[GRX]

Originally Posted by U47

The last Pontiac V-8 was in 1981

Yeah. If you count the 265 and 301. Which I don't

[GT182]

The 301 was a good little engine. I had one in my 79 Formula and it ran very well... until my ex didn't bother checking the oil and it threw a rod bearing. If it had had the stronger 301 turbo block with the Quadra jet it would have been even better IMO.

Pontiac is not dead just because they aren't made anymore.. Look at all of them still out there on the streets today. When the very last one is off the highways and laid to rest, then Pontiac will be dead. But I don't think that will happen for many many years to come. Our hobby will make sure of that, or we won't be driving them because gasoline will no long be used to power any transportation.

[Don Keefe]

Personally, I think that everyone needs to get over everything listed previously and start worrying about where the next generation of enthusiasts are going to come from. Year after year, we as a group keep pushing away potential inductees because they don't have the "right" car or they dress a certain way or listen to music that is different. The real focus needs to be on welcoming the next generation in, regardless of what they drive and actually showing some stewardship not only for our cars but also the people that they will eventually be going to.

[AdamIsAdam]

Originally Posted by Don Keefe

Personally, I think that everyone needs to get over everything listed previously and start worrying about where the next generation of enthusiasts are going to come from. Year after year, we as a group keep pushing away potential inductees because they don't have the "right" car or they dress a certain way or listen to music that is different. The real focus needs to be on welcoming the next generation in, regardless of what they drive and actually showing some stewardship not only for our cars but also the people that they will eventually be going to.

x2!

(As long as they don't put that decal on the air cleaner! KIDDING!)

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by AdamIsAdam

(As long as they don't put that decal on the air cleaner! KIDDING!)

They'll probably lose points for NOT having it by then.

[bird72]

Originally Posted by Don Keefe

Personally, I think that everyone needs to get over everything listed previously and start worrying about where the next generation of enthusiasts are going to come from. Year after year, we as a group keep pushing away potential inductees because they don't have the "right" car or they dress a certain way or listen to music that is different. The real focus needs to be on welcoming the next generation in, regardless of what they drive and actually showing some stewardship not only for our cars but also the people that they will eventually be going to.

Ya Man!

A week ago I saw two 80's Buicks / Olds sedans in a shopping center parking lot. Side by side with 4 teenagers. One was primered and had nice aftermarket rims and tires (not pimp) and the other one looked "in progress" also. So they were in a mindset that V8 power in "old school" was cool. I say I don't care Chevy, whatever motor, they are into hot rods and V8's is all that matters. Had I been in my bird I would have went over and yakked. I plan on interacting any chance I can with young people "on the path" or interested in it. Would I steer them to Pontiac for a first hot rod? Only if they especially dug them. I would steer them to the cheapest, easiest first build: sbc. These young cats were already there. Then I can hook them on Poncho

[Don Keefe]

Originally Posted by bird72

Ya Man!

A week ago I saw two 80's Buicks / Olds sedans in a shopping center parking lot. Side by side with 4 teenagers. One was primered and had nice aftermarket rims and tires (not pimp) and the other one looked "in progress" also. So they were in a mindset that V8 power in "old school" was cool. I say I don't care Chevy, whatever motor, they are into hot rods and V8's is all that matters. Had I been in my bird I would have went over and yakked. I plan on interacting any chance I can with young people "on the path" or interested in it. Would I steer them to Pontiac for a first hot rod? Only if they especially dug them. I would steer them to the cheapest, easiest first build: sbc. These young cats were already there. Then I can hook them on Poncho

Boom! That is exactly what I am talking about.

[U47]

Originally Posted by Don Keefe

Personally, I think that everyone needs to get over everything listed previously and start worrying about where the next generation of enthusiasts are going to come from. Year after year, we as a group keep pushing away potential inductees because they don't have the "right" car or they dress a certain way or listen to music that is different. The real focus needs to be on welcoming the next generation in, regardless of what they drive and actually showing some stewardship not only for our cars but also the people that they will eventually be going to.

I think you have to look at this realistically. The odds which are substantial and formidable are stacked against you. Fifty years from now these cars will either be in museums or the majority will be gone along with the owners that own them.

[66_Catalina]

Totally agree about getting the next generation involved. There was a car show locally last week. The flyer made sure to mention "Oldies music!" At least three times, and seemed to put emphasis on chromed up cruisers. That's great and all, and I'm sure my 70 year old dad was as pumped as his pacemaker would let him be.

Throw a cruise, go out of your way to invite the import guys, the young crowd with maybe a V-6 whatever, and try to get them involved. If they show interest in old iron keep in contact and steer them toward the occasional deals you may run across. I don't care about what they drive, just about the effort and passion they put in

[Tempest]

Can you remember the first time someone gave you a ride in an old car? your Dad? a friend of your Dad's? an Uncle?, your older brother? or his friend?...whoever... the point is, we all remember our first ride.

Well, it is time for all of us, to be that person.


I take all the neighbourhood kids for a ride, for 2 reasons, so they will hopefully get 'hooked' on old cars, and so their parents won't complain the next time me (or 1 of my buddies) wakes them up with their old car.

