The future of CMPs

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Just musing after a thoroughly enjoyable day wrenching (well, welding actually) on the HUW.

How many CMP's still exist?

How many of each type?

How many are currently being restored?

How many unrestored or half restored 'garage queens' sit dry and idle?

How many of those have, or will be lost when their owners pass and the family calls in the scrappers?

What happens to mine? Both my kids have made it clear no inheritance-ee please. Not interested (although I still have hope my daughter may change her mind. She is an accomplished Bren Carrier driver).

I sense the existing restored ones will keep on trucking and a few more will be restored but many viable projects will not. I also think the likelihood of finding new projects is diminishing and those still out there left to the weather are beyond reasonable repair.

I don't even want to think about 2030 when all gas engines will be banned. Not sure if a CMP can be converted to lithium batteries.

[Jordan Baker]

Dibs on the Fox….

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Re. How many CMP's still exist? How many of each type? - the jury is still out on that one. Keith Webb compiled a list, based on Peter Ford’s CMP-INFOEX. The people behind the UK based Canadian Register tried to do the same. All these efforts have ground to a halt.

Read some threads on this subject here:
Peter Ford's CMP INFOEX ??
Some CMP serials updates to the CMP database
The Canadian Register & CMP Owners club
CMPs - where are they now?

A few years ago it was tried to do the same for Dutch CMPs, there were easily 100+ back then, but only relatively few on the road:
Dutch CMPs

As the cost of restoring and operating these quirky vehicles continues to rise, I fear for the future of CMPs. May as well enjoy them as long as the fun lasts!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

How many unrestored or half restored 'garage queens' sit dry and idle?

Here are some of them:
C60L GS truck - stored since the 1980s, now for sale
Ford FGT Cab 12 project - stored since the mid '90's, but now sold to be restored

[rob love]

There are still lots to be discovered out this way, and many are as rust free as they were 50 years ago. We freeze them for a good part of the year to help preserve them.

The present government had decreed that new vehicles will only be non ICE by 3035. It has not decreed the end of ICE engines, although could tax fuel to oblivion.

As to the future of our trucks, and if younger guys are taking up the hobby, I think the same concern is with a lot of hobbies like this. They evolve. No doubt there are still younger guys who start with a Jeep, or one of the more recent military releases, and they may get the bug bad enough from those that they migrate over to the older stuff.

[m606paz]

Same concerns in my country.
Young people do not want to restore anything, or accompany their grand father, father, uncle , brother in the hobby. Regulations to come will prevent the use of these vehicles on public roads. I think we are only managing to delay the disappearance of the CMPs. The ones I have, I wish they ended up in a museum. For that we have time..
Meanwhile to continue enjoying it.

[David Dunlop]

Quick question.

Are modern military vehicles getting computerized at all, or is that evolution being resisted due to the EMP risk on the battle field?

I am wondering if the need for plugging in an engine to get a repairs needed diagnosis, versus basis, brain powered analysis for same on older vehicles, could impact future interest in restoring CMP’s, one way to the other.

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Are modern military vehicles getting computerized at all, or is that evolution being resisted due to the EMP risk on the battle field?

Quick answer: yes. The Netherlands Army is replacing its 40+ yeard old fleet of GS truck and wanted to have simple trucks which can be kept running in remote areas with minimal support. In short, the automotive industry can no longer build simple trucks, plus they would not meet today's road regulations. And the military can no longer exempt themselves from having to comply to these regulations.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bruce

You are raising a really interesting premise, which I hope will open a really interesting discussion.

First thought, resorted running trucks have the best chance of survival.

Observation on the future of the military vehicle hobby. Our club just completed its 33rd summer rally, what really stuck out to me this year was the number of young families attending. We had more kids there this year than I remember in a long time, when you start seeing three generations attending there is hope for the hobby.

Cheers Phil

[chris vickery]

The demise of our hobby like a lot of other ones happen when others want to ruin our fun. Regulations control everything these days it seems.
One only has to witness what is going on in the classic car hobby to see where it’s leading. I’ve personally seen many old projects and restorations sitting in garages and sheds, likely to never go anywhere.
Vehicles from the teens to the 40’s are now practically unsaleable, with values in the basement. The interest from young people to get into a hobby to tinker with grandpas model T doesn’t exist.
I believe most museums are also facing the dilemma, as always of funding and attendance. This is a reality for sure. Many museums are already at the point of turning away donations to their collections. Many places in our modern world have their collections in the Virtual world, online 24/7. I don’t see the interest from our younger generations for them neither. History has taken a backseat in today’s educational system as well which doesn’t help.