Ratsun Dying?

[datzenmike]

7 hours ago, a.d._510_n_ok said:

  I dunno, man - we always said if it has tits or tires it's gonna give ya problems. Maybe these generations took that shit to heart.

 

 

We used to say heels or wheels are trouble..

 

1 hour ago, Fat510 said:

 

 

 

americancar kind of a different story, since gen Xers unherited their dad's 72 trans am and think its worth a million dollars 

 

Barrett Jackson told them they were. Most buyers are old fucks that during the muscle car era never learned to drive a standard or got laid for that matter. Now they have the cash and a trophy wife and want in on what they missed, they only see that $1.3 million '70 HEMI 'Cuda vert as an investment that will appreciate as long as BJ is around to sell it again and again (for a percentage) to some other investor. The single highhandedly priced all cars out of reach of real enthusiasts.  

[datsunfreak]

On 3/17/2022 at 1:27 PM, sick620 said:

Datsunfreak passed away a couple years ago 😞… 

 

On 3/21/2022 at 11:43 AM, Farmer said:

Yeah, that was a shocker about datsunfreak

 

 

14 hours ago, Duncan said:

Even though him and I are Datsun-less at the moment, we are still both Datsun enthusiasts.

 

I am not technically Datsun-less, I just don't have a build thread going on it. For reasons.  😁

[datsunfreak]

17 hours ago, datzenmike said:

 

Barrett Jackson told them they were. Most buyers are old fucks that during the muscle car era never learned to drive a standard or got laid for that matter. Now they have the cash and a trophy wife and want in on what they missed, they only see that $1.3 million '70 HEMI 'Cuda vert as an investment that will appreciate as long as BJ is around to sell it again and again 

 

Wonder what will happen to the values of those when all the rich boomers are (thankfully) gone... 

[thisismatt]

I know what I have...

 

 

[a.d._510_n_ok]

25 minutes ago, datsunfreak said:

 

Wonder what will happen to the values of those when all the rich boomers are (thankfully) gone... 

 

Local swap meets here are starting to reflect folks dying off and parts hoards being sold with components selling for less than they might have 20 years ago.

 

About two years ago I went to a swap meet to try and find two early 1930s wire wheels to hang on fence posts on either side of my walking plow. A young vendor was helping a widow dispose of her late husbands decades of hoarding. He had a serviceable set of 1935 Ford wires (no hub caps) for $40. I told him I only wanted two and he never missed a beat - "Gimmee $20 and pick yer two!". Guys used to be pretty contentious about breaking up a set like that and they were $20+ a piece for years.

 

As I'm hand carrying the two wheels out another young vendor yells at me and says, "HEY! I'll sell ya another rim! Mine's got a hubcap too!". Hell, bubba - these are all I need! "$5! Hub cap and all! 1931 Chevrolet!". Damn.....let me get these to the car and I'll come back and pay you. And I did. Not as cherry as the Ford rims but for less than the price of burger combo meal I can hang.

 

I think now as the older folks are dying off swap meets may once again be the place for bargains. Lots of non-interweb savvy guys are passing and their stuff will probably get picked over by their buddies first, then toted to a few swap meets, then the metal sorted for scrap while glass, paper and plastic that's not marked or easily indentifiable gets thrown into file 13.

[Ooph!]

6 hours ago, a.d._510_n_ok said:

 

Local swap meets here are starting to reflect folks dying off and parts hoards being sold with components selling for less than they might have 20 years ago.

 

About two years ago I went to a swap meet to try and find two early 1930s wire wheels to hang on fence posts on either side of my walking plow. A young vendor was helping a widow dispose of her late husbands decades of hoarding. He had a serviceable set of 1935 Ford wires (no hub caps) for $40. I told him I only wanted two and he never missed a beat - "Gimmee $20 and pick yer two!". Guys used to be pretty contentious about breaking up a set like that and they were $20+ a piece for years.

 

As I'm hand carrying the two wheels out another young vendor yells at me and says, "HEY! I'll sell ya another rim! Mine's got a hubcap too!". Hell, bubba - these are all I need! "$5! Hub cap and all! 1931 Chevrolet!". Damn.....let me get these to the car and I'll come back and pay you. And I did. Not as cherry as the Ford rims but for less than the price of burger combo meal I can hang.

 

I think now as the older folks are dying off swap meets may once again be the place for bargains. Lots of non-interweb savvy guys are passing and their stuff will probably get picked over by their buddies first, then toted to a few swap meets, then the metal sorted for scrap while glass, paper and plastic that's not marked or easily indentifiable gets thrown into file 13.

