https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2019/...-how-my-grandson-became-a-car-nut/?refer=news Hopefully some of you folks have a similar story to tell about your grand children keeping our hobby alive instead of burying their noses in a "smart phone".
"You either have it or not!". When my nephew way 12 or so, I gave him one of my old electric guitars and amps. He took to it like a duck to water, as they say. This was 25 plus years ago, and now he no longer plays; he started a CNC aerospace machine shop a few years ago, and that's where ALL his time goes. I thought by giving him my 51 Chevrolet Business Coupe he would do the same. We used mostly my $$$, all my parts, and he bought a few things, to build a "Street Gasser". But, his heart was never really into it. He finally gave the car back to me, and I sold it (big mistake) because I had too much going on with my other projects. I tried to make him into a hotrodder, but you're either born with it or you're not. JMO. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
I doubt my girls will ever share my love of cars, but there still is hope for my nephew. It doesn't always need BD a relative either.
Luckily I have a little girl into HotRods. She has a ‘30 Sedan that we’ll one day build, we built a 60’s showrod “style” DuneBuggy together that she painted, and most recently a TV show starring Courtney Hansen and Troy Ladd, built her a ‘32 Roadster (her dream car) after battling and beating an extremely rare form of Cancer.
Our twin girls grew up in the back seat of a hot rods and attended many rod runs, NSRA nationals and shows around the country, they could care less about them today. Our eldest granddaughter will be the caretaker of the wagon when the time comes, our grandson has a Mustang and is a gear head and wants to get my old '65 Ford truck out of the barn and get that 302/ 4 speed back on the road as soon as he finishes up at college and our youngest Veda is really enamored with '32 Fords, we brought her home from the hospital in a Deuce. Makes me believe these old cars will live on and be enjoyed by our grandkids.HRP
I saw that show, the back story and the family's overcoming all the hardship's was amazing, I was really impressed with Bella's knowledge and you could tell the family made a impression on everyone involved in the project. HRP
My daughter is good with a wrench and my oldest granddaughter races off road. Actually one of my granddaughter's high school friends is active on the HAMB. I haven't read the story. So I don't know how similar anything I would tell would be.
I have a grandson that's just about eight, he came to live with me six years ago. He has picked up on my interest in cars and drag racing, his great grand parents on his moms side live in Cedar Falls Ia. so visits include the drag strip and I've taken him to Humbolt County Dragway for the bike drags over the 4th of July. Now he came to me with an interest in motorcycles but the bike drags cemented his love for motorcycles and drag racing. I have a car that runs tens that can be slowed down for him to learn how to race and I like the idea of the full cage but it's only going to be time and I will be working on motorcycles. The drag community welcomes the young people so he has sat on bikes that run 180 + in the quarter mile so he has big ambitions and expectations. His interests have gotten my interest up and given me motivation to work on my stuff so I guess it's what goes around comes around.
I have three children and no grandkids yet although my oldest daughter is engaged to be married. My 6 year old youngest daughter is completely in love with our 1936 Ford coupe. She tells me every time we cruise how much she loves “her hot rod “. Recently she asked me while riding in traffic. “ this car is not like the others. It really stands out. Where are all on the other Hot Rods?” I need to get her to some rod runs this summer. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My oldest isn't interested, but my 4 year old is really into the old cars. I hope one of the two will be willing to inherate my collection. Not to mention build some projects together. Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
At 45 I don't have grandkids yet, but my oldest son is now 20 and has been wrenching with me since he was 10, and has followed me into the field professionally. He bought his first car, a 65 Camino when he was 13 and we've spent countless hours on it since then, but all his own money. He's the oldest of 5 kids, the others seem to have not inherited that gene, at least not like he did. My middle daughter is 12 and expressing interest in learning to drive already, and asking the right questions about car stuff so she'll probably come with us to the dragstrip this summer. Devin
I have four sons and only my youngest has followed in my footsteps. He began helping me at age 4 and now works as a fabricator in a hot rod shop . His older son learned to weld at 6 on my mig. He is on our crew at Bonneville and has surprised the car owner with his knowledge and ability at age 10. His little brother has gotten the bug and will go with us this year to Bonneville. Both love to ride in the roadster and help in the garage. I have an El Camino that has been in my family since new 51 years ago and both want it when they get old enough. Hopefully, there is a bright future in my family for the car nut gene to blossom and grow in!
Here's my youngest years ago at Detroit Autorama. None of my kids are really that interested in old cars. It's funny because growing up around them they really didn't take much notice until their friends would come by and would find them cool. I always tell my kids if anything should happen to me to contact certain friends of mine who will make sure they get the proper value of my collection. I did the same for a fellow hot rodder when he was killed in a car accident and made sure his daughter got what it was worth.
Our twin girls are now 42 and they rode thousands of miles around the country in the back seat of hot rods, today they could care less, our oldest granddaughter likes the old cars and will inherit the wagon,our grandson likes cars and has a mustang but has been after me about wanting my old '65 Ford truck and is enrolled in a tech school in Florida specializing in restoration and old youngest granddaughter Veda loves going places with us. If she stays true to the path she just might end up with the old Deuce, with a name like Veda a Deuce is just natural. With that said I hope it's many years down the road before they get their hands on any of our cars. HRP
I've got a few friends back home with young kids and they're out with they're Dads Every time they go to work on a car, boat, or even the lawnmower, the new hotrodders are out there.
The Jalopy Journal
