Event Coverage Really cool day at work.

I guess some of them, maybe all, think I’m full of BS when I tell them about opportunities and possibilities. My first job right out of high school was prepping garbage trucks for paint. Less than 4 years later I’m building Porsches and Benz’s.
It’s taking advantage of opportunities and building on skills.
I grew up having to fix what I had. I had to teach myself how to straighten parts cause I couldn’t buy replacements. Then I got into a trade school. Now I had real tools to fix things with.
The disadvantage of not being able to replace parts turned into a huge advantage by the time I got to the shop that we visited today. Some of these cars have parts not available, some the customers wanted to keep vin stickers intact, so the ability to repair what most people throw away was highly appreciated by my boss.
I built the hard wrecks. Not clips ( cut through posts and floor) but pull and straighten then replace what was needed. Sometimes building entire sections of a car from new and straightened original pieces. Most body guys that came through didn’t want any part of that.
Then I had an opportunity to work at a rod shop. The straightening skills and assembling of bodies came in handy. There I got to work with crazy skilled fab guys. I did my best to pay attention. Learned a lot. Got a long way still to go.

 

Dang!!!! Lucky kids and thanks for bringing us along .

 

WOW! Thanks for the tour.

 

To quote ; It’s taking advantage of opportunities and building on skills. This says it all right here. Around 20 years ago my son needed a job and his buddy talked him into taking a job greasing the equipment in the Slaughter house two miles from home. He came home filthy and stinking every night but stuck it out. I came home one day and he and that same buddy had my welder hooked up and his buddy (who is now a pipeline welder in Alaska) was teaching him to stick weld so he could get an advancement as he had never had a shop class in school. He went from there learning mig and Tig welding and is highly proficient at it. along the way he learned every skill he needed to advance up the ladder. Now he is in charge of the maintenance end and facilities of the new plant going in in Jerome Idaho. That because he is constantly working to learn new skills and willing to take on responsibility.

I love that story you shared Anthony, We ran into one of my first Auto mechanics students who was with me for 3 years on Sunday and he showed us the complete restoration he had finished for a customer a few months ago. He has been one of my favorite people for the past 44 years and has constantly worked to improve his skills.

 

Most impressive indeed !
Thanks for the tour, of a great selection of incredible cars.
I am curious about the one that you didn't get a shot, of the front of it, am I mistaken, or is that a crank driven wind screen that raises up and down ?
Thanks from Dennis.

 

I’m not sure. I’ll try to find out

 

Amazing, the cool , skilled and knowledgeable craftsmen that hang out here at the H.A.M.B. ! anthony myrick included.

 

At around 19, the shop I was at was needing to get techs certified for insurance requirements. I was the low man on the totem pole, so I wasn’t included. I got a strange look from the boss when I showed up for class. I paid for my own.

last weekend I was at the grocery store. Ran into a former student in his work uniform. He’s driving a service truck. A current student bagged my groceries. Went to the parts store that another former student manages with a former student in line behind me getting parts for his ride. The next day I got my sons truck aligned by a former student at the local dealership.

 

You guys are way too kind.
Thanks.
But it’s the luck or blessing from being around folks a lot more talented than myself.
This place is loaded with talent.
All kinds. Great welders (not me), fabricators, paint, procurers of cool stuff, smart people, some that have lived very interesting lives…….

 

I think we all need to encourage kids to take advantage of opportunities presented to them. Some of my biggest regrets are roads not taken. As an enlisted man, I was afforded the opportunity to attend the West Point prep school (125 men competing for 40 slots), and ultimately go to West Point if I made the grade. I turned it down because I would have had to sign a ten year commitment to stay in the Army whether I was successful or not. I had just completed jump school, advanced infantry school, and came out #1 in the Primary NCO course. These were all intense, physically grueling courses that were schools in name only. Classroom instruction was minimal. I thought about how tough the last year had been and decided I didn't want to do another ten. I was 21 years old and in the best condition of my life but I lacked the confidence to take a chance on beating out 85 other guys for a slot and making in through 4 years at West Point. Ten years seemed like forever, while today it seems to pass in the wink of an eye. I think we need to tell our kids about mistakes we made, not just the cool stuff. Maybe they'll learn from it, even if we didn't. I'd sure like to have a wall-to-wall counseling session with my much younger self.