 

I agree, the people that were teenagers driving or desiring those cars passes so does the popularity and pricing and add that to the automobile fading in popularity with younger people I see the old car hobby fading the same way weekly racing is fading its all tied together.

Edited April 12, 2022 by Ooph!

[bottomwatcher]

You have to remember the Boomer generation was raised by the depression era generation. Hoarding was passed down to my Folks. They have stacks of VHS players a Kodak disc camera as an example of a whole pile of useless electronics and they don't want me to take it to the recyclers because "they are still good". I had given My Dad tools for Christmas for projects he said he would do in retirement. I finally took back the mig welder since it was never used and the table saw so he doesn't hurt himself. He is still mad about that but never used it once. Still has the vw thing he bought new in 1973. Says he is going to restore it but nothing had happened except for what I have done for the last 15 years. There are boats and furniture all stacked together that he won't let me clear out because he wants to restore them. It takes 3 attempts for him to get out of a chair so this crap just gathers dust. There is gold in the pile. A stack of Holly 4 barrel marine carbs, mint bronze boat propellers he wont sell because he may get another boat that fits them. I figure all the stuff that has any value may put a dent in the bill for the dumpster loads of stuff that doesn't. He has 3 project boats worth nothing and we calculated last month has cost him $24,000 in storage fees since he has accumulated them and he still doesn't want to let them go. His place, his crap so I need to just let it go but there are millions out there who's crap will hit the market in the next 10 years.  

 

[datsunfreak]

1 hour ago, bottomwatcher said:

You have to remember the Boomer generation was raised by the depression era generation. Hoarding was passed down to my Folks. 

 

I never got that until just now. You really opened my eyes on that point. Thanks 👍

 

Here's hoping more people in Generation X are like me and are not married to any of this shit...  😄

[datzenmike]

We all resist change and saving stuff, you can call it hoarding, is a comfort to us, all of us. It may also be what's left of a dream we had, and it's hard to give up on a dream. When it's time, your kids will say the same things about all the 'shit' you accumulated in life.

 

Don't you ever ask them, "Why?"
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you

[datsunfreak]

2 hours ago, datzenmike said:

We all resist change and saving stuff, you can call it hoarding, is a comfort to us, all of us.

 

Not all of us. 😋

 

It's all a momentary diversion on the road to the grave, nothing more. One cannot afford to get emotionally invested in objects. 

[jbirds510]

Ratsun isnt dying. Just less affordable for people as demand overtakes supply. Im western cultures the ability to acquire and/or maintain abundance is diminishing.

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by jbirds510

[jbirds510]

7 minutes ago, datsunfreak said:

 

Not all of us. 😋

 

It's all a momentary diversion on the road to the grave, nothing more. One cannot afford to get emotionally invested in objects. 

And this also. Things represent security. Investment=security.

[MikeRL411]

The only thing left as made in America is the money to buy Chinese made crap.

[bottomwatcher]

2 hours ago, datsunfreak said:

 

I never got that until just now. You really opened my eyes on that point. Thanks 👍

 

Here's hoping more people in Generation X are like me and are not married to any of this shit...  😄

Well I recognize the hoarding gene and control it. I got my datsun 720 when I was 17 and I am pushing 51 real fast. Married might be an accurate description. Now all the previous engines and trans have gone to the scrapyard. Since it is now fuel injected I should "rehome" the Weber's.  Gotten to the point I would rather see things reused or recycled and not collecting dust. The fact that my wife and I have been living in what's considered tiny homes by the current standards before it was the in thing helps to get agitated at clutter.

[bottomwatcher]

3 hours ago, datzenmike said:

We all resist change and saving stuff, you can call it hoarding, is a comfort to us, all of us. It may also be what's left of a dream we had, and it's hard to give up on a dream. When it's time, your kids will say the same things about all the 'shit' you accumulated in life.

 

Don't you ever ask them, "Why?"
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you

Mike is kind of the "Poster Child" of what we are talking about. Although all of his pictures come in handy sometimes.😁

[datzenmike]

Nothing wrong with collecting 'stuff' unless over board like the Collyer Brothers....

 

 

We all collect 'stuff' and often don't see or refuse to see it. Mark my words, if you see it in others what makes you think you are immune to it? at some point you'll look back and see it... maybe not but someone will.   

[bottomwatcher]

19 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Nothing wrong with collecting 'stuff' unless over board like the Collyer Brothers....

