<VV> attracting youngER members

[Wrsssatty at aol.com]

I have long thought that the greatest obstacle to current Corsa folks  
attracting new members is their (our?) inability or unwillingness to think  outside 
the box.  Now we are again discussing attracting young members and  everyone 
seems to be thinking about when "guys like us" first got into Corvairs  as our 
first car in high school, etc. and thinking that all we have to do is to  get 
guys now in high school interested in Corvairs.  I don't think that's  likely 
to happen on a large scale.  I don't think guys in high school today  are much 
interested in cars period, much less Corvairs.  We need to think  not about 
attracting young members but youngER members as in younger than what  we now 
have.  Step one is determining what is the average age of current  Corsa 
members.  I'd guess around 50.  In fact, I'd bet the mean age of  Corsa members is 
probably higher.  Anyway, once we've determined our  average age, aim at 
attracting members 10-15 years younger than that, say, 40  years old.  At that age 
they should be entering their peak earning years  and still old enough, perhaps, 
to have some knowledge or memory of the  car.  Getting into the collector car 
hobby probably is something  that already has appeal to them and they may be 
enticed into Corvairs by their  relative affordability.
 
Our cars are antiques now and most people who own antique cars regard them  
as a toy or a luxury.  They have another, modern and reliable car to drive  to 
and from work everyday.  Sorry, but the reality is that the number of  
Corvairs used as daily drivers is dwindling, dwindling, dwindling.  And  this target 
age group I'm talking about usually works long hours to earn the  disposable 
income that would allow them to have a collector car and, for that  reason, 
usually wants to pay someone else to keep it in the kind of condition  that they 
can just enjoy driving it and showing it, etc. in what little spare  time they 
have.  For that reason, I agree with the person who posted saying  that the 
lack of knowledgeable and experienced mechanics to whom one can take a  Corvair 
is a hindrance to a more widespread popularity for Corvairs.  I've  said that 
here before.  I don't know much we can do about that other than  to encourage 
anyone in our midst so inclined to work on other people's Corvairs  for money.
 
~Bill Stanley
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