Still Worried About the Antique Car Hobby Being Dead or Dying??

The Redding (CA)Rambling "As' has disbanded. Because 10 years ago we a group of 20+. In the last few years 7 past away, 5 moved oui of state. 4 have sold their cars, 2 of us are not doing well. but some of us still meet for coffee
 
The Model A Club here in northern Nevada has all but folded up their tent as well. This is a sad commentary on our hobby, especially in an area with an internationally recognized automobile collection, formerly Harrah's. Today, it seems people like to look at these old wonders but not too much interest in owning. Driving around my neighborhood, I see garages filled with boats, RVs, motorized bicycles and other toys but no old jalopies with groups of guys working on them on a Saturday like we used to see. Now if you see a bunch of guys in the garage they are most likely huddled around a massive TV screen watching some sporting event. Perhaps in another decade or two when "what is old is new again" there will be renaissance in the hobby. Sadly too few of us will still be around to participate.
 
Kids need to be hands on with their hobbies,and parents just ain't letting their kids drag home old cars and tie up their garages and yards.Over the last 40 years I've hauled dozens of aborted projects out of garages and backyards.All makes,and while I've bought a few,most I sold off for the owners.I know of a dozen A's in about a 12 mile radius,and only know one of the owners.And of all the A owners I've known over the years,almost none have ever belonged to any kind of a club.There is/was a little club about 35 miles from me,and a guy I know with a couple of A's joined up with them.He wanted to mix it up with people that had A's,but nobody had an A at the one meeting he went to.All he heard about at that meeting was discussion about Mustangs and Thunderbirds.Nice people,but he wanted to meet up with A people,not other models.He never went back.
 
Are you enjoying your cars? That's all that matters. When you die it doesn't matter what happens to your cars and other items. Are you worried about prices? Who cares. Don't worry about the future and just enjoy your cars now.
How long will you be dead?
 
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Wife and I worked the MAFCA tent at Hershey this last week, and were absolutely MOBBED by new members! We even signed up several that were not yet drinking age. If you hung out in the MAFCA tent this last week, you would be THRILLED at all the young people who just joined MAFCA this week and were eager to talk about their Model As with us!

If all you ever do is hang out on Fordbarn, you'd start thinking the hobby is shrinking.
 
Paul, that is great news. Bring on those young guys to keep these A's ticking.

Because my ticker won't be ticking forever!
 
old31 said:
Paul, that is great news. Bring on those young guys to keep these A's ticking.

Because my ticker won't be ticking forever!
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That is my mission! And I am pleased to report: It is working!! According to the MAFCA website, membership in MAFCA is approaching a new record high. I can absolutely assure you, this hobby has a future.
 
P.S. said:
That is my mission! And I am pleased to report: It is working!! According to the MAFCA website, membership in MAFCA is approaching a new record high. I can absolutely assure you, this hobby has a future.
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While it is great to hear that MAFCA is getting new members and are approaching a new record high, how does that compare to how many we are losing or members actually participating? Our local club has been steadily in decline, both in membership and participation, for a few years. If we don't have members participate, it doesn't help to have new members. JMHO.
 
P.S. said:
Wife and I worked the MAFCA tent at Hershey this last week, and were absolutely MOBBED by new members! We even signed up several that were not yet drinking age. If you hung out in the MAFCA tent this last week, you would be THRILLED at all the young people who just joined MAFCA this week and were eager to talk about their Model As with us!

If all you ever do is hang out on Fordbarn, you'd start thinking the hobby is shrinking.
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That is very good news AND thank you Paul and Tina for what you do.

You can't judge the health of the hobby by club membership numbers today because the world has shifted due to social media. Go over there and you WILL find the interest is strong:)

In the early 70's there were 9-10 Model A Ford owners of all ages, within 5 miles of my house in a small farming town, and I was the only one who joined MAFCA. The others really weren't interested BUT they loved their Model A Fords!
 
Thank you guys!! Yea, point taken. But still... Can we at least say with some certainty that the hobby is stronger with Tina and I doing what we do than it would be if we did nothing?
 
P.S. said:
Thank you guys!! Yea, point taken. But still... Can we at least say with some certainty that the hobby is stronger with Tina and I doing what we do than it would be if we did nothing?
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I don't know, what data shows this? I guess you can reach around and give yourself a pat on the back?
 
Danial Boone use to hunt bears where I live. Point is that things change. Each generation only knows about their generation. Unless you are a history buff and re-enact Civil War battles. Or 20 years old and own a Model A.
 
I've now managed to read nearly all of every post on this thread! No surprise that there are many interesting, thoughtful comments....to which I'd like to add this: the hobby as it was when Diane and I get into it in 2010 was different than it is today. It is certainly changing, but that doesn't equate to dying. Paul's report on the MAFCA experience at Hershey is, to me, a clear demonstration of this. I suggest that we look around at the hobby as it exists now and embrace it. And then remember that it'll be different yet again in a year or two!

My thanks to all who are taking part in this discussion.

Dave
 
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