As car show season comes to a close, it’s time to reminisce about the weekends past and sharing our cars with many enthusiasts.
At every show, old car buddies would gather, set up their folding chairs and talk about subjects that your parents told you to never discuss in public. You know, politics, the economy and the current state of the world. Our effort to address where our car hobby is going to be in the future has entered the conversation in recent years, especially in a day and age when our youth seem more interested in the internet and video games than getting their driver’s license. The facts are, that more and more of our youth today are not driving until after high school. Even fewer are interested in the automobile for anything other than a means of transportation.
Well not all.
Meet 11-year old Jaden Newcomer from Ocean Pines, Maryland.
Like other kids his age, he plays on a youth baseball team, he plays video games but also loves the automobile. As a toddler, he collected matchbox cars. He had hundreds of them. He would wipe them down and display them just like at a real car show. He knew all the makes and models. Just pick one up and he could tell you all about that brand of car.
Now Jaden has his own real project vehicle. It’s a 1965 Chevy C10 Fleetside pickup truck. It is a joint project that Jaden shares with his grandfather. The truck was purchased on the internet from New Jersey and driven back to the eastern shore of Maryland. It broke down three times and Jaden’s grandmother asked several times if this was money well spent.
Jaden is pleased to say that the truck is road-worthy, but still needs a lot of work. He works on it every chance he gets and can’t wait for the day that he can take the truck to its first show or cruise-in. The truck has a 230 six cylinder with a three-speed on the column. It was recently lowered using a kit from CPP and the rear wood bed is being replaced (see photos).
This summer, Jaden received an award from the Redman Club, for being the top youth judge at their car show in Georgetown, Delaware. Over 100 cars at the show and he picked five of the winners and the Best of Show. This recognition came as he competed against other youth judges.
So there may be some hope for our hobby yet, if we continue to get more young men and women involved. Take a Kid to a Car Show. Let’s keep this part of history alive and shared for years to come.
Publishers note: This is what the Foundation is all about folks.