I read the following quote on another thread and thought I'd ask your opinions.

Apparently, Vettebuyer5869 flips Corvettes for a profit. It's his hobby.


Not to start a brouhaha but, and this might just be my way of thinking, since when is turning the ignition and simply motoring down the highway considered a 'hobby?' I always thought a hobby, any hobby, was more entailed than that. I guess giving the Corvette Wave could be a hobby.

Take gardening for instance. If you have a gardener on your payroll and he tills the soil, plants the seed, picks the weeds, waters the plants and all you do is pick a vegetable once in awhile, can you really claim gardening is your hobby?

If you pay a carpenter to make you a rocking chair, and all you do is sit in it and rock your life away, can you claim that woodworking is your hobby?

Some folks would consider beer drinking a hobby; I wouldn't. But brewing your own social lubricant IS a hobby.

At what point does the ownership of any motor vehicle turn into a 'hobby?'

 

According to Merriam Webster a hobby is "a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation".

Sounds though like you are a little bit too concerned with what other people call "their hobby".

 

Even though I don't do ALL of the work on my 72, I still do a bunch of it. But with that said, I don't think there is anything wrong with someone having work done on their vette, especially if they are treating it like a project. There is still tons of ground work to be done such as researching on what they want done on their vette, as well as how they want to take the project in the future. To me that is no different than someone who collects any inanimate object. How would that be different than anyone who loves to boating even though they don't work on their boats other than cleaning? Living in FL, I have a bunch of friends who consider boating a hobby.

To me a hobby is something that someone enjoys spending time on.. Be it wrenching, driving, collecting, etc. But the one thing I have learned that they have all in commonality.. They almost all cost $$$

 

Your hobby...and his hobby....are NOT the same hobby. Simple as that....

 

...To each his own, everyone is different !!!.
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Hobby defined: A hobby is a regular activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure, typically done during one's leisure time.

Another side of your argument is / could be if: I were an NCRS judge, who did not create, nor restore, nor own the car's in question that I am passing opinon / judging on.....this would not be a Hobby?

I am not a big wrencher, but admire the one's that do for that is a talent I do not have. But, here again, the other side of that coin is.... they can not do what I do.

What I enjoy most with any car that catches my eye is the research of the car. When I say that, I mean a complete research! Is this a hobby, by definition...yes... very much so. I also believe that the forum member's here are in in all stages of the hobby, and as with any hobby, you have to start somewhere, and depending on your finances and interest you take it to your comfort level.

Lastly, I believe it is all and predicated on, as to what satisfies the individual. To each their own, live and let live, etc...etc...etc!





Stay in tune....

 

Hi,
I think part of what makes it a HOBBY is that everyone DOESN'T have to DO it in the same way.
They're still PART of the HOBBY.
Regards,
Alan

 

Plenty of room in the "hobby" for everyone regardless of your skill level or ability to be hands on. It's what you get out of it. I have done frame off and frame on restorations and get great satisfaction out of doing most of my own work. For others it's equally satisfying just to own them and take them for an occasional drive.

The best part of this hobby is driving the cars and meeting great people. Anything that's a healthy diversion from life's daily routine that you derive enjoyment from meets the criteria for a hobby IMO

 

Interestingly enough, I more or less agree with you. When I go to a car or bike show, if there is a guy sitting beside his vehicle and it looks awesome, I strike up a conversation about it and in a quick second you can tell if he has a passion for it and did a lot of work on it or if he just wrote a check. When one of my bikes is in a show, with a ton of custom work (custom hand built fenders, custom paint, custom bars and wiring ALL done by me and high quality) they put me in a "custom" class with a bone stock store bought Big Dog and he wins, it irks me, so I quit showing my bikes, the factory custom choppers are hard to beat. Same with Vettes, a C6 with 10 grand worth of bolt on parts is more a matter of how much money you have then whether or not your are an enthusiest. And I don't call spending money a hobby. Anything can be a hobby if you word it right, but to me, I appreciate the effort involved in working at bringing one where you want it and I have more in common with the guys who do . Since I am not wealthy I have little in common with guys who only write checks (not that I am bitter, I wish I was wealthy and I believe in Capitalism) But the term Hobbyist as I have always seen it used lends itself more toward the do it yourselfer and not the farm it out guy. I know there are things a shops need to do and a lot of stuff guys are not comfortable with like paint, engine rebuids etc...so I guess it is all subjective....my 2 cents...

