Projects Question for "Traditional and Older Traditional Hot Rodders"

Born in the good year of 1932, I'm starting to slow down a bit, can't get under the roadster like I used to 10 years ago. Kinda' bugs me about that, but I look back at all the great times I have had line chasing all over the USA accumulating 300,000 miles to date since finishing in 1968, used to tear down every 10 years & upgrade, last time was 1996, not doing that anymore.
Glad I still have good health, without it you have nothing.
Previous guys can attest to that, after reading their posts.
So, get out there & drive em' while you can, instead of wasting time saying "I'm a gonna".
And, I don't buy green bananas either!

 

I recently lost my dear wife to cancer (age 58) and I'm realizing that life is too short, so do it now or there may never be another chance. I have a project that I'll be starting soon that should keep my busy all fall and through the winter. I was putting it off, something else always came up that was a priority and now my priorities have changed quite a bit.

 

I'll be 65 in a month. Still doing all my own stuff but at a glacial pace. I've been thinking about when I won't be able to do the physical stuff anymore. Rather than getting my work done at a hot rod shop, I'm thinking of hiring tech school grads to work on my stuff, at my shop, one day at a time, until they make the transition from graduation to a full time job.

 

Well I am not 70 yet and what I used to do in a weekend takes me a few years to do now. If I had known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself when I was young.

Actually it would not have made any difference, I was too young to take care of myself when what is ailing me now had its first shot at me. Here is what I had to come to grips with about 10 or 11 years ago, I can still live, I just can't live as fast.

 

I just turned 81 in july. Been into old fords all my life. I have always done all my own work, including chasis engine paint and upholstry. Don't farm anything out. I have eight completed street rods so it's a full time job keeping them all cleaned up and running. It's my life and what keeps me going. They will all go to my son's when i'm gone. I taught them well as they love old cars too. I make sure I get one out and drive it everyday.

 

Hi folks, Thanks so much for the replies. Guess I'm not too bad off compared to many others. NOT BAD OFF at all, at 73 still doing about a quarter of what I did, a half century ago. Thanks again. Jay Y.

 

I will be 70 this Oct. and have been blessed with good health. I try to do all my work before lunch in the cool of the morning. My energy level is not as it once was but I seem to come up with better ideas on different things than I use to. A good wife and grandchildren will help you along the way though...................

 

I'm only 68, but still quite active building my own stuff, and continuing to learn new things.
Been building this one the last three years:

todays photo; just about through with fitting top bows and irons. It was my first car, but it was in non-op for nearly 50 years, but is licensed and running now. ...put at least 2000 hours into it so far. I will be tearing it apart for paint later this year.

Your health is everything once you get older. I have enough projects in my mind to keep busy building 'til I can't see or move any more.

 

i'm "only" 66, but don't have the muscle i had in my 20s. a transmission change in my shoebox now requires a jack instead of lying on my back under the car and "bench pressing" it into place. probably the worst thing is how i get into "the zone" when i'm working on a car and the mrs. comes out and wants to chit-chat--of course, i'm being "mean" when i don't respond!

 

I'll soon be turning 73. If I have to kneel or sit on the ground to do something on the car, I have to holler for my wife when I'm finished. She comes running with one of those jacks that they use to pull steel fence posts out of the ground. Gets behind me and hooks the jack under my belt and jacks me back into a semi standing position. 20 years of cold damp air and cold, hard steel decks while serving in the Navy does bad things to a guys joints. Plus getting old just sucks.

 

Soon to be 72 with C.O.P.D. and diabetes but still work on the '29 in short spurts but all day long if needed. My son(father and son project) or club buddies come down and help with the heavy stuff. I'm in kinda tough shape but had a hell of a good time gettin' here.

 

I follow the philosophy of a song by Wade Hayes: "I'm old enough to know better, but I'm still too young to care."

 

I'm 71 and have three projects going at once. After my wife passed away I went through a spell where the motivation wasn't there but recently I got back in the mood. I also realize that I can't bust my ass all day trying to finish something. I learned that there is tomorrow and if it don't come it doesn't matter.
I always was bothered that I could do any fabricating, welding or paint and body work but I had to pay someone else to do the upholstery. Last month I bought a used Consew sewing machine and am learning how to sew.

 

68 and still have a project going although it is very slow process now dealing with wife health and need some motivation to finish this one with all else happening. But I check out the build threads and it gets me motivated. My wife helped me on my other projects I guess not having that now probably slows me down mentally. I think the need to work on cars is good for your mental health though.

 

I am 60 and have arthritis. I can relate to the guys that cannot get up once on the floor. During a discussion with other older car guys we came to the conclusion that we build in dog years now. Take 7 to get 1 years work done. that said I have been pushing hard on my 34 to get it painted.

 

I'm 71 and have the usual aches and pains that come with age. A few Advils in the morning takes care of that. Taking the dog for a two mile walk each morning helps loosen things up. Like most of the others have said I can still do the things I used to it just takes longer. I have several friends about my age that still work on their own cars and when one of us has a job that requires heavy lifting or just an extra pair of hands we pitch in and help. As for my '34 truck, I just replaced the 264 nailhead with a fresh 401.

