Young people and classic cars - what does the future hold?

Рет қаралды 5,895

Ай бұрын

This video is created with deep thanks and gratitude to the team at Bicester Heritage and Heritage Skills Academy. Please note: I have chosen to film this to highlight the work of the HSA and their achievements and this is not an advertisement.
No payment was received to advertise Bicester or HSA - I just think they're great and wanted to highlight some of their brilliant students.
Wondering what Heritage Skills Academy do? This is what they advise on their website:
We work with employers, apprentices, and industry leaders to train the next generation of heritage engineers and promote exciting opportunities within the heritage industry
Founded by John Pitchforth in 2015 to meet a growing need for a younger generation in the Heritage Industry. We have worked with education and industry professionals to create and develop an apprenticeship standard which meets the needs of employers, and allows apprentices to develop the skills and attributes needed to thrive and succeed in a growing market.
With the support of the Federation of Historic British Vehicle Clubs, the Galashan Foundation and the Starter Motor Charity, HSA has developed workshop and training facilities dedicated to Heritage Engineering mechanical, coachbuilding and trim apprenticeships. For apprentices lucky enough to become part of Heritage Skills Academy, our locations within Bicester Heritage and Brooklands Museum provide an exciting and vibrant environment which embeds them within the world of specialist engineers, historic engineering and cutting edge technology.

We don't just deliver apprenticeship training; we have worked to develop a recruitment plan which helps free up the time and resource of employers. We work with you to make the recruitment and set up process as easy as possible and are always on the end of the phone to offer support and advice when needed.

We believe that only by working together can we ensure the skills and knowledge of passionate professionals are not lost.
www.heritageskillsacademy.co.uk

Пікірлер: 73

@alanellis6688 Ай бұрын

Was at a Caffeine and classics meet last month, turned out the guy who organises the monthly meets is only 16 years old! Find that very impressive , especially considering when I was 16 I could barely organise my bedroom!

@deanosaur808 Ай бұрын

Maybe his bedroom is not so organized either. Probably filled with spares for classic cars 😅😂👍

@chriscansdale6389 Ай бұрын

Interesting discussion Steph. I joined a particular club a year ago and found that its ageing stalwarts were just too inflexible and suffering from what another club I'm still involved in coined as OFD. Old farts disease.. grumpy old men.. my experiences in that club just put me right off. As a result, I've finished the car project off and will sell it soon and leave that club altogether. I'm 20 years younger than the average age in it and I'm the sort of new member a club like that can't afford to alienate. The Model T club I'm still involved with take every opportunity to give people the experience of vintage motoring. I do believe that there is a real disconnect in practical skills (in general) however and little opportunity for young people to get really exposed to classic cars. Its up to those of us that have them to be more encouraging... not necessarily hand the keys over, but certainly take them for a drive...

@philhawley1219 Ай бұрын

I know a young lad doing job experience working with proper cars. He recently bought an Austin 7 racer to restore and hopefully hill climb with it.

@JonCoupland Ай бұрын

I'm confident the future of Classic Cars is in safe hands!

@DeanSinger-ky7md Ай бұрын

like to see it that way, not hindered by Net Zero, ULEZ and a takeover by EVs !

@jh565bb Ай бұрын

Im 30 now (not really young) but ive driven classic cars since I was 25, two triumph spitfires a 72 and 73 and currently a 62 sunbeam rapier. My brothers who's 28 has had a long list of classics, 67 mini coopers s, 86 mini city, two MGB GTs a 72 and 73, a 75 rover p6 v8 (that was a nice car), 3 triumph spitfires a 72 that I bought off him, a 62 mk2 (that car was stunning) and a 80 which was the second to last ever made. He currently has a 66 Austin sprite and hes selling a 76 chevy corvette. My dad made us petrol heads, much to the annoyance of mum lol, hes always had lovely classic English and Japanese bikes and currently has a 75 Alfa Romeo spider and a 67 triumph Bonneville.

@19892CV Ай бұрын

Even though I am 60 , I have found lots of clubs to be very retired centric and very much of the "things were better in our day" minded. Activities often being on weekdays in the day time and/ or of the weekend in an expensive hotel plus dinner dance variety. These don't appeal to an old hippy like me let alone any young person

@neilcurson4505 Ай бұрын

I'm 82 and only go on drives, never been to club social events, can't stand clubs with a hierarchy , we are all equal.

@russthebiker Ай бұрын

I am an old git in age only but not mind or body, still motorcycling, and working on my car

@althejazzman Ай бұрын

I'm in a club with a separate young members section, but I fall neatly between them and the retired generation yet I always fit in. It's a non snobby club with great driving tours and social events that sometimes don't cost anything!