 

 

We all collect 'stuff' and often don't see or refuse to see it. Mark my words, if you see it in others what makes you think you are immune to it? at some point you'll look back and see it... maybe not but someone will.   

Oh I have a mess of stuff stacked around but it all gets used or tossed. My pile is boat stuff. You never just have a boat They all need lifejackets, lines, paddles, gas cans, pull toys, fishing poles/tackleboxes, boat cushions, covers, icechests. Sailboats need extra as in rudders, sails, masts, booms and a rats nest worth of lines. My shop areas are not considered neat but very little collects dust. I have posted this picture before of my parents garage. Find the yellow "Thing". If you were to pan around the garage things don't get better. I do have to give them credit as far as being prepared for covid. I think they keep 2 years worth of toilet paper on hand. 

[datsunfreak]

3 hours ago, datzenmike said:

We all collect 'stuff' and often don't see or refuse to see it. Mark my words, if you see it in others what makes you think you are immune to it? at some point you'll look back and see it... maybe not but someone will.   

 

Once a year, I go through everything I have. If I have not touched it in a year, it goes on ebay/craigslist or in the garbage. 

 

Except tools, natch. 

[Ooph!]

2 minutes ago, datsunfreak said:

 

Once a year, I go through everything I have. If I have not touched it in a year, it goes on ebay/craigslist or in the garbage. 

 

Except tools, natch. 

 

I better get crackin that formula is about 99% of what I have

[datzenmike]

That's the correct way to do it. I think more for personal items but agree. Car parts? not so much. I still have my English Teddy bear. He's at lest 70 tears old.

[datsunfreak]

17 hours ago, datzenmike said:

That's the correct way to do it. I think more for personal items but agree. Car parts? not so much.

 

Same/similar feelings. I have a shop that stays a bit too cluttered because car stuff. Just trying to keep the house uncluttered. 

 

At some point you have to ask if you own your stuff, or if your stuff owns you. If you are currently renting a storage locker? It's the second one. 😁

[Aaron Datsun]

I have been here at least 10 years, but probably more like 15-16. There was drama that was annoying. I also got a job that takes up a ton of my time. I have a pretty detailed build thread, but largely moved over to only posting the video updates on YouTube. 

 

For me Ratsun is still visited 2+ times a week to read how other Datsun folks are doing. I am not a huge car show guy, but going to Canby would be awesome.

[Skib]

3 hours ago, Aaron Datsun said:

I have been here at least 10 years, but probably more like 15-16.

 

11 years, 7 months and 8 days to be exact. 

 

Ratsun has been here just a touch over 15 years now.

[sick620]

On 4/10/2022 at 2:51 PM, Duncan said:

 

The Datsunfreak (from Texas) that has been on here as long as I have, and still posts a few times per week.  Him and I mostly hang out in other non-Datsun areas of Ratsun.  I'm thinking you meant someone else, but used the wrong username...

 

 

Even though him and I are Datsun-less at the moment, we are still both Datsun enthusiasts.

 

 

 

there is another "datsunfreak" not sure exactly how his name was spelled on here... named datsun freak because he was big in the freaks of nature mini truck club local to boise Idaho. His name was bill, wasn't ever very active on here but he was big in the formation of all the datsun guys getting together in idaho. 

[metalmonkey47]

I don't see Ratsun as dead. I see it as different. Maybe slower now, but it's still better than the alternate....FB.

I've been around since 2010, which was a hell of a long time ago now. I agree with the other observations that the heyday most certainly was around 2010-2013 before it started to fade a bit. People got busy, grew up, sold cars, bought cars, passed away (RIP Pumpkin) etc. 

Around 2015, I started a new job that kept me busier than ever. Ironically, it brought me closer to Datsuns and a different part of the community in my personal life, meeting people like Peter Brock, Toshio Yamashita, Matsuo-san, and John Morton. I sold my 240Z back in 2015 because I was getting too busy to pay any attention to it. It wasn't my daily driver anymore and I knew that if I kept it, it would just collect dust and rot. I refused to be like every other person that just got "too busy" so I found a great owner for my 240Z, sold it at a good price, and never looked back. The car is in great hands and I'm really happy about that.

I've kicked around the idea of buying another Datsun and doing something cooler than ever, now that I have more money in my pocket but I'm just not sure what I want yet. Maybe I'll go buy my 620 back and piece it back together as it was when i sold it. Hell, I still have some of its parts.

IDK. I come back here every once in a while and I'm happy to see all of you that are still here. I wish I had more time to hang out with you OG's. I miss the good 'ol forum days.

Edited April 15, 2022 by metalmonkey47