Paul Burr wrote:
>
> Richard wrote: "Lets get our cars out and educate the youth of America.
> Give the kids down the street something top look forward to besides a
> Civic."
> You've hit the nail on the head! With the exception of 5.0 Mustangs,
> there aren't many affordable cars sporty cars that the kids can work on
> these days! Look what has passed for "sporty" the past two decades-Dodge
> Daytona, Toyota Celica, Nissan 200zx, Subaru XT! All weeezy front
> drivers! Compared to stuff I grew up admiring in the "60's, a pretty
> uninspired crop of cars.
> No wonder the kids would rather put big stereo's and chrome wheels than
> turn a wrench under the hood.
> Which brings us to the down side of today's reliable cars. Since dad or
> mom mostly gets the oil changed and tune ups at the local drive in
> maintainence emporium, most kids don't get the underhood exposure that
> us babyboomers did! How many of you got the car bug from helping your
> dad with those Saturday "Tech Sessions" on the family wagon?
> I don't see that happening anymore, except in my garage!
> The only way to keep this hobby alive is to get our kids involved! Heck,
> if nothing else, it'll at least teach them how to deal with breakdowns
> and avoid being ripped off by shops that prey on their clueless
> cutomers!
I mostly got my car bug from helping my dad work on a tractor, but that's
a different story.
I have tried to do my part in educating our youth. I have shown my kids
how to deal with breakdowns, especially unplanned ones. Side of the road
"Tech Sessions" have been (too) plentiful.
There once was I list I wrote, of how to tell if "You might be an
Austin-Healey owner", in the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a
redneck". (I hope this makes sense, not just in the USA...)
As I recall,
If your kids often remark, as you are driving around "I remember when our
car broke down here, Daddy!", you might be an Austin-Healey owner.
(Unfortunately speaking from years of personal experience)...
Keith Edwards
Suffolk, VA
kedwards@norfolk.infi.net
2 '62 TR3Bs
2 '67 TR4As
1 '54 Austin-Healey 100-4
1 '54 Austin Princess Vanden Plas limo
~2.5 British parts cars
(plus, three Honda Civics)
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