A Nice Kid at Old Car Festival

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

As I was driving my Model N through the Greenfield Village, a nice young kid, (maybe 12?), asked if he could have a ride. I just couldn't at that moment but told him to find me later. It wasn't until the next day that my wife spotted him. I waived him over and offered a ride. (Thankfully, his parent was there to approve) As we rode around, he asked a few polite questions and wrote down notes in a notebook he carried with him. Turns out he'd had rides in 14 cars so far! He thanked me nicely as I dropped him off. It felt really good to find a nice, intelligent, well behaved, polite, young man, interested so much in early cars. As I age, one of things I enjoy the most, is knowing that there's still some good kids amongst us. Maybe this hobby if going be okay for the future.

[Brian D]

Bet that was the same kid I gave a ride to. He was yelling at me how to drive the Model T. I gave his Dad copy of the T Times for him! I also had parents permission!

[TWrenn]

Good to hear!

[Daisy Mae]

At shows, I have always allowed curious kids to sit in my A or T, or given rides to those who asked.

My love for Model T was based on getting a T Matchbox toy for my 7th birthday. But, as a youngster I was also given a ride in a T.
I was "going to own one" from an early age.

So long as those of us continue to open up and enable interest in these old gals, I'm sure the interest will continue for generations.

In my case, none of my kids curiously never showed any interest. My son was more enthralled with my Mustang, which he now owns. But... who IS showing interest, and loves helping me in my shop is my 9 yr old grandson.. Here's a pic where I gave him the coil box to put together. (Free labor!)

.yup...there's hope!

[Steve Jelf]

We have some great young folks on board. Some got the T bug a few years ago and are still with us. Others are still in high school, or younger. Don't worry. We're a tiny minority of a tiny minority, but I believe there will always be the rare kids who have an interest in old stuff and history. Some will become Civil War or WWI reenactors, some will fall in love with steam, and some will be smitten by the Model T. As far as I know I was the only kid in my high school with that kind of interest. If there were others they didn't tell me. That was before some of you young guys in your sixties were born. Don't lose heart. They're still out there.

[TWrenn]

At shows, I have always allowed curious kids to sit in my A or T, or given rides to those who asked.

My love for Model T was based on getting a T Matchbox toy for my 7th birthday. But, as a youngster I was also given a ride in a T.
I was "going to own one" from an early age.

So long as those of us continue to open up and enable interest in these old gals, I'm sure the interest will continue for generations.

In my case, none of my kids curiously never showed any interest. My son was more enthralled with my Mustang, which he now owns. But... who IS showing interest, and loves helping me in my shop is my 9 yr old grandson.. Here's a pic where I gave him the coil box to put together. (Free labor!)IoFHqZMg-2262998239.jpegM48MH2sI-2262999135.jpeg
.yup...there's hope!

Yep..same here Kurt! Let 'em sit and see how neat these are. Good that your grandson takes an interest.

[Daisy Mae]

Funny thing Tim, I honestly have more girls than boys asking to sit or ride or asking questions.

As for teenage boys, most of the time they don't want to ask questions...being too busy trying to impress their girl friends of their knowledge...which generally is incorrect...

[Daisy Mae]

Funny thing Tim, I honestly have more girls than boys asking to sit or ride or asking questions.

As for teenage boys, most of the time they don't want to ask questions...being too busy trying to impress their girl friends of their knowledge...which generally is incorrect...

[TMiller6]

I had a late start and had to wait until 5:00 Sunday as my son and daughter helped me get the cars home. I didn’t volunteer for the tow truck this year as my hip is shot.

I didn’t get many youngsters coming by which was probably a good thing because I think I have a tank of stale fuel. My blown muffler is probably a good testament to that theory. A few people asked about my Onaway steering wheel.

As we were packing up, a woman with an expensive camera asked if her younger friend could pose in my car for photos.

My granddaughter equated my ‘24 with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and kept grabbing the throttle thinking it was connected to the horn, Her batteries gave out on the way home in my daughter’s 31. Probably a good thing because my daughter helped with the tie downs while she slept nearby.

My older grandkids lasted through both days.