 

I agree with you 69chevy his hobbie is Flipping a product for profit the fact that his product is corvettes does not make the corvette his hobby at all and if he is having someone else list/sell the car for him than I wouldnt consider flipping the cars a hobby so much as a side job he happens to have
That said you can own a vette have someone else do the entire restoration for you but if are putting the time to take it to shows register it in car clubs using it for fun drive weekends than that car can be your hobby but it is not the same as the guys who are more dedicated to the hobby an learn an achieve a new respect an love for their cars by rebuilding them their selves with their own blood, sweat, an time IMHO

 

Think about it like sex. The level of application and effort changes with time.

 

Doesn't matter if one is able to work on their car him/her self or not, if they love the car and take care of it for fun then it is their hobby! If it isn;t they would be driving a Prius!!

 

Vettebuyer5869 appears to be more a speculator than a hobbyist in the sense of one who enjoys working on the cars. His interest seems to be mainly in the value of the cars, not the act of working on them. Much like an antique collector. Not to suggest he may not enjoy driving them or showing, sounds like working on them isn't his interest. His hobby may be simply collecting and trading.

Others enjoy working on cars. Satisfaction comes from doing it themselves, a sense of achievement. I personally admire the skills of some on this board. Some very talented people out there who bring some of these cars back from the brink. Most do it for sense of accomplishment rather than expecting to make big $$?

 

Stay in tune....

 

This is a GREAT statment!!!! And oh so true.

 

You're kidding me, right?

You started a thread because I called Corvette ownership a hobby?

Because I also said I didn't do mechanical work?

First, I don't flip Corvettes for profit. Your first mistake is starting crap when you don't know anything about me.

But let's talk hobby. I have owned 16 Corvettes since 1977. These are cars that I have personally owned, driven and titled, usually at least 3 years. Must I document this?

I grew up with one of the East Coast's most successful custom painters, so in the 70s and 80s he routinely painted my custom Corvettes. Not having any talent, I stripped, dissassembled and sanded and he did the real work.

I did detail engine compartments, replaced interiors and did plenty of no talent stuff on the cars. I do not consider myself a mechanic and for the record, I dont need to explain myself to you. Unfortunately your public shot at me forces this. I pay people to fix brakes so I won't run into stuff. So sue me.

In the 70s, 80s and 90s, I showed Corvettes in every kind of show there was, including ISCA, NCCC and everything in between. There were years I showed a couple times a week. I still show and do cruises today. By the way, some human beings think showing Corvettes competitively is an F'ing hobby.

I taught restoration classes for Bloomington Gold for 18 years. Ive also written for several automotive publications since the 70s, as a free lance writer, often about buying and selling.

I also routinely attend automotive events of every kind all over the U.S. Again, there's a person or 2 out there that call that a hobby.

Because of my involvement in the Corvette HOBBY, and my experience in buying and teaching how to buy classes, Ive also become very involved in... wait for it... helping people buy and sell their Corvette. News Flash: lots of active Corvette people in the Corvette HOBBY do that. Does my screen name offend you??

So you going to sit behind your keyboard not knowing a damn thing about me and ask the world if I have the right to say "Corvette ownership" is a hobby?

Who exactly the H3ll do you think you are?

If you have any more personal offensive slurs for me, please take it to PM and we can discuss it in plain English. Until then, keep your verbal garbage based on zero knowledge to yourself.

 

Just flip me your 1969 convertible. A nice hobby!

 

And there you have it. This hobby has room for all kinds in it. Weather you work on it or sell them or do anything in between it is all part of the hobby. Im sure there will be lots more on this. I am just watching this now.

 

No, you do too much for the real hobbyists who just crawl under jack-stands and do repairs. We can't compete with engine replacements. Although I admire very much what you are doing.

 

Wow! Based on that definition your daily driver could be your hobby as long as you enjoy driving it.