1890814-312-555-subaru/page2

 

Now, it is up to the CLC with a high percentage of older members to appreciate, and not feel uncomfortable around these newer Cadillacs which have to compete in the world market.  

 

Craig

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Just got my annual MARC renewal notice.  $50 for the Model A club, $48 for the Packard Club (PAC).  I thought that was somewhat amusing!! 🤔😁

[B Jake Moran]

11 hours ago, CarNucopia said:

I can’t help but think that Grand National attendance was hurt by the fact it took place on the same day and about 3 miles from the BCA national. I would have attended both if they were on different days. How is it possible for clubs to schedule their events in such a way that there is a conflict?

Mike Book runs the Buick Club of America and is the office manager for the CLC (until next summer when he and Nancy retire from that paid position). 

[B Jake Moran]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

I don't worry about it.   You can bury me with all my club directories.   As long as I have a few friends that share the same interests I'm happy.

 

Btw,  it is not just car clubs that have problems.  The notion of a "club" was a much bigger deal 50 years ago.  It was a way of socializing and making friends.   Garden clubs, social clubs, book clubs, etc.   All are not what they once were.

Agreed, clubbing is no longer cool I guess.  I do think as society moves into a more electronic era eventually the notion of human contact of like interests will have a renaissance. 

 

After getting out of the old car hobby I got into Railroad history and model trains (O Scale)  O Scale is Lionel and such so those clubs had their Zenith 30 years ago and have also been in a slow decline.   

[Steve_Mack_CT]

@B Jake Moran, I can only imagine how many people like me have carefully stored lionel trains and accesories (my stash includes a lot of ' 48 - '52 era stuff and stuff I bought in the early to mid 70s.).  Cannot part with it, but no place to set it up now.  We did fish out my adult son's HO stuff last fall so he could set some trains up in his new house.  If you collect the old stuff, I suspect it will be fairly easy to find at reasonable prices in time..

[B Jake Moran]

Mainly because I have no cars and no place to store them or play with them, I am out of the hobby.  I am one of the statistics. I am only 58.   

 

I did subscribe to Hemmings Classic Cars magazine for a year and have a 2 year subscription to Vintage Trucks.  I am on the fence about joining the CLC again myself, again, for the publication.  I would go for the magazine level of membership.  

 

Each car club has developed a culture too, and that is part of the issue here.  In the BCA (Buick Club of America) a person can judge at a National or Regional BCA show without any prior formal training.  The assumption is that  1. there are never enough judging volunteers at these meets anyway and 2. if you are a member, you likely have some knowledge to help in the judging process and 3. there is always a group leader for that class. 

 

For the CLC, a judge has to essentially be vetted by Bill Anderson, Head Judge and Judging Program Administrator and the process is long and arduous.  The idea is that the CLC doesn't want any car being judged to a high level to be judged by someone not well trained.  OK, but that has a huge impact on numbers of judges and morale of judges or those that don't measure up. 

[Xander Wildeisen]

Maybe people are out driving their cars. So much activity is on line that is car related, as well as TV programming. Car clubs used to be the source of car activity. It is everywhere now.

[Larry Schramm]

One way to help stop the decline is to let the younger family members drive our cars.  If we keep telling them to not touch, they will find their interests in other places.

 

My son in law is a car guy, has not been into the older cars.  I finally talked my daughter and him to go on a tour with us this year.  She was hesitant, but  agreed to go.  After going on the tour, it was hard for her, but she cracked a smile and said that the tour was fun, and........she would go again.

 

This is a picture of them in our 1915 Buick truck driving in front of us in the 1913 Buick touring car.

[Larry Schramm]

17 minutes ago, B Jake Moran said:

The assumption is that  1. There are never enough judging volunteers at these meets anyway and 2. if you are a member, you likely have some knowledge to help in the judging process and 3. there is always a group leader for that class. 

 

It would appear to be true because every month of the year there is a request on the cover of the Buick Club magazine, the Bugle looking for judges.  I am not into judging, but I have heard that discussion among friends that do judge.

 

Maybe if that is the case, the greater interest in the hobby does not lie in judging. 

 

To stay in business and grow, you need a product that the customer is willing to pay for.

 

In the case of car clubs, figure out what the "product" the customer wants to buy with a membership and change.

Edited November 15, 2022 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[CarNucopia]

30 minutes ago, B Jake Moran said:

Mike Book runs the Buick Club of America and is the office manager for the CLC (until next summer when he and Nancy retire from that paid position). 

I assume choosing the dates was a board decision, not administrative?

