RE: [Chrysler300] chrysler 300 people:our shrinking demographic

["Matt Allyn" <mallyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm younger!  I'm only 38!  HA!

My daily driver is my wife's '62 300 sport as I'm selling my other daily
driver (a '50 Chevy business coupe) and will be driving the 300 until I get
my new daily driver up & running (a '41 Ford coupe).  I work on the cars
myself as well.  My wife, Jennifer, & I have been a part of the club for a
number of years and have found that virtually everyone is extremely
friendly, no matter what their age.  In fact, I prefer the older generations
as they always know a hell of a lot more than me.

I understand where you are coming from when you say that the younger
generation is the future of the hobby.  There is an entire generation of 20
& 30 something's in Los Angeles & Orange County, CA that are going for
1940's/1950's style customized cars.  I'm sure they know very little of the
300 line, except for the 300 commercials they see on TV these days of the
newer jobs.

I don't think that a rare 300 should be customized, but people are going to
do what people are going to do.  I remember how horrified I was when John
D'Agostino (one of today's most infamous car customizer financers; as he
doesn't do the work with his own hands) decided to chop up a 1957 (or 1958)
Cadillac Eldorado Brougham...1 of 400 (or 304) ever made.  How dare he!  But
then again...he can afford to do it.

Anyways....I just wanted to say how young I was (HA!) and say how very
friendly I think all of our club members are.  Much friendlier than the club
members were when I was in the Cadillac club.


Matt Allyn
Exec. in Charge of Prod.
Granada America
323-785-2129 ph.
323-785-2151 fax

-----Original Message-----
From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Lee Meyer
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2005 4:44 PM
To: chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Chrysler300] chrysler 300 people:our shrinking demographic

Let me start out by letting everyone know I am all of 40 years old. I am
probably one of the youngest members of the club, or both clubs for that
matter. I am also very active in the mopar world. I attend many shows around
the country every year and I currently have no less than 5 restoration
projects going on. 90% of all work is done here at my house by me. I am
mostly a musclecar guy but I do have a strong interest in the fin cars as
well. I am not a rich guy. This info is just to give you a little info on my
world only. I believe that I and others like me are the future of the hobby,
and I am disappointed. Here is why. 
All of these shows I attend, the musclecar thing is the main deal. Kinda
easy to understand really, probably the largest group of car enthusiasts
ever. Consisting of the baby boomers all the way to the gen-Xers, the people
in that group have dough and are willing to spend it, and there are many
more that have yet to approach the age of having enough disposable income to
buy cars and parts that will soon enough. 
It is very rare to see a 300 at a big show. One or two, here and there and
that is all. I have been to a few 300 club type events and I have not
exactly felt welcome. A few people talked to me but mostly I felt like I was
kinda not invited. Most of the folks were much older and kept to themselves.
It was like I walked into an old VFW hall. I am not trying to be offensive,
just being honest about how it was for me. Now here is what I think would
help. 
Many more of you people have to get to big events. The mopar nats in
Columbus for one. This is the mother of all mopar events. I know Carlisle is
nice but the mopar nats is where it's at. How are new and younger people
going to get interested in these cars if they don't see them anywhere? Maybe
some of you old timers could be a little friendlier to the younger people.
If some 26 year old comments that your 300F would look sweet with custom
rims and you give the guy a scowl you not only turned him off to you
personally but probably to that type of car as well. You could invite him to
come over and check the car out closer and make a friend instead! If
installing custom wheels on a 300 is all it takes to get some new and
younger people interested in these cars don't you think its worth it?
I know some of you are saying that 300 letter cars are rare, that is why you
don't see them anywhere. Let me tell you that's crap. In the mopar world
letter cars are common. I restored a challenger convert a few years ago,
dodge made 31 of them with its option package. I drove it in the rain to
shows. This year in Vegas at the Mopars at the strip show there were 4 Real
70 hemi challenger converts, 5 real 71 hemicuda converts and a 70 hemicuda
convert under one tent. Only 9 of the challengers were produced and 11
cudas. This is the crummiest mopar show in the country right now and the
rarest cars you can imagine were being driven around like minivans. So get
out and drive these cars to some shows! Go dragracing! Try to be a little
friendlier to younger people.
Let's keep the stuck up attitudes in England where they belong!
I went to an edsel show once. 27 guys hanging around with their cars they
all bought brand new. Don't let it happen to you!
Enough for now,
Lee in San Diego



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