Re: [AMC-list] kids & ramblers

["Eddie Stakes" <eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"At the same time, he (the car buyer) wants to be treated like a individual and stand out
from the crowd."

"The car (supercar) buyer is usually young, relatively affluent and has a 'critical
awareness' of exterior styling."

R. W. McNealy, Vice President of AMC Marketing in October 1969 about American Motors new
Rebel Machine.

Hmm....someone just mentioned standing out from crowd, Rambler or anything AMC will do it.

Remember the 'invisible marque' comments from over 20 years ago? It's almost true. With 
exception of occasional tidbits in mixed make magazines such as the Car Craft mag, or 
Hemmings Muscle, Muscle Car Review, Old Cars Weekly, to name a handful, AMC would not get 
any exposure with only the national clubs that remain and Franks AIM magazine I would 
guess. How many of you subscribe to any or all of them? It's a good place to start with 
younglings who are mite impressionable at that age. Sure, it is probably more fun to pick 
up a Super Chevy magazine with 454 rat something on cover at Wallyworld, but like the 
poster of Lara Croft on the wall, it won't happen.

Last weekend there was really big swap meet at Traders Village in Houston, on any given 
weekend there is 10,000+ pass thru gates.

http://tradersvillage.com/houston

Good sized swap meet, even with mediocre economy here, seemed to be more lookers than 
buyers of parts though. Kids more interested in the actual swap meet, not auto part of 
swap meet it seemed. In regular rows of swap meet you can find anything and everything 
from unlocked cell phones, to fake IDs to pillow pets though.

"Kids and Ramblers? Yep - I know a few kids that like 'em. Having a
place to put them is a different matter."

Something I didn't consider good point! Another good point is from Terry: "Just my2 cents 
worth I think the reason a lot of adults as well as kids don't get into AMC's especially 
the Gremlin's, Hornets and  Ramblers is the lack of places to buy parts especially body 
parts."

While may or may not be a kid, and I was typing this appeared on my site:
"In need of a 1968 AMC Rebel drivers side fender. Thanks Eddie for the Space ! Nathan 
Albertson brokensylence@xxxxxxxxxxx 541-953-0448   03/24/2011 08:39:24 PM"
Tick tock, tick tock, Terry's point above.

I may add I burned minutes the other day to let this fellow know there was a whole 4 door 
68 Rebel that was headed to crusher near him, same 541 area code, for $150. He bought it 
and will part it, and hopefully some will benefit from a car no one wanted that was headed 
to crusher due to lack of interest.

And this came in: "What a delight to find your web page. I am from  Houston. Born in 1940 
and
attended San Jacinto High School and Texas A & M.  I lived near OST and Griggs road in SE 
Houston. My grandmother lived near  Heights Blvd. and 11th Street.  My dad lived in Spring 
Branch after he  divorced my mother.  In the 1980's I lived in some town homes near 
Hammerly Blvd. and Brittmoore St.  I looked up  your house on goggle and saw you were 
right down the street from
me. My brother  lives in Friendswood and next time I am back in Houston I will have to 
come see  your cars. I owned a 1959 Ambassador, black, I bought in  Dallas in 1963. It was 
THE FASTEST car I have ever owned. It  was a stick with O/D. I don't believe any car could 
have caught me. Somewhere I  have a picture of me in front of the car taken at a shopping 
center at Griggs  Road and South Park Blvd. [ now MLK Blvd.] Enjoyed looking at great 
pictures.   My aunt who lived in Spring  Branch had a Marlin  . Jack Isaacson Chattanooga, 
TN"

How do you capture that enthusiasm above and bottle it. Obviously some good memories from 
old Ramblers there. No longer owns one I guess, but was excited to see something that set 
them off on my site. Probably not a kid either, but sure a kid at heart.

Also as I was writing this too came in, not sure how I ended up on their mailing list, 
probably because I put them in my AMC LINKS section years ago. Hotrodhotline Newsletter 
Roddings Largest Online Magazine HotrodHotLine Newsletter March 24, 2011

Worth reading and maybe some ideas is their Young Rodders section, timing is everything 
you know and can't believe this came in while we harping about younglings in the hobby!

http://www.hotrodhotline.com/feature/youngrods/

How cool is that. Let's see if some AMCers can post photos of their tribe in there.
Eddie Stakes
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.planethoustonamx.com

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