[Walt G]

Larry, what you showed us here is the way to "spread the joy"  , it gets people who are new to the use of old cars to realize why you and I and others have been so enthusiastic for so many decades.

This can extend beyond ones immediate family - if you are out in your old car be the one to say hi or talk to someone who is looking at it, that sets the tone for good interaction. If you are driving down the road and someone sees you ( if they are walking, driving etc) and it makes them look , perhaps smile -wave hi to them , that little gesture makes them realize you saw them seeing you and you car. Instant good feelings, bigger smiles. They will remember that kindness - this is especially true for the younger generation - "old car people can be friendly" and not convey the "all old car people are rich snobs who only talk to other old car people".

In our local Buick Club a fellow has 3 sons, he collects mid 1960s Buicks, I had him come over with his sons and when they got here had the garage open. Told his boys that before they left each one had to sit behind the steering wheel of my two cars and then also in the rear seat to get an idea of what my 1930 and 1940 cars were like and how different they were form their Dad's. They had a great time , I think somewhat shocked to have someone let them actually sit in the older cars etc. Spread the joy everyone in some way you can , even if it is just a wave hello .

Car clubs need to be realistic about cost - a week long or long weekend tour is great but should it cost $600 and up per person? Maybe grandparents would like to have their grand kids along on an event but should it cost $5,000 for a week? Have an ice cream social like the  L.I. Buick Club Chapter has had. Club buys the ice cream and members have a treat.

[Larry Schramm]

35 minutes ago, B Jake Moran said:

Mike Book runs the Buick Club of America and is the office manager for the CLC (until next summer when he and Nancy retire from that paid position). 

 

Mike & Nancy have not been managers of the Buick Club for probably three or four years.  Cornerstone Registration has been doing that since they stopped.   

Buick Club of America
NATIONAL OFFICE
c/o Cornerstone Registration, Ltd.
PO Box 1715
Maple Grove, MN 55311-6715

[Paul Dobbin]

When I joined the first car club for me, (1973), I was 28 years old, I was the youngster in the club.  The guy who brought me into the local club also paid my AACA dues for a year.   It was at that show, the the 1973 Glidden Tour was in town.   They actually dorve these old cars, WOWEE!, I was hooked.   Been a member of both clubs ever since.   Lots of fun with older more experienced antique car people and lots of local driving events.

10 years later I heard about the Great American Race and had a 11 Race career over a 14 year period.  I again was the young guy (Gun) and have outlived most of the top competitors of my time.  Then in 1994 we discovered AACA Touring and have done about 30 Glidden, Sentimental, Founders & Divisional Tours, beginning as one of the younger ones involved.   Now health issues and the Pandemic have slowed our participation, we still look forwad to more tours.   The people, the vehicles and the fun of seeing more of American back roads at 45 MPH with nice people of similar interests keeps us involved and recruiting others to what we condider a fun hobby and life style.

A lot of folks in our age group are doing international travel for fun, going places we went over 50 years ago when we were young.   We no longer have a bucket list.   We're still living the American Dream.

[Scooter Guy]

6 hours ago, Buffalowed Bill said:

I quickly realized that it wasn't the cars that the young people didn't like, it was the organization that went with it.

This is what it's all about, not the dislike of cars. 

 

Think about how your club(s) treats young people. Are they really welcomed, are they merely tolerated or are they treated with disdain and contempt?

 

Every struggling car club should stop and think about that. Heck, every member should stop and think about that. But there also has to be a willingness for organizations to change and adapt - if everything is met with nothing but resistance, the clubs of the future will struggle. 

[R W Burgess]

41 minutes ago, Xander Wildeisen said:

Maybe people are out driving their cars. So much activity is on line that is car related, as well as TV programming. Car clubs used to be the source of car activity. It is everywhere now.

*

Still is. My family loves to tour. To have a great tour, you need a group of people who have contacts with things unseen before and connections with people that can "open up those doors". Generally, clubs have the members who can make those things happen. The funny thing is that a lot of younger people do not know "what is behind the door". Examples, Y-O Ranch in Texas, a submarine in New Hampshire, breakfast on the beach of Bogena Bay in California right next door to where the movie, "The Birds" was shot. Private Tours of antique car collections in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina, Florida (Don Garlits-home of Smoky Yunick's engine dynamometer.), Tours of famous early American Mansions pre civil war in Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, etc.). 

 

The cool thing? Sharing these trips with others while making friendships that last a lifetime. I miss my old car people, come on 2023!

