The sweetest woman on the planet loves me for who I am, and that includes my shop and all that goes into (and comes out of) it. She has her passion(s), too -- stained glass and such is her current 'flame'. Built her one hell of a studio this past year -- not cheap proposition, either! She makes more $ than me right now, but I'm retired. Still, it's just us (kids are all off doin' their own things), doin' what we do, livin' and lovin' it, and not lookin' back.
Mine stays home with our 5 y/o and I just made the last payment on our oldest daughters private college education. Bought and rebuilt all the OT car our family drives.All late model high end Stuff for pennies on the dollar. Knew I wanted to build a classic car and figured out what her dream car was then bought it a cheap with motor problems.Got lucky found and fixed a 92 Mercedes 500sl and got it running for $2500. Just found a 56 Buick yesterday $1800 and will drop another few hundred Monday. Money is tight but she understands. Funny her only complaint was not buying a Harley basket case to replace one I had to sell fir a college tuition payment.
boys, i gotta have the most understanding girl in the world. when we met she was a senior in high school and i ran a small parts store in tn.our first date was a kiss concert( and after a joint me not her lol)i asked her to marry me.1 week after i met her. must have been good karma because weve been married going on 34 yrs.hell my dad hadto pick her up at our house in the mornings and take her and my sister to school while i went to work.anyway after about a yr. i chopped a bike in our kitchen. i mean i stripped and took a hacksaw and cut the frame in half.after about 3 months i rolled it out the back door to finish it up. its now spring.and the house always looked clean and neat just had a bike in the kitchen instead of a table. lol never said a word. its been that way since we married. ive NEVER told her what to do and she has never told me what to do.but the bills always come first!after that any money left ovwer to play with i got to spend on bikes or cars.sher has never asked for much. but i have always tried to give her what she wanted or even liked. shes haved new harleys and plenty of hotrods or street beasts.55 chevys built to the hilt, 67 chevelle 396 4 speed.cars like that. for her!!all the while im building my cars. so much more i could tell you but there is no need.shes given me anything ive wanted or needed.somewhere things got turned around.but i love her and would trade my life for hers. anyday.good thing shes makes GOOD MONEY. cause now im crippled up from a bike wreck and ive closed my shop to the public.so what little i make out there i spend on my projects and she pays the bills for the house. damn i love this old girl!!!
I don't hide the car stuff from my wife, she trusts me and is supportive in my hobby and life. I do hold way back though on stuff I'd love to buy, build, etc. The guys on this forum that are building their dreams, and need to hide a little from the wifey on occasion, I respect that on some level as long as the household needs including childrens needs are being met.
"You got lucky babe, you got lucky babe.......when I found you"......TOM PETTY! I always liked Tom Petty's music and this song says it well jokingly I sing those lines to her. Honestly... I have the best mate ever and I tried out a few but not the whole alphabet ........they came and went but my cars remained.......my wife is really cool about the hobby and cars but still I can not get her to graduate out of the billet red street rods era......I thought my red 62 409 would spark her up but she says you should sell that ugly big car.......flat patina and metal-flake has not sunk in yet. Really she has no complaints as I keep the priorities straight...... 37,38,49,55,57,62,65,67 etc..... actually faith, family, home, work, then cars. With retirement close the cars will move up a few notches.
I used to take my then g/f to the drags,...Got her to see into that part of my world,...She still loves the car hobby, and were married in 1966!! Yes, she knows the $$ factor !!! 4TTRUK
There is always my brothers philosophy on wives and hobbies. He says that you need to have so much stuff that the wife can't tell when you've added to it or sold any of it! Karl.
Always been into cars and my wife knew that when we married. Been together over 24 years, two great daughters. Plenty of ups and downs with cars coming and going as priorities changed. Had a business go under and the 34 Dodge went a week later to pay the debts (on Fathers day!!). We muddled thru, paid everyone back, kids always had what they needed and the roof stayed over our heads. Family first. Be upfront with what your doing. We have been to Bonneville twice, Hamb drags once (and believe me, from this side of the world, it ain't cheap) and are going to Bonneville again this year. She loves it. I'm a lucky man.
Sorry you've been 'burned' Don, I've been there myself, but a lot of these "supportive wife" stories are the real deal; I have one in the dining room playing "Word of Warcraft" right now (as opposed to looking over my shoulder Ha-Ha!) Best thing about it is having my best friend wrench right alongside me in the shop she pestered me to build. Your 'daydream' pretty much describes my everyday life; there are some real 'keepers' out there if you're fortunate enough to find one and appreciate her for what she is: Special
My wife (22 years) doesn't care one way or the other what I do in the garage. If I were to go out tomorrow and drop a couple grand on parts or another car she would have a fit. Of course I'm not going to do that because I know we can't afford it right now, problem solved. If I don't currently have it, I'm already proving I can live without it. My first wife, or as I refer to as "Satan's Sister", complained about everything. Fortunately she met someone else and left, poor guy.
This statement pretty much covers my situation for the past 26 yrs I've been married.Family first,cars and stuff come and go.
