This was sent to me from another forum. Hope it changes but not holding my breath. 19 more magazines are shutting down.

https://www.foliomag.com/ten-publish...int-magazines/

 

I saw this on Classic Olds but I thought it was a rumor. A shame in my opinion....

 

just the way things are going, youth are no longer interested in cars , trucks or motorcycles , when was the last time you saw a bunch of young guys under a shade tree with there heads under a hood , or notice the bikers , there are no entry level bikes on the road, and most of the riders are 50s or older . same goes for amusement parks , beaches , race tracks , and hunting , all you see today is heads looking down into a cell phone or tablet . just think in 40 years the youth of today will sit around talking about the great times they had sitting on moms couch pressing buttons 1

 

Not just a youth thing. Print is old fashioned today. All of my subscriptions are also available online. And while many like that format, I like to read the printed version.

Later!
Mr. Ed

 

"all you see today is heads looking down into a cell phone or tablet"

Yeah, love it when you see them run into something

 

Customization maybe, but there isn't much to work on because automakers continually improved components to obviate the need for routine maintenance. Even spark plugs used to be disassembled into 4 or 5 different components (if you get WAY back) and cleaned every 5,000 miles.

Now they are a single composite part that lasts 150,000 miles with no misfire. They don't need changing every 10k or 20k miles. And thank God, because what was once a relaxing ritual with a couple beers is now a Major Pain In the You Know What.

Carburetors, points, generators, drum brakes, all that stuff went away for a reason. Other hobbies, especially electronic kits and construction (Heathkit had everything) went away once point to point wiring and vacuum tubes or transistors went bye-bye. I can barely change the battery in my "smart phone", cars and trucks are headed that way. They'll bolt the hood down with proprietary bolts and a ⚠️ "No User Serviceable Parts Inside"

 

Autonomous cars are going to be perfect for the latest generation. Not all but, most don't really enjoy driving. They want to get from point A to point B while they stay "connected". They can just drive whatever they want however they want on their games. Can't blame them, just the way technology is taking society.

 

This isn't totally true. At least not where I live (WV).

I am an engineer, every summer we get about 10 interns. 3 of which are no good (typical millennials). The other 7 end up being normal. We always ask them about themselves, hobbies etc. I was surprised at how many say hunting/fishing, cars and trucks and yes even DRIVING.

NOW most are into jacked up trucks (myself included) but cars is where I have seen the switch. I see more and more into overseas cars, racing modifying etc.

Also part of it is the "purist" mentality I see from older guys (including on this forum). Rather than take a kid that shows an interest and encourage them, and then try to win them over they get bashed...…...

Just my .02c but I don't think all hope is lost.

 

It's a different world isn't it? Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts are having a tough time also. Soon it will be Undeclared Scouts combined. ... Ooops where did that come from?? .. sorry.... couldn't help it.....

 

I see such a mixed bag. My two teenage sons couldn't care less about cars and wrenching. My two little kids (boy and girl) love being in the garage, learning how things work, using tools and watching car fix-up shows. We don't let the younger ones play on tablets or video games very much and I see a lot more imagination with them. Wish I would have figured that out with the older kids when they were young.

Also, there is a guy at work in his young twenties who is a tech genius and he is really into European sports cars. Drives a cool v8 powered BMW. He heard about my truck project and while he has never been around old cars, he asked if he could hang out and learn. It's so awesome to pass on hot rodding to another generation and all of the skills that come with it. About a month in to my project and he is talking about building an old mustang that'll be as fast as his BMW. Success!

 

I hear what you guys are saying esp. about building hot rods. I have also seen a new generation of kids, well over 20's type guys doing some cool stuff with 4 cylinder cars as well. Much different using computers and stuff for sure, but for me it is all about being creative as well. For me cars are cars, I love seeing them modified. I have seen guys put big hp numbers through 4 banger cars. If that is what you are into. I have seen lower cars, well I have seen lowered trucks here as well. Modified motors, yup seen that here. Better handling , think I have see that as well. Heck I put a Corvette suspension in my truck. I have 3 kids of my own, all in there 20's now. All 3 are into cars, hot rods of some form. Heck 2 have threaten to take my truck away from me if I don't get if finished soon. They will then do the work for me. But whenever I went to a show or anything they came with me. Always had a kid the wood shop with me when they were younger as well. for me it was all about teaching them what they could do and not to be afraid of tools or trying something.
I do like a magazine over on line stuff for sure. I love to sit and read a magazine,esp with a coffee in the morning.

 

How many of you all keep your magazines just in case you want to refer back to a article you read a few years back? I do! even though I know good and well most of those articles could be found on the internet. This new world of everything being as close as your phone, tablet or computer is a love hate relationship. If you forget what your points or firing order is boom google it, but like others some stuff is just better being tactile. I use to subscribe to another truck magazine old custom trucks or something similar that they did away with without warning a few years back. They graciously replaced it with Hot Rod. I wasn’t impressed. I will be sorry to see classic trucks quit being printed.

 

By the time today's teenagers are close to the average age on this forum:

• Cars will likely be self driving
• Most people will use some kind of car sharing arrangement and individual ownership will be the exception and not the rule. You won't need to buy individual insurance since the cars will be self driving and the insurance liability will be on the manufacturer, not the individual.
• Most cars will be electric, even if they use hydrogen or something else to generate electricity
• Non self driving cars will have been legislated off the road or require significant retrofitting of sensors and the ability to communicate with the other cars on the road to ensure safety and more efficient traffic management. Every car will communicate with every other other vehicle and the road in a giant mesh network that stretches dozens of miles in large suburban and urban areas.
• Roads will be retrofitted with sensors to communicate with vehicles to maximize safety, minimize traffic and improve efficiency.
• Gasoline cars will be relegated to dedicated driving parks or tracks of some sort
• Collector cars will be mostly museum pieces or again restricted to approved locations for use
• The market to convert vintage gasoline cars/trucks to Electric will be the norm not the exception
• Electric cars require far fewer repairs given they have far fewer moving parts and are mostly components that are replaced as a whole. This will and is causing a complete rethink of the automotive industry and the related economics. As per bullet #2, the automotive industry will also somehow be in the insurance business as well.

Bookmark this post, come back in 40 years.............You may be the last person to ever drive your truck on the road......

 

I live in rural Central PA. The young kids have 4 wheel drive trucks, many are diesel, most are lifted. Some have stacks. They love to "burn coal." Most of these boys work on the their own trucks. They have trucks like we had muscle cars or 55-57 Chevy's in the early 70's.

There was a boy at my house yesterday, a friend of my nephew. My nephew is learning how to weld, put a lift kit into his Jeep, etc. His friend saw my 54 for the first time. He was impressed. Then he started talking about his projects. He has rebuilt a Ford 8N tractor, a Jubilee Ford tractor, and a 58 Ford tractor. He rebuilds the engines, does the body work and did the painting. He also has rebuilt several trucks.

So around here young boys like to wrench.

 

8 Pack predictions likely true. You can see that day coming, or at least trying to be born.
Politics will drive (smile) a lot of what is going to happen.
Carburetor cars will be going off the road for the main reason that those who who can make them work well will be very few.
Most High Schools have removed wood shop, metal shop, auto shop, body shop, all things shop. Did I say shop enough?
I have torn down engines, adjusted carbs etc., but am not good at it. I do other things well, and concentrate on that, as do many here.
Some of you rely on me for what I do. I rely on folks who are gifted with gasoline engines for my daily driver Flathead F-1.