@jonathanthorpe1653 Ай бұрын

Many years ago I was working on my Lada, the young girl that visited my neighbour asked if she could watch me during a repair. I let her change the spark plugs and the air filter. Last year I saw her when I was in Halfords. She told me that she is now a motorcycle mechanic and it was that day that she worked on the car with me that inspired her to take that career path. Nowadays I drive a Ford Mustang and Trabant 601. When I am working on them outside it’s mostly young people that are interested. I think if the government does not legislate too heavily and insurance became affordable many young people would consider owning a classic.

@jh565bb Ай бұрын

The only thing id say is, its probably better the don't start with classics too young, purely because we all have had prangs when we were younger and its better to crash in a corsa, as opposed to something like a triumph spitfire lol. Been there done it and a 5 mph crash crinkled the bonnet like a tin can when the car decided it didn't want to stop lol. For safety and driving experience, it should be something you undertake when you have at least a few years driving experience behind you. Nice choice of muscle car btw, my mate who's 28, just sold a 87 Pontiac trans am, he's currently got a 70s ford f250 with a deasil in it and a 66 dodge charger project.

@MichaelTrivett-pr6zx Ай бұрын

Steph you are doing a great job with your video encouraging the next generation to learn the skills that classic cars need to keep them going into the future both for themselves and their owners.

@Jam3sA Ай бұрын

You did a great job interviewing the Academy students here Steph, well done. I'm quite relieved the future of the classic car scene isn't quite as gloomy as some make it out to be.

@CortinasAndClassics Ай бұрын

In 2021 I joined a local classic car club and was shocked to find that every member was north of 60. I rock up with the Cortina at 45 feeling like an outcast kid. The club felt old with an outdated website and a Facebook group that was clinging on for dear life. I started to attend meets and I was looked down apon with comments like "that's not a classic" for a mk3 Cortina. Since then more people younger than me have joined due to me helping to share the clubs visibility.

@philiptidmarsh Ай бұрын

Well done Steph, what a great bunch !

@markharris7662 Ай бұрын

I don't know about classic cars but its hard enough finding a mechanic that can work properly on modern cars. Good luck to these youngsters. I think we are seeing more youngsters showing an interest in older cars.

@BillLaBrie Ай бұрын

Much more feasible (and enjoyable) to work on older cars where there’s a possibility of fixing problems rather than just replacing modules that report error conditions.

@jh565bb Ай бұрын

@@BillLaBrie I wouldn't call it enjoyable lol, but its easier.

@BillLaBrie Ай бұрын

@@jh565bb Putting myself in the shoes of one of these young mechanics, probably the most despiriting and boring things is to just replace a module because a computer told him so. Not enjoyable to the mechanically-inclined.

@jh565bb Ай бұрын

@@BillLaBrie yeah but trouble shooting can be just as annoying, the amount of times the problems with my cars have been the most obvious thing, but I only really found after doing everything else lol.

@BillLaBrie Ай бұрын

@@jh565bb We’re talking about this from different angles. If you just want to play the game on easy mode, stick with the newer stuff. That is not sufficient for many of us. Thus “harder” is more fun, rewarding, enjoyable, etc.

@DeanSinger-ky7md Ай бұрын

it's a great 'feel good' factor when these events occur, and need to be kept going(great to hear the comments from the boys being interviewed)!

@allanmollison6971 Ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing Steph. 😊👍

@19892CV Ай бұрын

What a great video. I agree re Minors. 2cvs are also very easy to own and work on, if a bit more idiosyncratic

@jjefferyworboys8138 Ай бұрын

Very reassuring, the future is bright.

@graemew7001 Ай бұрын

I did keep laughing when you kept saying the young people, you're far from old yourself! You're right though, we, I'm 54 need to be more welcoming and when a youngster shows interest then we need to welcome them and take that interest and nurture it.

@jh565bb Ай бұрын

Tbh I find older people very welcoming, they love stopping to talk to me about my 62 sunbeam rapier.

@graemew7001 Ай бұрын

@@jh565bb That's refreshing to hear, a '62 Rapier is a beautiful car. I have seen some older owners of classics, when a young person approaches them, dismiss them with "pfft, they don't know what a carburettor is" attitude. I've spoken to a lot of younger people with their classics or about classics and their passion is obvious and all they want to do is learn. I have all the time in the world for that.

@jh565bb Ай бұрын

@@graemew7001 That's the best attitude to have, I personally make a point to talk to people younger than myself when they approach me for the same reason. These cars will outlast us, so it's important to make sure the next generation can appreciate them like we do.

