The Vintage Mopar Market: A Summary

[Los_Control]

Just now, keithb7 said:

 one question. What is a stoof?

Sorry for the bad English ... I say my step kids want stoofs ... What I mean is they want stuff. I mean they will talk sweetly then rent a House for $1200 a month ... then eviction notice is started next month when they cant pay the rent. But because they wear their pants down below their Ass &  show underwear They think they deserve something.

 

Today kids got smarter, they drop their pants below their ass, then strap a belt on.  Then they walk around with the belt holding up the pants ... They use their thighs to hold up the pants. While they show off their underwear.

 

Can you imagine a 16 year old kid from 1950 meet a 16 year old from 2020

@keithb7 sorry for going off topic. I honestly do not see the old vintage car market going more popular, when current kids cant even dress themselves.

And that is for all markets, while the Dodge market is  less then others.

[Bryan G]

I love the thumbs-up and the comments; I really haven't noticed any age group that does it more than another. There is a certain group of 70-80 year olds who were really into cars, maybe still are, and they don't respect 4 doors. They are the only ones who ever give me any grief in a parking lot. It's often crossed my mind that few of the folks who ask me about whatever old car I happen to own today would ever actually want to own it. The last time I had a car for sale I didn't get a single call from someone younger than me (and I'm 49.) I did once have a beater '50 Cadillac sedan that I sold to a guy in his twenties. Sadly, he never did anything with it and the thing is slowly rotting away.

 

I see a wide potential market, though. Farming is the big industry where I live and the antique tractor shows are loaded with teen guys...and GALS...who love showing off and driving their rigs. There is no reason they couldn't fall in love with a Plymouth or a Dodge truck that was the contemporary of their Allis-Chalmers or Massey-Harris. My theory: they don't know they'd love it! Nobody has shown them. The goal for my '49 is to have it running in time for the local tractor show in August. I'll park it in the car corral with the hood up. Maybe some of the young crowd will gawk and get ideas?

[Sniper]

I dunno if I really trust YT analytics data.  One of my videos has 5k views, but YT says "Not enough demographic data to show this report" when I look at the age and gender data.

[47Jim]

Crusty, oddball old stuff with crusty, oddball enthusiasts for the most part, my guess is you’d find the exact same demographic in the Hudson, Studebaker, Packard circles.....but the Packard guys would have a lot more money on average me thinks 

[Booger]

Welcome to geezer.com... I have no desire to play video games.... A ride in the country is what I like. All old cars are great. And sometimes a Ford

I had a 48 Packard woody I basically threw away. Waay to big for a 17 yr old to mess with. But it was cool. I would imagine one restored is 60K+

 

[Dodge City]

Is the lack of interest in the old car collector hobby from the younger crowd due to lack of disposable income when you are starting out with a family? Or due to misinformation or ignorance about the old Mopars do they think it will cost $20-30 grand to get into this? Or is it mostly something you acquire as you age some. Or when you are younger your hobbies and interests are different than when you "mature" (kind word for old).?

[MackTheFinger]

Hey, who wants to associate with a bunch of know-it-all millenials anyway... ?

[Plymouthy Adams]

12 hours ago, Dodge City said:

Is the lack of interest in the old car collector hobby from the younger crowd due to lack of disposable income when you are starting out with a family? Or due to misinformation or ignorance about the old Mopars do they think it will cost $20-30 grand to get into this? Or is it mostly something you acquire as you age some. Or when you are younger your hobbies and interests are different than when you "mature" (kind word for old).?

simply put, it involves ,more than a keypad and two thumbs...

[MackTheFinger]

I lied about my age on YT. They think I'm under 18. ☺️

[knuckleharley]

10 hours ago, MackTheFinger said:

Hey, who wants to associate with a bunch of know-it-all millenials anyway... ?

Well,lots of times they bring their daughters and granddaughters with them.

 

Just sayin..........

[knuckleharley]

22 hours ago, Dodge City said:

Is the lack of interest in the old car collector hobby from the younger crowd due to lack of disposable income when you are starting out with a family? Or due to misinformation or ignorance about the old Mopars do they think it will cost $20-30 grand to get into this? Or is it mostly something you acquire as you age some. Or when you are younger your hobbies and interests are different than when you "mature" (kind word for old).?

