This last Monday,Memorial day.I was able to finally get around to building the 283 for my 65 impala. what was really special about it was that I got to spend the entire day with my Dad in the garage working on the motor just like we did when I was a kid. this car is my very first car my parents bought it for me when i was 16 in 1982 (you do the math) I have been lucky enough to hang on to this car through raising three kids two dogs and 1 divorce. I had it painted about three years ago, it had a ground pounding 522 in it which was cool but with racing gas at 14 bucks a gallon the decision to sell the motor wasnt a hard one. So the original motor is going back in and the car is going back on the road this summer. By the way my Dad is seventy years old and still knows more about putting engines together than I ever will. Thanks Dad for all of the knowledge shared and the great memories of a lifetime of hot rodding..... I tried posting pics but it wont let me I'll try later
sounds like fun , i LOVE working on motors. i'm also working on a 283 for my next project i learned a lot from my father too , i wish he was still around
Good deal! Always enjoy spending time with my old man. The memories last a lifetime. Kudos to you for hanging onto that car!
My favorite times are those when one or both of my Sons is at the shop with me. Sometimes we are working on something but other times we just crack open a couple of beers and hang out. Even if each of us is off in our own little corner working on our own projects it is nice to look over and see us all together, doing something we all love. Glad you and your Dad enjoyed your day together and I bet he had more fun than you did, if the truth were known. Don
Those times you spend with your Dad are memories you will have to lean on forever. I lost my Dad when I was 2,and my Mom's younger Brother was the car guy in our family,so he got me hooked on old cars at the age of 14. Thanks Uncle Paul ( R.I.P.)
Good story,thanks for posting. Memories for a lifetime. Wish I could go back and spend more time with my dad.
thanks for the replies guys...heres a couple of pics one of dad doin his thing on the engine the other is one of my favorites of us mugging for the camera in front of Dads 52 Plymouth Cranbrook
Man...that is a great pic!!! Very cool post and this is one of the best parts of this old car disease is the time spent together in the shop with family!! Love it and have fun!!
Betcha have a tall uncle. I'm the same age and I wish my first car was a '65 Impala (and not a '75 Vega hand-me-down from my sister) Forget that, I wish my Dad was into cars instead of sailboats. You're a lucky dude..
Good to read a father/son/hot rod thread. It's about the only subject I can't participate in. MY father was absent for most of my growing up years, No, he wasn't somewhere away from the family (although that did happen occasionally) he was gone flying bombers for the USAF and those rare times he was home he was usually too exhausted (20+ hour flights will do that to you) to do anything but catch up with what my mom needed and keep the homestead in good repair. SO, I usually tell those that have time with their fathers to make the most of it, the memories will be priceless (or so I'm told). Frank
There's nothing like good father-son time in the garage. It's neat you've still got your first car - it's a keeper fer sure! We can sense your thankfulness for a father who spends his time with his son, and speaking from the perspective of a 70's + guy - I'm betting your dad enjoyed it just as much! Great post.
My own Dad died when I was 11 so I grew up with that hole in my life. That is one of the reasons I cherish every second I can get with my own two Sons........it is what I live for. Don
All you guys are lucky, I thought the only reason to have kids was, having slaves. My Dad never worked with me. He would just point and say, "Fix it!". When I was 11, he told me his '49 Chevy 3100 needed a new thermostat. He said, "God gave you a brain! Figure it out!".
Great post, thanks and enjoy every minute you can with your dad. I'd crush all my cars for one more cruise with the old man.
I was invited to the floor at work Thursday - Honda Performance Development / Indy Car and LeMans car engines ... My old man would flip! I was trying to be cool but its tough when you are a wrench stuck in a button down.
Any day doing engine assembly, or any other task with your Dad is to be celebrated and committed to memory. I built my first engine at age 15 with my Dad's supervision, and several after. Lost him in '78, not an earthly possession or body part I would not surrender just to spend another hour with him.
thanks guys for all of the kind words. Yeah I consider myself blessed to have a Dad that I can still spend time with and enjoy a common interest with. I have passed the car sickness onto my Son as well. all three of us spent this last weekend working in my Son's shop trying to get a couple of cars ready to go to bowling green.
The Jalopy Journal
