This blog will expand on themes and topics first mentioned in my book, "The Automobile and American Life." I hope to comment on recent developments in the automobile industry, reviews of my readings on the history of the automobile, drafts of my new work, contributions from friends, descriptions of the museums and car shows I attend and anything else relevant. Copyright 2009-2020, by the author.
Popular Posts
-
My 1971 Porsche 911T Targa Written for younger readers: Sports car is an automobile designed more for performance than for carrying passeng...
-
Hi folks -- I was visiting with Ed Garten on Friday morning at a local Panera in Beavercreek, Ohio when Ed noticed that a Mary Kay Cadillac ...
-
So what is a rat rod? These are becoming increasingly popular, as witenssed by the several at the Friday night cruise in and today at the C...
-
Hi Folks -- Visiting back in Centerville, I read the Dayton Daily News this rainy Easter morning and found an rather lengthy article on Donk...
-
Raising an Alarm The wave of auto thefts in the early 1970s and the failure of manufacturers to make prod...
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Retractable Ford Hardtops -- 1957-1959 Ford Skyliners -- Come to Dayton; the future of the car hobby?
Quite a show -- top up or top down?
I hope your wife doesn't have too much luggage!
A dash I remember from childhood.
1958 Models are by far the most rare of this bunch!
1957 Retractables outsold 1957 Chevy Convertibles!
Hi folks -- blazing hot today in Dayton, Ohio. The Retractable Ford group is having its annual meeting and cruise this week, and so I decided to stop by the Marriott where they had their cars on exhibit and a swap meet today. Some nice folks and very nice cars in the Marriott lot, but not many folks around in this heat to browse and learn about a very interesting automobile design. Great paint jobs -- and many trailer queens. Dedicated wives out sunning or under tents that provided some shade.
What was so striking is how old these folks were. Who will carry the torch once this generation is gone. Who will possess the technical knowledge to repair these cars? Younger people need to get more involved -- but rarely do they. One way is to teach a course like I have done at the University of San Diego and the University of Dayton. Car collecting is so expensive that young people just starting out, particularly in this economy, are restricted from entrance, unless they inherit cars from a family member. More needs to be done to ensure that a next generation of enthusiasts who truly appreciate the design and engineering of these vehicles and others emerge on the scene.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment