Played hookey from work on Friday. Garage was SUPER CLEAN when I started (a rare thing in of itself) anyways by the evening it was TRASHED. Man that was a good day!!!! So what's my point?? Not sure I have one, but the other day a poster (sorry I forget who) called some of us DIYer's "Holier than thou" - I suppose because we are (at times) a proud bunch. But truth be told I feel kinda sorry for those who only buy their rides. Sure I get it that not everyone's gonna be 100% hands on, but THAT'S not the point either. There's a certain satisfaction to working on your ride, trashing your garage, enoying the entire process. The Up's, the down's - the whole ball of wax. Here's the IRONIC part (at least to me) when I was younger I found "Hero's" between the pages of Hot Rod magazines. AS I got older I actually got to meet a few of them - I can't recall how many times I was dissapointed after talking with them - for whatever reason. Anyways my point (yeah I suppose I'm gonna make one after all) - the point is - BE YOUR OWN HERO. Get your hands dirty - have some fun -sweep up some messes - ruin some good parts learn to hone your skills......... come over to the dark side- It really is worth the trouble. Now where's that broom? This place is startin' to looks like a pig stye again.
Glad you had fun gettin your hands dirty...im not as lucky to play hooky and work on my project. but the boss is super nice and lets me keep it at the shop and work after hours. ive heard a lot of dissapointing stories about meeting famous people. anyways it always feels good to see some acomplishments done in a messy days work.
i can`t afford to pay someone to work on my stuff. but, damn i wish i could sometimes. some of my frustration went away when i started my truck yesterday and let it run for a minute.
If you are lucky,you will get to meet a few that actually do live up to their reputations. Never a shortage of "Holier than thou" types,anywhere. The classic "I've got (fill in the blank) and you don't" Bullshit.
Unkl Ian, You're absolutely right. And the standout on that front is when I got to "meet" Tom Hanna. Actually I never met him face to face - I just talked with him on the phone a few times. Now here is a guy that not only LIVED UP to his reputation , but FAR SURPASSED it. There was a common thing I noticed in Tom Hannas words of wisdom to me that so many TRUELY NEAT Hero types I met possess. And that "thing" was a true inspiration. He made himself accessible - spelled out answers to my questions - he took away the mystery. I notice a lot of the PRO'S try to mystify their work I suppose in an effort to make it appear all that much more impressive. Not "Hanna" - nope he did quite the opposite - he encouraged me by telling me how to go about my project - how to avoid discouragement - basically not only encouraging me, but giving me pointers to succeed. He then went out of his way to be accessible. Bottom line he's probably the most famous person I've ever "met" (if you could call a few phone calls meeting someone) and he left the biggest impression on me -far beyond his phenominal work. But heres' the point - I "met" him as a direct result of being a hands on DIY kind of guy. I never would have gotten this opportunity otherwise. Just another example of why being a DIY type guy is where it's at. Holier than thou?? Nope just trying to convert a few more to come over to the more dirty - more fun - more rewarding side of the hobby. Monzadood - killer moment, that first time fire-up!!!! Wild_47 - My bigger problem is getting my hands clean. Sounds like you have a pretty cool boss. That trumps the ocassional "hookey day" anytime!!! Digger Dave - I agree!
You got to like when the wife says "wash your hands, they're dirty." You in return say "I did!, this is the clean version. You should have seen them before." Later, Bill
HemiRambler.- Couldnt agree with You more. Is it just Me? or can You also do a small job in the shop and use damn near every tool You own to complete it? It ceases to amaze Me just how many times this happens to Me. My Son and I were looking at Hannas Digger at the CHRR. I know My mouth was open longer and My eyes were glued to that car longer than ANY Car Ive ever seen in My life!! Looking in the cockpit and seeing the way He hung the rearend - the controls - chassis - SHIT every piece was entirerly over the top. He stepped out of the trailer ( I closed My mouth) and talked to Him for a while. Hard part was What do Ya say to guy like that? I said Wow Beautiful car -- He took it from there and told Us alot about it and made Us feel like We knew Him. All I can say is HE IS THE MASTER In My book. I have always been a DIY Guy cause I couldnt afford to have somebody else work on My cars. Besides the satisfaction I get from doing it Myself. Nowadays its SO much easier than before. Information and parts are a HAMB away. FEDER
It is dissapointing as an accolyte to be faced with the awful reality, that the people you admired from afar are not what you expected. And what did you expect? let me see, you alone started with a dream, thru trial and error, bruised hands and skinned knuckles, you created something. In the eyes of some it may be a piece ... or a masterpiece. There were times when you needed a friend, or some expert advise, and when it wasn't there you pulled your socks up and got on with it. Finally you meet a "name" and you find he's he's a uptight insecure arsewipe, who makes himself look big by standing on the heads of others. Here's a sure thing, there are two types of guys who stand on heads. People of the first order will claim they owe their talent, expertise and regard for the help they received from those who have gone before. And, if we've heard it once we've heard it a thousand times, noteworthy people will say, if I stand taller than others, it is because I stand on their reputations and knowledge. The saddest bastards alive are those who stand on your head just so they can be a head taller than you. They don't have much going for them. The minute these people open their mouths, they make other people desipe them. If you are lucky enough to find a mentor, one who gives his knowledge unconditionally, you are both blessed, one passing on to the other who deserves. To the poster who thinks the skinned knuckles brigade are "holier than thou". Let me say to thee, join in, participate, get grease under your fingernails, share stories, develop a sense of humor. If you can't do that, offer to help a friend with their project..... that is if you have a friend.
The Jalopy Journal