Everything you mentioned is a factor,but to ME,the biggest factor when I was young was I wanted cars to work on and build up myself,but when I added up the reality of the purchase price,what the parts and labor would cost to have the car ready to drive since I my entire tool collection was a small carry around box with one tray,and I had no place to work on one,it just became impossible to finish one.

 

Add to that getting out of the army due to Agent Orange and my disability check being a whopping $59 a month or so,and my only job skills being those associated with being a Special Forces Weapons man,it just wasn't possible. Hell,the disability check of $59 per month (or a similar amount,I forgot the actual amount) cut me out of unemployment in NC because I was officially considered handicapped and according to the asshat at the unemployment agency,"unable to hold any job you are capable of doing due to hospital visits",I was screwed.

 

The Agent Orange thing may not have been typical,but LOTS of young men were in my position with no real job skills and no disposable income.

 

Still,I kept trying. I would spot something at an insane bargain price (it had to be or I couldn't have bought it),and I will scrimp and save and try to get it on the road. What would usually happen would be I would end up selling it due to losing my place to live,my job,or both.

 

Life would  go on,I would start to get back on my feet again,and once again I would spot a project car I could afford,and try it again.

 

At a minimum this would at least put some excitement into my life for a while.

 

I eventually got lucky and stayed healthy for almost 10 years,and was in a position they had to retire me when the Agent Orange came back. They couldn't just let me go. I had been working 60 hours or more pretty much every week trying to make the money while I was able,and buying tools and parts when I spotted them. I was making the money and  had nothing else to spend it on,so I spent it on my childhood dream once I got my house paid off and no longer had to worry about sleeping in the woods.

 

Got a 60x45 workshop put up,had it filled with tools,and had great plans for when I got my health back again. Even have ac and heat in it,as well as an "office" with hot water,a flush toilet,a shower,and Wi-Fi.

 

Then I came down with Stage 4 Lymphoia due to Agent Orange exposure,and haven't done a damn thing in almost 2  years now. Can't even cut my own grass. I am actually paying pros to finish up the projects I started on so I can sell them to pump up my estate value. NOTHING gets sold until I drive and enjoy it for a few months,though! My plan is to have a driver or two and maybe a project car left after I cash everything else out. Gotta have something to do,ya know.

 

When I do die,my house and 8 acres are paid for,I don't owe a freaking dime to anyone in the world on anything,and everything gets sold and the money gets split 50/50 between Feline Hope and St. Jude Children's Hospital once the two old cars guys I designated sell off my old cars,parts,and tools do their job. They get 10 percent of the total take from the tools,cars,and car parts to encourage them to get as much as they can from the sales.

 

Don't get me wrong,I STILL have hopes of recovering enough (I am now in remission after initially being told it was incurable,and I had "maybe 5 years") to get back out in the shop and use my English wheel and welder to do some body work,but made all those plans "just in case". I have seen others die with no will or a will so vague relatives (I have none to worry about) end up fighing and the lawyers get most of it. This is NOT going to happen with my estate.

 

In the mean time,I amuse myself with keeping my childhood dreams alive. It costs nothing,and it gives me something to do.

 

[MackTheFinger]

KH,

You've gone through more b.s. in your life than most anyone here can even imagine.

I don't do any praying but I am hoping the best for you, you cantankerous old fart!!! ☺️

[DonaldSmith]

So, Knuckleharley is a COF.  (New acronym?)  We appreciate and cherish our COFs; they give character and depth to life.  Knuckleman, you have a handle on life.  Enjoy it to the most.  

[Plymouthy Adams]

I assure you knuckle is not alone with that title...he is in good company as well as they are with him....somebody has to do the job..!!

[knuckleharley]

3 hours ago, DonaldSmith said:

So, Knuckleharley is a COF.  (New acronym?)  We appreciate and cherish our COFs; they give character and depth to life.  Knuckleman, you have a handle on life.  Enjoy it to the most.  

What is a COF?

[knuckleharley]

1 minute ago, knuckleharley said:

What is a COF?

Never mind. I figured it out.

