Fathers Day - Was Your Dad A Car Guy?

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Sure was... RIP


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Ya my dad was a car guy...he traded in every 2 years for a new mercury....

 

When he was single...yes. That's him in my avatar in '56 standing on top of his '32 2dr and his buddy's '32 coupe. But after he got married, he and my mom had 10 kids in short order. I mean like one every year. So he ceased being a "car guy"...I don't think he had the time or energy...and became a hard-workiing "family guy".

Although, because for many years he couldn't afford a new car, he owned quite a string of old cars. So until about the late '60s, I remember a lot of vintage cars...and that's partly where I got my interest in 'em.

He's been gone for quite a few years now. And although he could be quite a bear at times, I still miss him. He was a pretty smart guy and taught me a lot of good things.

 

My dad was definitely a car guy through his life.He came from a farming community on the east coast and I grew up hearing stories of his and his brother's exploits with many cheap and unusual cars that guys short of money drove in the forties and fifties.He instilled in me a love of all sorts of early mechanical things.He would often talk of great cars he had seen or owned after he had moved to Toronto.Like so many, family life got in the way of his interests but he did get to enjoy his passion for old junk in retirement.I sure miss him

 

He sure is. My dad wrenched on an A/G '38 FORD coupe that was Cadillac powered back in '55-'57, knew Rod Stucky well. He raced his own '57 Chevy on the strip and street, along with about every other car he ever owned. When I started racing in the late '70's he was my crew chief at the races and we had a ball racing together. He'll be 81 in a few days and is in the middle of a '40 International pick-up build. Ya he's a car guy.

 

Growing up my Dad always had the coolest car. He is the kind of car guy who never really works on his own cars but keeps them nice and clean and well looked after

 

He's never been a car guy and he taught me nothing about them. But he taught me many other great things so I'll call it a good trade. And I'm so lucky that he's still around.

 

Yep...

 

Yes sir!! Roundy round jalopy racer for years. At 80 years young is taking one of his 32's to a car show tomorrow. His father hated cars so when he brought home his first 32 5 window 60 years ago he caught hell for it. By the way it was his first one and is the one that he is taking to the show tomorrow. Been told this car is to be the escort car at his funeral. Best friend forever.

 

Nope...but I eat breathe and sleep cars!!

 

No. But he had cooler cars ('49 Ford, '55 Buick hardtop, '64 Riviera) than me, anyway.

 

Yup, stepdad, he would "borrow" any of my cars or Harley Davidsons I or my friends owned, load up my mom and not come back any time soon. May 18 1983 was a terrible day, I still miss him bad.

 

Yes! I've always thought is was something special that at 19 he could buy a new 1935 Ford. His dad was a chauffeur for a family with a place in NYC and here in town, so he was always cleaning cars. I still have his '31 Roadster, miss him every day. Bob

 

My dad is and always was a car guy in my eyes,I've seen old pics of rides he drove back in the day,he got me started back in the early 80's with a 50 1/2 f1 ford truck my first flathead, I drove it thru my senior year of high school and truly didn't get it. I stupidly sold it after my first wife's complaining,and kicked myself in the ass ever since. We are real close to finishing this truck now. It is a 48' f-1 and does not have the column shift like our first one, 3 on the floor,but it is all ours,the body work will never be like a lot of guys full on restores,and in fact it has an older engine than what it came with ( 46 merc car, 59 AB) all this said I have to fully admit,I truly missed the sound of a flathead V-8 running well. We have both worked hard on this truck,although my dad will admit he just can't do the things he'd like to do anymore. It fired him up enough he bought himself one ( a driver-sbc powered) as long as he has something he enjoys,and enjoys what we are doing on this truck...it truly is a win-win. Meanwhile in the process he wanted my wife and mines son to have something as well,prolly not many 8 yr olds who can say they already have a ride his 65 ranchero. Just wanted to share,even if your dad wasn't a car guy,if you have kids take the time and share the passion!!!
God bless yall
M
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My dad always was at the dealer as soon as the new models came out and brought one home. The day I was born, he dropped my mom off at the hospital and went and bought a new car. He wasn't into modifying or customizing but he would always pick fully optioned with the biggest motor he could get.

My best memory was stopping at the Chevy dealer to look at the 63 Corvette. I sat on the sales guys lap while my dad test drove the car. I got sick from looking at the chrome glovebox and puked in the car. He wouldn't buy the car I puked in but the dealer dropped another one off at the house later that day.

 

My dad's a pistol...

Corvair with crown conversion in 1968. 302 SBC 10.29 quarter mile.

Then take it to the track for some ralley car racing.

Raced 1958-59 buicks at the strip.

Happy father's day you old SOB.

 

When I was a teenager, Dad had a used car dealer license,so we always had cool stuff in the front yard! He never had more than four in inventory at any given time. Since this was in the '70s, we had very cool '50s and '60s cars, as well as early '70s stuff; but primarily it was early '60s cars and trucks. Even a few hot rods, now and then. Plus, we had the concession stand at the local roundy-round track, so there was cool stock car dirt oval racing from April through mid-October. So, yeah, Dad was a car guy all the way up to the point Mom had a stroke a few years ago, at which time, any passion he had for old iron pretty much evaporated.

