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Miles, I was set to write a post on the subject expressing the same thoughts as yours. The exact same thing is happening here in Thunder Bay, not very far north of your town. When I had my Packard I would attend the "car shows" put on by a local car stereo shop and parked by big Packard amongst the "tuner" Hondas and Toyotas with the big "boom" box sound systems and oil drum size exhaust tips. I, lifted the hood , set up a lawn chair and waited for someone to come over and maybe look at the big inline 8. I rarely had any takers and most of the kids either ignored the car or stared from a distance like I am from Mars. Ditto when the tuners show up at cruise nights and the older guys mostly ignore their cars. I always make a point of going over and talking to the kids and admire their work but few my age do. The local "antique" and "classic" car shows and cruise nights are attended by older guys (50-70's)mostly in 50's, 60's 70's and now even 80's car or street rods. Old cars with original drive trains are the exception and few of the spectators under 70 years old even look at the truly old cars. When I first came to Thunder Bay 29 years ago before I could afford an antique car of my own the local shows displayed several Ford Model T's and A's. At last years antique car shows I only saw one original Ford Model T and a Model A in a field of about 150 cars. Where did those old car go? Street rodded I suspect. It is one reason I sold my Packard to a gentleman 77 years old. He was one of the few who ever truly appreciated the car and wanted to own a Packard while he was still able to.
I recall hearing a story about my great grandfather who got in trouble with the local constable in the 1860's for racing his horse down the main street of the town he lived in. It was my late grandfather who knew some of the great men of the early auto industry in Detroit, working at the Detroit Athletic Club in the 1920's, who instilled in me an interest in old cars and Packards in particular since he owned a 1928 526 roadster in the 1930's. That was their eras and the era of when we were growing up and saw and drove Packards when they were just used cars is our era. When we become too frail to care for our beloved cars and the memories they represent then they too will pass into history like my ancestors horse. There will always be a few of the modern generations, such as the youngsters on this forum, that will show enough interest to cherish these marvelous machines but most of our cars, especially the less rare ones, will languish in garages gathering dust until technology and modern fuels and higher speed limits etc. makes them total unusable and then someone puts them in a museum or sends them off for scrap. Sorry to be so pessimistic but it is the way I feel. Maybe it is the winter blahs?

I wonder if Model A clubs/owners were going through the same scenario in the 1970's?

Or the Model T Clubs/owners were going through the same scenarios in the 1950's?

The Model T's are almost non existent today. Or atleast I never see them.

And Model A's I see are either modified, or for sale. And I just don't see anyone younger than 65 owning them. There are exceptions I am sure.

I think that the young owners of today want cars that can keep up with modern traffic, and have the modern comforts of toda. They must also be affordable to own and maintain. Now, having owned many different makes and eras of cars over the years, I can honestly say that Packard's are alot more expensive to purchase and restore than say a Ford or Chevy. That may be fine for those who are already settled in life and can afford that. But the youth are budget conscious. Why should they pay 5 times as much for a Packard project then say a '65 Mustang or '57 Ford? As I grew, my automotive tastes matured as well. And I could afford better vehicles. So after time, I assume some will eventually come around to Packards. I also think they will be modifying them to be more drivable and comfortable. As long as they don't get chased off by purists, the future of the Packard Hobby will live on. It will just look different.

This is just my 2 cents.

but mostly...don't be a prude ass jerk of an old person. that is a HUGE turn off.

+1

Just be pleasant and friendly. listen. Mellow. Invitational....

As we age we have choices to make about the world around us. Very few people enjoy a negative attitude, a sour expression, or windiness.....

One thing I do is give out nice postcards of my car, along with generic information about the club. Cost is about $35 for 500 from a number of vendors. All you need is a sharp clear colorful picture...

It is simply NOT generational.
Packard among other high prestige and or performance level cars are not for everyone. Chevies and Fords are for everyone. Chevies and Fords were ALWAYS for everyone and everyone has owned at least one.