Here is a challenge for everyone .... take a kid, with his parent, for a ride in your old car this summer. (someone that has never been in your car before)

Don't be the crusty old guy who lives on the street who won't let anyone ride in his car, be the nice old guy that gives the kids a ride they will never forget.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by Tempest

Don't be the crusty old guy who lives on the street who won't let anyone ride in his car...

[bird72]

Last year at a small DQ show here, was a like 73 or so Impala convertible, the big ones. It had kind of bigger rims, but not crazy, like 17's.... other than that was red with fixed primer spots and a white top that was down. It sounded very healthy driving in. The guy that drove it was a brave fellow driving into the wind, so to speak. Here is what went against the typical show crowd anymore: mid twenties. blue collar, not play money later in life. (remember that?) not ashamed to show his generation idea of mod (rims). not ashamed of primer. (remember that?) WANTED to mingle with old farts. (ha). Oh, and in Montana, the most stand out in a crowd: young black fellow. I say a man who digs cars.

I have a confession. I didn't know how to approach the man, and didn't. So I made a resolution if he is here this year, I will park next to if I can, or at least say hello and yak. I feel bad, because nobody I could see embraced his sense of automobile history or bravery to attend like that, in a sea of white. I can learn from my wrongness and vow to be different next time...... we should make it easy and fun to come into this world.

[Don Keefe]

Originally Posted by U47

I think you have to look at this realistically. The odds which are substantial and formidable are stacked against you. Fifty years from now these cars will either be in museums or the majority will be gone along with the owners that own them.

I think that the biggest problem is the current mindset.

[AdamIsAdam]

On the flip side, in my area there are more car shows and cruises than ever before (well, since the 1980's at least). The last issue of Smoke Signals spoke to this point. How every school, chamber of commerce and town hosts car shows. Heck, just this morning on 1010WINS news radio here in the NY City area was an ad for a car show run by a major charity (diabetes or something). This station's target audience is more of the Baby Boomer's crowd (think VP's CEO's, etc). So while this is not attracting a younger audience initially, having all these well promoted shows attracts a BIGGER audience at least. That can't be bad.

Oh, and yes, I try to get kids hooked as much as possible. Taking them for rides is a great way to do so if you can avoid the stereo type of "hey little kid, want to go for a ride?" At least I don't drive a windowless van!

[Greg Reid]

One of my favorite cruises that I attend on a pretty regular basis has a very nice mix of car types and age groups. There are even a couple of old dudes...my age...that bring their very nice '70s Toyota Celica GTs every month. Even motocycles have carved out their own corner and they are mostly early '70s Japanese bikes and one or two Nortons.. More importantly to this conversation, there are quite a few 20-somethings that bring their tuners. I even met a High School kid that had his Dad's '69 GTO ragtop there. He himself owned an '04 GTO.
All of those sub groups park loosely together and everything else is scattered among the field. 50s led-sleds and '60s musclcars and brand new Mustangs, Camaros and Mopar performance stuff. I take them all in and can appreciate them all, although least interesting to me is the brand new stuff.
I always take my '68 but two weeks ago I was going to take my '80 Datsun 280ZX...primer spots and all. Thunderboomer cancelled that plan.

[U47]

Originally Posted by Don Keefe

I think that the biggest problem is the current mindset.

Bingo! The young parents who these days don't know what's under the hood of a car much less being able to fix or maintain it themselves. The schools which are out of control when it comes to what kind of information your kid is getting and always telling the kids how bad cars are ( especially the old ones) to the environment.. The media controlling the information to the public in general. The government who will do the regulation part along with the high cost of fuel in the future.
The environmental groups who influence the political parties in the government, and the people in the media, and the people in the schools.

You better keep a close ear to the ground to what your kids, and grandchildren are saying when they come home from school. You will be amazed.

Tell me how are you going to change that mindset when it is so entrenched in the world we live in today ????

[Simple Man]

Originally Posted by U47

Bingo! The young parents who these days don't know what's under the hood of a car much less being able to fix or maintain it themselves. The schools which are out of control when it comes to what kind of information your kid is getting and always telling the kids how bad cars are ( especially the old ones) to the environment.. The media controlling the information to the public in general. The government who will do the regulation part along with the high cost of fuel in the future.
The environmental groups who influence the political parties in the government, and the people in the media, and the people in the schools.

You better keep a close ear to the ground to what your kids, and grandchildren are saying when they come home from school. You will be amazed.

Tell me how are you going to change that mindset when it is so entrenched in the world we live in today ????

After reading that, I'm staying under the covers......

[U47]

The Pontiac block is neither a big block or small. It's a medium block. It just shows how well thought out the design was to be able to go from 287 to 455 in the same dimension even using the same connecting rod. While others at GM went through different generations of engines not only in size but design. Pontiac kept the basic block pretty much the same.

[U47]

Originally Posted by Simple Man

After reading that, I'm staying under the covers......

And that's just what most people do, and that's why it will happen.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

AAAAAAHHHhhhhhhhaaaaaaaa software defined car hobby for the newbies