Sic transit . . .

[Rich P. Bingham]

I've been noting the "sea change" in model T enthusiasts the past ten years. There seems to be an increase in younger owners who are inheriting cars their fathers or grandfathers had laid by, often for decades, or buying them in estate sales. This is a great thing, as it points to continuing interest in the hobby.

I hope new owners will respond, as I'm curious as to what attracted them to the model T strongly enough to want to own one (or more).

[TWrenn]

Good thought Rich!
And let's hope there's a LOT more young-uns as I'd say in a mere 10 years there's gonna be a virtual flood of T's going "out there" if you know what I mean. Someone's gotta pick em up and not pick rhem APART!

[George Mills]

My son's both knew how to drive a T from an early age...like still single digit. Then when they were teens it was 'ehh!' Then when they were young adults it was still 'ehh!' and 'going for a ride' was something to do when they visited 'Dad's house' during a weekend afternoon and taking 10 minutes to remind themselves how to start and run the car(s).

Now both in their 40's...the oldest decided to lay dib's on his grandfathers 26 Coupe and my 25 Fordor and take them to his place...the youngest laid dibs on the '15 claiming it needed stewardship and hauled it to his place 1000 miles away, and I was left with the '19 Hack. Actually, I was fine with the distribution, I have only been driving the Hack for the last couple of years anyway.

The youngest describes it the best...he's in his 40's, lives in a decent place with lots of open space around him, has 4 kids, has his Grandfathers '45 MB jeep and now the '15 Roadster. He's the hit of the neighborhood...and...a really good steward and operator of both!

Interesting, the '15 was having 'electrical issues' since it will start on Mag...but we always use the 'batt' side on all the cars and tune all cars to start the same, no personalities, and his test point places were showing proper DC. He wanted to disassemble the switch and rather than just be brave and dive in...he downloaded Vowell Art for the '15 switch...decided where to go once he took off the plate...Face-timed me to double check if what he wanted to do was 'sound'. Then bada-bing, all was good...it was a loose screw in the bakelite portion of the switch that would make gravity contact, and then sorta not, once the care was running and it jiggled.

While my kids have 'wrenched' since they were little...they came around and I think that part of it is that the internet can have good answers...and the forum here does not make them (the younguns) feel like lone rangers anymore? Just a guess

[Mark Gregush]

True, lots of new people but you more than likely will never see them here. Don't know about other social media sites, but there are lots of new people on the Model T Facebook pages.

[Norman Kling]

Nothing wrong with people in 40's getting into the hobby. I was over 50 when I got into it. I had always admired The cars which I saw going up and down the streets and parked at the curb when I was a boy. Walt Rosenthal lived about a mile from me And I saw and admired his car as well. I did have Modle A's for daily drivers over the years and Walt helped us get the MAFCA started in Glendale Ca. I married young and worked full time and we had 5 kids, so I sometimes had to work two jobs to keep up with expenses. Finally buying a house. Anyway, the kids were growing up and I was near retirement when I got into the T hobby.
I know a few younger people in the San Diego area who are interested so I think the hobby will be around for a few more years. Probably long after I leave this Planet!
Norm

[Rich Eagle]

I was barely 15 years old when I got my first Model T. It was a most magical time. There were some old fogies that had some T's and seemed odd. There were also the most kindly and helpful older folks that helped my friends and I who had old cars. They were encouraging, generous and so helpful. I see forum members in both camps that would welcome youngsters and some who might not. The next generation may find their own way and their own preferences. They also may see what we do as fun and follow along. We can do a lot by how we approach them or let them approach us. We do have parts they need and some we need to get rid of.
Some posts still encourage me, and some are a bit discouraging.
What do you think?
Rich

[Tbird]

Yes… I ventured in to the hobby in my early 30s. I’m 40 now. This forum has a treasure trove of great info. I wish the previous forums could be searchable like the newer one is… I’m documenting my T build on YouTube so others can be inspired and know how it is put together. You all are a great bunch!

