The aging hobby.

[RGould1910]

Just got to wondering. I see sales of both parts and cars are dwindling. Its been said it's due to the age of hobbyists and a lack of interest of younger people. So just how old are we?. I'd like to take a poll. I'll start.

Richard Gould 80 yo

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

Me: 61 years

[MotoBrew]

New to the T hobby, but have been an auto/moto guy since my teens. I am 59 and pretty sure one of the younger members in the Central New Hampshire Model T Club.

[DHort]

Almost 71. I think most active members in the club are older than me, but
we do have a few younger members.

[Original Smith]

83, and I'm still doing it. I bought my 1913 Touring when I was 18.

[CudaMan]

I'll turn 70 in May.

[Upholstery Mike]

I'm 42 and I have noticed a bit more younger people at the shows in recent years.

Mike Francis
Classtique Upholstery

[modeltspaz]

I started going to old car swap meets with my dad when I in my early teens. I joined the Long Beach Model T Club when I was 34, in 1995.

I turned 65 last January.

[George House]

8 years younger than ol’ Original Larry

Started out w/ Model Ts when I was 16 in ‘66
Now I’ll be selling 4 of my 5 Model Ts pretty soon

[speedytinc]

66. I have 4 T's, so I'm out of the market.
However, I expect I will come across a pre 13 T soon for real cheap as the market continues to saturate with estate T's with dwindling demand.

[Rich P. Bingham]

I started with Model Ts when I was 14.
78 come June

[KMcoldcars]

I am 83. I bought my first Model T in 1962, when I was 19 years old. I have a 1916 coupelet now.

[Wayne Jacobson]

64 in June. Just started in 2025.

[Jacob Mangold]

I’m here to skew the numbers. I’m 17 years old currently but got into T’s and got my first one at 13 years old. I’m always on the lookout to take in another antique car.

[George Mills]

I'm 76, was around the hobby a bit my whole life...got personally interested in Model T happenings in July, 1976 and got my first T not too long after. Would have given up in the first year were it not for a local club that was committed to keeping my car as a runner even though the members were into higher end T's. Then...they started to grow in number...as I never sold anything onward. Still own that original 1925 Fordor, have added a '15 Runabout that would give the Rip Van Winkle a run for the money, and then decided to get a Depot Hack on the spot because John Seiger from Missouri builds a Hack design a little more design friendly than the real deal repro's that tend to look top heavy and awkward to me. This had proportions that were love at first sight.

In 2017 I had an unfortunate life altering event. Fell from a second story, was knocked out with a TBI when my head hit the ledge at the top, dropped to the concrete below landing only on my left knee which had the kneecap shatter into over 50 pieces by count. Over 3 days they put Humpty Dumpty together again while he hung in a trauma frame for most of that time, and eventually I could walk again, even bend my rebuilt kneecap using original pieces found using visual and X-ray and super-glued back together by the Ortho guy in an overnight session-all night. A small brain aneurysm was so low on the triage list that it was just blood thinners and move on, and eventually self cleared but then just as I was seeing daylight again a few months later got a text from Bill at Bills Auto Works...'my turn' was two days later', had previously arranged many months earlier before injury to ship the Hack to the Florida house and here it was...time...and a cripple, no less! "Sure Bill, let's get it done!"

Long way around to say that the best laid 'oldster plans' (to finally get that stash out of the attic over the laundry room and build a speedster a little each day) did not happen and could not happen...but...I set a goal, get in and get out of the Hack at its new home. Turned out not as easy as it sounds as while I have full motion front to back in that leg, I have zero rotational ability. Youngest son offered that I should just do grab bars around the garage, and do a pull up to vertical. Good thought, determined I'd do it myself re-learn like a toddler how to get back up since getting down was easy. My goal was eventually achieved and I tried taking the Hack to a nearby get together. It went 1 mile and coughed! That was it for the day and for the first time in my life I couldn't get out and under...all of the local car club members at the venue said they were were too busy with other things and I wound up calling a roll-back! Time with the T is now limited....severly limited even though but a decade ago I intended it to be my daily runner in Florida...sigh...

Good news though.....