 

EDIT! WAIT! I left out the mermaids in Weeki Wachee Park! Will never forget it.

 

[B Jake Moran]

19 minutes ago, Larry Schramm said:

 

Mike & Nancy have not been managers of the Buick Club for probably three or four years.  Cornerstone Registration has been doing that since they stopped.   

Buick Club of America
NATIONAL OFFICE
c/o Cornerstone Registration, Ltd.
PO Box 1715
Maple Grove, MN 55311-6715

Larry, yes, I should have clarified.  I meant "Mike Book runs the Buick Club.   Antecdotally, I was not referring to the office manager of the BCA.  

[B Jake Moran]

27 minutes ago, CarNucopia said:

I assume choosing the dates was a board decision, not administrative?

Board decision ultimately.  In both cases.  Mike Book is on the BOD for the BCA and was previously the office manager for the BCA.  His counsel whether he is on the BOD of either club holds a lot of political clout in both clubs.  

 

It is not a negative comment against Mike.  Mike and Nancy are/were office managers for both clubs for probably 20 years.  That means 20 years of flying into a club event in one geographic location then quickly flying to another.  Anytime they could get both clubs closer was a benefit.  

 

They are retiring as office manager for the CLC effective next summer, probably before that Albuquerque CLC National.  

[Den41Buick]

Might not be the best time for a lifetime membership?

[Pete Phillips]

2 hours ago, B Jake Moran said:

Mike Book is on the BOD for the BCA and was previously the office manager for the BCA. 

Jake,

He's no longer on the BCA Board. Term expired in June and he did not run again.

Pete

[1912Staver]

A long out of date perspective, but when I was a young mechanic and MG fanatic I tried our local MG / Jaguar club. Total fish out of water. The club membership was in general a lot older , had really nice / restored cars. It was clear that most were on a whole different socioeconomic level  than where I was with a at best very modest income, and a very rough around the edges { and most other parts as well } MGA.

 It didn't take long to realize the whole picture just wasn't a good fit. 

 I expect many young people today see things like Packard , Cadillac, CCCA , clubs etc through much the same eyes.

 

 Once again something that is more of a factor in my area than perhaps many other locations in North America. But around here virtually any young couple is looking at a $750,000.00 realistic price tag for a 2 bedroom townhouse / condo. Houses are an easy million and up. In a cost enviroment like this a hobby car  / car club participation is 99.999 % of the time just not going to happen . Even if the young person is very interested. Younger people around here are so financially stressed that no other period in history has a parallel. Frills like hobby cars are the first to go. 

 Possibly an older Miata for the weekends , but even that will be a stretch in this area.

 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[leomara]

It's not only collectable cars, it's collectible anything.  Dealers I've spoken to say collectables that had value years ago do not any more.  That market has collapsed. Younger folks don't have any interest in old things.  There are probably many reasons why which I'm at a loss to understand.  

[Larry Schramm]

3 hours ago, Walt G said:

Larry, what you showed us here is the way to "spread the joy"  , it gets people who are new to the use of old cars to realize why you and I and others have been so enthusiastic for so many decades.

This can extend beyond ones immediate family - if you are out in your old car be the one to say hi or talk to someone who is looking at it, that sets the tone for good interaction. If you are driving down the road and someone sees you ( if they are walking, driving etc) and it makes them look , perhaps smile -wave hi to them , that little gesture makes them realize you saw them seeing you and you car. Instant good feelings, bigger smiles. They will remember that kindness - this is especially true for the younger generation - "old car people can be friendly" and not convey the "all old car people are rich snobs who only talk to other old car people".

 

Walt,

Joyce and I practice what we preach.  We were on a tour in Sept and stopped at an elementary school for the kids to see all of the old cars.  Here are a couple of pictures of the kids lining up to sit in the 1915 Buick truck.  They were lined up 30-40 yards back to sit in the truck.

Everyone on the tour had fun. Some of the kids were asking for autographs, what kind of vehicle we owned, how to drive it, and they were all very polite.

 

 

 

Touring and not sitting on a parking lot is our cup of tea. 

 

That is the reason that we purchased a 1912 Model T a couple of years ago for the specific purpose to go on the Model T Coast to Coast tour with the Model T Club if it happens in 2028.  I have the car currently apart and going through it in preparation of going on the tour.  We will drive the car a lot after it is back together to sort it out so it is ready for the tour.

