A few good scoldings, a swift kick in the pants, the ability to work hard, and integraty. I gave very little back until after he was gone. Then I understood what He was trying to teach me. Walter
One helluva sense of humor, no patience, bad temper, love for my children, lotsa mechanical knowledge and a restored 1927 model T coupe. And i have missed him terribly for the last 35 years.
My Dad was a great wood worker to the point of ture art with it. Lost Dad in 1985. Hated getting his hands grease drity,but he did anyway just to show me how to do somethings,"nothing wroth doing if your not going to do it well" made me do stuff over,made me buy my own tools so I would repect them I think,but still he siad I losted his tool if he could not find it.LOL My Grandpop on Moms side was a super good mec. too
My Dad was 43 when I was born and died in 90. Having survived the Great Depression, just barely he was very thrifty and probably worked an average of 60/70 hours a week. We didn't get to spend a great deal of time with him as I grew up but it was good when it happened. By example I believe he taught me that you can work your way through anything if you want it bad enough, you are only as good as your word, live your life like someone is watching and making notes, the basic mechanical skills to fix or repair the things I want to take on. The sad part is that I really didn't realize how much knowledge and life skills he had passed to me until after he had passed. I never properly thanked him and I feel bad about this fact.
Well lets see.Started me on the way to having some mechanical ability at the age of 10 when he started teaching me to do the maintainence on our lawn mower.Dad and his Father taught me to appreciate the out doors,and to shoot,hunt and fish.GrandFather passed away in 1955 at almost 90,when I was 10.Dad left this world in 1994 at age 98.Still miss them both.A BUNCH.Dad taught me to love music of all kinds,but most of all the "Big Band"sound. Taught me to accept responsibility for MY screw ups.To do my work to the best of my ability and to give an honest days work for an honest days pay.And to take care of the tools that I used and owned. Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
he was a backyard hack mechanic had some cool cars...i guess he passed on cars to me ...or maybe i got into cars trying to show him that i was worthy of what ever other fathers and sons have....... divorced my mom in 79 never was home much and didnt want to be seen in public with his family i reintroduced myself to him when i was 29 he still wasnt interested he lives less then 5 minutes from me i cant go visit him hes still not interested im 43 now as of last saturday
Be the best you can be at whatever you do. Get a carreer where you work with your mind and not your back (I didn't follow that one, was a Lineman). Be true to your word-it's what you are judged by. Be kind and respectful to elders. Only buy what you need, not what you want or see others buying. Try to avoid debt-only logical for a home purchase. He was a farmer and had many skills and helped me with cars in my teens and 20's. Also have some of his old tools that I still use and cherish--he's been gone since 1978.
Similar to many that've posted. Not much in the way of material things, and he certainly wasn't responsible for my interest in old cars...at least not purposely. But he taught me that if you do a little research and take some time, you can usually figure out how something works or how to do a job that many would pay someone else to do. And that has served me well over the years. Thanks Dad. RIP.
My dad put me on an old Cushman when I was about 8. He said turn that. I took off and promptly crashed into the ditch. I still remember the rush as that machine came to life under me. It was an incredible feeling. Thanks Dad.
Everything! Mechanical ability, positive attitude, money smarts (Investment Diversification), patients, ingenuity, temper, how to work together, killer sense of humor, and amazing good looks....
Everything as well, thanks to him! even if he wasn't the first to buy a big US car, he always helped me, and still today, he will always help me to fix or give advice or nice opinion on how to do things!
A lot from both my dads, not material stuff. I only worry about what I pass on, not material things just life helping things. Hopefully our kids write good things about us when we're gone. Jack
He left me with a strong work ethic and the skills to work. Probably the two best things he possessed.
The sperm donator left me his name, but the stepdad taught me how to be patient , I never use it but its there!
nothing, walked out of my life when i was 9, and tried to come back into my life while i was in the navy and fix'in to turn 21. i was lucky enough to have a great step dad that has done more then he ever needed to. the best things was how to be a man, and how to be a machinist.
Body hair and a bad attitude,lol. I wouldnt change a thing though, he left when I was 1 yr old (new wife, different state) then when they divorced he came back to the family farm and has gone overboard trying to make up for things that he can not change? He is a great part of my life, but I learned how to do for myself by myself, and I wouldn't change that for the world. Makes a person appreciate things in life better.
he taught me " You shake a mans hand ,you look him in the eye ,,,if he doesn,t look back ,he,s a thief or the devil " . how friggin true is that ! ! ! another is "your gonna be dead for millions an millions of years ,,your gonna be alive for a blink of an eye ,,SO LIVE IT UP ! ! He,s still kickin HATED HIM GROWIN UP ,,,BEST OF FRIENDS NOW !
2 lathes, 2 milling machines, 3 welders, a brake and slip roller, boring bar and hones, tools up the ass and a 29 Cadillac roadster that is too nice to make a rod out of. Oh yeah, he taught me how to weld, machine and fabricate, paint, and how to drill wells and put in pumps.
Today is/was dads birthday. Pop would be 102 today.....I am what I am because of him. Only hope I live as long, he died 4yrs & 8 days ago. To be self motivated and do it your own way--NO matter what anyone thinks or says! Thanks Pop!
No material things or money, but everything else. I was in my teens before I realized that other people made their livings doing the things my Dad just knew how to do. He designed and built the house we lived in and fixed and maintained everything in it including the cars, all while working two jobs and doing side work. I grew up thinking that it was normal and this was how everybody is so I better learn it. Just a damn good man. He still ranks as one of the smartest people I've ever met. He swore very little and had an exceptionally large vocabulary for an uneducated man. The exception was when he was working on his British cars he'd occasionally turn the air blue with words I had to wait until Junior High to learn the meaning of. We had our troubles but I really only remember the great times and laughs we had together. I lost him 6 years ago but Alzheimers really took him away several years before that. I miss him every day. Reading some of the other posts make me realize I had it pretty damn good. I learned from him well enough that my oldest son and I are best friends. Some have called me lucky, but all I had to do was watch my Dad and follow his lead, he made it easy for me. Love you, Dad, thanks for everything. Kevin
The Jalopy Journal
