“Young people don’t like cars” is one of those erroneous beliefs many enthusiasts espouse, based purely on anecdotal evidence. I think the more accurate statement is “Young people don’t like the cars I like.” Of course, I have no raw statistics or figures to back up my rebuttal but instead I can present only my own anecdotal evidence, such as my visit to All-Japanese Day this February.
One thing I’ve noticed about classic car shows is how they tend to skew quite old. That’s not meant as a slight to classic car owners but, rather, it’s the reality of ownership—enthusiasts often are most financially stable and willing to indulge in a classic car purchase when they’re middle-aged or older. And, indeed, there were a fair number of older folks displaying their prized automobiles at All-Japanese Day. But, largely, the older car owners at the show were showcasing their Toyota Crowns and Corollas from the 1960s and 1970s, most completely stock, or rotary-engined Mazdas from the 1970s.
Everything else on display was owned by enthusiasts in their 20s and 30s, and sometimes their cars were older than themselves. I’ve been to other car shows in the past here in Australia, generally with a British or American car bent, and I was always one of the few young people in attendance. Not so at this show, with a bevy of young owners and visitors alike. Alas, I arrived as the crowd was beginning to dissipate.
Understandably, owners didn’t want to be baking in the sun on a treeless school oval in 34°C (93°F) heat and 70% humidity. So, by the time I got there – an hour after gates opened, but more than two hours after owners arrived – the field was thinning out. I had to hurriedly dash around and snap photos before any more people left. This was one of the highlights, a beautiful second-generation Toyota Celica Supra. While these closely resembled the Celica from whence they came, I find these to be the most attractive generation of Supra. There’s something distinctly muscular about these—perhaps it’s those flared wheel arches. The Supra name will return imminently on a coupe co-developed with BMW.
One of the youngest owners was this P-plater (provisional license holder, one step after learner’s plates) with an early Subaru Impreza LX. These were the bottom-rung Impreza models, as is evident by the black bumpers and the steel wheels. It was an example of the Japanese introducing entry-level models in response to the rising yen—other Japanese cars like the Mazda 121 also received the black bumpers and steel wheels treatment.
It’s frustrating when you see empty spaces at a car show and you have no idea what was there. Did I miss out on some 1980s Mitsubishis, or an endearingly retro Datsun 120Y? I’ll never know, but I’m glad I didn’t miss out on this delightful pair of Isuzu Belletts.
To be honest, I’d forgotten these existed but then, Isuzu stopped making passenger cars shortly after I was born. I’ve grown up associating the Isuzu brand exclusively with trucks and SUVs and some of their more famous models (Gemini, Trooper) weren’t sold here with Isuzu badges.
Love the interior!
The Bellett’s styling seems familiar to my eyes but I can’t quite place what they remind me of – something Italian, something British and with a little ’61 Dodge mixed in? Apparently these quite strong sellers in Australia, back in the day, although I imagine that was largely on the back of the more conservative sedan. These GT coupes are real lookers.
Speaking of alluring compacts, the Datsun 510 is easily one of the most revered and respected Japanese cars of all time. This is a design that has stood the test of time, perfectly proportioned, angular and purposeful. And, of course, these were a delight to drive.
The storied name was later reused in North America on the A10-series Violet, sold here as the Stanza. These were rather disappointing sellers for Nissan here in Australia and critics largely agreed they didn’t recapture the magic of the first 510. Note: neither car was sold here in Australia with “510” badging.
There’s no better mobile billboard than a Nissan S-Cargo. There’s a few companies I’ve seen here in Brisbane that use S-Cargos even though they’re now two decades old. It’s the combination of other-worldly styling and a relatively spacious load bay that makes these a compelling used purchase for a small business.
I’d seen plenty around but I’d never had the opportunity to actually look inside one. I was pleasantly surprised to find these are just as quirky inside as they are outside, with that funny dash-mounted gearshift and the central pod for the speedometer. Super cute.
Here’s what the S-Cargo was parked next to: a Suzuki Mighty Boy. While the related Suzuki Hatch of that period is nearly extinct, Mighty Boys can still be found around town.
