How do we attract more young people to the world of early 911's?

[NickP Euro 73S and 72T —> ST Find all posts View Profile Close NickP]

Generally, Apples don’t fall too far from the tree. Having an assortment of mostly air cooled Porsche’s in our garage as my kids were growing up and seeing my interest in the cars both my daughter and son grew to appreciate the charm and character of the older cars. I started my son auto crossing in a 914 when he turned 16 and helped him get a job at San Diego (formerly Pioneer) Porsche as a lot boy where he became the the self proclaimed “King of first gear and reverse.” My car passion is now a shared passion at least with Matthew, who’s now 30. Start em’ young, show them your passion and get them involved. I think it either resonates or it doesn’t. I do feel fortunate that he enjoys and appreciate these cars alongside his old man.

[VintageExcellence 2.2S Find all posts View Profile Close VintageExcellence]

I just hired an 18yr old kid still in high school. He can drive manual and did his own manual swap BMW 3 series. I’ll get him hooked on Porsches. He found me through Instagram and said he had a burning passion to work on cars. Today I had him rebuilding disgusting 69 soft window targa axles and he made a mess I have to pay the little bastard $20hr when I only got $5.50 for the same job in the 90s lol. This is the first kid that has passion so I’m happy to have him, all the others under 30 in the last 7yrs have been totally worthless and unteachable just looking for a paycheck. Kids are against working on cars in general with a throw away society. The damn parents and teachers have pushed college so much that manual labor is frowned upon. High school auto shop and art classes have been removed - the 2 classes I excelled in and helped me be a restoration expert. Everyone should get an office job “so they can make more”. Well minus the college debts and add the satisfaction of building something amazing and you can pull out a decent living doing something you love everyday equal to the average office job. Beats office jobs with mandatory sensitivity training and HR Karen’s.

I agree we need young people into Porsches. Maybe if we do tic toc videos in a cool way we can burn 7 seconds of cool Porsches into kids brains - if they can pay attention that long. Coolness is the key to getting the kids to love these cars, and that is already on our side but we need to figure out how to show it to them in a way they want to see it.

[Frank Beck Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Frank Beck]

Kudos to all who get their offspring involved and for those attempting to light a spark in a proverbial forest of wet, green twigs. Kids want what they've always wanted: Meaning, significance, and of course love; the greatest human need ever. The fascination and obsession with being "cool" is a symptom of their desire to be loved and accepted. Many are choosing to invest in frivolous causes, have a horribly broken moral compass, and are attracted to things that many of us can't relate to. Sorry but parents are part of the problem here.

Mark, most kids/man boys don't think old Porsches are cool. Unless they're dropped, skirted, winged, wrapped, and have at least 5 degrees of negative camber they find our cars utterly boring. Tik Tok vids are actually cleaver but you're going to need to put a big twist on them. Here's my latest idea... except let's do it with a 912 just in case something bad happens. (Don't let the music draw you into a hypnotic state; please study these crazy bass turds.)

How You Change A Tire In Saudi Arabia - YouTube

[sebaroher Seabass Find all posts View Profile Close sebaroher]

I just hired an 18yr old kid still in high school. He can drive manual and did his own manual swap BMW 3 series. I’ll get him hooked on Porsches. He found me through Instagram and said he had a burning passion to work on cars. Today I had him rebuilding disgusting 69 soft window targa axles and he made a mess I have to pay the little bastard $20hr when I only got $5.50 for the same job in the 90s lol. This is the first kid that has passion so I’m happy to have him, all the others under 30 in the last 7yrs have been totally worthless and unteachable just looking for a paycheck. Kids are against working on cars in general with a throw away society. The damn parents and teachers have pushed college so much that manual labor is frowned upon. High school auto shop and art classes have been removed - the 2 classes I excelled in and helped me be a restoration expert. Everyone should get an office job “so they can make more”. Well minus the college debts and add the satisfaction of building something amazing and you can pull out a decent living doing something you love everyday equal to the average office job. Beats office jobs with mandatory sensitivity training and HR Karen’s.

