My dad was a farmer. He left it to me to fix anything that was broke, so I learned a lot the hard way. The best advice he gave me was, "go to school and get an education because there is no money in farming." Thanks, Dad!
Anyone can act like a JERK! Be a gentlemen. Love God and Your Country. Love your wife and your children. Just cause you've been driving that Cabover Transtar for 9 days straight, doesn't mean you can't comb your hair or brush your teeth. Real truck drivers don't dress like IDIOTS! Remember the men that sacrificed for this country. If you're not going to put a hot cam in it, don't bother building it. THANKS POP!
everything i know...basically. great man, great dad, and pretty good teacher (if you don't test his patience). i still get to work with him almost daily. happy fathers day dad, and to all you fathers here on the hamb also.
How to have a 20 year old grandson and a 9 year old granddaughter and not know how to spell their names, or even what they look like. My dad has no mechanical aptitude. I remember when I was young waching him spend all day teying to change a tire. Too bad his new family has him now and he missed out on some great kids ofhis own.
the best thing my father ever told me was, when driving; "LEAVE ROOM FOR ERROR, EITHER YOURS OR SOMEONE ELSE'S" that has kept me accident free... it's especially important when riding my harley.
Everything i know. And still is every day. We just got back from a three day weekend in texas full of hot rods and beer. Good times.
He was the original rebel. At 6'4" with 20 inch arms most people never challenged his unorthodox way of life. He was a pro-wrestler from 55 to 67, made it to madison sq garden. Had his picture on the front page of Houston press in 58 while Elvis was on second page. And in 61 when he cut his hair for a short time. The pic in the 58 issue was Dad being the first to drive across N. Shepard in his "souped up 34". He had long hair, earrings and tats in the early 50's through his wrasslin day's. Way before that look was cool. He built hot rods, customs, had his own hand pump louver press that Mom bought for him 57. I remember him lifting it in and out of his 36 chevy truck. He was on LSD for a head injury late 60's. (Imagine getting an ass whuppin with that) Although he had mental probs, he could still make kids - 12 that I know of. He beat into us kids the idea that if you ever want to be anything in this world you have to do your own thing. Be independent in thinking, actions and life. Too many people want to be unique but they still do what their buddies do. Don't worry about what they say about your way, he preached, they are jealous and too afraid to be their own person. Although he never really taught me how to stripe, I still give him credit. If he had never played with it all those years I would not be here doing the same. And he also gave me the car crazy gene. I've included some very old pics of him. Quality sucks but you get the idea. That's me and my bro in Central Park NY about '60 or '61, while he was there with his wrestling partner called the "Rebels" The other is him in the ring and with his NY tag team. He is next to his 34 Chevy which ran 292, wayne 5 carb, moons, louvers. Me on the running bds of his 34 and Mom preg with the 2nd of a long line of kiddos. One thing I didn't take after Dad...we stopped at 3 kids.
I thinking.... hmmm still have'nt come up with anything. If I would have paid a wee bit more attention he try'd to show me how to be an a**hole....
My old man wasn't a car guy--he was lucky to know where to put the key. But he used to say some funny shit: -Young kids lift--old men don't. -Can't means won't. -No matter how good a man is at something,if he don't show up,he ain't worth shit! -Don't let girls bite you on the neck--- And this was said to my face: When you're too big to spank,I'll run over you with the car---
as much of an asshole that fucker is, he did teach me how to look at problems systematically and fix the cheapest part of the system first.
My Dad taught me most of everything I have ever needed to know. How to trouble shoot most auto related problems, how to deal with adversity and prosperity, how to be a man, but maybe most importantly how to evaluate those who would try to tell me the rest.
Where do I start!! Probably the best used training I got from him was how to work on and build Industrial Electrical/Motor controls and how to read schematics and troubleshoot systems. Next would be basic troubleshooting skills, never assuming and jumping to conclusions without getting all the facts from everyone involved. Always look at the most logical and simplest things first when trying to find the problems. Learned from him what not to do, if you know what I mean! Always there to lend a hand on my cars when he could. Had that smile and look of approval when I would terrorize the neighborhood with my cars.
my dad taught me not to rod the shit out of vehicles....too bad i never learned that! he also taught me to put stuff away...his stuff anyways! and he taught me that even thou we live in the middle of nowhere we cant have the yard lookin like a junk yard. so they made me sign a contract that says i can only have three vehicles at the house at a time. so whenever i get another vehicle i just leave it where it is haha
That I could do whatever I wanted to do. Nobody else could stop me but myself. He also taught me to listen, be patient for the less fortunate, don't take shit off anybody but don't give it to anybody either, and always be true to who you are because it's the only way you'll like yourself. He's still here, we don't talk much because he's a man of few words and he's done raising me He's plenty busy doing other things. But never a day goes by I doubt he loves me and would be there the second I asked for help. The reason I am known for my gentle albeit stubborn nature is due to him. I hope my kids understand half of what he is and take some of it with them as well. Tim
My dad passed 40 years ago when I was 25. He'd be 105 were he still with us. He was an old school machinist, as was his dad, and a master craftsman. I was pretty much raised in machine shops, and I have machinist tools they owned, as well as tools they made. These guys were able to make/repair just about anything, including the lathes, mills, and any other machinery used in their craft. Things my dad taught me? A lot! But the ones I thought were best advice: Be proud of what you do, and always strive to do it right. If you don't get it right the first time, do it over until it is. Then be proud to sign your name to it! If you want it done right, learn to do it yourself. You can do anything you set your mind to. What that might be is up to you! Be honest with yourself as well as others. Don't lie! Even if it hurts, it's far better to be truthful than create a lie! Give your respect to those who deserve it, and ignore those who don't. You'll know the difference! Learn to trouble-shoot a problem first. It makes things a lot easier. I learn an enormous amount from him during my young years, but I guess these stand out the most, and have been wise advice over my lifetime. Any time I strayed from these principles, I've regretted it. My dad was a pretty savy fellow, and I still miss him.
Too much to mention, but he did always have a few pearls of wisdom to share... You break it, you bought it. Experience is the best teacher, it should be, as it's the most expensive. Do your best, but try not to worry much about being THE best. No matter how good you are, there will always be somebody a step ahead of you, somebody a step ahead of him, and so on. Power windows, air conditioning, and automatic transmissions just equal more shit to break on you later. You only NEED a 4x4 to get to work in winter if you can't afford driving lessons.
Besides all the usual car stuff the best advice I got from my dad was "If someone hits you, hit them back twice as hard!"
He very rarely set out to teach me anything, but most everything regarding cars (and many other things in life) I know because of him. He bought me a go-kart to race when I was 14, but also bought a no good motor and the Briggs&Stratton book to rebuild it and said "we will get you to the track, but now its up to you to figure out how to get OUT on the track". If teaching is doing a task so another can learn as they watch, then he is a great teacher. Thanks Dad,
What I learned after reading this thread: I was lucky to have my old man ... I picked up most of the positive things from him that others have posted. Apparently, some of us here really got shortchanged in the Dad department.
Porknbeaner.... I laughed when I read this my dad had alot of tools and always said shit like that..... get outa my tools...... then he would laugh and say they'll all be yours someday..... wish he would have left me a note like that somewhere......
The Jalopy Journal