While the S-Cargo and Mighty Boy are eye-catching for their sheer quirkiness, the Mitsubishi GTO/3000GT is eye-catching because of its supercar looks. Sold only in top-spec, twin-turbocharged, all-wheel-drive VR-4 form here – no FWD or naturally-aspirated models for us – these were decidedly rare thanks to their lofty price tag, in the low six figures.
Of course, that’s Aussie dollars, but that still meant a car with a Mitsubishi badge was selling for as much as a BMW 535i. The 3000GT was never meant to be a volume car and instead served as a halo for the brand here, although the Lancer Evolution was arguably more successful in that role. The few 3000GTs imported here that one sees on the roads have since been supplemented with gray import GTOs from Japan but they are still far from ubiquitous. When I see one – typically painted in arrest-me red – I always take notice.
Although criticized by some for being overweight and overwrought, the 3000GT was a technologically impressive automobile from a time when Mitsubishi really seemed on top of its game.
Sometimes, all you have to do is leave the gates of a classic car show and you’ll find something fascinating. Here’s a 1962-67 S40-series Toyota Crown station wagon.
These have a rather American vibe to them, as though you could put Rambler logos on them and successfully fool some people.
It’s always remarkable how dizzying the variety of Japanese cars is in their home market. While the most popular gray imports here tend to be Nissan Skylines and Silvias, a lot of more nondescript sedan models tend to find their way here. Cars like this Nissan Laurel Medalist tend to blur together in my mind with other JDM sedans like the Toyota Chaser.
I’ve always longed for a resource – either a website or a book – that could take me through the complexities of the Japanese market and guide me through the vast, sprawling vehicle lineups. I didn’t know until just now that these 1989-93 C33-series Laurels were so closely related to the Cefiro, R32 Skyline and Leopard (Infiniti M30), although I did figure they were rear-wheel-drive and sold exclusively through only one of Nissan’s dealership networks in Japan.
The Laurel was probably the least overtly sporting of its platform-mates and the only one available with a diesel engine, a 2.8 inline six. Like the Skyline and Cefiro, there were also petrol inline six engines available.
One Japanese sedan I was familiar – if not intimately acquainted – with was this S120-series Toyota Crown. These were the last generation of Crown sold in Australia but I’m not sure why they even bothered, sales being pitifully low. Nissan also insisted on flogging the Cedric here. Neither the Crown nor Cedric made a lot of sense here—too soft, too conservative, too expensive at the time for a Japanese car. Nissan and Toyota had plenty of other models back home that would have been more logical fits for their Australian lineups.
I was expecting 1980s Japanese Brougham goodness from the interior of these Crown Royal Saloons – I mean, it’s called a “Royal Saloon” ferchrissakes – but I was a bit disappointed to find the owners had seat covers on. Maybe there was some blood red crushed velour hiding underneath. I should hope so for something called a Royal Saloon!
This Chrysler Valiant Charger drove past the show a couple of times as I was leaving, almost as if to taunt the other cars and declare, “There’s no replacement for displacement!”
There was another Aussie car out on the street, albeit one with distinctly Japanese roots. This is a Nissan Pintara TR-X, the sporty trim level of the U12 Bluebird-based, Australian-built Pintara. North American readers will recognize it as the Stanza, although the Pintara was dubiously Australianized and lacked the build quality of its Japanese-built counterparts.
For a school oval that was half empty by the time I got there, there were still plenty of Japanese cars to gawk at. Stay tuned for part two.
Related Reading:
Curbside Capsule: Suzuki Mighty Boy – The Name Says It All
Curbside Classic: 1989-92 Ford Corsair/Nissan Pintara – A Lame Duck Bluebird
Curbside Classics: 1991-99 Mitsubishi 3000GT and 1991-96 Dodge Stealth – The King of Diamonds
¿Dónde está el baño?
Normally I would be quite suspicious of a show taking place in a banyo, but I’m sure glad I looked.
TWO Isuzu Belletts! I haven’t seen one since my Aunt had one, here’s my sister and I with the Bellett in 1972
“Young people don’t like the cars I like.”
That, my friend, is the most succinct way of explaining the conundrum.
