Hot Rods How to tell real gearheads?

It appears that by some of the responses that I may no longer be a gear head.

Therefore, I must now just be an old guy, that at one time may "have been" a gear head. Now I am just an old guy (maybe not old by the HAMB standards, but I'm claiming it anyway) that used to be into cars. As much as I may hate to admit it, that IS probably true.

So I wear my new iden***y as "the old guy with an old car and an old truck, that may have been a gear head at one time," proudly!

I've somehow managed to live long enough to reach that level, so I have no shame. Between me and you, I may still pretend to be a gear head.

 

That’s alright we can pretend. I visited @Moriarity recently yep I’m not even a pimple on some gear heads ***es, I got nothing, not even sure I should be allowed to touch a wrench
Dan

 

First there would have to be a universally accepted definition of a gear head, which there isn't . Next thered have to be people making impartial judgements , which they don't . Conclusion is it's all a mute point ...

 

They have enough parts to build a car in there shop.

 

I had a 8" Granada rear end in my storage building and decided I needed to build something around it. That should make me a geaarhead.

Gary

 

Buy another vehicle because you have parts for it already.

 

I've built a couple around wheels. Admittedly I've bought wheels knowing I was going to get and build the car or truck in my mind at some point, but I can see them in my head and know that I'll do it eventually.....there's still some waiting. But I've never sold a set....

 

It's not a "mute" point.
It's a moo point. Cuz you know...
Cows don't have opinions.

 

If they know the firing order of their car and a long shot would be if they know the bolt pattern !

 

I would take all the greasy rags, clothing, towels from the race car shop to the laundromat as needed.

People would walk by and comment on the BLACK suds during the wash cycle, always set on hot.

 

I have several missing 10 mm sockets. Does that count?

 

Sorry , you're correct , it's moot , my bad

 

Don't know why I did not say it at first. I have done this in the past.
After initial encounter and, cars are around, Say to a guy, one eight four three.
Then be silent.
If he counters with, six five seven two.
You know.

 

He might counter with one five four eight Then you better counter with six three seven two.
My favorite sound is made with such an order YMMV.
Dan

 

Once a gearhead, always a gearhead. Just cleaner, maybe.

 

When looking @ real estate, she finds one she likes and your first question is: "Does it have a shop? How big is the shop? Does it have 220? Does it have a lift? Is there room for a lift?" Or when you go to look @ a property that has a nice shop: "Does it come with a house?"

 

or builders . my go to tshirts are , b*** kustoms ,littlemans and grote's rod shop

 

While house shopping I told my realtor a nice shop was priority 1. We looked at a property with a great shop building. I liked it, thanked her, told her to make an offer and went to get in my truck. "Wait," she said, "don't you want to look at the house?"

I said, "house?"

(The house ended up being a dump. I didn't care. The shop was a 3000sqft insulated, air conditioned, plumbed concrete building with two bays and an office with a bathroom and shower on the ground floor, and an upstairs apartment/storeroom. The bank wouldn't underwrite the loan. Oh well.)

 

A gearhead washes his hands before he takes a leak.
A gearhead can identify fluids by taste.

 

I choose to leave a leak not take one!

 

I once saved a man’s life with electric tape. Long story short I walked into work really late and as I walked in I spotted him slip and fall while loading a machine. Sliced his arm from the wrist to the armpit. Couldn’t find a clean towel so I grabbed a roll of electric tape and wrapped it tourniquet style and drove him to the hospital.

 

Have you ever used tin foil to replace a fuse?
Yes.
C'mon in.

 

Three short blocks under the work bench for "Future" projects and a neighbor that says "why are you tearing apart a perfectly good running car" .

 

How to tell real gearheads?
I start by asking them what cam their running, what bore and stroke, what pistons, block, heads, valve size, gear ratio, tire size, carb, jets, etc.
It don't take very long to find out...

 

When i am all dressed up i have clean jeans on.

 

Yeah, I pretty much stopped asking people anything technical about their engines at car shows, I would get either (Bambi in the headlights look, and I don't know) or the typical buzz words that really don't tell you anything.

 

I have some simple rules I live by. People are as they act, not say. If someone tells you they are honest, keep an eye on your wallet. If they tell you they are a Christian, best to stay away and lock up your wife. If they tell you they are a gear head or a car guy, make sure they don’t door ding you with their Prius.

That may come across a bit cynical but if I meet you and we get to know each other, I’ll know you without a self proclaimed ***le and me you.

 

I built a 400 pontiac many moons ago and people would ask "what's under the hood?" I'd start out 400 punched .030 over etc etc, you know the drill.

One day me and the ex walking into to Hardee's, had a bunch of college guys sitting there when I pulled in yelled " Great sounding car! What's under the hood ?!" My ex without missing a beat yells back "400 punched .030 over, balanced bottom end, stock crank, prepped rods, TRW forged pistons with chrome moly rings, crane cam and lifters, etc etc.

Once she got done they were sitting there with their jaws on the ground, I giggle and ask her where did that come from ? She grins and said " I got no idea what I just said but I've heard you answer that question so many times I know it by heart" I couldn't argue with that !!

I still wonder after 40 yrs what was going thru their minds while she was reciting the entire list to them and the cool thing was she didn't miss a thing or make 1 mistake !

...

 

Nobody is born a gear head OK maybe a couple HAMBers were born with a 9/16 combo in hand, everyone had to learn this stuff. Most of us learn stuff every time we visit this site. The more I learn the less I know!
Dan

 

My wife and I attended a car show this last Saturday, each taking our own hot rods. I caught her several times "holding court" by her truck telling guy about her Desoto Hemi and interesting tidbits. I was quite proud. Every now and then she would walk over to me and ask something like "what is a cam and does it have one?" or something along those lines. I told her if she was ever bamboozled just come back with "if it's good...it's got it!".

Is she a gearhead? No more than I am a master chef, but she is a cog, an integral part of the apparatus, and she is learning.
At the end of the day, she got a trophy, I did not. Hmmm.