I agree we need young people into Porsches. Maybe if we do tic toc videos in a cool way we can burn 7 seconds of cool Porsches into kids brains - if they can pay attention that long. Coolness is the key to getting the kids to love these cars, and that is already on our side but we need to figure out how to show it to them in a way they want to see it.

I couldn't agree more with this post. Fortunately I think (hope) we will soon see a resurgence in trades as many who were disillusioned by society's push for a degree are coming to the realization that it simply isn't for everyone. I think bringing back shop class would be a good start for the kids in high school (a plus for me as someone else can teach them basic tool identification )

[jaudette3 Really? Find all posts View Profile Close jaudette3]

Tough one. I was originally deep into the 356 community and the same topic was discussed often. That community now is almost totally very elderly folks. Look around the early 911 world. Many here who are a bit "younger" arrived from the 356 world. Most kids who have an interest in cars end up seeking the ones that they lusted after in their teens and buy them later in life when they can afford them. Most young folks today are going to be interested in EVs given that their performance is so exceptional, out doing early Porsches in every way. And others are going to be attracted to the sexy Tokyo-at-midnight newer Porsches. And they might be attracted to the big glamorous money ego cars as status appears to be a human constant. I'm afraid that early Porsches are going to seen like VW's to them. Time moves on, tastes and values move on. Look what happened to the really classic and cool pre-war cars.

Cheers,
John

[MrBonus **** Find all posts View Profile Close MrBonus]

I'm 42 and bought my first air-cooled car in 2009, a 993 C2S for a paltry sum compared to today's prices. Our early cars were reasonable affairs too for decades but now a decent car is going to run you to the precipice of six figures, a princely sum for the generations struggling to scrape together a down payment on a home or finish paying off their education.

There is certainly no lack of interest in them; I can't drive the '71 anywhere without young and old alike throwing me a thumbs up or wave, but the reality is buying then maintaining these cars is incredibly expensive now.

[speedo aka speedo Find all posts View Profile Close speedo]

I bought my son a non-running Subeam Alpine when he was a freshman in high school to keep him occupied. We restored it and while he learned a lot (like don't ever buy anything with Lucas inside), and enjoyed the ragtop...he never REALLY loved the car. I had the pleasure of trailering it back home for repairs everytime it stranded him...which it did frequently.
The day we sold it to CA so that it could breath life into a forlorn Sunbeam Tiger, was a day to celebrate. Two years ago while I was finishing the metal work on my 914-6, he decided that he wanted a Porsche project. We scouted around and looked at a number of seemingly expensive 911 projects...only to realize that he was going to end up with the vast majority of his 25 year old net worth imbedded in a car that "might" be recoverable if we did ALL the work ourselves. A short while later we agreed that a 911 was going to be a fiscally irresponsible acquisition, and as much as he wanted a 911 that maybe a 914 would be better suited as they were after all, just Volkswagens. A friend had an extra stillborn yellow 72 1.7 and the deal was struck. As it was a complete project, first course of business was to get the tired 1.7 running which we did immediately. Next on the list was brakes and a drive. His face coming back into the driveway from that first drive was evidence that he was in love with the car...even before we started on the restoration. Over the course of the next year and a half, he learned to weld, fabricate, wiring, suspension, engine/transmission and bodywork. We shopped around when it was time for paint and got him an 8.5 out of 10 paintjob. He took some liberties with the exterior trim which turned out great. He loves this car. So his rabbithole into Porsche ownership was through the 914 community which I gotta say is quite the sharing brotherhood. Before and after.....

[Chris Pomares 2.4L Find all posts View Profile Close Chris Pomares]

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I was doing some programing with my laptop to the engine ecu. As I was driving by a middle school that was closing for the day, a group of what appeared to be 13 to15 year old kids started screaming 911! 911! Porsche! Porsche! over and over. They were raising their hands and jumping up and down. The parents on the other hand appeared to take no notice. They looked like the walking dead. Maybe there is some hope for the future of our cars. We might have to pass over a generation or two and wait for these new trade school kids.

