The Vintage Mopar Market: A Summary

[keithb7]

Check out these stats. I think this is a very accurate summary of the vintage Mopar car market. This is who we are. 
The old Mopar culture is 99% male,  the majority over 65 years old. 
 

How accurate are these stats? Where did they come from? 
 

My You Tube channel. It focuses 99% on old flathead era Mopars. These stats represent my viewers. I’d wager the numbers represent us pretty accurately. 
 

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by keithb7

[keithb7]

Another interesting tid-bit. Locations:

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by keithb7

[DJK]

67 USA

[HotRodTractor]

You might be right that there is some correlation - but YouTube demographics might also have to do with your specific videos, your presentation, your style, etc... You present in a way that attracts that specific audience. If you presented in a way to attract a larger audience you might also deter that group from watching. 

Just some armchair thoughts from a 39 year old considering making new regular videos because so many of my friends from across demographics have been pushing me to do it because of their own YT revenue.

What is your YouTube link? I'll see if I can't help those numbers out some for you.

[Sniper]

Well, I'm 56, US.

 

My son is getting into it, he's fixing to be 16 in July.

[Plymouthy Adams]

do we count our years from previous lives?   ?

[keithb7]

I suspect it would likely take 1000 younger folks in their 20’s , watching my videos on a regular basis, over several months, to change my statistics. 
 

You make a valid point about on the presentation and delivery. However, I somewhat disagree for a few reasons. I am a member of a vintage car club. Mainly stock cars. The age demographic is almost a mirror of the age stats above.  I do agree if I presented differently, other groups may come out to the show. 
 

I’ve been listing and trying to sell my 1953 Chrysler. The inquiries I am getting, I’d say reflect the same age group very closely. 
 

I drive my cars around town a lot. I enter them in a few car shows. I attend multiple car shows as a spectator. The folks who approach to talk and show a serious interest in my old Mopars? Similar age numbers. 
 

One exception. My ‘38 Plymouth 4 dr sedan. It looks like it came off the farm. Stock. When I drive it, for some reason the 20-something kids really show extra interest. I can’t say why. Maybe It appears tired, mopey, approachable? Somehow they find it attractive. Yet it appears, on average, they certainly aren’t searching it out on YT. Perhaps they have no idea what it is? My tag lines for the search engines are too specific maybe? I doubt they see the car, then go search google for  “vintage Mopar”.

 

I’m only speculating here based on the YT stats and what I see in real life. 
 

YT does a pretty good job providing analytical data. The top 5 things people are searching for that lead them to my videos, all relate to the aoogah or Klaxon horn. I’m not sure Mopars ever had one. I happened to install one in my ‘38 ply and have a brief YT video on it. An interesting bit if info. This stat has been consistent ever since I uploaded the video well over a year ago. 

Seen here is a year’s worth of search data.  Skewed as this only relates to all of my uploaded content. 
 

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by keithb7

[kencombs]

Looks right to me.  It took me years to appreciate the solid engineering and manufacturing of the 46-56 years.  Later ones were always on my radar because of the performance aspect.  Loved my hemis and B engines!

 

Now that I'm 78 things look different.

 

One thing is for sure looking at your numbers, Posting about old Mopars on YT is no way to meet women.

[Dodge City]

Anybody else experience this. When driving the old cars around you get way more thumbs us up, honks , comments, etc. from the twenty something crowd than any other demographic. Or is it because older people just more reserved?

[knuckleharley]

9 hours ago, keithb7 said:

Check out these stats. I think this is a very accurate summary of the vintage Mopar car market. This is who we are. 
The old Mopar culture is 99% male,  the majority over 65 years old. 
 

How accurate are these stats? Where did they come from? 
 

My You Tube channel. It focuses 99% on old flathead era Mopars. These stats represent my viewers. I’d wager the numbers represent us pretty accurately. 
 

 

Yup! Weeze geezers!

[knuckleharley]

9 minutes ago, Dodge City said:

Anybody else experience this. When driving the old cars around you get way more thumbs us up, honks , comments, etc. from the twenty something crowd than any other demographic. Or is it because older people just more reserved?

I suspect the older people who ignore it are the same people who have no appreciation for ANY old car and see new cars as a status symbol. I have personally known people when I was growing up in the 50's who would rather walk than be seen riding in a 30's car or truck. I even knew a few who had an old car or truck to haul things with to save their new cars from scratches that were stored inside the garage or behind the house because the wives didn't want anybody to see them and think they were so poor that was the best they could do.