 

God willing Joyce and I are alive and able to go on the tour, We are going to take our two grandsons on the tour with us.  They will be about 10 & 14 by that time.  We figure that at the end of the tour the boys will either love us or hate us, but they will NEVER forget us and their time with us.  Life is not about just the money, it is about the experiences that you can pass on to the next generation.  It is those experiences that you can, if you decide to do, to pass on and leave your foot prints in the sand or concrete for the next generation to remember.

 

We already have taken our older grandson on a couple of tours with us and he said that he has enjoyed the experiences.  He is 7 years old.  He currently looks forward to being with us and the old car(s).

Edited November 15, 2022 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[56Twotone]

A lot of it is price. I know that this has become a tired generational debate by now, but it often does just boil down to money.

 

Not to be morbid, but the only way a lot of people in my generation will be able to to work on or own a classic in their youth is if someone dies and wills it to them. Even as a guy that has loved old heaps from a young age, I only (relatively) recently got the chance to get some hands-on experience for that very reason. If you want to dip your toe into classic motoring, the affordable option is to buy some rotten hulk and hope you can figure out how to get it going. Not an accessible thing for a generation that is even less technically inclined than the ones that came before..

 

Of course I'm not whining about prices, they are what they are, but the simple fact is that a beat up old truck that might have gone for $200 in the 80s is now worth 5, probably 6 figures. The barrier of entry just keeps rising, and unless someone makes a concerted effort they likely won't get into the hobby, much less become invested enough to get into a club. You can't really blame someone for not having a passion for cars if all the oldest thing they've ever ridden in was a Corolla.

 

I don't know the solution to this, but I can say that, of my "car guy" friends, the ones that aren't into riced-out go karts are the ones whose dad, grandpa, uncle, etc took them for rides as a kid, or showed them how to replace a water pump, or in some cases bought them a car and worked on it with them. I'm sure some of the disinterest is generational too, but that's a bleak thought.

 

I won't say my age, but I will say that I was brought home from the hospital in a 1995 Subaru (that my parents bought used..) so my perspective is from within the belly of the beast, so to speak.

[plymouthcranbrook]

In a similar situation back in the 70’s I was sports car crazy. And as usual I was constantly broke so my sports car of the day was usually somewhat of a junk. I finagled in invitation to join the SCCA. It did not take long to see that I was not in my element at all.  Lotuses, Porches, BMWs I couldn’t even really speak to those folks intelligently.  And nowhere near able to fit in financially. Almost everyone was nice but especially back then we all kind of knew our place and mine wasn’t there.  I lasted about three years and faded away.  

[JACK M]

The problems are all about the $$.

Heck, it takes two incomes to survive these days.

Buy a house? Only if someone gifts the down payment.

Life ain't as easy as most of us geezers had it.

How long will it be until the houseless outnumber the housed?

 

As for clubs, I am in a couple now, but most of my life I would have had to join several to cover all of my interests.

[Walt G]

If you have a passion for older cars join/belong to a club, there are many people there that have the cars you want to know about or would like to own. Ask them for a ride or if you can help work on the car with them. Yes it is your time BUT that proves to them that your interest is genuine and not just because it may bring $ value if sold, the value is in the object not what some auction or dealer can sell it for. Look beyond your own ownership immediately and learn from those of us that have been in it for some time.  What my friend Larry shows us here is what it is about. If you belong to a club you hear about more cars then reading advertisements, there are collectors that have to many cars they can ever work on , or they know of "projects" that can possibly be had for some price you can come close to.  Cost to restore a car is major $ for things that you many not be able to do : rechroming parts, possibly upholstery, major components like wiring harness, tires, etc. It takes time, you may get a car and it will be some years of work to get it to be useable.  Make some friends who own what you would like to and they will give you sage advice once they get to know you.

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20 minutes ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

In a similar situation back in the 70’s I was sports car crazy. And as usual I was constantly broke so my sports car of the day was usually somewhat of a junk. I finagled in invitation to join the SCCA. It did not take long to see that I was not in my element at all.  Lotuses, Porches, BMWs I couldn’t even really speak to those folks intelligently.  And nowhere near able to fit in financially. Almost everyone was nice but especially back then we all kind of knew our place and mine wasn’t there.  I lasted about three years and faded away.  

I was the same way about sports cars but in the 60’s & 70’s. We got in the SCCA with a  beat up MGA 1600 MK II and raced it at Blackhawk out near Rockford. I felt the same way about being out of place, little money and a ratty looking car compared to what we were running against. That changed when we started beating some well supported guys that had no idea what was under a hood. Still it was only a few years until I left as it was just beyond my life status and was uncomfortable 

dave s