[Daisy Mae]

Tom, that pic of your sleeping granddaughter is precious.

My grands always love a parade in one of "PopPop's motorcar" LOL

[TWrenn]

Funny thing Tim, I honestly have more girls than boys asking to sit or ride or asking questions.

As for teenage boys, most of the time they don't want to ask questions...being too busy trying to impress their girl friends of their knowledge...which generally is incorrect...

30331636714174.jpeg

I've always said these cars are Chick Magnets!!

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

Funny thing Tim, I honestly have more girls than boys asking to sit or ride or asking questions.

As for teenage boys, most of the time they don't want to ask questions...being too busy trying to impress their girl friends of their knowledge...which generally is incorrect...

30331636714174.jpeg

I've always said these cars are Chick Magnets!!

My wife likes the T's and the T people. Previous to that, I have not found Model T's to be "chick magnets".

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

As I was driving my Model N through the Greenfield Village, a nice young kid, (maybe 12?), asked if he could have a ride. I just couldn't at that moment but told him to find me later. It wasn't until the next day that my wife spotted him. I waived him over and offered a ride. (Thankfully, his parent was there to approve) As we rode around, he asked a few polite questions and wrote down notes in a notebook he carried with him. Turns out he'd had rides in 14 cars so far! He thanked me nicely as I dropped him off. It felt really good to find a nice, intelligent, well behaved, polite, young man, interested so much in early cars. As I age, one of things I enjoy the most, is knowing that there's still some good kids amongst us. Maybe this hobby if going be okay for the future.

Bet that was the same kid I gave a ride to. He was yelling at me how to drive the Model T. I gave his Dad copy of the T Times for him! I also had parents permission!

If this is the same kid I think you are talking about (-dressed in a black shirt on Saturday), he was a sharp young man when it came to vintage automobiles. I too gave him rides. His parents had that red IHC highwheeler driving around OCF, -and his grandfather is a mechanic at the Gilmore museum.

Brian, kinda funny in that he was telling you how to drive. He told me that he drove Model-Ts around the Gilmore property all the time, so I would say he does know how to drive one.

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

As I was driving my Model N through the Greenfield Village, a nice young kid, (maybe 12?), asked if he could have a ride. I just couldn't at that moment but told him to find me later. It wasn't until the next day that my wife spotted him. I waived him over and offered a ride. (Thankfully, his parent was there to approve) As we rode around, he asked a few polite questions and wrote down notes in a notebook he carried with him. Turns out he'd had rides in 14 cars so far! He thanked me nicely as I dropped him off. It felt really good to find a nice, intelligent, well behaved, polite, young man, interested so much in early cars. As I age, one of things I enjoy the most, is knowing that there's still some good kids amongst us. Maybe this hobby if going be okay for the future.

Bet that was the same kid I gave a ride to. He was yelling at me how to drive the Model T. I gave his Dad copy of the T Times for him! I also had parents permission!

If this is the same kid I think you are talking about (-dressed in a black shirt on Saturday), he was a sharp young man when it came to vintage automobiles. I too gave him rides. His parents had that red IHC highwheeler driving around OCF, -and his grandfather is a mechanic at the Gilmore museum.

Brian, kinda funny in that he was telling you how to drive. He told me that he drove Model-Ts around the Gilmore property all the time, so I would say he does know how to drive one.

Yup! The same kid!

[Farmer J]

I too, gave him a ride in the 1908 Northern. Turns out he volunteers at the Gilmore, and in that notebook he keeps, he writes down every different car that he has ridden in. We ask whether he wanted an old car when he got a little older and he said yes, named some kind of old truck instead of a car. No doubt in four years he’ll be up there with it. Very nice young man.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I too, gave him a ride in the 1908 Northern. Turns out he volunteers at the Gilmore, and in that notebook he keeps, he writes down every different car that he has ridden in. We ask whether he wanted an old car when he got a little older and he said yes, named some kind of old truck instead of a car. No doubt in four years he’ll be up there with it. Very nice young man.

I forgot about that Jerry. He did say he wanted a truck museum. I told him it would be cool if he had one of every truck that Ford ever made to display.