We have seen this borne out by years of experience. The classic era cars were popular with older folks, as they were often the only ones who could both appreciate them from nostalgia of their youth AND afford them. This begat the AACA and the like, who determine exactly what is or is not acceptable for membership into their club. Oddly, few tend to really appreciate a pre-WWII Packard or similar enough to want to pay for restorations, nor do they want to pay the prices being asked on them. As such, the club and their members bemoan that there are no youth taking interest. No, it is not that there are not youth interested, but there are not many that have the same level of enthusiasm for ownership of those models.
You see that with the cars of the boomers. There are finite numbers of people who want to pay top dollar for a tri-five, and a bust is imminent on the prices of cars of the 50s. Muscle Cars will see the same cycle soon, and the rising prices of Porsches and Ferraris will see a boom and bust cycle as well. It is the nature of the beast.
When we see older folks reaching out to learn more about the cars that interest younger people, they will be surprised to learn that the younger folks want to learn more about their older cars. Respect, and by that I mean mutual respect, is a two way street, and too many have been looking at it as a one way.
You both hit the nail on the head. Cost of entry into “classics” has kept me quite content lavishing my huge level car enthusiasm on cheap 90s era cars through my teens and twenties to now, despite my true interests being more allegedly aligned with boomers. Enthusiasm is independent of money, I know for a fact that I am equally(likely more) passionate about Hemi Cudas than many of their current owners who laid down 7 figures for one, but because I can’t afford that/think that is ludicrous, I’m not passionate enough? Please. The inflated prices to me and most my age and younger seem only like a way to keep “those darn kids” from messing with a wealthy insecure subset of a certain generation’s cars, lest we disturb their nostalgia.
Give it 10 years at most, Matt, and you WILL be able to afford a genuine Hemi Cuda. You will find that the current owners are aging out of their mortal coil, and their heirs, for the most part, could really care less about some beast of an engine, much less a 50 year old car they cannot afford to maintain or drive. Chances are your cheap 90s car (or heaven forbid, a malaise era car) may well have as much value then as the Cuda depreciates again to levels that are more long term manageable. The problem is guessing correctly what the next generation WITH MONEY will covet, and then buying low, holding for a while, and selling high.
I don’t expect them to drop THAT low but I do agree and expect that they’ll likely drop down to levels within reach to regular people at prices comparable to their modern day equivelants for the rarest versions. There is likely more than enough people my age that would snap them all up when that happens.
Well, perhaps not a numbers matching, convertible, 4 speed one, but….
Simply watching the people who buy at BJ and similar auctions makes you wonder how long they will be enjoying the car. I wish them all the happiness in the world, but they are not going to live to 120.
And to your comment that more than enough people your age will be snapping up these cars in 10 year, perhaps, but more likely, no. There will be buyers, just as there are now younger people buying pre-WWII Packards. Prices of these cars were in the millions a few years back, now they can be had for 100-200K, not cheap, but definitely attainable when you consider a Tesla s costs about that much. Not die, but prices will go to a reasonable number. but they are connoisseurs, not speculators or those late to the party, and the market will crash for these muscle cars. Pricing will come down to $30-40K for nice ones, less for drivers. A rare model may still command a ridiculous price, but not like it is now. Maybe you and your friends will all be driving them, but not a lot of folks. Even then, it will be a buyers market for these, along with the cars the boomers coveted. You, my friend, with a little patience are sitting in the catbird seat.
You are correct and it’s the later 80’s/90’s stuff that is starting to head WAY up now it in its stead. Audi Quattro’s (over 11,000 built), E30 M3’s (over 5000 built), many Porsches, early GTIs, Supras etc. Good ones are starting to become unobtainable for the regular guy and will likely be going higher but then will again drop in about another 20-30 years. Just like all the ones mentioned above (muscle cars and pre-war etc)
It’ll be interesting to see if this next generation (Gen X) really continues going for the traditional auction houses/venues for at least the mid-market fare or if there will be a bigger shift into venues such as Bringatrailer.com that is now one of the best places to find very interesting cars for auction, mostly offered by private parties but some dealers as well. The big advantage is the lower cost due to not having to ship anything anywhere until it sells. The track record as far as getting what was described seems to be quite good as far as I have seen. I know I’ve been tempted several times…
JFrank, BJ auctions don’t paint even close to a full picture. Maybe for the highest end of high end stuff, but the reason you’re not seeing younger people there is because the televised cars are strategically the ones that are expected to bring the big money and the big ratings. VW Sambas for example were always at these kinds of auctions, but they’d always be on-deck for a commercial break after they sold a Hemi Cuda convertible or something. Only recently in the last few years since their values have skyrocketed they get televised, and all you see buying them now is the demographic who can throw $150,000 at a rickety van without risking financial ruin.
