[piscator]

Will The Next Generation Want These Cars?

Among my daughter’s many (and diverse) collection of friends only one has shown an interest in my Porsche. Out of her 50/50 male/female gang, he’s the ‘car-guy,’ although he doesn’t wrench.

In particular, what’s going to happen to all these long-hoods that have been so lovingly restored? Will the all wind up in public/private museums?

I’ve read that the demand for anything collectible is generational. Hence, post war ‘baby boomers’ aspire to own Sandy Koufax baseball cards and Porsche 911s. While inflation may prevent the value of a collectible from declining, what happens to the passion and interest in the collectible?

To guys my/our age Porsche 911s represent something aspirational within the context of our lives. When that generation (and future generations) pass, does the interest in our cars become, merely, the vehicles’ rarity? In future generations will the passion for the car become simply a passion to fill a slot in a collector’s collection?

It fascinates me that at this very juncture in time, a relatively small number of us are seeking out every last Porsche on the planet and pouring out an enormous amount of time, money, and skill to restore them. Like a hive of worker bees, we are scavenging every Porsche part, every shell, every crumb, to re-assemble a fleet of autos that will exist as a time capsule of our generation.

I suspect that that level of commitment could only be summoned by the generation for whom a Porsche 911 means more than ‘just another stamp’ to add to a collection. I suppose there are always car enthusiasts who will restore ‘one of those,’ or ‘one of these’ – but has any other car (any other anything) been so coveted, sought after, restored, and preserved as the Porsche 911?

Art collecting is the only comparison I can think of. Where a cadre of enthusiasts searches, the world over. for every last Rembrandt sketch.

And lastly, I wonder about the engineers, mechanics, accountants, office staff, race drivers, electricians, painters, tire changers, executives, etc. who took part in building these cars originally. When they look at what we’re up to, from their heavenly reward, what are they thinking? What would be their ‘take.’ That is, when they meet for a divine latte, what (if anything) are they saying about all this?

Thoughts?

Robert