Posted by Tim Keith on Wednesday, December 20, 2000 at 18:29:23:
In Reply to: Collector Vehicles Threatened? posted by Troubled Owner on Wednesday, December 20, 2000 at 17:30:30:
Private ownership of vehicles is necessary in the U.S. for the free movement of people
and commercial activity. Any law which prohibited the manufacture of any components
of any nature, whether relating to private vehicles, either new or old, as well as any non-automotive merchandise which is not expressly restricted by existing safety or environment laws would be ruled in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
I believe that the current emphasis on recyling rather than resuse of old parts is probably a greater concern. Vehicles which are removed to a salvage yard are usually crushed within a few weeks. In the future it could become easier to locate parts for vehicles which are decades old than the vehicles which are currently in production
today.
The simplicity of older vehicles is a factor in their favor, reproducing parts for late model vehicles will likely become too costly,
we can always adapt as is done in Cuba.
There is a great future for the rear-drive American vehicle hobby, the speciality equiqment market is billions of dollars each year, with front-drive design now being prevalent, the demand for older American vehicles has never been stronger.