[Healeys] Young Healey owners

[Ronald J. Ray]

Jim,

I bought my Healey when I was 18 years old, just out of high school.  The
people I knew back then that owned Healeys were close to my age or were in
their 30s and racing Bugeyes in  SCCA.  Now, 37 years later, the majority of
people I know with Healeys are 10 years older than I am.  Just check out the
pictures in either of the Austin Healey club magazines and it's easy to tell
that Healey ownership today is dominated by a generation of individuals in
their 60s.  Consequently, this is true for the governing powers of the
national clubs as well.  "Not that there is anything wrong with that."
Almost everyone I know that owns a Healey can be consider the nicest people
you will ever meet.  Perhaps what you are expressing is that sometimes, due
to the age differences,  it is difficult to have more in common with these
wonderful people than just the cars we love to drive.

Ron


-----Original Message-----
From: healeys-bounces+ronald-ray=sbcglobal.net at autox.team.net
[mailto:healeys-bounces+ronald-ray=sbcglobal.net at autox.team.net]On
Behalf Of Jim Culp
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 7:38 AM
To: healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: [Healeys] Young Healey owners


Hello all,

Has a "Young Healey Owners" club or segment of one of the two national clubs
been brought up for discussion?  It seems to me that the median age of
current Healey owners is probably north of 50 years of age (not that theres
anything wrong with that), and there doesn't seem to be a crop of younger
enthusiasts coming up behind the current generation of owners to carry on
the torch.

It would seem to me that developing interest in a younger group of
enthusiasts would be beneficial to the clubs and the marque as whole.

I'm 36 and I haven't met any owners within 5 years of my age in my 4 years
of ownership. 

I'm just throwing the idea out there...

Jim