My wife who I married all these 35 years ago has never crabbed at me about spending money on my G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Be it either music instruments such as my modular synthesizer I'm currently building up, or the station wagon we found for our next car project.....if I do not have money to spend on either thing...big whoop. Things can be done later.... I think a lot of the problem stems from not discussing things with the future partner right from the get go. I've seen way too many couples go boomcrash once one of them discovers that that the other actually spends money on a hobby. It's especially hilarious when we see guys with hot rods and such and no one bothers to say anything about how they budget for that car....
A lot of what I posted earlier about this subject was obviously me having a little fun. I was married for 28 years and family obligations always came first. I can't begin to count how many half finished cars I sold because some family issue came up, and I never regretted any of them. I also realize some of you have wives who accept your addiction and leave you at it. While my ex wife is a wonderful woman and a great Mom to my two Sons, if I would have allowed it, I would have had NO hobbies at all because she hated me having any outside interests. After we divorced I met a super nice lady and the first date we went on was in my roadster, so she knew how I loved cars, yet when I would go to the shop, maybe one or two times a month, she would say "You are always at that damn shop !" Her idea was that I should be sitting right next to her watching tv 24-7. So I have been single now for the past 6 or so years and absolutely LOVE my life the way it is today. I get up when I want, go to bed when I want, don't have to ask permission to do anything I want, and best of all, I can buy whatever I want an no one gives me the "mean Momma look." To those of you who are happily in a relationship, God bless you. For me this setup I have just works so much better. Don
First you have to understand that my wife didn't grow up in a car culture environment, not being from the USA. Sometime after being married, I said I'd like to buy and old car, my wife's response was way don't you buy a new one! The part my wife doesn't like about our hobby is there are so many undependable people, shops in our hobby around these days. It's hard to get things done in a timely manor. It's stuff, I don't no how to do or don't want to do and sometimes the lack of the right equipment. I'm tried of building cars in my garage takes too long on your own and it's gets harder everyday to get up and under the car. I building my last car a '52 Chevy Fleetline and that's the end. I'm making sure that everything is just right on the '52 build. My wife had me sign a paper in blood that it's the last old car. For once, I totally agree with her. I just want to drive, drive, drive in the cruising lanes and enjoy. CRUISER
My wife and i started dating when we were 15 years old. We have been married for 26 years next month and i love her far more today than i did 32 years ago. She bought me a 42 by 60 building a couple of years ago. I have more of a tool problem than car but i still have the old machinery/car problem as well. She would much rather have me in the shop where she knows where i am than out at a bar or some place else drinking with my buddies. She has never been more supportive than she is today. My wife goes to the swap meets and salvage yards and loves it............sounds like i am just another lucky H.A.M.B.er
my wife supports me but dont understand.she dont get the fact that her hobbies cost us after you finish with a flower arrangement etc.to the garbage.our hobby is like a savings you buy you make better you profit when you sell it then spend that money on next project after splitting profit with her so she can get more flowers.
my wife and I will be married just about 36 years this spring, first time I gave her a ride was in my 59 caddy limo,then I kissed her in my 48 chev coupe with the 283, then she held my fuel pump in place on my 51 merc pickup with the 390 intercepter while I started the bolts, next thing I knew she was pregnant so we got married,then the lord showed us his love for us and we had a baby boy who is also a hotrodder who is serving the lord and we had five more kids and the story goes on,,, it's a good story.
Saxman pretty much summed up my project spending. Paycheck goes to joint checking and extra cash comes from side work. I buy and sell odds and ends and I have a small bike biz I run out of my garage. Wife isnt into my hobbies too much but is supportive and understanding of my "needs".
I took my then fiancee to the drags, and she was hooked! 45 years of marriage later, she still attends car shows with me, and she's ok with $$ for the '40. 4TTRUK
My thoughts are with money worth diddly squat having a hot rod or custom that you can sell (if push comes to shove) in any currency,dollars,pounds,euros etc means you are looking after your loved ones. This makes you first and foremost a hotrodder and also you are investing for your family's future. We all know the above is cobblers but it's what i tell my missus Best Neil
my is great she wants me to build cars it gives us our own time. she'll go out to cruise nights with me. i dont tell her what i spend because aslong as there is a roof over her head and food on the table she dont care!
I used to hide the parts and have them shipped to the office, but she's no dummy and knows if it's shiny it costs even more, but I'm not at a bar, or out getting in trouble. I'm just in the garage playing with my car or oil cans or some other junk. I get 100% support as long as the heat and lights work and nobody goes hungry.
My wife grew up in a Tri '5 family, so she understands my addiction and supports it. Her dad still has the '55 Nomad that he brought her home from the hospital in after she was born and my oldest son came home in the same car. She is actually the one that wouldn't let me give up on finding my blown hemi. As far as the cost, as long as the bills are paid and there's a little in savings, she's good. I count myself pretty damn lucky.
My wife supported me with my first rod, now, that I have the fever again, she is not so much for me on the second, but, gives in a little. She likes seeing and pointing out to me other rods as we drive past them, but, is not high on car shows and the like. Well, I'm into different cars not different women and she knows that.
My wife and I have always had an agreement about spending money on my hobbies. I don't take money out of the bank or charge anything for hobby parts that can't be paid off when the bill arrives. Beyond that she could care less what I spend my money on, or where it came from.
The Jalopy Journal