I miss Mom and Dad both. My second Father's Day without him.

 

100% and at 77 still going strong. He passed it along to me (thanks dad) and I in turn to my son.

 

by all means. at 72 he still comes to work with me every day.

 

My father is a mechanic by trade, and a car, bike and truck guy by heart.
Now he is actualy the local undertaker
;-).

He use to be a mechanic for a guy that raced Formula Ford cars. Where most racers start if the like formula, were stickt rules, all run the same engine, same amount of power.

Loves old cars, my Volvo 121 (My first car), I bought from him. I still got it.

He know owns a OT Triumph Dolomite Sprint, and his fun projekt is Bedford J5 Truck (5T loadcapasity)
Drives it everywere, for fun, for odd Jobs, drove it to my daughters birthday.
One Night we took it in to the town near him (pop; about 4000) for potatos. People looks so funnie when you go by Thats a load of fun!

So Yes, Die-hard car guy

 

he says he is, but im more of thr gear head. he does pay for the electricity though haha. thanks

 

In 1939 my dad ran just over 100 mph at Harper Lake. He was 17.



The next year, 1940, he and my Uncle Tommy went back out to Harper -- but this time they took a MOVIE CAMERA. I posted the footage on YouTube awhile back. Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5ENn_hxv64

 

Yep My Dad was as was His Dad and my Great Granddad made Wagons in a old Blacksmith shop in Walters Okla and I'm sorry to day it burntdown a few years ago.I can remember spending a lot of time in there.I don't know how many people have been in a old blacksmith shop but it had like 6" wide belts running the hammers and other equipment can't think of a better way to spend a childhood such good memories.I would give everything I own just to spend one day in that shop with my Dad and Grandpaw

 

mine died in a lumber mill accident just after I was born in 1955. i got a skinning knife, a zippo and a picture of him with his Cocker Spaniel. But I am a "car guy dad" and building a "dad car" for each of my 5 kids and wife. so the tradition starts HERE !!!!!

 

Mine sure was... His dad was too.
My first job helping him was "holding the light" in the right place while tearing down and rebuilding cars in the driveway after he got off work. He was the guy that that friends, neighbors and co-workers took their cars to for any and all repairs and I never saw any money being exchanged.

I was quickly promoted the wrench fetcher, key turner and brake pumper. By the time I was 8 he had me tearing down and rebuilding Briggs and Stratton's. He wouldn't touch a tool or part. I still remember clearly, him telling me that there was a tool to compress the rings but not showing me specifically what it looked like. I got a little frustrated before figuring it out.

He taught me to builds tools as well.

Because of him, I have only had to use a repair shop 3 times in my life. Two of those times I was travelling He never did.

He had many "souped up" cars before marriage. It is unfortunate that photos were not simple and cheap then. He talked about a taildragger Mercury and V12 lincoln the most. I do have some 8mm film of him and his buddy on their "76" (CID) Harleys off road cutting "rustys" and getting airborn!

He covinced my mom that a new 1966 Charger (383) was the perfect family car.

He didn't have time to teach me eveything he knew. He died when I was 23. By that time he had taught me enough to make a living as a machinist and engineer. I was running our Bridgeport and small lathe at age 12 FOR MONEY!

It is impossible for me to work on cars without thinking of him and thanking him. I think it would be the ultimate to build a rod with him today.

 

I'm with you HRP. The number is 1-800-HEAVEN.

 

Yep... Still is!!! I can remember trying to help him when I was still too little to pick up his bottle jack and not drop it on my foot. I was most likely a bother than a help but he always would let me out in the garage.

 

Definitely.... He was one of those who worked on his own cars. He would spend Saturday washing and waxing the car. Neighbors always said he was waxing the paint off. Started taking me to the drag and sprint car races when I could stand up on the seat beside him and look him in the eye. He was a meticulous craftsman that taught me "why is there time to do it over but never time to do it right the first time".
He taught me a bunch but I would trade anything for a little more time.

 

You bet my Dad was a car guy through and through as was my Grandfather.

 

Well put, HRP.
A car guy? No, not really. My dad was a diesel mechanic most of his life, worked in the naval ship yard during WWII, Shepard Machinery, L.A. Tractor, Griffith Tractor, Wonderly Construction and finally back at Shepard until he retired. He was a hell of a mechanic, don't know if there was anything that he couldn't fix. He taught me most of what I know about cars and trucks. He would help me with engine rebuilds (he had all the tools) and my '62 Chevy stepside that we took out the 6 and 3 spd and installed a v8 and 4 speed out of a late model wreck. Generally though, as a teen I just pissed him off! He didn't approve of my Harleys and low riders nor my hot rod buddys. He has been gone a little over 20 years, we lost him to ALS. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him.

Happy Fathers Day, Dad. I miss you...