[Burger in Spokane]

I am relatively new to T's, only owning mine since 2015 ? Can't remember
exactly when I got it. I am old and washed up and the memory bean doesn't
work so good anymore ! But my interest went back to when I was little ....
... like 3-4 years old. Of course, at that age, all cars of the T era were just
"old fashion cars" to me, Hudson, Packard, or Model T. Any refined interest
came as I got older and around them all more. The T stood out against many
because the Black Era cars were the iconic image a la Grapes of Wrath, and
there sheer numbers made parts, maintenance, and knowledge pool made the
prospect of operational ownership far better. But it would be a lot of years
before I pulled the trigger and got one.

We are all stewards of our interests and hobbies, and I spend a lot of time
dwelling in that space of how much it thrilled me as a little kid to see vehicles
of the T era going down the road, and in MY hobby, I do everything I can to
present my old truck simply AS a truck, being used as a truck, doing truck things,
and taking time to talk to the many people that seem as astonished and thrilled
as I was 60 years ago to see such a dinosaur in such an ordinary situation. I don't
know if have influenced anyone out there to buy there own T and join the hobby,
but I have sent plenty of inquisitive people toward resources where they can learn
more, and perhaps join those of us already afflicted.

[1925 Touring]

Hello all a little about myself. Many know me on the Forum as 1925 touring although my actual name is Austin farmer. I am 19 years old and I'm in the process of working on a 1922 touring car. We have removed the engine and basically having to overhaul the transmission completely and work on the engine as needed. My grandpa restored model T's in the 1960s. When I was only about 3 or 4, grandpa passed away of cancer. That was in 2008. I never not got to know Grandpa very well but he left behind the model Ts that he restored, two of the three we still own. One got sold before I was born. I've enjoyed learning to drive the Model T and it is only been in the past few years that I've gotten serious about owning and working the cars. I hope that the Model T hobby will continue to grow and do the trials of time. From a young person's standpoint, it gets kind of frustrating when I hear all of the older folks saying how the hobby is not going to get picked up by the younger folks like myself, because we are not interested in the cars, because we're too busy playing video games, or something like that. Well I can tell you that not all 19 year olds want to be sitting in the basement playing video games until midnight, or watching YouTube or Netflix or what have you till the wee hours of the morning! I think that the Model T hobby will continue to be around for a long time, however it will change and evolve, like everything else. I think that the greatest threat the Hobby faces right now is the future of internal combustion and gasoline and other fossil fuels. With the rise of electric vehicles and all of the government funding etc etc the largest struggle will be the future of the hobby when the main mode of transportation is something other than internal combustion. I doubt that electric vehicles will be going anywhere anytime because of all the funding large corporations have dumped into the development of new technologies. There's too much money out there in the system for us to just let them go. I hope that fuel and parts and the knowledge of working on model T's will always be out there for younger people such as myself, and next generations in the far future will always be available. I think we all realize that the Model T hobby has always been a minority. I know when I was in school just a few years ago there were not very many people who are interested in driving 35 miles an hour down the road and a 100-year-old car with wooden wheels. Many people were more interested in the latest shoe styles, or smartphone, or sports. But that does not mean we are not out there. I know that many people in school do not have the interest in 100 year old cars, but when is there been a large portion of the population that enjoyed model T's as a hobby? Never. I think one of the main reasons that the Model T hobby will almost always be made up of older people is because of other commitments such as a job, families to take care of, and other responsibilities. For people such as myself just beginning to get a foothold underneath of them, model T's have to wait until you are established with a job you have some spare time and money to dedicate to working on the cars. Ive been lucky to be part of a local T club, and have some time to partake in some activities, but some things, like natioal tours and things that take more time than a weekend, have to wait, but that dosent mean i dont want to to go that sort of thing! As the hobby changes and people come and go responsibilities change, and people find more time to dedicate to a hobby, be that a Model T, or something else. One thing is for certain, if we all convince ourselves and everyone else that the Model T hobby is going to heck in a handbasket there will not be anyone to pick it up and carry it along to the next generation. Because who wants to be part of a dying hobby that no one enjoys? From a younger person standpoint I would not really want to be a part of the Model T Community if no one had faith in the Next Generation to bring up and take care of the hobby.