 

The young people you see today that are giving you "thumbs up" on your driver cars love them because of the style,the rarity,and because of the uniqueness in today's world of everything being "cookie cutter smooth". I honest have trouble telling a GM product of today from a Korean product of today unless I can see the badge or read a nameplate.

 

Maybe the younger people are doing what younger people are prone to do,and rebelling against "Clone World"? 

 

I should probably trademark the expression "Clone World". I can see it being more appropriate of the world we live in today with every day that passes.

Edited May 19, 2021 by knuckleharley

[Dodge City]

Anybody else experience this. When driving the old cars around you get way more thumbs us up, honks , comments, etc. from the twenty something crowd than any other demographic. Or is it because older people just more reserved?

[Dodge City]

oops

 

[Dodge City]

knuckleharley, is that the same folks that live in the best area in town and get their electricity turned off because they couldn't afford to pay the bill that month?

[Ron175]

I must be an anomaly - under 40, UK. 

[Worden18]

I've had a number of young people (in person) show interest in my car.  But they're not going to Google or YouTube it.  Just like you and I aren't going to download gangster rap on our I-Tunes. 

[HotRodTractor]

2 hours ago, keithb7 said:

You make a valid point about on the presentation and delivery. However, I somewhat disagree for a few reasons. I am a member of a vintage car club. Mainly stock cars. The age demographic is almost a mirror of the age stats above.  I do agree if I presented differently, other groups may come out to the show. 

I want to take a moment and just focus on this. I'm 39 years old and have had the luxury of being in antique vehicles and antique tractors since I was young. I bought my first Pilothouse over 25 years ago. My first antique tractor was nearly 30 years ago. Almost all of my life I have had conversations with elders about how good it was that I was interested because the hobby (pick whatever) was dying. No one "young" was interested. In the three decades in antique tractors and over two decades in antique vehicles I have found that to be utterly untrue. The hobbies themselves change and quite often the people in them do not. Not to pick your vintage car club, but I'm going to assume that its the same people running it, doing the exact same thing they have always done it, and for the most part the people that show up and participate is more or less the same group that has always done it. At this point I have seen this same scenario play out a dozen times. 

A fantastic real world example that I am living right now in the antique tractor world: 4 years ago a national tractor club and magazine publisher announced they would no longer be doing a national show as it was just too much work for not enough reward. In less than a year a new fresh group of people with new fresh ideas started a brand new club - that club is going to have a national show in June and I expect it to be one of, if not the largest single brand tractor show in history. New thoughts, new ideas, new ways of attracting people. The demographic of the show participants as well as the visitors is very different between the show of old vs the show of new. 

[plymouthcranbrook]

About 15 years ago when I was a mere 54 years old I mentioned to a former coworker that I was going to join the “local” group of the Plymouth Owners Club. He said I would probably be the youngest one there. Almost was. 

[knuckleharley]

4 hours ago, Dodge City said:

Anybody else experience this. When driving the old cars around you get way more thumbs us up, honks , comments, etc. from the twenty something crowd than any other demographic. Or is it because older people just more reserved?

I am GUESSING it is because the older crowd grew up looking at these cars,and most only wanted new cars when they got old enough to drive.

 

I can't speak for the rest of you,but MY love for old cars was because of my love of hot rods as I was growing up in the 50's. Going fast wasn't a high-tech streamlined world back them. It was mostly cut down Model T's,Model A's,and 30's Fords stripped of everthing not required by the law.  They were also CHEAP. Sometimes they were ever free if you hauled them away. This gave you more money to spend on speed parts.

 

Lightweight cars require less hp to go fast,and fast was "the name of the game" for most of us. The guys that liked customs seemed to be in a minority,but almost all the lead sleds I saw also had modified engines in them back then.

 

Now "high performance" means aero-dynamics and high tech engines and engine controls.

 

As usual,younger guys that appreciate our cars don't have 30 grand or so to invest in a new car,so they are naturally attracted to the older,simpler cars because they can spend a LOT less money and still stand out and get noticed by their peers.

 

After all,a simple car that attracts attention that you have on the road that is both presentable AND drivable beats the HELL out of a high-tech wonder car you can only see in the magazines.

Edited May 19, 2021 by knuckleharley

[knuckleharley]

4 hours ago, Dodge City said:

knuckleharley, is that the same folks that live in the best area in town and get their electricity turned off because they couldn't afford to pay the bill that month?

I dunno. Could be. I guess it would depend on where you live.

[keithb7]

I am trying to keep the discussion on topic, in this Mopar section. Some great points have been made. 
 

An interesting point was made about stripping down a vintage club, letting it die. See if a new club with all new younger vigorous members develops. Sometimes maybe that’s what it takes to break old habits. To break down the barriers for the younger folks to take the reins. 
 