Conversely look at many YouTube channels like Roadkill(well, formerly YouTube in their case) and the vast majority of the cars they use are well used beat up examples of 60s-70s cars, and the viewer demographics skew pretty young judging by comments and event attendees. That show’s popularity directly reflects the unattainability of those kinds of cars on the high end, showing you don’t need $50,000 restorations or blueprinted engines with all the right parts to enjoy them. Ditto for the Fast and the Furious franchise, who do you think is watching those (awful) movies? And every installment features more and more “muscle cars” than the last, despite it being very import skewed in earlier installments.
I think prewar cars are apples to oranges. 50s-current cars may differ hugely in safety, emissions, and refinement from today, but the core packaging hasn’t changed much since pontoon fenders became standard fare, and thusly styling remains much more relatable and appealing. Additionally they don’t struggle to keep up in modern traffic like a pre-war car, at least there isn’t a perception of it(playing into the kids think all old cars are muscle cars trope). Pre-war cars never transcended generations in appeal past being nostalgia based(which is long over) or being important historical pieces for museum fodder. They aren’t hero cars in movies and TV shows, you don’t see them on YouTube being hooned , and there’s no sense whatsoever that they can be fitted with modern tires, brakes, etc. without fuss like you can with a 50s or 60s car.
Lots of stuff I’ve driven or been in here, so some random musings occur.
I’ve always liked those ’83-odd Supras, even if this one has a most odd side louvre on the window. That basic Impreza shows how interesting that shape was. It has never been as distinctive since. The pretty Bellet did seem common when I was young, but that may have just been carnut me noticing the ones that existed.
The 510 was decent to drive, but I wouldn’t say a delight. Sub-standard steering, noise, seats and squishy long-travel brakes, all of which are sensibly modified these days. Handled a ripper, ofcourse, went well and forever, and it does look nice. In contrast, the A-10 Violet/Stanza was a horrible car. With leaf sprung axle, even worse steering and as much noise, it felt older than the 510 released 10 years earlier! And pointless, being a smaller engined and slightly more cramped version of the equally lamentable 810/200B for nearly the same money. No wonder it didn’t sell well.
The Crown Royals do indeed have velour, and it’s buttoned too. But not necessarily buttoned up; I seem to recall road tests were quite positive about them, and the last ones had the hot 2.8 twin-cam under the dowdy dress, so the skirts could really lift.
The Pintara TR-X/U12 Bluebird wasn’t totally awful, having a rough 2.4 injected lump that made it quick in the day, enough that they raced them in production class stuff. (Presumably as directed by marketing, as they essentially drove round circuits on full lock understeer, with bored-looking pilots aboard, but I digress). I drove one only a few years ago, and with the excellent seats Nissan Aus then made and still-reasonable speed, it surprised me, though the flimsiness and general cheapness was pretty overwhelming.
But my car of choice here is that S-40 Crown wagon. My best mate in primary school had one, and I was taken on a memorable holiday in it. I absolutely loved the ticketty noise of it, that and the fact that his dad absolutely flogged it. It wasn’t a hissy-sounding Holden six, and unlike a Holden, it had actual seats (for all seven of us – blimey!) Still very taken by the looks of it. It looks better than the Rambler source.
Great work, Mr Stopford. Being from Melbourne, if it’s 95F and 70% humidity, I am incapable of functioning outdoors.
Back when I was a kid cars were mechanically somewhat similar, all had carbs, points, drum brakes, almost never power brakes/sometimes power steering, and “3 on the tree” wasn’t that unusual.
As I got older, cars got better and many differences appeared as more market niches were recognized. Thanks to emissions controls, cars got more reliable.
Therefore, I became more reluctant to put money into a car that might easily become a money pit..
Nowadays, I think many car enthusiasts are reluctant to spring for a car with systems they don’t understand and/or don’t want to “mess with”.
