Thread: Participation Needed for Academic Survey on Interest in Cars and Hot Rods

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My name is Gary Cross and I'm a Professor of American history at Penn State. I am currently writing a book on the development of car culture in America during the twentieth century and I'm looking to have some conversations with hot rod enthusiasts about how they became interested in cars and how cars have helped shape their lives (Disclaimer: as an academic book, this project will result in only nominal financial compensation).

I have developed a website that describes some of the questions I am interested in asking -- Untitled Document -- and gives you an opportunity to answer those questions and submit them, but I'd also be happy to discuss these questions on this forum.

Here are some of the questions I'm particularly interested in discussing. This is a relatively long list of questions. If you'd only like to answer a few of them, that would be perfectly fine as well. For my purposes, the more specific and detailed an answer you can give, the better. I want to include as many of your voices in this project as possible.

1) How old were you when you first became interested in cars? And who introduced you to your interest - a brother, dad, or friend? What was their interest in cars?

2) How did your driving and/or owning a car affect your relationships with your parents and other members of your family?

3) What kind of car did you drive in high school? Did you own it? If so, how did you pay for it?

4) What was your "dream car" in high school? Did you ever own it?

5) Did you work on your own car? Did you do any modifications to it?

6) What is your greatest memory of you and your car in high school?

7) While in high school did you hang out with others who shared your interest in cars? How would you describe these friends and how were they different from students you didn't hang out with?

8) Did you also participate in any school or community clubs or organized sports? Which ones? What was your favorite subject in high school?

9) Describe a typical night out for you in high school especially after you or your friends started driving? Where did you go? What did you do? Did it involve the opposite sex?

10) How did you feel about the police regarding your driving?

11) Did your interest in cars change as you became an adult? If so, how?

12) What year were you born?

13) Are you male or female?

14) Where did you grow up?

15) How far in school did you go?

16) What is or was your occupation?

Done. Glad to help out.

I might be interested in helping you out a little , but first you would have to be a little more realistic with the need for info besides writing a text book--is it going to be a book used in what grade level? 1-8? high school, college or graduate courses?


And you say you are a Penn professor but your profile says Glendale Ca?


The California area is where the car culture really started as the guys returned from WW2.
I could tell you plenty about being a farm boy who drove team of mules in the field at age 6 and retired from a career that included being one of the early B 777 pilots.


You can probably ask anyone (maybe grey haired) out there in Glendale or other California areas about me and my cars (National/Track records)(California Chargers) and you will find more people that know of me than who Nixon was!!!!(according to Watter's World)


So I guess actually , that I'd need to know a whole lot more about you, before I give up 70 years info , especially in this day of surveillance.(But it is interesting and please check my gallery on this site)

(1) 14
(2) some good some bad
(3) 1947 4dr CHevy - Yes - Gift
(4) 1955 Chevy - - yes, eventually
(5) yes
(6) independence
(7) some but not that many
(8) every one connected with Music/Band - - algebra
(9) cruising the various hang out spots - - - yes, most of the time
(10) never thought about them
(11) it got stronger
(12) 1941
(13) male
(14) small town in East Texas
(15) thru 2 yrs college
(16) petroleum draftsman - musician - geographical drafting - dry wall business - horseshoeing - Mr. Mom

If you want to verify Professor Cross' identity, you can find information HERE. There is more information about Prof. Cross' proposed book on car culture HERE. If you want to participate in his research, it would be easier to click on the link he posted than typing everything out in a reply.

Originally Posted by Henry Rifle

If you want to verify Professor Cross' identity, you can find information HERE. There is more information about Prof. Cross' proposed book on car culture HERE. If you want to participate in his research, it would be easier to click on the link he posted than typing everything out in a reply.

I must have looked in the wrong spot as I couldn't find a link to his survey.

I missed it too, Ken, but my eyesight sucks so that's probably the reason. Oh Well !
Em

Originally Posted by NTFDAY

I must have looked in the wrong spot as I couldn't find a link to his survey.

Originally Posted by MelloYello

I missed it too, Ken, but my eyesight sucks so that's probably the reason. Oh Well !
Em

Original Post, 4th Line from the top, find the link titled "Untitled Document", reposted here for convenience - http://www.growingupwithcars.com/survey.html Note that nowhere in the survey does he has for your name, address, or any other personal data that can be tied back to you. It appears to me that each response will be data points in the total, with details that are provided being used for the "interest factor".

I completed the survey, Dr Cross, and glad to help.

I spent a lot of time on it, hit a wrong key and either submitted it early or lost it. I messaged Dr. Cross to see if he got it. I really don't want to recreate it all. This man has very impressive credentials, so don't worry about problems if you reply.

Done - thanks for the trip down memory lane..

I've completed my survey.

Crikey!
Interesting!
And as Glenn said; a trip down memory lane.

I helped, too.

Hi Jerry,

Thanks for your questions - My name is John Hoenig and I posted this message on behalf of Prof. Gary Cross, who is a professor at Penn State. I am a former grad student of his, and now live in Glendale, CA (a big part of why he's asked me to help out with the project).

The book is going to be an academic text (out of the University of Chicago), with an intended audience primarily for graduate courses and academic libraries.

I've been interviewing a number of people in the area, including Larry Volk, Penny Pichette, and Chopit.

If you have any other concerns or questions, let me know. But I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks to all of you who have posted replies. They're greatly appreciated and are full of great information!