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Old Enough To Die

Discussion in 'New to the H.A.M.B.? Introduce yourself here!' started by unclmx, Feb 12, 2012.

  1. unclmx
    Joined: Feb 12, 2012
    Posts: 58

    unclmx
    Member
    from Atlanta Ga

    In a few weeks I'll celebrate (?) my 65th birthday. Man, this came up fast it seems. I'm at an age that I could die any moment and no one would be surprised (but he was ...old y'know). Look at your local newspaper today, lots of 65 year olds are now history. I never listened to my parents and never studied and never thought about much besides girls and cars. And sometimes motorcycles. I always worked hard but spent most everything on cars and girls. I still work hard and I still spend most of my money on cars and girls. I've been told I'm a throwback, an old fashioned, old school hot rodding shade tree mechanic. And not real good either. But I learned by myself and I know how to use a coat hanger, baling wire, bondo and spray cans. I never had any real money to pay somebody to build the best so I built the best I could with what I had. I have owned many many cars, most of which are worth lots of money today. They weren't when I sold them. I'm mostly a Mopar guy but have owned everything and really kinda bored with the whole Mopar thing anymore. Sometimes I have to fight myself to keep from being bored with everything anymore. All my life I've had a long list of cars that I always wanted so I'd buy one, drive it for a year or two and sell it and buy another. My list is much shorter but now it's become really difficult to sell an old car so I may never be able to finish the list. I wonder why it stopped so fast. I know the economy sucks and really maybe it's because too many hot rodders have died. There are more cars out there for sale than people who want them. I don't know the answer to that. I don't care to spend the next 2 years building a car. At my age I better grab it and drive it while I can. The whole car thing has really changed a lot and there are some goofy things going on. There are old bodies with new drivetrains, there are crappy old cars that people build that way, there are stockers that are just like the showroom days, and there are these pristine crazy things that are worth a zillion dollars. Each to his own I guess. I'm an original lone wolf, no club, no buddies. I work on my cars alone, I cruise alone, I don't talk numbers or ratios, or much anything else. I don't even know why I joined this thing or why I just wrote this whole thing. All I know is I love cars and sometimes I can sit on a stool in my garage and drink a beer and just look at the car and enjoy the beauty of the old thing.
     
  2. khead47
    Joined: Mar 29, 2010
    Posts: 1,789

    khead47
    Member

    Great intro. Welcome from another old fart.
     
  3. 60 ford
    Joined: Nov 23, 2007
    Posts: 1,807

    60 ford
    Member

    Welcome from Indiana.
     
  4. Welcome ... sitting on stools is a sign of old age (and it sounds kinky!) .... keep moving.
     

  5. gigem
    Joined: Dec 31, 2005
    Posts: 71

    gigem
    Member

    Probably the most honest thing I have ever read... Welcome from another lone wolf...
     
  6. Dave Rondou
    Joined: May 26, 2008
    Posts: 669

    Dave Rondou
    Member

    Welcome from So.Cal.
     
  7. Great intro. I like you already, Honesty is a mans best attribute. Welcome from Lanexa Virginia Home of Johnrodz
     
  8. modelamotorhead
    Joined: Dec 24, 2011
    Posts: 487

    modelamotorhead
    Member

    Man, reading your intro was like looking into a mirror. To me, building the rod is the crux of the hobby, the essence if you will. I enjoy building them more today than driving them, and I'm two years behind you Bud. Hell man, the economy works in our favor, guys are bailing all over the place with 1/2 finished projects.

    Buy one and stay young in your head. I'd rather die with standing up with a cuttin' torch in my hand than laying down with a hand full of nothing. We may be gettin' old, but we can still cut it. Welcome ya old fart!!
     
  9. JeffB2
    Joined: Dec 18, 2006
    Posts: 9,484

    JeffB2
    Member
    from Phoenix,AZ

    I've got a year up on Ya',looks like we walked the same path in life too.The hands and the joints are probably getting a little stiffer as days go by so keeping going by working on a project can be therapy,old cars and old farts have a lot in common there's always something needs fixin' I'm going tomorrow to have a hernia repair,my spare tire has had a separation in the sidewall.So get yourself a project and get busy!
     
  10. Amen brother. I have to admit that some of my very favorite hotrod time is spent doing exactly that.

    I'm only in my 40's but hey, I just spent the morning at my wife's grandmothers retirement village thing and there's a ton of guys there in their 80's and 90's who are going strong.
     
  11. oldcarfart
    Joined: Apr 12, 2005
    Posts: 1,436

    oldcarfart
    Member

    it must be the age group, I am with you on about 80% of your items, I will be 60 this Oct.
     
  12. 53Hattie
    Joined: Mar 11, 2010
    Posts: 374

    53Hattie
    Member

    ...and all this makes your experience unique, right? ...wanna bet? Older'n you, already had triple bypass & a valve job, and sleep w/ a CPAP instead of a hot babe to keep me breathin' heavy! Got extra stools [for my pals] in the garage, and my fair share of empty hop-pop cans in the trash too [helps us focus(?) on the impotent stuff donch'a know?]. Got more tools'n I'll ever use at this point, ...so why do I keep buying more? It's like somebody else around here says in their by-line, "mosta my $$ I wasted on cars, bikes, broads, & booze, ...the rest I just pissed away!"

