Features Your Car Time Going Forward: A Poll Of Sorts

Less, year 77 is slowly creeping up on me... The demands of being a good husband, father and son-in-law have all increased - and - my stamina is decreasing.

I have a customized 1962 Volvo and a modified 1986 Ford F150 (Cummins 4bt swap). Both are ready to be driven in a long trip (quick pre-trip and go). Me, not so much - Hopefully one more trip to Lead Ain't Dead in September (2,200+ mile round trip). I have an air conditioned shop, some surplus in the budget (for the first time in my life) - but, no plans (or ambition) to build one more.

To carefully dance around the "NO POLITICAL" ban (Great idea), I now avoid the local Friday night cruise. I got tired of listening to a bunch of old guys raging on about political stuff (IMAGINE THAT - a 76 year old complaining about old guys...).

Ryan, inform your vendors that I fall in the category of "sorting the hoard and preparing for the inevitable estate sale". I only foresee routine maintenance in the future.

Russ

EDIT: Just read Ryan's post above. My 19 year old granddaughter told me about a local cars and coffee last month. I showed up with my 1962 custom Volvo. I was the only HAMB "era" car. A 1932 Ford hot rod roadster did cruise thru (No picture - Moriarity would have ZAPPED the wheels), but did not stop. I was made very welcome (Granddaughter slept in and did not show up until much later).

Granddaughter's boyfriend had a Dodge Neon with a surplus of horsepower under the hood. He recently upgraded his license at El Mirage, and is prepping a bike for the salt. Told me about plans to build something "more interesting". The young folks have moved on...

Russ

 

They damn well should, you are the voice of 1229137 hoodlums that subscribe to the traditional styled hot rods & customs, you answers should have merit. HRP

 

I need motivation. I should have capitalized on the lock down, but instead I got into a funk. I am hoping that as things start to have a sense of normalcy once again, I may get excited. I plan to do more, but I have 2 shoulder surgeries looking on the horizon. I have been putting them off for years.

 

I plan to retire this summer so you would think I will have more time to play with cars. While I may have more time, I will have way less money. And with everything going up in price, I don't think I will be doing as much playing.... but we'll see.

 

I voted less but need to explain. During the shutdown I had more time to work on stuff. Now I plan on driving, enjoying and participating with groups more. So, I guess, it is kind of a wash.

 

More.

 

@Ryan Did they provide any information on what sold better than others? I was thinking of consumables related to our cars (vintage style tires, suspension parts, specialty oil, spark plugs, filters, etc.) vs. speed parts and bigger ticket items? It would be kind of interesting on our side to know. With the bigger companies, a lot of times volume of sales seems to mask problems. Not sure if you can share that, but kind of curious as to what the sales/products looked like and what the variance year over year was. I just am curious as to what segments of the market are growing - sheet metal/drivetrain for major restoration projects or consumables for people just merely trying to turn a car into a good driver, which is seeming to be more of the trend. I think younger people dig the older cars "as they are" rather than customizing them or doing a full point restoration.

 

Jeff, I know exactly were you are coming from, I recently purchased a 1932 Ford Walker radiator for a future project that I don't even have waiting in the wings, knowing Walker won't be around when I need their product. HRP

 

One positive thing from last year, was that I did start driving them more for just running errands. One Sunday I took a almost 60 mile drive to the grocery store that is less then 4 as the crow flies. I vowed to continue that this year.

But more on topic, because of the recent quality control of some of our hobbies "historic brands', I would rather pick up a nice used or NOS part then the modern counterpart.[/QUOTE]

 

I guess I was one of the lucky ones last year, I never slowed down working. But I did hang on to my money because of the fear that at any time we might get shut down. Now, I have started turning that money loose a bit, buying what I need to get my car back on the road, first big item was the trans rebuild. I will semi retire at the end of June, work about three days a week, so my time to work on my junk should increase to nearly triple the time I have now. There wasn't any shows or cruise in's last year, so the wife's OT car sat as mine did, but this year things have already started happening. So I think I will be both working on and driving my stuff more this year.

 

In this area we’ve seen small businesses go out of business here of late.
They made it through the pandemic. now that things are opening up they claim to have trouble getting employees.
The business loans given out to these small businesses will be asked to return payment if it wasn’t used to help pay for wages to retain employees.
Is bankruptcy just a way to sidestep loan payments.?? maybe. Maybe not.
I can for see when the unemployment runs out in Sept there will be a lot of people looking for work.
Being retired it doesn’t effect me. I do plan to spend more time driving my cars this year but not working on them. But usually they both go hand in hand to keep them in the road.

 

About the same: hot rod lunch cruise every Tuesday, not raining or snowing, with "Fast Friends" club; Speedsters Reunion next month (might drive it, might trailer it); maybe three Saturday rod runs; an hour or so enjoying the local geography a couple times a week; a couple parts runs per week; three or four cruise nights and at least one solo two-day tour through the Ozarks.

