Jay's devotion to the automaker was just beginning. He went on to join the finance department at the Ford Motor Company (now 57, he has since retired). He continued to collect Model Ts (he's down to two, though he has had as many as four), joined the Model T Ford Club of America (MTFCA), became a club officer (as did his wife, Barbara) and currently edits its bimonthly magazine, The Vintage Ford.

Because Jay's e-mail address is listed on the group's Website, he gets close to 300 messages a day. "I have a number of people whom I refer to as my pen pals," Jay says. "They send me pictures of family members and cars and whatnot. Some of them I've ended up meeting and developed friendships. People may think the Internet's not very personal, but I don't know if it gets any more personal than that."

Technologies like the Internet and digital photography are injecting new life into 'old-fashioned' pursuits like classic-car collecting. Automobiles may still run on gas, but hobbyists now run on bits and bytes. There are countless Websites with message boards that are bringing car fans together, and cars and parts are sold at auction sites. At the MTFCA Website, for instance, there's a classified section for those who want to buy, trade and sell. "Today, with the Internet, people are looking for instant gratification," Jay says.

Richard Schatz's daughters pose with his 1960 Thunderbird as kids (left) and again, 20 years later.

Austin Craig agrees. An advertising executive and a board member of a club of Mustang devotees, Austin has experienced the satisfaction of online parts trading. "You can do so much more and can get things quicker," he says. "You can see something at an auction site or at our club's Website; you don't have to wait a month till a magazine comes out."

Jay Klehfoth asserts that the Net has helped expand the popularity of the hobby. "People who are only remotely interested in a Model T may make the assumption, 'This is a dead hobby—nobody's doing it anymore.' But then they take a look at our Website and realize that a whole lot of people are still involved. Last year our club picked up close to a thousand new members thanks to the Internet."

The swapping of digital photos online is common, and digital videos are proving to be useful tools as well. Using a digital camcorder, one MTFCA member is shooting restoration tapes—instructionals covering such topics as how to rebuild a generator or a transmission—and editing them on a computer. Some classic-car enthusiasts, of course, just use camcorders for fun—taking tours with their cars, capturing the event on video, and then sharing the excitement with friends.

Websites can also provide a bridge between old- and new-generation auto lovers. Richard Schatz, for example, a Pennsylvania doctor who owns five Ford Thunderbirds, has had a thing for this classic automobile since his childhood—and now he has gotten his family into the act. Like Jay Klehfoth, he produces a magazine for his car association (the International Thunderbird Club), and his two grown daughters work on the club's Website, designing, programming and maintaining its message and chat boards. "We've been working with old cars and new technology relating to old cars for years," says Richard. "We're a close family and doing this helps re-weld that."