I’d wager that if there is a declining interest in cars among America’s youth it’s far more attributable to them not being able to afford them and as a consequence automakers not catering to their desires as a demographic than anything. Add to that societal trends such as increased urbanization that makes owning a car both more expensive and less necessary, decaying infrastructure that makes travel much less enjoyable, and of course the dearth of affordable used cars due to Cash for Clunkers, and you have a simple recipe for declining interest in a luxury that fewer can afford and for those who can, a combination of undesirable choices and a less enjoyable experience if realized.
Put more simply, would anyone here want to be a kid just getting your license in a world of mostly grayscale SUVs and a vast hole in the used vehicle market leaving only ten year old Camrys? How about after you take a peek at that quarter of a million dollar indispensable student loan debt that you carry?
Very nice! How does it work in Australia and NZ when you get the old JDM stuff as far as parts etc – For example if the Mazda Cosmo in Washington from yesterday’s post was in fact exported to your neighborhood instead, would it likely be a lot easier to keep it running if it was in need of parts etc or still a potentially huge struggle?
Not much problem getting parts the mechanical aspects of most JDM cars is pretty generic and in NZ wrecking yards are overflowing with dead ex JDM cars parts are everywhere and local fixes for some of their stranger ideas are about early engine management sensor problems on a Mitsubishi MIrage I had were solved by a wrecker he presented me with some NZ market items carb and distributor devoid of any electronic trickery and my little bomb ran fine.
By the way Skylines did come in diesel, theres still the odd original one around.
Hi Jim, it’s pretty easy here in NZ, as KiwiBryce says, there are plenty of wreckers either wrecking cars that have been on the road here, or importing straight out of Japan. All of the major Japanese brand dealerships support parts for JDM cars, usually with airfreight available. There are also a number of specialist importers too, although usually they cover performance parts.
To put it in to perspective, more than a 3rd of cars going on the road for the first time in NZ are used JDM imports. After a lot of wailing from manufacturers back in the 80’s and 90’s it’s just become mainstream.
And Bryce, yes, you are right about diesel Skylines, but the last were R31’s, that’s a good 30 years ago now……. Very few left on the road now. Probably only a few dozen.
The S-Cargo dash is astonishing. Like a Martian designing a car from a list of requirements, without ever seeing an Earth car. Perfectly original, and it clearly works.
It is a common lament about the younger generation, but of course each generation grows up in their own time. Perhaps the Boomers, and Boomers+ are the aberration? Maybe the amount of younger folks enthusiasm is more of the historical norm.
One of the things that Boomers wanted cars for, was to get away from their folks. The last couple of generations don’t need to do that. Their folks have gotten away from them! Increased workforce participation by both parents, extended commute times, and the desire for parents to find fulfillment on their own, has left the kids with plenty of alone time in empty houses.
I think that as parents are busier, they don’t want their kids driving around in those unreliable pieces of junk that we drove as kids. They don’t have the time or interest in rescuing their kids when the old car breaks down. How many times did you call the “Old man” to come and help with a jump start or minor roadside repair. Or even to respond with a tow rope? Also parents want their kids to ride in safer cars, with air bags and ABS.
Just going on anecdotal evidence in my neighborhood, I don’t see any kids working on cars in their driveways, no Boomers either. My neighborhood has been steadily filling up with foreign born engineers and tech people. This is not meant as a slight. They are fine, well educated people but I would guess that there is a class stigma associated with the concept of rolling up your sleeves and getting dirty. Nothing wrong with that, I wish that I could afford that luxury.
Back in the mid 2000s when I was in my Datsun Z and 510 parts business I met a lot of younger car enthusiasts. So I know that they are out there. I guess a lot depends on whether or not your Dad or other close family member was a DIY’r or gear head. My Dad was and so am I. My Son rides motorcycles and has a fondness for Acuras and just bought himself a used Boxster. I’ve done a good job passing the torch to the next generation. After that, time will tell!
Loving the Crown wagon!
There was a ute too in that model Crown Toyota adressed every piece of the market it could find.
The Bellett coupe is delightful.
Yes, there’s some young interested in cars, but undoubtedly it’s fewer than it once was. it’s not anything to really care or worry about. Things change.
