I wonder where the Crossfire hobby will be 30 years from now. I have been a car guy since way before I bought my first car. I remember watching from the third floor of my high school watching other students rolling in to the school lot with their cool cars. Most were the typical 1970's 2nd or 3rd family hand me downs but there were a few gems. I recall a '66 or '67 Vette several Mustangs and my favorite a 1971 Cuda with the black billboard stripe on the side.

My car hobby has four distinct chapters, Chapter 1 was the second gen Firebirds of which I owned 5 between 1974 and 1980. Chapter 2 belonged to the Turbo Mopars of the 80's. I owned another 4 of these one of which I still own. Chapter 3 was my Jeep that I bought in 1999 and also still have. Chapter 4 of course is the Crossfire. While I have always been limited on what I could afford in the way of hobby cars I have managed to be a part of four distinct enthusiast groups over the years and for that I am blessed.

The Jeep enthusiast network is huge and growing with a vast amount of vendors, clubs and internet sites right down to very specific Jeep models. Like the Jeep hobby the GM F-body enthusiast group is also pretty big although it has taken a hit with the demise of the Pontiac brand. Unlike the Jeep brand the f-body has a rather huge fan base in racing along with the resto/show crowd and the daily drivers. The Turbo Mopars still have an enthusiastic fan base with Chapters of the Shelby Dodge Automobile Club around the U.S. and Canada. Where this group differs from the F-body group is the fact that since none of the cars are high dollar collectables and probably never will be, pristine originals and restored examples are few and far between. The SDAC has been holding a four day national meet at various location around the country since 1990. The first one I attended took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994. Well over a 100 cars in attendance with many excellent examples on the show field. I returned there in 1998 and once again over 100 cars with many fine examples. Carroll Shelby even made an appearance at a couple of their events to sign cars and other item. Went to a couple more in the mid 2000's that were still pretty good but, the show was held at a city park instead of a race venue and the number of cars had been reduced to 50 or 60 cars of which 20 or so were of show quality. The 2012 event was within driving distance so I decided to attend. this time it was in the middle of no where. A small town (can't even remember the name) somewhere between Richmond and Indianapolis just north of I-70. Probably 30 actual turbo cars there with maybe 5 cars that were of show car quality.

What strikes me about that group is the fact that most of them have no interest in preserving them or saving them. They seem to be more about shaving a tenth of a second of their quarter mile times than anything else. The fact that the cars make better racers than show cars because of how affordable and easily modifiable they are doesn't help. It seems that the very enthusiast of the cars are responsible for destroying many of them.

Personally, I probably don't have another 30 years but, in has me wondering where the Crossfire ends up in 30 or more years. There will be lifers here who will own the same car that they own right now but, what about the cars that will change hands numerous times. Will this forum still be active? Will the cars be forgotten? Will an SRT-6 cross Barrett Jackson and bring in $500,000?