Future of car clubs and NCRS

[Michael W.]

Good morning,

Hope everyone is doing well. I was helping my grandma go through some of my grandpas old things over the weekend and she made the comment that he thought that car clubs and big judging events would die out and she felt the same. I wanted to see what all of you thought of this. As a younger adult I can see the reason why my grandparents believed so judging solely by the value of some of these older cars and the fact that I cannot see a majority of todays cars ever getting to the status of the old muscle cars. How do you all feel about the future or car clubs, collectable cars, and big societies like this?

Take care,
Mike

[Keith B.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

As a young guy in the hobby trying to learn and have fun I think it all hinges on the current members attitudes towards younger members. IMHO there is a fair share of older members who make it very difficult for my self and others my age to want to enjoy the hobby. While others welcome us with open arms.

[Michael J.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

The future of NCRS, and vintage car clubs and events in general, depends on how many people are interested and excited enough to continue attending events. Of course as the people disappear that want to spend the time, money, and effort in these events decline, so will the events. Cars and Coffee type events, which require very little preparation or passion or time commitment, will always exist.

[Dennis H.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

The muscle car market or ownership is dominated by Boomers who are now in the 57 to 75 year old group. Once they (we) age out these cars will be worth little to nothing as the demand will drop. One of a few reasons I downsize from my C2 to a C3 this past year. This is my 10th and most likely my last Corvette and when I'm done with it I won't really care what it's worth.

Same thing happened to the Model T market that was hot in the 30ish years ago. Everything comes and goes.

[Michael W.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

Hi Keith nice to see another young buck here. I have not had any issues on NCRS with members making it difficult for myself but I can say that I have been at car shows where some of the older crowd has been quite rude to questions which is a major turn off. I got my grandfathers 1986 C4 and have been going back and forth on do I keep it as stock as possible or do some little tweaks to it (really at this point just thinking of upgrading the radio system). My grandfather had a 57 and 63 which were his bone stock cars and as I dig into the 86 more I can see this was his "Teenage boy" car but stock enough to still get top flight. Hope to see your around at some events in the future.

I tend to agree with Dennis and Michael as well. If we can keep people engaged in events both members and non I can see it staying around I know here in MN back to the 50s is huge and brings cars and people from all around. I just hope I never see the day where a Ford Focus is a classic collector car .

[Gary C.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

Michael,

Thanks for joining NCRS.

IMHO you only get out of a car club like NCRS, what you put in it. Participation's the name of the game. Both at the Chapter and National level.

It's said that NCRS is like one big family.

Enjoy NCRS,

Gary
....

[Larry G.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

As a young guy in the hobby trying to learn and have fun I think it all hinges on the current members attitudes towards younger members. IMHO there is a fair share of older members who make it very difficult for my self and others my age to want to enjoy the hobby. While others welcome us with open arms.

"I think it all hinges on the current members attitudes towards younger members." It also depends on how some newer members treat older members. It also depends on how members treat each other.

If there is to be a future, enthusiasm has to be encouraged and nurtured. I say "Hi" to everyone. I thought it was a bit strange when I went to the National in San Diego and I would say "Hi" to someone and a few would would ignore me or look away. I had an NCRS Hat as well as the Event Badge.

Just keep plugging along and you will meet the enthusiasts! Remember, respect is a two-way street.

[Keith M.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

Good morning,

Hope everyone is doing well. I was helping my grandma go through some of my grandpas old things over the weekend and she made the comment that he thought that car clubs and big judging events would die out and she felt the same. I wanted to see what all of you thought of this. As a younger adult I can see the reason why my grandparents believed so judging solely by the value of some of these older cars and the fact that I cannot see a majority of todays cars ever getting to the status of the old muscle cars. How do you all feel about the future or car clubs, collectable cars, and big societies like this?

Take care,
Mike

Now this is a very thought provoking post.

"car clubs and big judging events would die out" - die out? never. evolve? without a doubt. So long as there have been cars there have been car enthusiasts. I could actually see clubs growing and wish there were an NCRS and all that brings to the table and it's offshoots for other makes and models out there. Specifically on big....judging events...personally I think the underlying notion is cool. whether they remain "big" or not i don't know. I DO think there is value in setting standards for restoration/preservation and it plays to a neat dimension of our psyche to be tested...see how well we did or are doing...and see what we need to improve.

"judging solely by the value of some of these older cars and the fact that I cannot see a majority of todays cars ever getting to the status of the old muscle cars" not 100% sure of where you are coming from on this but here goes....do you mean these older cars are peaking in "value" and will drop from here? And "majority" of today's cars will indeed not get to status of old muscle cars...just like the majority of the cars contemporary with those muscle cars did not get to the status of muscle cars. But some of today's cars will generate collective interest and collectability in the future.....perhaps not kin to the muscle car era....a fairly unique time in automobile history...as were the mid to late 70s...in a very different way. Don't see a Mercury Bobcat judging event happening any time soon.

As long as there have been cars there have been enthusiasts...and So long as there are cars and human beings...there will be some forms for aggregating around that common interest. The future is so bright I gotta wear shades. My 2 cents.