 

Yup,that pretty much describes me.

[Plymouthy Adams]

cantankerous old fart    see mack's post above......I suppose one could say  craft old fool also....among a few others that come to mind....

Edited May 23, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams

[Dodge City]

knuckleharley,

Don't know what to say. Amazing life story! Thanks for your service to this country! And thanks for sharing your story, you have made me feel welcome here and I appreciate that! As long as you have hope, and a few dreams the tough things that life throws at you is always worth the fight. You are in my thoughts and prayers!

[Marcel Backs]

HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH KNUCK! Your life experiences put you a cut above most. My word! M

[knuckleharley]

4 hours ago, Dodge City said:

knuckleharley,

Don't know what to say. Amazing life story! Thanks for your service to this country! And thanks for sharing your story, you have made me feel welcome here and I appreciate that! As long as you have hope, and a few dreams the tough things that life throws at you is always worth the fight. You are in my thoughts and prayers!

Ya just gotta maintain a positive attitude,or life just ain't worth living,and NOBODY but YOU is responsible for that.

[DJ194950]

Well Kunckle,

I have some issues that I would Never compare to yours, but I had some serious help from a book I read ,but trying to tip toe to a fine line?

 

Keep you head up!!!

 

Best to you and that you have time to complete some of your projects! ☝️

 

DJ ?

 

 

[knuckleharley]

25 minutes ago, DJ194950 said:

Well Kunckle,

I have some issues that I would Never compare to yours, but I had some serious help from a book I read ,but trying to tip toe to a fine line?

 

Keep you head up!!!

 

Best to you and that you have time to complete some of your projects! ☝️

 

DJ ?

 

 

Thank you. EVERYONE has issues of one type or another,but some people just won't admit it. Which doesn't make sense to me because if you won't admit it,how the HELL do you expect to deal with them?

 

It's the repressed people that keep everything bottled up  and pretend every day is a day as Disneyland whose "cork pops" one day.

 

I WOULD like to point out that PTSD is NOT an issue with me. Nor is it an issue with any of the VN Vet guys I served with,with one exception. An E-8 that was in a position where he planned and approved missions where heavy losses were suffered turned from a bright and cheerful guy,into one of the most depressed men I  have ever known. You could clearly hear it in his voice if you had known him from before.

 

I suspect he is dead now because if alive,he would be in his late 80's or maybe even early 90's.

 

I do have a very good friend from my Post Office days that was serving in Germany as a telephone repairman,and when he got orders to go to VN,he had a nervous breakdown and was retired from the army because of it. This was not a rumor. He told me this himself.

 

He remains my good friend because ALL you can demand from anyone is what they are able to do. If they can't do something,they just can't do it and there is nothing they can do to change it. He didn't tell any lies,he manned the hell up and told me what had happened,and I admire him for it.

 

 

[dwest999]

Knuckleharley, thank you for your service.  I appreciate the sacrifices you and other veterans have made.  

 

Regarding Keith's question, there is probably not a single answer; however, I'm a podcast junky and following the collector car hobby beyond Mopars.  I think there are a couple of things points already made that are key drivers of the trends.  (1) Most of us grew up during a time when driving a car met freedom and the ability to connect with friends.  Things aren't like that anymore.  Younger folks (say under 35) came of age during a very different time.  (2) This same group of <35 year olds are also in a much different financial position as many are straddled with debt for various reasons.  These old rigs aren't cheap to buy, maintain or improve upon.  (3) Plymouth is a mark that many younger folks haven't even heard of (along with several other brands mentioned earlier) and thus aren't as desirable to the younger crowd.  Well there's my 3 cents worth.

[harmony]

On 5/19/2021 at 7:38 AM, 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 get the smiles, thumbs up, cheers, and claps from all ages, even the cops as they drive by.  My favorite are the preschool kids, who simply point with their mouth wide open.  I always give them a double honk on the horn.  Their reaction from that, is about the same as if my old girl, Harmony, was a fire truck.

Edited May 26, 2021 by harmony

[Marcel Backs]

Ya get more looks driving one of these old sleds than the average divorce lawyer gets driving his fresh Lamboredghetti. M