Future generations will always produce at least as many collectors as there ever was even when the cars were new in their own time. Such collectors that have enuf intellegence to recognize an exquisite car from the run-of the mill.

Let me put it another way:
I find it unfortunate, for modern times, that PMCC used the "Aks the man who owns one" moto. Better to have used "Aks the man who wants something DIFFERENT" There will ALWAYS be men for many generations to come that will want something different and can RECOGNIZE it!!!!

Or to put it another way:
Through out history and i'm sure the future only about 2% of the worlds population can think, 3% think they can think and the other 95% would rather die than to think. Plenty of Packards extant i'm sure to go around for the first 5% for many generations to come.

Someone mentioned affordability.

It's not 1932 anymore, altho based on the recent 2 or 3 years it mite very well get back that. The latest models of Packards are at least 50 years old now. The issue for Packard, Big Chryslers, Marmon, Cord etc among other similar levels of cars is EASE of ownership rather than affordability. It's probably not any more expensive to own a 50+ year old Packard than a 50+ year old Chevy or Ford. BUT the Chev and F parts and service are much more widely AVAILABLE with minor price differntial. Therefore the Chev and F are easier to own or more convenient to own.

Example:
Does it cost anymore to bore a Packard cylinder than an SBC cylinder or grind a valve seat???? Not around here. The PROBLEM is that i have to wait for the service because the shop isn't real interested in readjusting their equipment for the process.

Does a sheet metal man charge more for fabing a sheet metal part for a PAckard than for a chevy?????

Does a painter charge more for painting a Packard than a Chevy or any NEW car of similar size?????

THe answers to the above questions mite very well be yes. Especialy if the machine shop, sheet metal man or painter thinks he has a "live one" that just walked thru the door. Belive me, it's REAL EASY to spot the live ones. THEY CAN DO IT.

Maybe I'm a 2%-er in this regard, but I respectfully disagree about the Packard slogan.

For 1964, Studebaker adopted the slogan, "Different by Design"; it didn't save them. Perhaps that's not the best example, but I'm sure there are other instances where "Different" didn't make a difference in the outcome.

"Ask the Man Who Owns One" is actually (though perhaps unintentionally) a nod to the FACT that word-of-mouth carries far more weight with prospective buyers than any advertising.

However, that wasn't the ONLY slogan ths company used to promote its rpoduction. I seem to recall annual slogans from ads, brochures and showroom banners, like: "All New Eights for '48!" and "Packard's the One for '51" and "The Greatest Packard of Them All!" (1956). Personally, I think the slogan, "Let the Ride Decide", promoting the new Torsion-Level suspension for 1955 spearheaded one of the most successful campaigns.

Yet, since its adoption, "Ask the Man Who Owns One" remained a common thread that ran through all those the years.

We can always hope that McPherson college continues to crank out decent graduates.

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This was the first thought that entered my mind when I began reading this thread. Sadly I have to agree with Al in post #10. I do believe that we are the last generation of car lovers that really appreciate the cars for what they are/were. This's why I've responded so harshly, at times, to the people who only want to reinvent the Packard because they don't seem to understand, or for that matter want to understand, why the car was built the way it was. The motto of the younger generation seems to be "If something doesn't work the way they think it should the fault must lay with the inept engineers that designed it in the first place. If only they were as smart as we are they wouldn't have built it that way. Let's make it 12 volts. That will fix it.

There will always be some young people that get it but sadly I don't think there will be enough of them in the long run.

I agree, Enjoy them wile you can.

"gone in 50 years" --- I plan on still being here, and if not, my kids know that it is my intention to haunt them mercilessly if they even consider selling!

There is hope for the future though. I am 32 and own 2 1955 Clippers. One of my employees who is 20 just on Friday purchased a 1956 Clipper and is in absolute love with the car. I think a big part of it is what you exposed to. If I did not own the cars I do I'm pretty sure Aaron would never have even thought of buying a packard.