@bazilboyle8240 Ай бұрын

Oh I would have loved to be in the passenger of a vintage car at 16/17/18! I moved to the UK and found the car scene here is amazing and everyone is very open to having an enthusiastic navigator!

@-old-school-motorcyclesltd Ай бұрын

Great lads keep up the great work I had a classic at 22 I’m now 60 and it’s interesting and being different than everyone else! I still have one and bikes not stopped my interest😊 It’s fun and a great community 😊😊 Great work Steph

@anthonytallarida4192 Ай бұрын

Well done Steph, good to see the young generation getting into it

@darrenhorvath5801 Ай бұрын

A great video and great questions. Nice to see the next generation interested. In a way with the value of classic cars having shot up, its opened more focus in restoring those cheaper unloved 'classics' such as the BL stock which ACTUALLY i find more interesting. So please keep doing what you do 👍🏻

@TooFastTooRusty Ай бұрын

My daughter is 17 and just passed her test we had a seat Ibiza 1.2 which was going to cost 5k to insure because it was over 20 years old so we had to buy a newer car to jump through the insurance hoops. She desperately wants a classic mini but until she gets a few years older the insurance will prevent her dream

@2011robertw Ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing Steph.

@simon.easton Ай бұрын

What a great video. Really enjoyed the interviews and a look at the academy

@pamholton7166 Ай бұрын

Very interesting video Steph.BicesterHeritage is a Great place for young ones to pick up skills .👍👍👍👍

@uncomfortableconversations2613 Ай бұрын

I am also staring 40 in the face, I think that if you want to keep the car scene alive and going you need to allow people to show up with all sorts of different cars at the meetings For example if there is a Ford Fairlane meet up. I

@Diggers-Garage Ай бұрын

Interesting video understand your point about keeping things going in the classic car following. But I think the hardest thing for the young generation is the cost of them I don't think the spare money will be available for them to own one to be honest. Plus the older the cars get the more issues there are that need sorting, and the skills shortage will not help.

@gwheregwhizz Ай бұрын

I recently found a pile of Popular Classics magazines I bought as a teenager in the early 90s; then it covered the Triumph Dolomites and Austin Maxis that at the time I recognised as classics but many older people thought were just bangers (remembering they had only been out of production a decade). I'd say younger people always appreciate newer classics first (I wish I had bought a Capri at 1990 prices 😟).

@dennismccarthy7032 Ай бұрын

❤brilliant Steph ! ❤

@Edwards_second_channel Ай бұрын

Great video Steph!! I would love to have a classic as my first car as it’s much more exciting than an early 2000s European hatchback. Keep up the great work!

@peterriggall8409 Ай бұрын

Inspirational Steph. These fellows are giving us hope for the future. Mechanics these days rely on a laptop to diagnose faults and then it’s just replacing bits. The work these young fellows are doing has a much higher skill set.

@scragnut Ай бұрын

Steph I was at a local Austin Seven club meet today and there was a young lad with an Austin Seven chassis and running gear that he’s restored so far and he fully intends to restore into a working car. It made my heart glow to see.

@stephenricketts7764 Ай бұрын

That was an interesting discussion with these young people. One thing that seemed to come across from them is, to paraphrase, 'I had a light bulb moment and that got me interested in classics'. I do think that if there were just one or two talks in schools about mechanics and tie that into classic cars then the young might get involved. I don't think it should come from the careers adviser as they might be turned off by that but as one of the lads said people close to their age who they can relate to who are in an apprenticeship that would be more in keeping. I think as long as the skills are being taught then there will be people interested. Thanks Steph for putting this together, very encouraging 👍👍

@MichaelKingsfordGray Ай бұрын

Every child goes to school. To get that spark that may be absent from home life, schools should re-introduce what used to be called "shop". Metal-working, mechanics, electrics, etc. And every school should have a scrap car for students to be let loose on.

@mr-wx3lv Ай бұрын

Agreed 👍

@zm321 Ай бұрын

Agreed.

@andreasbenning Ай бұрын

Steph!! I gave you quite a thought today. I was having a lovely little stroll in the sunlight as a white Morris Minor convertible suddenly drove by. Thought to myself you'd probably love it. ^^ It's nice to see these youngins being into the hobby! I'd actually say that here in Sweden more youngsters are interested in old cars than there were when I was young. Only problem is they have a ghastly taste in how to style their cars, but hopefully they will evetually grow up. :D Thanks for uploading! Greetings from Sweden

@paulchappell Ай бұрын

Do British schools have a ‘careers day’, a day when various business people and professionals describe possible careers in their industry? Representatives from car clubs could speak to the range of skills needed for, and career opportunities related to, ‘classic’ car motoring. E.g. new fuels are needed to keep old cars running, the business of newly manufacturing replacement parts

@jh565bb Ай бұрын

@user-gd7kc4pk1r Ай бұрын

it is turely wonderful to see that their is the younger generation that is intrested in classic car and it's the way to keep them on the road for the future and keep loving classic cars.

