My car’s running rich

Yes, we’ve got an age problem in the classic car world.

The average classic car owner is 66.  In Europe it is 60.  Hagerty – who insure a fair number of classics, put the age at 56.

That is mirrored in the people who work on these cars as well.  Nearly half of them (47%) are over 45, with 144,000 people due to retire by 2032.

And with 1.93 million classic cars in the UK, that presents a big problem for the future.

I have to say though, the team we employ at Carrosserie are car enthusiasts.  They are real world problem solvers.

That contrasts massively with the kids being turfed out of local colleges to work on cars.  They simply wouldn’t know what to do with a 1960s non-runner with a carburettor and points.  There would be much head scratching of where to plug the computer!

The future of the industry is a big problem – Classic and historic vehicles are economically significant, with classic car-related spending contributing £7.3 billion a year to the UK economy as well as supporting thousands of jobs and specialist businesses.

There is a timely article in the FT about this.

It lists StarterMotor, a charity based in Oxfordshire, is working to address this problem by mentoring young people, providing access to classic cars and helping them get experience and work opportunities in the sector.

The initiative partners with industry organisations and aims to make the classic car world more accessible, inclusive and attractive to younger generations, including women and school-aged enthusiasts.

They run an ambassador program for people aged roughly 15–25, giving them hands-on exposure to historic vehicles and connections with restoration and heritage businesses.

The charity plans to expand mentoring, work placements and career-focused events, with the goal of becoming a leading organisation for youth employment in the classic car industry.

That is very good and well needed.  And it prompted me to give a great hat tip to the Heritage Skills Academy.

You probably haven’t heard of them.

They are a fully accredited apprenticeship trainer specialising in growing mechanics and coachbuilders for the 21st century – making sure the skills exists to keep 20th century classics on the road.

They do all the (dreadful) admin with the government so employers don’t have to.  And they employ some brilliant retired coachbuilders and mechanics who love passing on their skills to the next generation.

If you want a feel good look at the future, check out their website here.

A great British organisation.  World leading.

Thanks and have a great weekend,
Neil @ Carrosserie
Tel: 01833 630 011

PS. We can help with your classic, just get in touch.