I have been quiet lately because it is hard to get inspired when you're not "traveling the hobby." But thanks to Bob Ashton, I got out to the Chevy Vettefest in Chicago last weekend. This was a welcome opportunity to get in touch with the latest trends. Connections like muscle car experts Colin Comer and Steve Bimbi, writer Jerry Heasley, Corvette dealers Al Wagner and Dave Glass and various vendors, restorers and (naturally) hobbyists give me a picture of what's going on in Old Cars land.

What was particularly nice to see at this event was everybody coming to the show and fighting the negative aspects of the current economy. I would say that the "hobby" has no intentions of rolling over and playing dead just because times are tough. Business is down, but it isn't dead. The good stuff is still selling and there are plenty of people in the hobby who can still buy what they really want. They may be trimming what they don't really need out of their budgets, but if they want something they have the cash to take it home.

I learned that cars are also selling to overseas buyers. Austrailia must be getting full of muscle cars. British buyers seem to like the luxury cars. The Japanese go for fins and chrome.

All in all, what I came back from Illinois with is an urge to keep involved in this hobby. I think, when things turn around, it is going to come roaring back very quickly and those who rode it out will make money.