Due to the recent COVID-19 situation it has given me the opportunity to be able to spend more time with my kids. I was able to start working on a project with my oldest daughter, and teach her. She loves tagging along with me to swap meets, auctions, junkyards, etc. Has anyone else taken this time to build any projects in the shop with your kids? Here is a link to our project.
I have been trying to get my boys interested, but it's hard competing with video games. I did get my 12 year old under the car stripping wire in anticipation of a new wiring harness...
Yeah, but he’s 51.... was quarantined from work for 3 weeks and we really got a lot of work done. After 1 year it’s almost ready to roll down the road.
Rustydusty and jimmy six: You two will be tearing up the streets soon. Cool builds! Anthony Myrick: I am building a 60 C10 shop truck. It is going to be a traditional custom style “dually” (instead of running true dually rear end I am just going to run single wide tires) except it isn’t HAMB appropriate since it is going to have a turbo LS. But, you can check it out on my YouTube channel if you like. I have always liked the 60-66 body style Chevrolet trucks. Send me a PM if you would be interested in selling/trading those cab lights. Cool stuff guys! Keep them coming!
I did a build with my oldest, who's 21 now, starting when he was 13. That car has been built, beaten on, broken and fixed so many times I can't count. My other 4 kids would rather sit in the house behind a f'n screen than actually do something. Devin
I’ve got all 3 of my kids helping out on refreshing an old 8BA Flathead Motor. I don’t have anything to put it in yet but hopefully one day. Here’s a link to the thread I started. Messing Around With an 8BA Flathead https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/index.php?threads/Messing-Around-With-an-8BA-Flathead.1190930/ Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I’m assuming the boss (your wife) knows about this? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
About 15 years ago my son wanted a gas scooter, why buy one when you can make one right. I could have built it faster but I had him help me with all parts of it, so he could learn. Bending, welding the tubings add, a old 8” bike (fork and wheels) A motor off a small snowblower Paint you have a boys hot rod. The next fall when he went back to middle school was the kid who built his own scooter. Now He a aerospace engineer and I am taking full credit for it.
Yes, building two pickups with my boys this year to be their daily drivers when they turn 16 (one next month and the other in November) And, seems I should have started about a year earlier...
She doesn’t mind. She’s happy the kids are learning about using tools & sees how it can give them confidence in trying to fix stuff. A Little bit of mechanical skills can go a long way in today’s world. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
That's the best thing we can do for our kids - teach them how to use their hands and their minds. It will go a long way down the road for them knowing they can fix things themselves. Remember a time not long after my daughter got a place with her boyfriend, and they had a clogged sink drain. He was ready to call the plumber, she told him to get the pliers and proceeded to show him how to take it apart and clean it. I did get a call from her later thanking me for showing how to do basic stuff. They never learn that stuff in school. Sent from my SM-T560NU using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
When my boys were teens we built two hot rods - an Anglia and a tub. The youngest son saw his Anglia build through to the completion of a running car before moving to the west coast. He keeps the car here with me and we get it out to the drags when he comes for a visit. We have dreams of doing a father / son cruise across the nation with his and my similar Anglia when they are both road worthy. The oldest son lost interest in finishing the tub. I "bought out" his interest in the car - after all, some of his birthday and Christmas presents were parts for the car - and finished it myself. We still own it. My wife even drove it to work on special occasions, raising lots of eyebrows. I worked at FoMoCo R&E Center in Dearborn at the Engine Engineering Building. I used to drive it in and enjoyed hammering the throttle as I drove by "Executive Row" parking, setting off a myriad of security car alarms. What fun! I got 'er up to 115 mph once on I-75 with plenty of throttle - but no balls - left.
OT, I have both my daughters riding aluminum race BMX, not competitively. Why ride junk? They have both been in the garage with me for every step of their bike builds, turning the wrenches when possible. Had them both pack bearings, neither were impressed. Cars are next. Told them they are going to learn how to mig weld and sweat copper pipes before they're 15. Theyre not sure if Im kidding or not.
I would be the kid in these situations, but my grandfather and I are still hammering away on projects. Been using the downtime to get caught up on little fixes on the fleet. Also ready to paint my current project which is a O/T 68 C10. Once that truck gets done, then I can focus on restoring my 33 pickup, but we are both going full bore in the garage as we have not much else to do at the moment.
Awesome projects guys! Today, my oldest daughter and I made some more progress on her swap meet wagon. If you enjoy my YouTube videos, please hit the subscribe button. Thanks guys!
I agree. One of my cousins did not have the opportunity for anyone to show him such things. He was coming home from college, for Christmas, with his new girlfriend several years ago. On the way, his alternator went out. He stopped at a nearby parts store, they sold him the alternator, and said he could borrow the tools to change it himself in the parking lot (no shops were open since it was a Sunday, and Christmas Eve). He said, I have no idea how to change it. His new girlfriend said, my Dad’s a mechanic. I know how to change it. So, he sat in the car while his girlfriend layed in the snow, and changed his alternator for him. We all had a good laugh about that, and said you could have at least handed her tools. He said well I knew I wouldn’t know whatever tool it was that she asked for.
The Jalopy Journal
