This **** pisses me off, too. I bought my '55 over a year ago and my 19 year old cousin and her friends were there when I dragged it home they all actually "tried" to be polite by hiding their laughter. "You bought THAT? How much did you PAY for it?" Less than you paid for your 1985 Park Avenue.
Keep the faith, Nads. We do not live in a perfect world. She will arrive at the conclusion that the real values you are teaching her are what it is all about. The days of adolescence will p***. She will grow into a young lady, and make you proud. The kids making fun of her will p*** from her life and fade from memory. Jim
Took my kids to KKOA and KOA type events from birth.They liked the cars,but probably didn't understand why Dad couldn't get his cars to look like the ones they saw at the shows..Or get them finished,either.Embarr***ing my daughter in middle school was too easy.Picking her up in my kinda ratty crew cab horrified her.Now she likes SUVs,at age 24.My son thinks custom stuff is cool,but one of my better moments was when he brought some of his 16-17-18 year old buddies over to see my stuff,and they practically creamed themselves when they saw what I had in the garage.Gotta admit,that was a good day for me...If they keep putting cool stuff on TV,it'll be like wannabee Orange County Choppers posers,only now cool cars will be "acceptable"..Not sure I'm ready for that,rather be an outcast....
yeah i know how it feels to get laughed at in a old car lol. i still goto high school and u should see how many kids that are younger than me and arent into hot rods and V-8's, there into them damn slant 4's or brand new cars with dubs or bigger rims. i get laughed at all the time and it pisses me off that they dont i guess have respect for building something you love and not buying it off a show room floor. but i do like it when they get scared when i rev it up drivin through them kids in the morning to park my truck in auto shop hehe when i was a freshman (senior now) i made sure my dad drove me to school in his beat up primered 53 ford and let them gl***packs back fire hehe made me sure smile
[ QUOTE ] This **** pisses me off, too. I bought my '55 over a year ago and my 19 year old cousin and her friends were there when I dragged it home they all actually "tried" to be polite by hiding their laughter. "You bought THAT? How much did you PAY for it?" Less than you paid for your 1985 Park Avenue. [/ QUOTE ] Haha...when I bought my '55 (when it looked a lot better than it does now, too) the first time my 18-year-old sister saw it she said that she would be totally embar***ed to drive it. Even my dad thought that was a stupid remark. Of course, there is no way I could possibly care less about her opinion. Her first car when she was 16 was a blue '87 VW Jetta four-door that she paid $800 over blue book value for because she just HAD TO HAVE IT. Less than two years later and many hundreds of dollars in repairs later, she bought a silver Honda Civic coupe with the little fake spoiler on the trunk lid for $6000, because "the Jetta is a lame grocery getter anyway".
Nads, explain to her the difference between "cool" and "conceited." [ QUOTE ] probably cause everyone has a rice rocket (which are gay) and i would never drive in one. [/ QUOTE ] Mr. Doowop13yearold, You're just as bad as one of those kids who gave Nads ****, just you're on the other side.
Damn I guess I was lucky . We had a **** load of gearheads at my old school. I think there were more guys and gals into them than there was other ****. Now my kids love to get dropped off and picked up in Daddys "cool ol' hot rod" as they call it. And I dig the hell out of it too!
I grew up being driven around in my dad's 65 chevy truck (he bought in 81, I was born in 85). Arizona rust, former farm truck, beat up, with the occasional stake bed. Finally got it when I was 16, the truck looks basically the same, it's a little straighter and partially black. This heap has cost me countless dollars and more women than I know, but I wouldn't have it any other way(except for one of my Caddys). Take pride in what you drive (despite the way it looks) and know that those little ****s with their crumple zone flashy pos's have nothing on you. Know that you are a God and keep doing what you love.
Nadnik, take solace in the fact that 99 and 44/100 percent of their parents could not find the dipstick in their engine compartments. I went to a private high school as well and I despised the preppy ****s that were there, not for their wealth, but the paucity of their depth, about as deep as the piss puddle below the urinal at the Conoco. I don't feel sorry for you, but your daughter, kids can be so cruel. You could convince those other little ****s that the should not laugh at your '60 by impaling one or two on your tailfins, or you can try to convince your daughter that those people are in her life for a short time and that their opinion is worth the value SHE places on it. **** 'em.
