Ensuring America's Automotive History is Preserved

There are many factors that show America's automotive history is at risk:

• Our education system emphasizes college-prep and focuses less on the applied arts, crafts and trades. Meaning less young adults are entering the workforce in the areas of restoration and preservation of vintage vehicles, including motorcycles, boats and planes.
• Car services are becoming more popular and are competing with traditional car ownership.
• Technological advances have made modern cars more reliable and longer lasting – reducing the need for local repair shops. Hyper-sophisticated safety and environmental requirements make it difficult for a local mechanic to maintain or repair vehicles.
• Government sponsored museums are dedicated to art, technology, history, air and space, but there is no Smithsonian for the automobile. Many traditional car museums have a limited purpose beyond showcasing the collections of its founders. They're often static in nature, have limited cultural reference and unfortunately, often collapse with the death of their founders with collections sold and dispersed.