[Keith M.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

As a young guy in the hobby trying to learn and have fun I think it all hinges on the current members attitudes towards younger members. IMHO there is a fair share of older members who make it very difficult for my self and others my age to want to enjoy the hobby. While others welcome us with open arms.

I think and hope you will find MOST of us "old" car guys quite willing to help out and grow camaraderie around common interest. Of course there are exceptions...when you encounter Mr. Grumpy Pants kill him with kindness and move on. Hang in there and happy motoring!!!

[Keith M.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

The muscle car market or ownership is dominated by Boomers who are now in the 57 to 75 year old group. Once they (we) age out these cars will be worth little to nothing as the demand will drop. One of a few reasons I downsize from my C2 to a C3 this past year. This is my 10th and most likely my last Corvette and when I'm done with it I won't really care what it's worth.

Same thing happened to the Model T market that was hot in the 30ish years ago. Everything comes and goes.

While agree muscle car /market/ownership is dominated by boomers...(I squeaked in on the tail end myself)..I see zero chance these cars will be worth little to....nothing...That being said...as I am on the late end of boomers....look forward to picking up a mint split window for a couple grand. Will values diminish....somewhat....over a longer period of time...ie. decades? maybe. be worth little to nothing...don't see that ever happening. But I profess ignorance on the Model T experience....what did they peak at for value....on average? And what are they worth now?

[Bill M.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

My sons and their friends are all in their late 20's and early 30's. they all have modern hot rods and don't hesitate to modify what they have for even more horse power. They show up to a lot of the local car shows with us old guys and mingle well. They take as much intrest in my old vettes as my 2015 the only difference is they appreciate originality but cant understand leaving the car alone as it was built. While I don't always agree with what they do to their cars I do like the fact that they are doing some thing. My son is now getting ready to do engine work on his 2011 ZR 1 which I am against but these "kids" prove that the hobby will not go away just change. Maybe?

[Dennis H.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

To clairify a couple of my points in the discussion;

The car scene as we know it in America is alive and well and not going anywhere. At some point in the future there will be a NCRS judging event for the EV Corvette.

As current owners of cars from the M

uscle Car Era age out the demand for those cars will drop off and the younger generation coming up behind us will be looking at different type cars. The

M

uscle Car Era of the late 60's to mid 70's put out some amazing cars but unless you were there you would never know so one tends to go where their past history was when buying an old car. We use to joke back in the 90's that we needed to buy up some ricers so we could flip them when the young kids started collecting them.

I'm all about teaching and interacting with the young guys and gals who embrace this hobby and more so if it revolves around Corvettes. My Tech savvy level and tool box can only reach out to the HEI distributor but am never one to say I can't. I'm a Delco-Remy points kind of guy.

To answer the above Model T question not sure about prices just recall a friend in the mid 90's that was hot on anything Model T because they were so popular (he flipped a lot of stuff), now days you hardly see one.

I would like to find a young stud to teach or past my knowledge to so when I need to remove a transmission I can send him under the car for that PIA job. ha

[Frank D.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

When I was in my teens, it was ALL ABOUT THE CARS, everybody I knew and ran with. You can talk about modern youth but I bet no more than 1 in 20 (or more) are "into" cars, old or new. A few kids putting fat pipes an park bench rear wings on some small foreign cars isn't representative. Having said that I'm a little shocked that the Vin Diesel "Fast and Furious" movie franchise continues. But I think its all visceral and few kids are getting their hands greasy based on watching a movie from their couch.

I CAN tell you I'm seeing 2-3 friends every few months "getting out", selling off their cars and withdrawing from events due to age, health issues, lack of interest or a desire to pursue other activities. Its also going to be harder to keep these cars going in their original trim when some leaders of the restoration cottage industry move on, pass on or retire. I could reel off a dozen manes of "go to" guys for particular component restoration that are no longer with us and not many are taking up the baton.

I'm down to one classic car now and at almost age 70, figure in another two years, that one may go.

[Bill M.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

I think we should all calm down. I hear the same worries in my coin collecting community yet my daughter is interested in numismatics. I seems like every generation thinks they are the last of their kind. How many of us car collectors have thrown the keys to our children and said go on take it for the day? Some of the car people I know have a near nervous breakdown at the site of a kid on a bicycle on the same block as their car. I remember reading that Christopher Columbus was worried that his son Fred would not be interested in sailing. He wondered who he would pass his ship collection on to

[Keith B.]

Re: Future of car clubs and NCRS

My sons and their friends are all in their late 20's and early 30's. they all have modern hot rods and don't hesitate to modify what they have for even more horse power. They show up to a lot of the local car shows with us old guys and mingle well. They take as much intrest in my old vettes as my 2015 the only difference is they appreciate originality but cant understand leaving the car alone as it was built. While I don't always agree with what they do to their cars I do like the fact that they are doing some thing. My son is now getting ready to do engine work on his 2011 ZR 1 which I am against but these "kids" prove that the hobby will not go away just change. Maybe?

how is that any different then the younger kids of the late 50's onward who modified everything