Nads, I know what you're saying man. Peer pressure is just ****in evil ....I remember in elementary school (early 80's ) my "friends" gave me **** for wearing Vans. I loved wearin Vans. The lowtop lace ups...so comfortable...so good for skatin and ridin the BMX bike around....and fairly inexpensive too. Sadly I succombed to the presure and got what they though was cool....Fortunately I realized not long after that I was selling out to these fellas and ...well..I got some more Vans and my skateboard and went on my happy way without em ....(all this over shoes) Anyway, .you get the idea....and the way the world is going now.... yeah, I understand your concerns. But you remember how it was being young. This will all p***. And your daughter will end up thinkin you and that "jalopy" 54 Chev are just as cool as Bugs Bunny.....or wait...Power Puff Girls.....or....something. Have faith. Maybe she'll be a master welder... or hell, even a pinstriper... You never know.
Simple solution, a bottle of white shoe polish, write on the side windows: Rare collector vehicle for sale, 60 Chevrolet wagon, $75,000 or best offer. This is what they are taught, the only measure of anything or anybody is money.
Nads, I had the same problem about 4 years ago with my youngest son. Oldest son was driving wife's hand me down car, youngest son needed a car to drive to school. I made a deal with him on my 65 Mustang. Help me fix it up the way you want it, without a V-8 in it, run the 200 ci six and auto, and we will modify it. We ended up putting a cam, headers and Holley carb with electronic ignition. He was proud to drive it to school and park side of brand new Trans Am' s that their daddy bought for them. Some of these punks were so jealous of the looks and comments that the Mustang brought, they keyed the side of the car and the trunk. Some of the kids at that school do not know my son, but they remember the kid who drove the 65 Mustang. Now he is in the military and has bought a 55 Chevy that he is working on. I realize that a daughter is different that a son, but she will come around after a while and realize what it is that you are into and why. Just my 2 cents worth.
looking back, it's amazing some of us made it through early adolesence, let alone watch our kids go through it. I feel for ya man, just listen to her and support her, it is her world right now. Paul
Kids (and adults) make fun of what they don't understand. It's all about education. Here is my suggestion. Get in touch with the school principal or one of your daughter's teachers. Have a day that you and some of your frineds can bring some of your cars around for the cl*** to view and maybe even take rides in (check the liability factor here). Talk to them about how much work goes into building these cars and a little history lesson on hot rodding. You might be surprised how they'll "come around" and your daughter may become the cl*** hero.
My kid likes it when I take him to school in the Pontiac, but he is a boy, and he's only five. I hope he never grows out of it!
I'm sure everyone will want to castrate me for saying this because it isn't the "cool hot rod thing to do", but I don't give a ****. Nads, if this really bothers you (which it obviously does) maybe you should consider selling one (not all, just one) of your rides & using the money to put a downpayment on a newer car for your wife & children. ****, you've got like 4 or 5 cars, plus at least one bike that I know of. This is just me, but if I had a wife & kides they would be rolling in a brand new ride with A/C, air bags, and all that ****, even if it meant that I had to sell every cool car I owned & drive a beater.
Nads If it makes you feel any better, the wife and I were cruising the Galaxie a couple of weeks back and we pulled into a trendy restaurant to grab a bite. Granted the Galaxie aint no prize but it is what it is. Anyway, we were dressed clean (not trendy) and jumped out to go eat. Literally everyone treated us like Poor White Trash. We loved it. I guess when we are in the beater we should stick to the restaurant called EATS, at least there we can get Martian Cigeretts. We blow it off, when we came up Hot Rodders weren't really welcome anywhere. Its still about the same unless you own one of those High Zoot Rods, and just drive the Jalopy so you can be a Psuedo Rebel. On the other hand I can see it being pretty hard on the daughter, especially if she's trying to fit in and the crowd she's with doesn't appreciate the same values as us. Only goes to show that money can't buy you cl***. Personaly I never fit in, and still don't. Well except with you guys, and I'm not sure about that. My girl is grown, but I still try real hard not to embarr*** her. I still manage to do it once in awhile, but she just laughs it off. Just lucky I guess.
