Don't Let The Thrill Of Driving Die - Traditional Ritual In Danger!

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

AOL's headline read, "American Rite of Passage in Decline", and went on to tease, "it was once a milestone in young people's lives, like proms and Sweet 16's. But it no longer is - leaving one industry very concerned."   I knew before even reading the next line what they were talking about, as Guy Algar and I been talking about this for years.

But what can a person do to try to instill driving excitement in their children? Or, is it a matter really, of whether we WANT to? Interesting thought. There's no doubt that the way that American children are growing up has changed drastically over the last 30 years. I know when I was watching my daughters grow up it was quite different than when I had, yet I tried desperately to take the best of my childhood years and pass that along to them. And, that certainly included to pass along the thrill of driving.

I remember fondly spending an entire summer in New Brunswick, Canada on my grandparent's farm. It was the summer between 3rd and 4th grade, and it was magical. Not only did I spend my days running about here and there every hour of the day, from sunup to sundown. Usually a few of us would all walk down to the local country store, gathering soda bottles to turn in for the cash deposit. There we'd buy a piece of penny candy or when we had the money, a 5 cent soda where we would jump into the dozens of old cars that the owner had parked in his adjacent used car lot and pretend to drive. Barely able to touch the pedals to punch down a clutch while shifting the 3 on the column shifters, or the long on the floor shifters on the old pickup trucks, in our minds we were cruising down the roads with the wind blowing in our faces. We would spend a few hours there, playing and pretending.



Andrea's 1946 GMC Pickup

 

One day, my older cousin invited me to hop behind the wheel of my grandfather's old milk truck when we were driving through the huge old hay field, on our way over to my great grandmother's house. Not believing it was really happening, I grabbed on and gleefully made my way while he rode the step board just in case he needed to intervene. My sister and a cousin riding shotgun, with the rest of the kids in the bed of the truck, we jostled our way through the field, probably only going 5-10 MPH, but to me if felt like I was flying. A day I'll always remember. I was DRIVING!!!

As a child, my family  took a lot of driving trips, and we were always encouraged to participate by learning to read the maps and take turns as navigator. Occasionally, we'd get to "hold the wheel" for my dad when he had to check the map himself. That was always a thrill, and we always looked forward to our road trips.

When my girls were growing up, I remember many of their friends not rushing out to get their permit or driver's license when they became eligible. I thought it was strange. But, as Paul A. Eisenstein of TheDetroitBureau.com reported in AOL's headline-grabbing article, "according to a recent study, nearly a third of American 19 year olds haven't bothered to get their driver's licenses yet. Three decades ago, it was just one in eight who skipped that right of passage, according to Michael Sivak of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, or UMTRI. Among those 20 to 24, meanwhile, only 81 percent had gotten their licenses in 2010, down from 92 percent in 1983." His article, "You've lost the lovin' feelin'?", which appeared on the front page of AOL on Saturday 09-01-11 received a lot of attention. Looking through the comments from readers, it would appear that the majority of readers blame the lack of enthusiasm over cars and getting their license to either finances (and/or financial laziness), or technology (Internet/cell phone laziness). Both probably play a role.

According to Mr. Eisenstein, "Even those teens who do get licensed seem to be getting behind the wheel less often. An April study by the Frontier Group found that the average number of miles driven by those aged 16 to 34 dropped by 23 percent between 2001 and 2009 – to 7,900 miles annually. The national norm runs between 12,000 and 15,000 miles. Indeed, Gross says his son Jacob seems content with driving to school, football practice and then back home, rather than clocking as many miles as possible."

Where the automobile once was seen as a symbol of liberation and as a social connection. It was your primary method of getting together with your friends. Today's technology has without question changed the way our youth communicate and socialize. Guy and I have often commented that with everyone texting and phoning via cell phones, and Internet social media like Facebook and Twitter literally running our lives, the youth have entered a world where actual face-to-face contact is not necessary. Given enough time, it's quite possible that future generations will become quite socially withdrawn and unable to communicate socially in person. I brought my girls up trying to recreate a magical moment or two for them - as I had in my youth. A trip back to Canada with them when they were about 8-10 years old was the right time, and we had a similar driving lesson, teaching my oldest daughter how to drive a stick shift all by herself - in the same hay field where I had learned.

When my children were growing up, we spent a lot of time on the road because of work and family that lived good driving distances away. So we played a lot of "what would you do if", "I spy an old car" and other games while on the road. I'd give them a driving situation, ask what they should do and they would shout out the answers they thought were right. By the time they were able to get their driver's permit they already knew all the rules of the road, had a passion for driving, and possessed excellent driving skills. They were very excited to drive, and worked hard to save up "their share" of the cost of cars of their own. My husband and I had always told them that if they'd save up half of the cost, we'd match it. We both felt that children need to learn responsibility, and part of that was not to have a car handed to them when they turned of age. We both had to earn our own cars, and felt it is a valuable lesson for children to learn. It also helps them appreciate the car more, and we felt they'd be more attentive, and less distracted if there was risk to something achieved through their own hard work.