@RobertHaynes-kw2sk Ай бұрын

Great stuff. I think it's about time there were more classic vehicles back on the roads. Volkswagens are just not enough. I've since took up attending classic motor shows, but I'd like to see if there are any dealers who sell original classics in my area.

@mr-wx3lv Ай бұрын

Great video Steph. Don't know if it's me, but I'm in my 60s, so i grew up with morris 1000s, ford escorts and alike. I had a series 2 Viva, which i adored, and it was a cinch to fix it yourself. I had no mechanical training. But they were simple cars for a DIY fix. That's what is wrong with cars these days, they're all electronic and you need to spend a fortune taking them to a dealer bla bla to get them serviced..

@russthebiker Ай бұрын

I am pretty ancient, and I love to see young people getting involved and learning new skills, all of these skills are transferable and useful in so many other trades the lighting problem is the LED strips pulsing, same as when you video modern cars and their LED lights pulse, not visible to the naked eye, but the camera will pick them up how about going out and interviewing people restoring cars, young and old, go back on a regular basis to encourage them, and see how they are getting on also visit a few young people doing this for a living, their are a few young people out their making a name for themselves and creating high class work, Young Ryan at Yorkshire car restorations is ace, totally into it, and very very dedicated and hard working, along side his Dad and uncles guiding him, also if you visit people who are working on cars and getting a bit fed up, it might give them a boost, and other viewers will give useful advice and complement them ?

@hotpuppy1 Ай бұрын

With the cost of new cars AND the complexity, older cars are the way to go if you can find a good one. In the UK, you do have to deal with the inspections making it harder to have a daily driver old car.

@peterchapman8357 Ай бұрын

from taking my classic car to shows the interest is just as great as it always was, we still have garages that are able to deal with them and they remain busy, classic cars are great for the economy and so they should be its part of our history. The types of cars for the younger folk like the 1980's Fords are fetching vast sums

@DoctorAlex1 Ай бұрын

Footman James were the only insurer I could find who would insure my classic (1972 Daf 44) as an only car. And they did so cheaply (about £250 a year). Admittedly I am older, but yes, insurers did not want to touch having a classic car as an only car, except for Footman James it seems.

@EA-58 Ай бұрын

These guys are the future indeed

@Phiyedough Ай бұрын

Life seems so tough for young people these days what with student loans, expensive insurance and general inflation. Back in the '80s and '90s classic car ownership was quite an affordable hobby but it is getting more expensive all the time. Having said that I don't think people will lose interest in the older cars as enthusiasts will always appreciate their simplicity for the home mechanic. If interest was dropping, car prices would be dropping and I don't see any sign of that happening.

@adamwoods1635 Ай бұрын

I feel that the future of classic cars are in safe hands especially post 1960s cars. The side of the world that might possibly be fading is the pre war cars. I don't see a lot of people around my age aspiring to own or drive one.

@hotpuppy1 Ай бұрын

Another problem is the run up in the prices for 'investment' cars. In America, 'classic' cars that were just ten year old used cars when I was in school 40 years ago are now totally unaffordable to the average person. A mass produced car from the 60's is NOT and 'investment', it is JUST a car that should be ENJOYED!

@gazp2194 Ай бұрын

Many younger people are messing with early Micra's starlets, etc from the 90,s just as my generation were messing with anglias minis escorts etc. I'm possibly the oldest starlet owner in the fb group for them at 62. Embrace the move to classic 90,s stuff

@deanosaur808 Ай бұрын

500th like 🥳🥳🥳 Do I win a prize? 😂 Great video, but I don't have much faith in the government. they won't want young people driving around in cars with ICE 😭 I hope I'm wrong 🙏

@johnjtm1097 Ай бұрын

Maybe colleges and universities need to offer courses in "proper" motor mechanics to get the younger generation into the classics and help to develop the skills to keep them on the road. Don't just concentrate on modern motors and EVs.

@karlgt9989 Ай бұрын

Dont put all the blame on car clubs, they are self funded, self run communities of like minded people. Mechanical engineering needs to be part of the education system, how engines work, how a 12v system works, how to change brakes, doing a an oil change etc should all be taught in school, and the interest in older cars will grow from there. Insurance is another key aspect, make it affordable, or even cheaper than driving a more modern car, and dont forget, we arent talking super old cars here, you can quite easily see 80's and 90's cars now as eligible classics that need to be kept on the roads.