Repoguy, You are right, thats not the popular suggestion. Here is why. Nads is lamenting the at***ude of these kids. Buy it, charge it, tear it up and throw it away..... That is NOT the at***ude of most of us. Buying new cars to "fit in" just caters to the "Buy it/throw it away" at***ude. I don't speak for Nads, and I DON'T have any children, but I would think that a STRONG father figure who sticks to his beliefs and values is far more important than any sort of "fitting in". A child will not respect weak parents.... Now having said that, I can also see your point, REPOGUY. The comfort of one's family should be high on the list. Sure, maybe in this case make a compromise....If it would help. Personally though, the only way I would sell one of my cars to make someone else happy is if they needed the money because of an illness (and the illness had better be life threatening) My kids will most likely hate me.
14 yrs ago, My daughter was wild about Mustangs. I found a 68 with a 6 cylinder, got it drivable and safe. She drove that car for the remainder of her school years and loved it. She still has the her very first car. Your daughters age of 13 does play a part about fitting in. I'm sure she really doesn't like you dropping her off at all, even if you have driven a Jaguar. Ask her what type of old car she likes, Find a fixerupper. Let her help you get it ready for the big 16 and tell her its her birthday present. Fight that peer pressure with the good old carrot on the stick. Dad, keep with her, You will beat out any peer pressure that comes along.
Hey Nads...I totally identify with what you are saying! When I was about your daughter's age, my poor dad had an accident at work which mangled his hands and put him on disability for a few months. Due to finances, my mom sold her corvette (which I was driven to school in) & replaced it with a beat-up old Ranchero...boy, did the kids at school get a kick out of that! I still can't believe some of the mean things they actually had the audacity to say to me. haha My dad recovered, and went on to get a 57' Chevy Wagon...and man, was this thing ROUGH! He came to pick me up from school one day...and you could hear the laughter and snickers as he pulled up in front of the school. Well...like a spineless jerk...I ducked behind a bush, and hitched a ride home with a friend...problem was, my dad SAW me do that...and it really hurt his feelings. Boy...did I feel like a total a**hole! Funny thing though...as I started getting closer to getting my driver's license..that old 57' Wagon started lookin' pretty good. It only took getting behind the wheel ONCE...and I was hooked! I drove that dang car to school EVERY day for my junior and senior year, and was PROUD to do so! It stuck out like a sore thumb in a sea of brand new Toyota 4-Runners and the like...I still got laughter and snickers from some as I walked out to the parking lot...but for some reason it no longer bothered me. I ended up blowing most of those jerks off the road anyway! HAHA Anyway...I guess I caught the FEVER...and it just didn't matter anymore what anyone else thought. Sorry so long...I just really empathized with your daughter, and wanted to tell you that she will grow out of it and not to worry. I STILL feel guilty even now, and apologize to my Dad for being embarr***ed on that long ago day...
Tingler, I'm feeling a little ill right this minute and there's a '38 Ford truck for sale that would really brighten my world. Actually you're right to a point. I've never been a people pleaser and never really cared what anyone else thinks. Its hard for kids, and always has been. When my girl was comeing up I never backed off my beliefs. But I did try to remain low key at those times when it was necessary. And she dearly loves me to this day. I can still think of some things that I might have done different, but hindsight is 20/20. I can say this for sure, she's her own self, and won't give an inch to anyone. I don't always approve of her choice in vehicles (late '70s early 80s Elkos) but she's just like her old man. What can I say. Family does come first, I've never owned a car or bike that I cared more about than my family. But I've always managed to find a way to have both. I'm fortunate I guess, there's not a soul in my family that isn't a Hot Rodder, in some fasion or another. Now back to the truck... man I'm feelin' poor today.
Von, Yes, you did see my point. The comfort and safety of one's family should be the priority. There are a lot of guys around here who have the at***ude of "hey, tell your kids to shut up and deal with it, it'll teach them a lesson". I think that's ********. And you're right, kids don't respect weak parents, but they also don't respect parents who obviously have selfish motivations & don't put their families first. Understand, my dad was a very selfish guy. We (my mother & I) always did what he wanted to do, went where he wanted to go, etc. He didn't really care what we wanted, it was all about him. Fast-forward 20 years, and now he's divorced with a son who could give a **** if he ever saw him again. Having seen things from that perspective I guess I have a different view. And if I had a family, and thought that selling one of my cars would truly give my wife or child happiness, they'd be in the trader tomorrow. I could always buy or build new ones.