My oldest daughter caught the "old car bug" after returning home for a few months and spending some time out in the shop with Guy. She bought an old 1985 Jeep CJ, which had been used off-road and was pretty banged up, both in body and mechanically. She took on the immense project of a full restoration with gusto and determination but with no experience other than helping out in our shop for a several months and developing a real affection for a 1969 Pontiac GTO we were working on at the time.

Working day and night with coaching and mentoring from Guy, and pulling many all-nighters or working until 2-3AM, she got the body work finished. Guy helped with the welding that was needed in crucial areas of the body, floor and frame, while she carefully banged straight body panels, ground rust and prepped everything with primer. Guy taught her how to paint, and it was soon transformed into a beauty she loves to drive. The engine was rebuilt and painted bubblegum pink. Badly worn or blown parts like the starter and water pump were replaced. Guy taught her how to clean and rebuild her carburetor, and at times they worked together to troubleshoot the more elusive problems such as wiring and vacuum leaks, with her knowledge and confidence growing with every step. "Babs" was finished with great fanfare, with each of us getting to take a ride in the 4WD beast! I wouldn't trade the look on her face, and the feeling of accomplishment and pride that she had for anything in the world.

Working on an old car or truck - whether it's a classic car, a muscle car, or vintage truck - not only gives you the mechanical skills necessary to problem solve and repair your own vehicle, it teaches you patience, the value of persistence and perseverance, and as I'm sure Guy would put first, the value in doing the job right. The rewards it gives back to you are priceless (and I'm not talking money).

My daughter has gone on to start her own business following her big restoration project. She credits her business' tremendous success to everything she learned working on her Jeep. She claims that it was a real turning point in her life. She's now missing her days of wrenching, and is currently looking for her next project car. She's already picked out what she wants. Now it's a matter of finding the car, and she'll be back again spending a couple of days each week happily getting greasy, dirty and sweaty...lovingly restoring her muscle car.

Sadly, the satisfaction of working on your own first car or project car has become a thing of the past for most young men and women out there. Maybe some parents get comfort not worrying about potential accidents, and others may feel safer just knowing that they're not on the road to cause an accident! Still others may like the feeling of control they feel over their children's whereabouts. But for those of us who have great memories of what driving meant to us and what it did for us, it's sad times.

As Mr. Eisenstein concluded in his article, "But the uncomfortable reality for automakers may be that gone are the days when the young Americans rushed to get their license, worked long hours to afford a car and then spent the rest of their lives lusting after their next automobile."

Guy Algar and I have tried to bridge this gap with our "Coaching Program", where we work with father-son, or father-daughter teams helping to pass on the excitement and thrill of working on a project car by providing a safe, supervised environment for each to learn and perform tasks together. The fathers we see often don't have all the skills or knowledge necessary to complete such a big project themselves, but together they work, creating a bond that will hopefully keep the passion strong and help to pass the torch to future generations of motorheads!

What else can we do to encourage our children? Watch for my next week's article on automotive museums, which include a Directory of Museums all over the United States! Visiting a great classic car or muscle car museum, or even a specialty museum such as those for race cars, can be an excellent way of learning what your children are drawn to and like. Getting them excited about the great old cars that we enjoy so much is important, but we need to allow them the opportunity to develop their own preferences. Local fairs often have "driving" rides that even the youngest can get excited about (these were always my kids favorites). Going to local car shows, swap meets, or a day at the race track are also great activities to attend with your children. Go-carts, or even a day watching events at a racing school might create a spark in a reluctant, moody teenager! You'll be surprised at what they naturally attract to given the chance. With a little encouragement, it may grow into a real passion.

What inspired you? When did you develop your passion for an old car, muscle car or truck? Drop a comment and we'll share a few over the next few weeks!

REFERENCES:
Classic Car News - Future of Cars May Be Incredible, But Will They Be As Fun To Drive?
Classic Car News - Motorheads Performance Student Graduates!
Classic Car News - Texting While Driving Nearly Kills 21 Year Old Texan
Paul A. Einstein, TheDetroitBureau.com - "You've lost that lovin' feelin'?"

RESOURCES:
childrensmuseum.org - Hot Wheels For Real!
familyeducation.com - Teaching Your Teenager To Drive
Motorheads Performance - Classic Car & Muscle Car Repairs, Performance Upgrades
teachyourkidhowtodrive.com - Driver Ed Tips For Parents

CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS:

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.