 

tons more free time ....sold every iota of car related stuff out of the shop...nice to be able to move about in that space... mentally and physically. My head is clearer than it's been in six decades. That doesn't mean there won't be auto- motive related machining and weld work going on, but now I feel like I can call the tune, and that for me has value. Sorry, may have gotten off topic.

 

My dad used to tell me he'd have never retired if he knew they'd finally get him to work for a living!

It's spring. Life sucks. I will be driving the car more, as soon as I get it right... So spending time with it regardless. That and all my other toys, everything has been puking out on me lately, so I'll be turning wrenches, if not driving anything.

 

@Ryan I still have that sweet banner Ads feature on my iphone running it on Safari. bummer.

 

Well,,,,,it has been an eye opener so far .
Last year after the short layoff we had,,,,about 6 weeks,,,,we started back up and I worked overtime the rest of the year .
I put a fair amount of money in the bank,,,,,,thank the Lord I did .
I had plans of really doing some stuff this year,,,,,car related .
Some of you might know I have always lusted after a 34 3 window body and chassis .
Now that I have my Flathead,,,,,it was gonna be a really sweet project.
You know,,,,not a show car,,,,but a really nice driver .
Was going to be a really strong Flathead,,,,Mercury,,,,with a 4 speed and a nice strong rear end,,,,,with sharp looking wheels and stuff like that .

well,,,,,life got in the way .
A few here know my situation,,,,,,I was diagnosed with cancer a couple months ago.
Was in the hospital for several weeks,,,,,had surgery,,,,it was in my lower spine,,,legs were useless,,couldn’t walk,,,,,have not worked in months .
As I speak here I’m in the bed,,,,recovering,,,,,I’m doing very well .
It is going to be great,,,,,a full recovery they tell me .

I’m not trying to be a downer,,,,,,don’t feel sorry for me .
But,,it did put a damper on my timeline,,,,,,and not to mention it is taking all the money I had saved .
So,,,,my dream will have to wait,,,,no big deal,,,LoL.

my goal now is to try to make the Bowling green get together,,,,,,I want to meet Lloyd and some of the other guys,,,,,looking for a big steak,,,,,and then some ice cream.
LoL,,,,,those guys know what I’m talking about!
It’s just great to be here,,,,,the a Hamb has been here for me ,,especially these last few months.
You can’t imagine ,,,,until it is almost all you have to occupy your time .
Especially in the middle of the night when you wake up and can’t sleep.

Take care guys,,,,and be thankful for all your blessings,,,and friends.

Tommy

 

I'm in the bicycle biz, my last regular order for bikes was in Feb 2020, then all hell broke loose. I'm going months without getting bikes, and have parts on back order all over the business. So 2020 was miserable, but very busy doing service work. Busy enough that I underpaid estimated taxes and now owe a bunch. Everything is different, and it's not going to get much better, if at all, thus year. I'm talking about inventory and availability. My suppliers are telling me any sense of normal may not be until 2023.
But I'm buying more car stuff lately. Cool stuff I'll never use, probably, but I want it while the getting is good. I just bought a very specialty product, available from one guy, and only one guy in the business , and he's in his 60s, too, a little younger than me. He tells me he still likes what he does, and he's great to do business with. When he hangs it up, maybe some guy will keep offering his unique products, but maybe it'll go away when he does. I decided that it was worth over $700 to have one of his products on my "future" shelf.
I hated reading Ryan's post, but I'm not surprised. The only normal I know anymore is at my house, especially in the garage with no TV.
I promise to spend more money the rest of the year, especially on good stuff. I'm not getting any younger, and it's not like my kids need my money, so it's time to piss it away on non essential stuff, for the good of the hobby. From the big companies and the little guys.
So tough shit if you're looking on Ebay for the same stuff I like. You're gonna have to outbid me.
EDIT. After posting this, I read Tommy's post that's above mine. Kind of puts it in perspective for us older folks. I've dealt with health stuff, too, in the last 3 years. My post may have been misleading, I'm not buying cool, rare stuff to hoard, but as an incentive to get my ass out in the garage more. None of it's on the shelf so my kids can throw it away when I'm done.
Good luck, Tommy.

 

I have a truck to paint and re-assemble and I have a itch for a manx dune buggy that needs scratching. More time in the garage, more time in the seat of my roadster.

 

I have to bring in a stalled project I was doing with my brother. I am recently mostly retired enough to start and will do a build thread so everyone can badmouth me if I don't make weekly progress. I turn 68 in a month and have 3 rods to do.

 

It is great that these folks are interacting. It can only help. Thanks for letting us chime in.

 

I finished my stuff before I retired because I knew my income wouldn't support it anymore...It seems now to me it isn't that important anymore to try and live in a time long since gone...