Figured I’d get a thread going on our kids projects. My sons all wrench, but being young their projects are also their daily drivers many times. Today my 16 year old pulled the bed of off his ‘95 2500 Silverado plow truck. He has to pull the tank to either fix or replace it, along with a new sending unit. Figured he’d clean up the frame in back while he’s at it.
Thanks! I am! I know it’s OT, but my boys grew up helping me wrench on my projects, old, or OT. I’m just glad all of them turn wrenches. Not as many in the younger generation doing that. His older brother sent me this picture last night.
My beautiful daughter wrenching on her VW vanagon last week. It had a fuel leak so she had it towed over and she put in the air. 14' of rubber 5/16 fuel hose, 2 feet of 1/2", 25 clamps, and the rest was nylon. Not a piece of steel on the delivery or return lines, all factory. German Engineering! Oximoron. I told her to sell it but that is her call. She did most of the work including loading it on the lift. She said when I die she wants my tools. I hope she isn't in a hurry. Next up is her 82 SR-5, Toyota short cab, short bed, 4X4 PU. Daddy needs to fix some rust and paint it. But she will be there learning as I do. Don't tell her but I did source her a cool used roll bar on CL and some KC highlighters for the truck for her upcoming b'day present.
Today my 16 year old is swapping out the gas engine on his older brothers tree spade for a Honda LP engine. Well, he STARTED it today, this may take a while.
One of my other sons dragged this home today. 502 Chevy engine, TH400, trying to find out if he got the Ford 9” the seller had. Welcome to the world of cars now! This is his first toy.
Other son is still working on his truck. New gas tank, brake and fuel lines. Frame painted. Now tearing into the body work. As usual in Wisconsin, the cab corners and rockers need some attention.
Kid made the inner rockers and bought new outer rockers and cab corners. Looking good. I keep telling him it’s a plow truck, but when I was 16 I poured my heart into my car , no matter what I was driving.
Drinker side done. On to the captain side. Son asked if he could borrow a few bucks to buy some fenders and inner wheel wells. He never asks for money or help, and he DID get on the honor roll at school this past semester. So I cut him a break and bought some parts for him if he pays me back. I secretly get excited watching my kids projects evolve, so want to see the finished product myself. Shhh….don’t tell him!
Well, not really a son’s project, yet. But I sold my ‘71 GTO to one of my other sons today. He doesn’t mind doing body work, which I don’t like. So maybe he’ll fix the body up on this one. Frame, truck, floor pans, rockers totally solid. Just the lower fenders and around the wheel well areas need attention. Mechanics and electrical is perfect. If he starts on it, I’ll post it here. I’m sure he just wants to drive it for awhile. All my kids, including my daughters, learned to drive stick on this very car.
Latest…probably will flip this one too…sooner or later, he always does! Almost regular H.A.M.B. Legal.
My daughter's PU. She and I are fixing some things this summer as this is her winter rig. She lives on My Hood and this one gets snowboard duty. All original, black SR5. I bought her a roll bar and some lights for her birthday And we are doing some rear bumper repair. The ends were rusted away. And a couple of dents I had to cut out. She is really into the garage thing at the moment and I am enjoying it. We will paint the truck gloss black and put the decals back on. I enjoy building stuff but I really love working with my daughter. Great thread!
Well, he has new fenders on order, but they’re late, so working on the doors. Has the patch panels on both already.
Today the 16 year old installed a stereo in his brothers GTO. I bought a Pontiac AM/FM radio that had Bluetooth added to it a couple years ago. The original AM radio quit working. I never got around to installing it, as I don’t fit under a dash too well these days, and having a radio is no big deal to me really. When I sold my son the GTO I gave him the new radio too.
My son Matt spent the day doing some work on yet a different son’s truck today. I think I’ve mentioned 4 sons in the tread so far? Anyway, he’s keeping busy this summer, sure beats working at Walmart!
Haven’t updated in awhile. I have a broken index finger with 10 stitches in it, so paying my son to be my grease monkey today. I’m just sitting in my chair at the bench enjoying him getting dirty.
My friend is a mason. His laborer backed out of weekend work. He asked me if my son would step up. My son jumped at the chance to make some extra money, so said yes. I told him EVERYTHING he does and learns , he will use the rest of his life. Soak it up.
The Jalopy Journal
