As electric car manufacturers such as Tesla surge to extraordinary levels of success, while the world wrestles with issues such as climate change, and as younger generations suck on the pacifier that has become our phones it can be quite alarming to car enthusiasts such as myself. It seems as though a subculture that was once a channel for the creativity of mad geniuses is coming to a close.
Throughout high school I loved learning about the muscle cars and luxury “boats” of an age gone by from my father. I was saddened by how even at that time it felt as though the peak of car culture had came and went. Blind to the revolution it was experiencing all around me, I didn’t have an appreciation for the quirky newer models of cars, the hot rods of the 80s and 90s appeared childish and more like something out of a comic book than something that should be on the road. And please don't even get me started on the 00's models everyone was buying when I was growing up. I was convinced that the best days of motor culture had passed me by before I was even born.
I could not be happier to have been so wrong.
During the insanity that corona has thrown us into I’ve found myself venturing back towards my love for cars. Those cars I used to disregard as tasteless have spoken out to me. I’ve discovered a living breathing community of gear-heads on social media. Modifications and styles have certainly changed with the times, but the passion and love for automobiles has taken this niche to new levels of artistic excellence.
This isn't to say that those classics I once admired have completely disappeared from the scene, but instead there has been a fusion between new and old. The popularity of the Fast and Furious franchise along with the success of companies such as West Coast Customs have blown the realm of possibilities wide open for both old school enthusiasts as well as newcomers. Even Netflix has got in on the action releasing shows such as Rust Valley Restorers and the Fastest Car.
So next time you have a headlight go out or its time for that oil change you've been putting off; I strongly encourage all of you to take the time and get to know your vehicle. Youtube can be a very valuable tool and I promise you its not as hard as you think. You'll save yourself the gouging at the mechanic and be surprised at how satisfying it is to fix it yourself.