There were once a lot more young people interested in horses, and steam engines. 🙂
Kids dont like cars? Really? Gunna have to disagree with that, Ive got a 17 year old girl here freshly qualified as a restricted driver(similar to a P plater but unmarked) who is getting quite interested in cars She and her friends own a wide variety of vehicles, she tends to look down at those who can only drive automatics, and has discovered they joys of boost and what the red marks are on the speedo in the car I gave her, They may not like the old bombs the older generations enjoy but kids today are definitely into cars.
Love those Belletts by Isuzu the coup’es are quite rare here in fact any Bellett is rare now, NZ got Isuzus badged as Holdens both the Gemini and the 80s Aska( Camira) Ive seen one 90s Aska a rebadged Subaru Legacy but even ex JDM its a brand of car that just disappeared SUVs utes and trucks abound but not Isuzu cars..
I just searched for that Valiant Charger. Nice looking car! I love seeing international versions of familiar models.
Dynawedge Colts, Belletts and Crown wagon for me.
I’ve heard applications for drivers licences here in Victoria has dropped 20% in the last ten years. At some point I’ll be expanding on my theory, but I do believe fewer young people are interested in owning a car, let alone have a genuine passion for them.
I think you’re right Don. There is certainly, to my experience, less passion for cars (old and new) among the millennials I encounter than there was among my generation.
The increased cost of ownership, through insurance, taxation and city parking costs, improved city public transport and congestion charging, increased cost of city housing relative to earnings and therefore impacting affordability and the emerging daily/hourly usage models are all affecting car ownership by younger city dwellers. Also, getting a licence and driver training is more complex and expensive than it was.
Conversely for rural communities, car ownership has probably never been more necessary with a decline in public transport and local provision of many services, from village shops to medical practices.
And the replacement popular interest – what we might call being connected, through mobile devices, PCs, streaming and social media?
Spot-on precis Roger.
I wonder if the”just not interested in cars” thing is just simply generational? I was born in 1963. My Dad was born in 1916.
I went to car shows with him when I was younger and he of course gravatated toward the cars of the 30’s and 40’s as that was the era he first drove and when he bought his first cars well used they were the same.
I enjoyed them but never felt an attachment to them.
I became of driving age in 1979. My first car was a 68 Ford custom and I’d happily sold my soul for a 79-81 t-top trans am. When these cars started appearing at shows I felt that bond of “this is my life”
My son was born in 1994. Now when we go to the shows its much the same. He appreciates the cars of my generation but only comes to life when its something I still consider basic transportation.
One show we were at there was both a black 75-76 charger se and a black 94 Shelby charger. Both immaculate cars but both bringing the same reactions from us but on the opposite cars.
Maybe in twenty years time when the mid seventies are in the minority and the nineties and double 00’s are the main players they kids of today will be there more?
I`m surprised that S Cargo is not decked out in full ‘Hello Kitty’ regalia.
Crown wagon: sublime.
Bellett twins: uber-cool.
Plain Jane Impreza: not sure I ever saw one before. So strange, yet so uninteresting.
Great post, Mr Stopford.
High hopes for part 2!
Aww, have another look at the lovely Impreza, do. Admittedly, it looks better painted up, but that essential shape has a lot more angles and folds and elegant frameless windows than, say, a Corolla of that age. Without the wings and spotlights, you can see it clearer.
Not that it actually was interesting to DRIVE, with 1.6 litres and a whole 66 kw, front-drive only, and a grey interior so stripped that a steering wheel was probably an option.
Those base model Imprezzas are quite common here as are all Subarus the 1.5 base model is underpowered and slow perfect for a P plate driver and incredibly cheap to buy though running costs can be high.
I’m not sure I’d say that they were released in response to the recession, I think they were there from the start, and followed on from similarly-basic Leones etc.
Hi im the owner of the 3000gt (Actually called GTO in Australia except for the Aus delivered ones) interesting article 🙂
Isuzu Bellett for me please. There’s a certain BMW coupe look to it IMHO
Great post! Not dissimilar to my own ‘blog (uppermiddlepetrolhead). I think I’ll have a bit of a scroll through the rest of yours this weekend. I’ve attached a pic of my car for your delectation.
Cheers,
Alastair