I did post a thread about age demographics among the members here. A few years ago. Looking at that poll today,  the results trend similar to my YT channel.  I used different age brackets, yet the heavy lift is 51 and up here also. 68.56% of 299 members here who responded to this poll are 51 and up. 
 

Ok for Mopar lovers, here we are. 
We are mostly older. Pretty experienced I’d wager. Easy going.  Enthusiastic to help others. Pretty brand loyal too I’d say. I’m proud to be part of this group and very proud of my old Mopar cars. 

As far as the entire vintage car or vintage tractor hobby? I admit, I have no idea. 

 

[kencombs]

47 minutes ago, knuckleharley said:

 

 

Lightweight cars require less hp to go fast,and fast was "the name of the game" for most of us. The guys that liked customs seemed to be in a minority,but almost all the lead sleds I saw also had modified engines in them back then.

 

 

Rule of the thumb used to be that 100lbs was good for the equivalent of 10hp, and a drop of .1 in ET on the drag strip.  Lots cheaper to go lighter than add HP!

[Los_Control]

Age brackets sound right to me also, I will be 59 next month.  Born in 62 I grew up & started driving in the 70's. My first car I drove was a 1962 rambler I bought from a customer on my newspaper route.. I then worked as a pump jockey at a gas station & bought several cars from the people I met. I never really wanted "old cars" I had a 1957 4 door chevy wagon paid $75, did some work and drove it sold it for $250 a few weeks later. Thats what I did as a hobby.

My really really first car was a 57 mopar, not sure if dodge or plymouth, nice car needed a radiator & battery to run drive. Had a hemi and was 1975 during the gas crunch.

I was 13 years old, I traded a old dirt bike for it, then traded the mopar for  a running/driving  1961 Lincoln. I was 13 I never drove it.

I think I bought, sold, traded about 75 cars by the time I got into my 20's.

1969 mustang fastback 351/auto ... paid $700

1966 elcamino 283/4sp ... was a trade for a $200 truck

1968 chevelle 327/auto ... $100

1965 impala 2 door 327/auto ... was a give me, still to young to drive it.

1969 dodge 2door  318 wedge/auto ..... $35

1967 polara 2 door, 318 wedge/ auto green exterior, white bucket seats console floor shift <--- gave to my mother  ... Paid $200 

 

At that age I was not interested in vintage cars. I never dealt with a flathead 6 mopar ... they were old & outdated ... my 49 chebby truck had a overhead valve 216.

I see a dodge truck that year and just smile, wave, pass not interested.

 

Was not til I got older, (49?) I realized the quality of the mopar flathead 6. Same platform for decades with little changes while adding some new improvements ... it just worked.

 

Best analogy I can give. I once owned a 1972 CJ5 , 304, headers, cam edelbrock with a carter & 35" tires ... I broke that vehicle every time I took it out. Because I was stupid and abused the power.

Years later I bought a 1979 toyota 4x4 truck. They were using jeep running gear at that time, 1980 they made their own. 4CYL engine,  I drove that thing everywhere and never broke it. I had a lot of fun in that vehicle  ... because it was under powered but would go anywhere .

 

Today I have a 1991 chebby short bed stepside with a 350/5spd ... just when you get the rpm up and ready to grab 3rd gear. A little goose on the throttle and it breaks tires loose. I just cant get the kid out of me .... I need a dodge flathead 6 to stay out of jail

 

My step sons have no interest in old anything ... they all broke and want brand new stoofs. Lifestyle today just no appreciation for old cars. & to be honest I do not see the trend improving in the next 30-50 years.

 

[keithb7]

Good post @Los_Control  one question. What is a stoof?

[keithb7]

This evening I asked my wife to go out on date. Picked her up in the garage. Took her to McD’s for some fries.  
 

She said “ Our dates out haven’t changed much since we were 16. Same color old Mopar, green. (It was a 76-ish Dodge Dart 2 door). We got older so did the cars.”

 

In the parking lot a nice old man approached. He looked to be in about his mid 80’s. He Shuffled over. Skinny and flopping around in his pants. Lol. Poor sweet old bugger. We’re all headed there. 
 

He says “I just wanted to tell you that your car is one of the most beautiful cars I’ve ever seen. “ I agree", I responded . "One of the most beautiful ever built".   He said, "When I was kid, cars like your Chrysler were everywhere".  

 

Big grins. I thanked him and he shuffled back to his ‘92 Toyota Camry. 
 

 

Edited May 20, 2021 by keithb7