My oldest son decided he would adopt the 1925 and take it to his place to keep company with his '26 Coupe so he mentioned it to me, and the next day sent pictures of his mount out at my northern home. A brief thought 'did I agree?' and then followed with 'good idea'. The the youngest chimed in, the '15 Roadster had always been unofficially his to inherit and he was thinking, why wait until 'the day', why not now since I may never drive it up North again, stem winder and all that. I thought I said, "I'll think about it". A few weeks later I look out in front of my house and see a '15 Roadster on one of those Australian kneel down trailers and decide to go look, whoever it was. Turns out the youngest had called the oldest, and...roadtrip! Roadtrip to the youngest place where a place in his garage had been prepared! I was sort of OK with it, and will add...if you get older and less able, don't let them gather dust waiting for the inevitable!! My youngest has been a better steward to the '15 then I ever was and he is quite active with it (and with his Willys MB from WW2)

I still putter with the Hack, hasn't been on the street for a few years, just long enough to teach then teenage grandson how it works...but it is in much better shape now than before...lol...'tinkering' works as a bit of therapy for me, and I can tinker to my hearts content. I am able to climb in now and climb out so original goal achieved...and the best part? That '15 now lives at the other end of the county...it goes to numerous events, mostly trailered. Always in tip-top shape so now...I just show up at arrival time at the venue in modern iron, the car is there at the venue, I get to sit and chat with folks as I have for decades and when its time to put it back in the trailer I say to the son, you go turn the crank,,,I'll get it to the trailer! All the joy, none of the work! And the real bonus...while I sit and chat, I usually do so with my 2 youngest grandsons who are still earlier single digits in age...Model T, maintained by son, his littles are becoming car-pokes...priceless at any age.

Thanks for the chance to ramble...age is not a noun...perhaps a relative adjective? lol. As a side note...I am now also a docent at a 'village' here in Pinellas County FL and of course I do the general store, and...the cr garage that is chock a block full of old used parts, has display cases with museum quality products, filled tire racks, etc...plus a 25 Coupe and a 25 TT in the garage which is interpreted and curated as a late 20's era garage complete with one of the first neon signs used in America...eye candy all day long...lol

[TeveS-Nor Cal]

Just turned 84- working on another speedster!

[1925 Touring]

I’m here to skew the numbers. I’m 17 years old currently but got into T’s and got my first one at 13 years old. I’m always on the lookout to take in another antique car.

Me too, one of only a few I know who are younger than 30.
I'm 21, I got interested in the T's because of my late grandpa's 3 T's when I was 16 or so. Joined the local T club the day of my high school graduation party when I was supposed to be home helping set up for family... I joke thats the day the trouble started!

[Oldav8tor]

76 - Birthday August 31. Joined the hobby at age 69. There are a number of younger guys in our club.

[Mike Silbert]

58 - My mentor / teacher father has 5 years on Larry.
He drove his Model T to Hershey in the late 50's when things were a bit different.
I was not a help in the garage (in spite of my desire and attempts to help) until I grew up enough.
Eventually I got better and more useful of a "helper".

I still remember the 1975 MTFCI tour in Williamsburg Va. and getting the '25 Fordor ready for it.

To counter the aging of the hobby we have to remain positive and welcoming while teaching (helping, guiding) others.
This includes showing folks these cars still have a useful purpose beyond museum doors by getting them out there and driving them.

Mike Silbert

[NoelChico]

72 this past February. We got our first T from Teresa's uncle in 1989 who got it from her grandfather. I grew up on a farm where you fixed what you broke, followed by motorcycle racing, welding, Honda MC mechanic prior to college and med school

[Mopar_man]

I'll be 59 in June and my daughter just turned 21. She an I have bee building Rattles for a number of years now.

[KimDobbins]

Im 71, Richard I remember when we were young.I have liquidated a number of estates for old friends who have passed on and it has changed my thinking about my own collection. Ive sold a lot of parts and a few cars in the last few years. I use to buy out collections but sales of early T stuff is not what it was. It still moves but slower. Im encouraged by the early Ford group (1903-09) they are pretty active and there is a fair amount of interest in those cars. Ive also noticed a rise in younger guys in T's.

[Steve1920]

I'm 56 and purchased my first in 2001. A late start compared to most but I had an interest in T's from an early age. Sadly, the interest in pre-war automobiles is not as strong as it used to be.