 

I think we all have those questions in life.
I was expected to play sports in college. Had the opportunity, backed out. Just didn’t feel right, scared, but I really wanted to work on cars.
The only wrong decision is doing nothing.

 

Wow what a field trip. Your shop class is very fortunate. Thanks for sharing. Snowman ⛄️

 

Anthony, Thanks for the tour of the Museum. I say that because that is usually the only place to see automobiles such as these. I Love any and all things automotive (vintage, anyway) and these beauties are to be appreciated both for their Beauty and strides in engineering. I have been going to auto events since before I could drive (Thanks, Dad) and I was most impressed by the ones that included and featured the early antiques. There you could follow the changing of styles and the advances in engineering because they were both outwardly apparent. The antique events were closely followed be the AACA hill climb at Mt. Equinox in Vermont. Here, you not only saw but heard the various vehicles race up the mountain. What a treat to see Bugattis, Maseratis, three wheelers with JAP engines, and former Indy cars take their turn at conquering the climb. The experiences that you're providing your students don't come along for many so I can only hope that they are appreciated and looked back upon with thankfulness. Your statement, " The only wrong decision is doing nothing", really says it all. It sure is easy, but the least rewarding and lacking in results. I nominate Anthony for HAMB Teacher of the Week!

 

I cannot remember a single teachers name from school, exempt Mr Sikorsky from shop class.

 

This is a special week. We have competitions. This put us close to this shop.
The competition is a 3 day deal. I was able to take students in the bus we built. The students that rode with me had a blast. We rolled up at the convention center cruising the bus. A stupid low bus in a sea of new busses looked crazy. Took em to my favorite burger joints for some great food.
At night, I lit up the inside with LED lights.
Spent a ton on gas and food. Some I get reimbursed but not all. We had a blast.
My student that drew these got a 3rd place. Yea I know, it’s not an art competition but a science one. The project was to see what products such as sharpies and pencils work with automotive paints. That’s how we wrote it up anyway.

 

Thanks for the tour, not to diminish the quality of the rides there, but they ain’t no bus! Ride on.

 

Thanks for the pictures. And I thought that I worked in a toy factory, you got me beat!

 

I have respect and admiration for what you are doing. Good job and keep it up.

 

Thanks for the tour, You're a man that makes a difference in people's lives, most of us at some point when young met someone like you. I remember the help, encouragement, craftsmanship, advice, mentors and good parents that made me who I am. My life has been great, with a lot of hard work, thanks to many people along the way and being blessed with Good Luck. I'm a huge believer in Paying back/forward and try to be that guy that makes a difference. Thank You Sir !

 

That would have been cool to see.
Great job with the students.

 

Very cool Anthony! Thanks for all you do with those kids! And, that sharpie art deal is pretty cool as well. A friend of mine that works at a high end custom shop has gotten into that as well as engraving as an art form and can sure draw up some cool stuff.

 

They didn’t tell me not to take the pic but it was in the paint booth
It was being cleared to preserve the body. The guy that owns it has a museum. Sounds like it’s going to be displayed naked

 

A couple of days ago there was an article on the net about the best high schools in the country. There were 3 listed for CA so I checked it out. They all had advanced placement courses and heavy college emphasis. Not one mention about any type of shop/tech courses. I'm guessing none of the other schools had anything but college prep courses either.
@anthony myrick keep fighting the powers that be at your school to keep shop classes funded and viable. Yes, we need college educated people but we also need skilled technicians as well.

 

One of my lessons from teaching, you can get away with a whole lot if you can find the right vocabulary.

 

Cool stuff.

ironandsteele.com​

 

Dang skippy.
Nice cars.
Good teacher.

Class...
Class...
Class...
SHADAAAAAAAAAAP!!!
thank you.

 

This kinda reminds me of the Green Hornet...I'm going on a very foggy vision...

 

@anthony myrick Congrats my friend for being an awesome teacher and mentor to those kids! They'll remember it forever! I did love the way you mentioned how you learned a lot of your trade in the early years. Hard work and paying attention to the more senior guys in the shop. That pretty much described my 'unofficial' Machinist Apprenticeship. The Machinist I worked for as a laborer was happy that I paid attention and asked questions (most of the time) and actually started giving me some of the more mundane jobs that come in.
Again, congrats on getting them the exposure to those unique and beyond rare cars!

 

Facel Vegas are beautiful cars- loved them ever since I had a Matchbox of it when I was 4