IMHO older computers are more interesting because you can have much better relative understanding of what they consist of, how do they work and and much higher relative degree of control over them. They induce senses senses of curiosity, flexibility and security this way.

Compared to the computers from the previous century which could be built, modified, repaired and operated consciously, modern ones are more of disposable magic-button black boxes which will turn into pumpkins as soon as the vendor servers turn off and go extinct like ancient magical creatures as soon as the factory in Taiwan shuts down because nobody has a serious idea about all their internals and how to produce them anymore.

Sadly, there already is a generation of programmers who aren't even interested in being able to assemble their own PC from a set of boards, let alone understanding anything about things like registers and the physics behind them.

UPDATE: yes, I would say the same about cars.