[South Park Zephyr]

61 this May
I’ve been in the car business since I painted my first car at 14.
I still own 2 of my first 3 cars
I bought my 1970 Mach 1 January of 1984 and my 1968 Mustang GT convertible October of 1985
The T craze hit me 2021, when I bought my Roadster
My daughter (33) bought her 1924 Touring in September 2023

Scott Francis

[Marshall V. Daut]

77 the day before yesterday. When I got into the hobby in the mid-1960's, Model A and Model T people loathed each other and refused to associate with the "others" at antique car meets, around here anyway. 'Nice to see that the gap has bridged to the point that many Model A people now also own Model T's and visa-versa. 'Never could understand the mutual animosity between the two groups. The common interest in pre-1931 Fords SHOULD HAVE made them kissing cousins!
Marshall

[Model T Mark]

I’m 56 and a a 2nd generation Model T guy. My son is 24 and is a 3rd generation Model T guy. I have been active at the bod of the other club on and off for the last 25 years and we did a big data dig and we have found that we are very much a generational club which is great but getting new members is getting more and more difficult each year.

[Daisy Mae]

My heart was set on owning a Brass T when I got a T Matchbox toy on my 7th birthday. Antiques however were always in my blood given my dad & uncle were original 40/50's era SoCal Hotrodders chopping & channeling 32-36 Fords and racing on the salt flats.
My first T was a late '25 TT Closed Cab, purchased in '81 when I was 24. I sold it 8 years ago. 60 years after getting that Matchbox, I finally realized my dream purchasing a '14 Touring.
I also own a '29 A Roadster, among too many other car projects.
I'll be 69 this July.

None of my 4 kids have expressed any desire to own the T or A, while one son has already taken over my Mustang and my other son keeps hinting at my '88 Wagoneer.
However, my 11 yr old grandson has taken a shine to helping me in my shop working on the cars. I'm hoping he will eventually express a desire to own "PopPop's old motorcars"

[DLodge]

I think that at least part of the "old car" hobby is driven by nostalgia.People want the family cars that their dads had when they were children. In my case, although the Model T was my main "old car" for years, I did own a '41 Dodge for a while because both my dad and my grandmother had '41 Dodges. Guys nostalgic for their parents' cars from their childhoods aren't nostalgic for Model Ts any more.

[John kuehn]

I’m John Kuehn, going on 78 and it was my Grandfathers 24 Coupe and the 24 Fordor parts car that I inherited from him in 1958 that got me interested in T’s. My Father and uncle pulled the Coupe to our farm about 12 miles. We got it started a few days later and it ran but smoked a little.
Model T parts were pretty plentiful in the countryside in those days in the 50’s - early 70’s. Swap meets in Texas were fairly plentiful but over the years it got down to around 4 that were worth going to. Now it’s the classic car era and newer that’s more popular as far as having shows and being in parades. Yes there are antique cars such as T’s still in parades and they seem to be moving into the unusual for more of our younger people. There will always be a place for T’s and they are the reason they are primarily the known icon in American auto history.
I’ve since restored a 1919 Roadster and 21 Touring that I built up with the correct parts as much as possible to keep them authentic. As stated a few times and different ways is the cars that you grew up with are the ones you’ll want when your grown and have the time and money to buy or restore one. That’s why the cars in the 60’s through the early 80’s are now old cars. Think about it. Those cars are at least 40 years old and older.

[pdgriesse]

Paul Griesse in Granville, Ohio-----83 in 10 days---Still truckin---- 2 Ts and 2 As

[Jim Eubanks]

84, got my first T in 59 and learned to drive it in the cow pasture

[jiminbartow]

Turned 72 on my last birthday in November, 2025. Born in 1953. Became interested in the Model T in July of 1963 at the tender age of 9 upon receiving my copy of Popular Science which contained two articles on the Model T. Jim Patrick

[Oldrusty26]

I’m 54 , my sons are kind of interested as long as I do the work , lol ( and pay for parts ) my daughter is 9 and loves T time with me , so she’ll probably end up with one …

[Russ T Fender]

I’ll be 81 in July. Got my first car in ‘62.

[TMiller6]

I’m 71 and I’m still having nightmares over Sam Cipriano’s auction. Where were the kids and other relatives that would carry on his mission?

I look at my grandkids. Although they love the car shows, lately I can’t get them inside my shop to learn about the cars. And the prices: last week I took my wheels to my sandblaster and powdercoater and swallowed my tongue at his latest quote. I’m guessing the next owner of my car won’t reimburse my estate for the extra expense when it goes up for sale. On the other hand, I won’t care because I will have made my exit.

[Tim Moore]

All the model T's I own were bought used.

Tim Moore