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The cost of basic materials like paint , is becoming prohibitive too . How many people in their 20's can afford to spend $10,000 on restoring an old car ? The club here is trying to attract younger people ,but how many young males want to hang around a bunch of middle aged cronies .
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While i am deviating off abit from the supply demand theme of things, i thought i would add my bit about new people into the movement. The old cronies i can handle!
I am 24- 25 in a few days. I guess i am an exception to the rule Mike referred to. I have been involved with vintage cars (real vintage cars not 1960's stuff) since i was born. I have rallied all over NSW and parts of Australia, followed the movement and been an active participant my whole life.
Instead of going with one of the unrestored cars at home, i chose to get a jeep. I got my first one in late 2001- body and chassis only of a 42 MB with a few other bits thrown in. My second in late 2002- a nearly complete, but dissassembled 42 GPW. I restored this jeep over 4 1/2 years while working part time, with the help of mum and dad on the weekends and trying to do 2 uni degree's at the same time. I estimate it cost me about 15,000 ish. But the finished product, while i may be blowing my own trumpet, is bloody brilliant and i would not trade it for anything- i will never sell my jeep. I now have another jeep- 44 ford i am working on while collecting bits for the 42 MB, the F15a too (which i am slowly working on) and 3 trailers with one more on the way all in varying conditions.
I bought them all at good to very good prices- not crazy prices, and 2 trailers, the F15A and the 3rd jeep, all with in the last 2 years. I have learnt that through hunting around, being patient, asking and buying when i find them, i will find/have found the pieces i need. Though i too realise that for me to continue my hobby into the next 50 years, it will be getting harder and harder as prices of general things which are needed continue to rise and parts become rarer. So i buy what i can, when i can and find that things like ebay can help and hinder a restoration! In a way i guess it could be argued, the price drive is actually hurting the future of the movement by forcing new comers out.
My problem now is that i need to start saving to move on in life- maybe a house one day or so on to house myself, the girlfriend and my vehicles! I am not rich, my parents haven't helped me out by buying the vehicles or parts, i just do what i can when i can and know i will get there in the end. I did the jeep when i did because i wanted to and dont regret any of it. Now i work full time as a teacher with alot of extra curricular activities, there isnt much time at all to play jeep, infact i`m suprised i spent this much time typing this message!
I think with the ever imposing costs of living, as Mike said, not many young people like myself want to spend in excess of 10k+ on restoring a vehicle because that can go along way to paying off a car or a deposit to a house. I guess thats where i am the exception agian. The only young guys i know of in my MV club are sons or daughters of members, but i often wonder how long they will stick around in the movement too or will other distractions draw them. In the vintage car club i am in, i am the only one under 30 and there is only 1 or 2 people above 30 and under 50.
Interesting times ahead for the movements (all movements) and i wonder, if in the future, the MV movement will experience the down fall that the vintage car movement has had in the last 15 years, from which it is only starting to pick up agian now. Hopefully it doesnt, but everything that goes up, must come down!
Sorry for ranting and raving. I hope it has given some insight into the views of a younger MV and MLU member.
Cheers,
Ian