 

I'm just a couple weeks shy of 71 and have dealt with my share of health issues but now am just finishing up building myself a new garage, then I can get back to work on my 58 Biscayne resto-rod. No, I can't work all day like I used to do, but I can manage 4-6 hours most days and it will get done....slow but sure. I refuse to give in to old age, I have a lot I want to do yet before I die, so I am going to keep moving forward

 

This thread is one of the best reads I have ever seen on any forum. It really shows how tough some of us old birds are, even with ailments and diseases, we still want to get out there and build something. I think this is a real testament to hot rodders who know how to overcome problems, even ones that took a swipe at their health. It has been very uplifting and heartwarming to read what all of you have written.

Great job, guys !

 

I am 72, I started with a 36 ford at 15, and been going ever since.heres some of the last few years:
the p/u I sold in 2008, the roadster I built from ground up, and have been driving for 3 yrs.
and the 28 chevy I am currently building as a Woodie.

 

I have to say I am surprised at the age of some of the members. I always knew that this hobby had a lot of older participants and it's hard to gauge a persons age over a computer but your enthusiasm certainly belies many of your ages and it is very refreshing to see.

 

I'll be 72 in 3 weeks - diagnosed with Cancer in the fall of 2005 right after I pulled the 216 out of my '49 Chevy to replace it with a mildly worked 235. Spent a year going through Chemo, Radiation and surgery, weight dropped from 158 to 121, still managed to get the 235 in the car during that year on my (few) good days. It took over 3 more years to get back to 'sort of' normal, still only weigh 146. Biggest problems now is time - spent this AM cleaning my barn, this afternoon I'm putting rear brakes on my O/T DD, takes me 5 hours to mow my lawn which has to get done this weekend, and energy - right now I'm resting up from this morning's chores. And....I'm still working - construction inspection for an engineering firm, been doing 10 hour days the last 2 weeks.

Pulled the seats out of the '49 last week, got some minor floorboard repairs to do; with luck I'll have that done by spring. The car is in good shape mechanically, needs an interior (including painting window frames and dash) after the floorboards then a good clean-up of the engine bay, paint will be the last thing. Oh - no heat or A/C in the shop....

 

I am 60 dont have the motovation I use to have and ifin a good western comes on the tv in the garage I m done ,I go at it hard for a week or 2 and spend the next 2 catching up.Wish I had a lift,and MO MONEY for parts LOL

 

I'm still plenty strong, I have to get back into my joint supplements though, those make a big difference. I've been slacking off all my vitamins since my wife got very sick in May. But I now have a project that needs my full attention, great motivation.

 

I do my own work because I am cheap and don't have a lot of money to pay someone to do it for me.
I've never thought that it was a handed down by God criteria that a guy had to "build his own and work on his own or else" hot rod to have a hot or be called a hot rodder or a traditional hot rodder. Since day one there have always been shops that built hot rods for other people and or repaired them. Did a guy get slammed in the late 40's or early 50's when he hauled his roadster to Blair's speed shop to have it built or modified while he was working six or seven days a week in an aircraft factory? Not only no but hell no. We ooh and aah for hours over cars that Bass, Austin Speed shop or Brizio built but turn right around and bad mouth the owners of those same cars at a car show because "they didn't build it themselves".
I'll say one thing, my beat up 67 year old hands don't get things done near as fast as my 30 year old hands did 37 years ago. It takes me a hell of a lot longer to get something done than it did then and I get tired a lot quicker. The big plus now is that I have way more patience than I did now and take the effort to do a lot better job of what I am dong. That mad rush to meet the deadline isn't there anymore, and when it gets done it gets done.

 

I will be 65 next month, that said I work 8hrs a day when I can on my projects.
I do have a recliner in my shop and will take a break several times a day. Starting Monday I will be
going on a 60 day shut down at a local chemical plant. 7 days a week 12 hrs a day. This will indeed be physicaly
taxing and will delay my car work for a few months, but should fund some nice goodies for my projects!

 

Thanks so much for the replies. I'm so happy that we can all get out there and enjoy another "bit" of time in the "future past". Trying to get the right words to say, I think I'll leave it up to all the good "folks" whom answered this before and after. Thank you, once again... Jay Yuskaitis

 

I am amazed at the steadfast enthusiasm and life-long dedication of you guys!
I'm 64, been into cars my whole life, but never yet got the pleasure of actually building something from start to finish. I most enjoy the chase and finding of old iron, bringing it back to the road, driving it for a while, passing it on to another guy, and then starting over. thus my signature philosophy.
The other observation I have is, there are so many great people involved here and on the Barn.
Almost everybody is willing to impart knowledge, identify parts, and oh yea, buy the stuff I find and don't build myself!
Give yourselves credit. You deserve it.
Best of luck to all,
And remember, driving the wheels off can continue well after you can't climb under your cars!

 

I spent 6 days on the floor of my bedroom before my hotrod buddies found me a little over a year ago. I was losing faith that I'd ever make it back but this thread has restored my faith. I can beat all you old farts! Thanks. I needed that!

 

At 64 I feel like a pup from all the inspiration I've read in this thread. Truly a great read. I still giver hell in the shop most days for 4 to 6 hours, but after triple bypass 1 1/2 years ago I've decided to spend more of that time on my projects instead of other peoples. Priorities change. I still do some outside work, but pick and choose and I've learned to say "no" more often. I've decided I really need to finish my '29 I started many years ago and it's coming along well. Hopefully it'll be done for next cruising season. And sometimes I take a day off to spend with children or grandchildren or just disappear with my wife...like I said priorities. Enjoying every day is a blessing.

 

Wow, Tommy! six days must have given you lots of time for reflection on a bunch of things.Glad to hear you pulled through and still wanna kick some ass!Good for you! Let me know if you need backup! ( I'll double up on ibuprofen).