Comings & Goings

Hey Tim. Got my issue this week and wanted to thank you for a great opening.

While I'm at the lower end of the curve (still a sub 35er) I've been involved with my GT6 over 8 years already. One restore under my belt, a whole lot of fun/tuning. The GT6 should be a good strong car for a long time to come. Maybe I'll leave it to my son ;) More on that in a minute.

My venture into vintage racing is very fresh, but I do sense the excitement from the racers I'm around.

Believe it or not my core group are all pretty young. A few of us in our 30's most between 40/50. So while some of the ranks are retiring from racing there appears to be enough of us "kids" to fill in the blanks.

I launched into the madness about 10 years ahead of plan, but I'm crazy.

I think that is important for the vintage racing community. I don't think you can run a recruiting campaign. Most vintage lovers are born. If that was not case I'd be running a civic in show room stock. Vintage just turns my crank.

While I would be the last guy to consider anything I own as famous I was humbled by the community when I considered selling my GT6. Plenty of shock and outrage I'd even consider doing anything after all that work.

Even more chaos ensued when I bought the FIAT , but she's the right machine for me. I can't wait to go racing.

Both cars have their purpose in my stable. Both cars have their sites and fans.

GT6 taught me so many lessons and is great conversation piece everywhere I go with it.

The FIAT is a realization of a dream and an exercise in budget racing while using my skills learned with the GT6.

I think one important rule for any vintage racer is to try and make sure you have a spare seat option in your car.

If Bill had not taken me for that re-enactment last year at the Glen I would not be where I am today.

Somehow I've managed to say a lot and not mean much here. Where it all ends I am not sure. I guess I'm trying to say I'm doing my part and hope to pass on my enthusiasm to the next generation. I know I'll never be as lucky to own a historically important car, but I guess I can still try and keep a little bit of the past alive.

"Respect the past, enjoy the present and protect the future."

A.

I've been taking an autoshop class through the local adult education system for the last few years. Basically it's a hobby class where people bring in their cars and wrench on them. There's some interesting stuff there; Sunbeam Tigers, 240Z, 911s, 914s, 928s, Volvo 122, 1800, BMW 2002, early Mustangs, Mopar stuff and more. It runs the gambit.

(As an aside, I highly recommend checking your local community college or adult education system for classes like these. You get to use all of the lifts, power tools and sometimes get some great help too!)

There's a younger fellow in the class. He's about 27 and he has a few neat cars; Polaris hardtop, Pontiac hardtop, he has a Dart that he sold and he has a crazy Newport Convertible with fur interior and primer paint.

This young fellow just took delivery of a Ford Model A project car. A Model A!! He's not planning (at least as of now) to drop a V8 into it, so it will be a restore project. He's been bringing in bits and pieces to sandblast and paint/powder coat. He's very committed to this project.

How he came to have a passion for a Model A he can't explain. He just says that he likes it. I am guessing he was exposed to them when he was younger and the image was fixed in his mind that this was something he wanted.

I think the only way to pass it down is to expose kids to them at a young age. Let them decide what fuels their passion and encourage them.

I am genuinely scared for our hobby. We are being assailed on all sides and many kids today value cars by the number of cup holders they have. We need to teach kids about our passions for these crazy old cars and hopefully they will realize their own passion for cars.

This is serious topic. I too share the concern for the future of our hobby but not as much based on a possible dwindling body of car enthusiasts in future generations. (That’s definitely an issue that needs to be addressed for the longer term but our current generation will no doubt be OK). What I am concerned about in the shorter term is the political climate and the green juggernaught that’s taking over every aspect of our lives, and will no doubt affect our hobby in our lifetime, whether on a state or federal level. Our hobby’s collective carbon footprint may be minor compared to a steel mill in China, but we’re a fat target in this country for all the zealots. (What, you mean you guys still use carburetors and don’t have catalytic converters on those clunkers?) It’s just a matter of time before some group trumps up a study of how much the gearheads and racers are polluting the planet and devise a plan to curtail our activities, like what started to happen in the seventies. But this time it’ll be successful because the juggernaught will be behind it. I want a clean environment like mostly everyone does, and I’m definitely not attempting to start a debate over that. But I’m concerned for our hobby in my lifetime.

My uncle has a country place that no one knows about He says it used to be a farm before the Motor Law And on Sundays I elude the Eyes and hop the Turbine Freight To far outside the wire where my white-haired uncle waits

I strip away the old debris that hides a shining car A brilliant red Barchetta from a better vanished time I fire up the willing engine responding with a roar Tires spitting gravel, I commit my weekly crime

I'm sure you know the rest of the song. I'm worried about that too.