[Frank Beck Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Frank Beck]

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I was doing some programing with my laptop to the engine ecu. As I was driving by a middle school that was closing for the day, a group of what appeared to be 13 to15 year old kids started screaming 911! 911! Porsche! Porsche! over and over. They were raising their hands and jumping up and down. The parents on the other hand appeared to take no notice. They looked like the walking dead. Maybe there is some hope for the future of our cars. We might have to pass over a generation or two and wait for these new trade school kids.

Fascinating. True freaks.
I would have turned around and struck up a friendly conversation with the parents and let the boys gawk. The hell with worrying that they'll think you're a pedo stalker. Establishing personal relationships are always the tip of the spear.

[Chris Pomares 2.4L Find all posts View Profile Close Chris Pomares]

Frank,
There was no place to park. Parents waiting in their car for their kids. Not one bike anywhere. Otherwise I would have done what you suggested.

[soterik HTH....! Find all posts View Profile Close soterik]

Who's going to service the cars "if" we attract young people into the cars.... or provide needed parts or provide services. I think that not too many years from now we will have to be more self sufficient like the owners of orphan marquee cars have to be.

I've spoken with a half dozen people this week who are in the Porsche world/industry and most of the conversations were about our health, retirement, how many years can we keep going etc. Most don't have a younger employee/child/family member who will be taking over, and MOST don't have any kind of plan either. Also, finding it hard to find someone willing to work/apprentice their way into the business as a future owner, rather than just a worker. We had a great upholsterer hear in Seattle, he tried to get someone to learn the trade/skills, paid great, but never got anyone to stick around, he passed a way a couple of years ago.

I can't answer for myself. It's a hobby. I'm lucky to have a lot of choices.

[jaudette3 Really? Find all posts View Profile Close jaudette3]

That's one of the reasons that popularity fades. I'm going to want to hand Audette Collection off to a partner in a not too distant future. My thinking is that there may be retired or semi-retired Porsche types who might be interested. A lot of folks discover that golf is just not enough. Still a lot of strivers in our generation or near generation, unlike the younger folk. Although my younger son has made himself and some future generations comfortable for life.

Cheers,
John
www.911bestinclass.com

[Frank Beck Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Frank Beck]

That's one of the reasons that popularity fades. I'm going to want to hand Audette Collection off to a partner in a not too distant future. My thinking is that there may be retired or semi-retired Porsche types who might be interested. A lot of folks discover that golf is just not enough. Still a lot of strivers in our generation or near generation, unlike the younger folk. Although my younger son has made himself and some future generations comfortable for life.

Cheers,
John
www.911bestinclass.com

Pipe dream John.

Just ask Paul A.

Retired or "semi-retired" (whatever that is.) guys don't want to do things like this and unfortunately there are very few young guys either. I have literally offered to GIVE my biz away to my employees and they don't want it. They know the money and perks are incredible but simply don't want to invest the hard work and time that it takes to run a successful small business. When my wife and are done I'm realistic enough to know that a 50+ year Porsche specialty shop will most likely be reduced to liquidating assets and leasing the RE. For better or worse, lead-tech managed small businesses have little blue sky or IP to offer.

[jaudette3 Really? Find all posts View Profile Close jaudette3]

Yeah, I gave my restoration shop to one of my mechanics. He's built it into a very successful business and continues to run it today. It pains me how the work ethic has died in this country. It seems like everyone is entitled and lazy and they turn to easy money pursuits such as Robin Hood, cryptocurrencies, NFT's and poker. The poker one really rankles me. These are some bright young folks who are completely wasting their intellect on poker, a zero sum game. No wonder China is kicking our ass. We're pathetic.

I saw a quote a while back from someone with a brain who I can't recall: Capitalism always ends with gambling.

John
www.911bestinclass.com

[sebaroher Seabass Find all posts View Profile Close sebaroher]

I have literally offered to GIVE my biz away to my employees and they don't want it.

Relocate to Florida and I'll take you up on that offer