Not to be a ****, but if you stopped referring to your cars as 'heaps' and finished them in a manner that makes them lexii and mercedes look bad, you'd be pleasently surprised to find that all those kids and parents would appreciate your work and attention to detail on your beautiful custom or rod. Making a cl***ic look better than a 2004 mercedes is easier than ****. Thats why you own them right? They have sleek styling, shiny chrome, timeless lines? Finish them 'heaps' and make your daughter feel like the coolest kid in school cause dad has a bad*** ride instead of a 'heap'. Maybe its time to consolidate some projects... In all fairness your daughter is also at an age where kids can be pretty judgemental and they'll mess with each other regardless. They'll make fun of a family because they have an e-cl*** and not an s-cl*** mercedes. Its a private school thing and they often never grow out of it. Their loss.... -Dane
Repoguy, Very true. I just want to point out that I stressed the word STRONG In agreement with what you have stated.... Selfish does NOT equal STRONG....
Why would you send your kid to a school where making fun of anyone for any reason is considered cool? Even if someone else is paying for it. Get your kid out of there and into a school where respect, tolerence are the first rule of the school. You get the education you pay for. These are the values they learn for life.-stick
We have all been looked down on at one time or another, and by who? No one who is any beter than any of the rest of us. Just TEACH your daughter how to change oil, tires, plugs and that kind of stuff. I have 4 girls all but 1 are into cars the youngest is going to start her second year in metals / welding cl***, Hell she is going to be a beter welder than me. Hang in there Nads theirs always going to be another ***hole.
[ QUOTE ] Why would you send your kid to a school where making fun of anyone for any reason is considered cool? Even if someone else is paying for it. Get your kid out of there and into a school where respect, tolerence are the first rule of the school. You get the education you pay for. These are the values they learn for life.-stick [/ QUOTE ] Dude, cause Mars is a longer commute. I guess you haven't been paying attention. The school you talk of doesn't exist. Kids are kids wether it's private or public school. Idealism is a great thing but falls on its face in front of reality.
Daign, I like your idea, but I don't think it WOULD matter to kids these days. As far as they are concerned, we drive old cars because we can't afford new ones, whether it is a 1922 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, or a 1975 AMC Eagle, it's all the same to them, it isn't a brand new Escalade or a Benz, it's still a "used" car. That's why MTV and everything ***ociated with it should be destroyed post haste. How's that song go? "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got the 'BLING BLING.'"
It wouldn't matter what you drive. Kids just want to be more indipendent at that age. The kids getting out of the Lexus probably want their parents to drop them off down the street. When they can actually drive, they'll start digging you're old cars. Unless they're a couple-a south-beach HOMOS in training! And even if they aren't, doesn't it feel better to think of them that way? You could always teach your kid to "use her words..." Use your infinite gift of gab to make the little losers feel lower than whale ****. I find it's pretty easy to do. Park you car and walk back by them and say "...so that's what the young, hip, gay kids are wearing this year? I gotta get a gift for my boss' homo son. Can you tell me where you bought those far 'OUT' (insert limp-wristed gesture here) duds?" Or maybe not... It's stupid to let what a couple of teen-agers think get to you. I mean you can tell by their music, they're a bunch of mindless, talentless, styleless drones. It actually makes me think you're the one who may be embar***ed about not dropping your kid off in a bimmer? If you don't care, your daughter will eventually think it's stupid to care also. Let her know it's a choice to drive what you do and you do it because, despite what her immature friends might think, it is in fact, Cool. And when they mature enough to develop a style other than what they get force fed by the mainstream media, they'll think it's cool too.
[ QUOTE ] Why would you send your kid to a school where making fun of anyone for any reason is considered cool? Even if someone else is paying for it. Get your kid out of there and into a school where respect, tolerence are the first rule of the school. You get the education you pay for. These are the values they learn for life.-stick [/ QUOTE ] And which school might that be? You must mean home schooling, right?
The Jalopy Journal
