Re: [BaadAssGremlins] Old Car Hobby Rant

Besides my three AMC Gremlins, I've been collecting and playing with old cars ever since I bought a 1951 Buick Woody in 1967. Straight Eight engine with the rare 3-speed manual transmission. Since then I've owned at least one example of every American car brand from the forties on, with the exception of Kaiser and Lincoln. At least 150 cars total.

I've been in the hobby a long time.

When I turned sixteen and got my license, a 1957 Chevy was a new car.

They still made Nashes, Ramblers, Metropolitans, Hudsons, Packards, DeSotos, and Studebakers. Not to mention Plymouths, Pontiacs, and Oldsmobiles.

Foreign cars were seldom seen, and pretty much limited to Volkswagens and the occasional English sports car.

When I first subscribed to Hemmings Motor News the cars for sale section was divided in to two categories: Fords, and Non-Fords.

I've bought cars new that are now considered antique or collector cars. Like the brand new AMC Gremlin, the first one sold in Lincoln, Nebraska that I bought on April 3, 1970.

I've seen a lot of changes in both the cars and the hobby in the last 42 years. One thing I know for absolute certain is that any old car in nice condition will will be loved and collected by somebody somewhere. I know that some day, some collector will want any car. I've watched it happen over and over again for over forty years in the hobby.

As a modern example, an older couple (I'm 68, and they are quite a bit older than me) from my church has a car that they don't drive anymore, because of health reasons. They keep it mostly so that their son has something to drive when he visits. It's about twenty years old. It has a double overhead cam hemi V-8. It's rear wheel drive. Has about 30k miles on it. Some day, some car collector will want that car. Hell, I would love to have it right now! It's an absolutely pristine 1990 Lexus LS400. I can't see why anyone except a blind man would look down his nose at this car and call it a ricer.

My grey-haired old phart questions and comments about driving and collecting "interesting" old and more recent cars:

That's after 50+ years driving and 40+ years collecting "interesting" cars.

Worst cars I have personally owned and driven:

1958 Renault Dauphine, 1971 Chevy Vega, 1994 Chrysler LeBaron convertible

Best cars I have personally owned and driven:

Several mid-fifties to mid-sixties Mopars. 1971 Ambassador, 1973 Datsun, 1995 Maxima, 1997 Dodge Caravan

I've owned cars with 3 cylinders, (1967 SAAB, 1986 Chevy Sprint) 4 cylinders, (several starting with a Jeep CJ-3) 5 cylinders, (1984 Audi 5000, aka Hitler's revenge) straight sixes from AMC, Chevy, Pontiac (overhead cam and flathead), Graham, Studebaker, Datsun, Volvo, Jaguar. Not to forget Plymouth's great Slant Six, or Corvair and Subaru flat sixes. My first V-6 was a 1962 Buick Special, and lots more since. I've owned straight eights from Buick, Chrysler, Hudson, Packard, and Pontiac, and every American V-8 except Lincoln. One V-12, a POS 1983 Jaguar.

Not all car collectors go for rough cams, loud pipes, and hood scoops.

Some actually like refined, quiet, and bone stock boulevard stealth cruisers that will go 140mph.

British sports car collectors and American hot rodders aren't happy unless they have something they can fuss with (or fu*k with) constantly. They enjoy the process.

Why can't we love our favorites without hating the other guy's favorite?

Sports fans can like both baseball and football.

Why can't we like BOTH Ford and Mopar?

Why not like Gremlin AND Subaru?

Foreign cars are here to stay. If we look with open eyes (and minds) we can learn from them the way the used to learn from us.

American cars are better now than ever before.

I just spent a week with a 2010 Ford Fusion rental car. Very nice car.

Not all four doors are "cookie cutters"

Not all "ricers" are econobox Corollas, Camrys, and Civics.

Not all ricers are fwd.

Cars aren't "crap" just because they're foreign. Those days are loooong past.

Why is a Ford Focus (designed in Germany, factory in Mexico) considered an American car??

Why is a Nissan Altima (designed in California, factory in Tennessee) considered a foreign car?

Rant ends here.

Onree in Nebraska

proud owner of

3 Gremlins

2 AMC Eagles

1953 Chevy BelAir

1957 Chrysler New Yorker

1957 Volkswagen

2001 Chrysler Town and country

2001 SAAB

2009 Mini Cooper

Wow!! Way too many cars! And I probably forgot a couple.

On Dec 12, 2009, at 9:02 AM, Terry Atkins wrote:

That is the reason they will be collector items Doc. There won't many left. Will a 2000 Ford Focus be worth as much and be as highly collectable as a 2000 Corvette. No. Think about what 1959-1960 car is not collectable.

Terry

From: Mr. AMC <AMC74HORNET@ webtv.net>
To: BaadAssGremlins@ yahoogroups. com
Sent: Sat, December 12, 2009 5:10:12 AM
Subject: [BaadAssGremlins] Tomorrow's Colector Cars?

I doubt if you will see many modern cars as collector cars in 2050. Anything over 6 years old goes in the crusher today. Maybe the new Camaro or Challenger and of course Corvettes and exotic super cars but not your everyday cookie cutter 4 door.
"Doc"