My Wife Finally Popped The Question

"How much money have you spent on that car?"
Coming off of selling my 73 Camaro a year before last spring to buy 1: my stepdaughter a car 2: my stepson a pickup 3: my son a car.
That leaves me with nothing of my own to drive except the pickup truck that my company provided me - (no toys).
I have been building a bucket all winter and being VERY resourceful by building EVERYTHING myself from scratch, and buying cheap used parts. The biggest expense was freshening up the SBC exclusively by myself, and that was without any machine work.
Anyway, I just replied "Not near as much as I've spent on anyone else's car."
She said "I see where this is going." and dropped it.
OK, Rant over. But really, What the Hell was that?

 

I feel you pain brother; first round is on me!
The Rock

 

You built it entirely with stuff you had laying around or with stuff you got in trade by getting rid of stuff that was laying around. NO cash was spent... Stick to that story and NEVER let her see what you actually have for stuff. If they find out how much actual money you've spent you will be forced to spend an equal amount on furniture, womens clothing, jewelry, etc... No offense to the fine women of the Hamb. They are the exception...

 

And if you do buy stuff, hide it!! Dad hid a set of wheels in the trunk of the 63 Impala for over a year before Mom saw him showing them off in the driveway.

 

EXACTLY!, I'm not talkin' Brother!

 

I guess I'm lucky. My wife supports my interest and she knew what she was getting into when we got married.

 

if my wife knew how much money i spent on my truck so far she would for sure leave me. so much other stuff go's undone (lack of money) she is allready trying to have me sell it so we can do other stuff rather then allways spending all the extra money on truck stuff

 

When I was building my '41 Ford Sedan my wife said I want you to keep a book on all the money you spend on the car, I told her no you don't want to know!

 

As long as they smile when it's finished and going i wouldn't worry- my girlfriend came in a while ago when i was lounging in the shed and said to me "be serious your not going to finish this car are you? you should just sell it" I said- i bloody will finish it just to prove you f##ken wrong, i lunched up and started cleaning bits to replace and getting my bum in gear- I heard her laugh as she left "that was easy".
I'm not married so no bank axcess but i think if she knew she'd be surprised.- i actually spent more on fueling her car, and girl stuff than i do buying parts or booze!

 

It's always easier to not get married!

 

LOL... that does appear to be a good answer for a lot of folks. I'm lucky to have a wife support me and enjoy the hobby.

 

theres no way I would ever tell

 

hhmmm, and I always thought just the girls over here in Switzerland ask things like that!!

 

I guess I'm lucky also. I was out of work nearing the end of unemploymnet and told her I wanted to sell the T. She said it doesn't cost anything to let it sit there. Do some low/no cost stuff. When I got a job and needed to spend some money she said go for it! It would have been long gone if it wasn't for her!

I should have added, my wife was away for the weekend. I had just started, the monday before, a new job that was the best paying job I had ever had. I looked in the paper just for fun. Saw a T project with extended body. I needed the longer body. So I bought it. My wife came home. I said guess what? She said "You bought a hot rod." I said yes. She said "Cool!"

Bill

 

I think after putting up with me for 16 years, my wife has learned not to ask.

Most of my parts parts are bought with W.D.K. (Wife Don't Know) money.

Hell, I've even had a couple W.D.K. cars!

 

Mee too. Of course I also encourage her with to brighten her day with the things she desires. A few years ago we did a kitchen / dining room / laundry room makeover (our own sweat). I did not complain even though I could have been happy indefinately with dated stuff we had.

Recently I returned from the paint store with paint supplies needed to refinish my old pickup truck, having spent about $1800 for everything needed. When I complained how much it was going to cost us to paint the truck she asked "how much?" to which I answered, "Honey, I owe you a new pony."

Tit for tat, so to speak.

 

Women hate old cars!! For the life of me I don't know why. I spend very little money and very little time in my truck but it is still a big problem. I just don't get it.

 

I have a new set of Offenhauser valve covers hidden under a towel in my shop right now.
Its not that she doesn't support my hobby its just the pace at which I want to buy things to keep moving on with it.

 

So many angles to this...
If you really want to stay married, just be nice to her - always... every time. You can be right and dead all at the same time... and still not tell her anything.
If you don't care if you remain married, go off on her whenever you feel the need, it usually makes them leave and take half of your stuff with them at some point.
I suggest being nice and letting her think whatever she wants - If you are really building rather than buying and scrounging rather than charging up a card, you are water tight.
I have found that some women have a misery requirement that they must fill - often at their husband's expense. Some women do not.
I don't recommend ever helping them fill that misery requirement - ever.
Best of luck with this - but never abandon who you are to please another, and just run away from any temptation to resent her - It will get in your way everywhere.
Just my opinion... good discussion thread...

 

Mine does not ask anymore on my hotrods or now racecar gave up after 20 yrs.

 

It pays to marry well. I only get the slightest amount of grief with I buy non-car stuff. If I buy car stuff, not a peep.

 

No problem here...always threaten to sell the car(34 Five window) when I am frustrated or pissed at my progress. My lovely says.."Why would you keep it so long and not finish it"? Makes me feel all warm and fussy just before I spring on her how much more $$ I need. She's a keeper men!

 

Kids should have to work and earn the money for their cars. Parents shouldn't "give" them cars my 2 cents

 

Yep, same here brother. My wife has never parked in the garage, doesn't question the spending and isn't even phased by the cars anymore - I've gone through 43 cars since we've been together.

Her and the kids are taken care of and nobody goes without. For that, I don't want any nagging or bitching about how I live my life. Our 10 yr anniversary is in a couple months and I am still very happily married.

 

I've seen some of those Switzerland girls...they can ask anything they want to.





.

 

I bought a new Harley Road King back in '99 without telling my wife, and kept it hidden over at a buddy's place while I figured out what to do with the three other bikes I already had. One day about 4 months later I was on the phone bragging about it to another friend when i didn't realize she had come in and when I turned around I knew I was in deep crap. Instead, she just said let's go see this thing and we drove over and she shook her head and that was the end of it. Not really the end actually, the next weekend we went to the jewelry store and I got paid back.........

 

Mine doesnt ask, I take good care of her and my family, so she has no reason to question my intentions.
I also dont ask her how much her purse cost, or shoes or clothes, and she takes good care of me.
Im the one supporting my family, and she knows family comes first with me, so its never brought up.

 

................. didn't 'drop it' , just laid it aside to ambush you at some later occasion................

 

I forgot to mention I have to do some furniture shopping in a couple of weeks and then the valve covers will come out.
She will grin a little when she shes them, she already looks for empty boxes when she walks into the shop.
Hell I have already spent 3 grand on the rod this year.
Got a great partner though and after 27 years she know what keeps me going.
I am not up to 43 cars yet but working on close to 30, more than one a year since we tied the knot so yea she knows the cars are an addiction.
She is ready to buy another vette for her, but I am trying to hold her off for awhile because I know that will eat into my rod money, but soon as I get it mobile I will probably be vette shopping.

 

I'm with the minority here, i'm so glad i don't have to worry about that. Most i have to worry about is "spending too much time with the whores"

Money isn't the issue, hell i've bought 4 projects in the past 8 months!!! As long as i still make time for her she supports me all the way.