    So what's my point here? Well, since you went & joined-up I'd say your Lone Wolf plaque is a wall hanger in this arena, lots of like minded jokers hereabouts [some'll piss ya off, but some'll leave you in stitches too]. Just the fact that you joined says you're curiosity is still intact & there's no doubt you've got stuff to share, some of it even interesting and worthwhile I suspect [what th'hell, ...check the intro already]. So, Howdy & Welcome, take a load off, grab a stool & a brew & hit the keyboard!
     
  13. oldcarfart
    Joined: Apr 12, 2005
    Posts: 1,436

    oldcarfart
    Member

    Passing a good stool is appriciated at this age too!
     
  14. Welcome from the cultural center of the universe, Oklahoma!

    Check out the Old Farts Club here on the HAMB, lots of us like minded folks there. To quote my buddy "mow to much", we may be too old to cut the mustard, but we can still lick the jar.

    Randy, 65 and heading to Bonneville again this year, still chasin the record........
     
  15. havi
    Joined: Dec 30, 2008
    Posts: 1,876

    havi
    Member

    Mine too (at 41), and you can probably tell from that the age group I normally hang out with. :)

    Welcome to the HAMB!
     
  16. Shopking
    Joined: Jan 10, 2009
    Posts: 106

    Shopking
    Member
    from central Pa

    Good intro.A lot of us are with you on how it (life) came up so fast.Welcome!
     
  17. tommyd
    Joined: Dec 10, 2010
    Posts: 11,946

    tommyd
    Member
    from South Indy

    Welcome fro Indy.
     
  18. LWT
    Joined: Jan 3, 2012
    Posts: 188

    LWT
    Member
    from Va.

    Time flies whether your havin' fun or not!! Some people leave this world way, way too young. Others are makin' tires smoke & bangin' gears in their 90's. Since nobody, doctor's included, can tell you when your times gonna be up, buy'em, wrench on'em, ride'em & just keep taking it all in......we're right there with you!

    "The Golden Greek" Chris Karamesines is in his 80's and he's still going way quicker & faster than 98% of the people on the planet!
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2012
  19. Iron Dog
    Joined: Oct 28, 2011
    Posts: 267

    Iron Dog
    Member
    from Minnesota

    We ain't dead yet. . .and this gettin' old ain't for sissies.
     
  20. lincolnhead
    Joined: May 29, 2010
    Posts: 305

    lincolnhead
    Member
    from Marysville

    welcome from WA!
     
  21. JeffB2
    Joined: Dec 18, 2006
    Posts: 9,484

    JeffB2
    Member
    from Phoenix,AZ

  22. roadtriprod
    Joined: May 17, 2008
    Posts: 90

    roadtriprod
    Member
    from FARGO ND

    Glad u are here!!!!!!!!
     
  23. 70elim
    Joined: Jan 3, 2010
    Posts: 28

    70elim
    Member
    from PA

    So what is the problem? You got beer, a stool, a collector car to admire, a great memory welcome to the old guys club.
     
  24. bigalturk1
    Joined: Sep 23, 2010
    Posts: 367

    bigalturk1
    Member

    I hear ya', same deal (mostly) with me. I retired in 09' and every week I hear of someone I worked with died (Some were some weren't retired). I moved South to be in warm weather and drive my hotrods and motorcycle. Problem is, it's boring here in Southern Florida (Flat and too hot sometimes)and the people are idiots or smart asses! Luckily, I have the wife to talk to, she humors me. She does mention (A lot) that if I croak she doesn't know what my stuff is worth or who to sell it to. Your right about building a car and not being able to get rid of it unless it's desireable. In another 10 years, the younger motorheads aren't going to want just any old fat fendered car, they'll probably want only a 39 or 40 Ford or any 3 window Coupe(Willys, Ford etc,) or a Tri five Chevy, and not a 58-59 or 60, GTO's yea, 64 or 65. Mustang...64-69. Camaro's 67-69 and won't want to spend much for them!

    Even worse...If Obama gets in again, we're all F**ked! His boys will deceide if your worth getting a new heart or kidney, or Chemo...depending on your age.
    I'm convinced...the good times have come and gone, so I'm just "Floating" now. If I feel like doing something major in the garage, I do....If not, I take a ride on the Harley, or go on HAMB and/or Harley Tech Talk.
    If the ole' lady drops dead first, I'll get one of those towable trailers and throw my Coupe and tools in the back, hook it to a Dually (carrying my Harley) and travel around the country to Car & Bike Stuff and visit friends along the way.
    I thought about leaving the country, but they're just as screwed!
     
  25. 32-3 WINDOW
    Joined: Nov 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,696

    32-3 WINDOW
    Member
    from utah

    welcome from utah
     
  26. Just turned 65 this month. Lost two buddies in the last two weeks. Your intro pretty much sums it up for me.
    Welcome from Michigan.
     
  27. ZZ-IRON
    Joined: Feb 28, 2007
    Posts: 1,964

    ZZ-IRON
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Cool intro you'll fit right in Welcome to the board
     
  28. DERPR30
    Joined: Jun 3, 2010
    Posts: 839

    DERPR30
    Member
    from HARVEY LA

    welcome from new orleans i share a lot of the same thoughts belly up & have one for me
     
  29. Lots of us old farts here are much older than 65..your still in the prime of your life...
     
  30. pakrat
    Joined: Feb 16, 2006
    Posts: 95

    pakrat
    Member

    Welcome from Ohio.
     

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