heck o heck your a lucky son.... my dad took the keys to keep me home then took the dist rotor to keep me home then told me to not come to home ... sometimes and then he told me how much i wrecked that car for lowering it now he's happy i collect cars and likes to ride / drive em when i go home
Great story. My dad was one of those that thought a car was a tool, nothing more. Get where you need to be. In 1967 he took me to the local Chrysler/Plymouth dealer to look at a used car. He ended up bringing home a Baracuda. Slant 6 auto trans. Just kinda cool. The fun thing now is that car is regastered to my son and is sitting in my garage. When he quits waisting time at college we will soup the 6, restore the in and out side and make memories!
My dad was a gear head way back when. He had a Model T street racer (for lack of a better discription) that he put new rear tires on because the shop gauranteed them for some mileage. He was back the next week saying they wore out! Needless to say the shop owner gave hime new ones but told him never to come back. He showed me the basics but the one thing we really had in common was the appreciation of a nice job. He insisted on filling sharp corners off and de-burring holes etc. We coined it "The Ford Touch" (our last name is Ford). He made it to 94 but I still miss him. My tri five Chevy story is short. We got out of school late one day after seeing one of those ****** drivers ed movies and my buddy with his 57 convert is waiting at the curb for his girlfriend. We are all in shock from the movie. She jumps in and he insantly dumps the clutch and burns rubber down the street, well the rest of us almost jumped out of our skin. That was cool.
Great story. My Dad bought me my first car too, unfortunately it was an 89 Dodge Shadow Like most of us on here my best and earliest memories involve working on cars with my Dad. Thanks for sharing boss.
Great story and well told. I could feel it. I wish that my Dad was into old iron when I was growing up. He just didn't understand. But I do, and so will/does my Son (20 months).
My Dad did something like that for me too! His friend, Vern Walker, had a 55 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer with the baby Hemi in it. It didn't run and had no brakes but was a complete "barn find" found by Vern. (Vern by the way, is an ex-Chrysler troubleshooter and employee who left to work at his fathers shop which he still has today. the place is a museum of old car parts and old ways of doin things understood by few today.) Anyway, back to the 55. Dad took me to Verns as he often did one night and they took me out back to look at this car and ask me what I thought of it. I said I liked it but I knew it needed alot and Vern offered his help to get the car running and driving. On the way home dad said if you like the car its yours. I was like blown away. About two weeks later I was with some friends and we happened to be p***ing my house and there it was...the 55 Dodge!!! Well, I just about jumped from my friends car as it was still moving when I saw it. They asked me if it ran and I said nope with the grin of someone who knew it would one day. That was my high school and beyond car. I got a ton of stories about that car....Fun times
...oh by the way the car was $600. I ended working for Vern for a couple of summers and he taught me the basics of auto repair. The place was wild. I worked on some old stuff there. Great experience!!!
Ryan, Great story. So you were gripping onto the wheel of the 55? Following your Dad home? That is cool enough but then you have a track record at 15....Damn what a life. Wish I could have done that......I am 42 and waitting for it to happen LOL.
You're right, L.B. -- They were everywhere back in '66 when I bought mine (sold it in '68 not running and without front fenders and hood). I'm still surprised at the number of clean ones around now. I'd love to have another one (it's still my all-time favorite car), but I don't see another one in my immediate future.
Can't wait to have an opportunity to do something like this for my kid. Maybe take him with me to blow up his car, but it's all the same. Thanks for the story.
Great story, brings back one from my past. my Dad didnt buy me a chevy but he brought home a brand new stick shift 56 2dr [dealer,s end of year sale]. That was close enuff ! ggggg. He also helped me learn how to fix it after I limped home one night with broken spider gears."Take me to work, and have it fixed before I get off". And that was all he said! And I did just that! [learning the hard way].
Ryan ...with the prices of 55 chevys these days,i am almost certain you would have to give an arm and a leg plus your first born !
My first car was a 57 chevy sedan delivery.I bought it in 1967.My Dad didn't buy it for me.My folks insisted I went to Catholic school.As the oldest of ten they also insisted that I work and pay my own tuition.I did all that and still managed to by a car that needed some attention.When Dad saw it his first words were your not putting that in my driveway.No,I had rented an old garage and over the winter of my senior year I put a junk yard front clip,doors and had done most of the repair that I could.I can remember my folks coming to see the car I'd been working on and how proud my Dad looked when he'd seen the work that I had accomplished. I saved some money to have it painted and found Donnie Showl,He owned a 35 ford delivery and for the day,1968,he was'' the'' painter in town.The 35 was brown with spider webbed panels.I loved the work.So I contacted Don about painting my chevy and set a day to drop it off.Dons shop was on the other side of town.I took off to leave it there and while driving out blondo street an old lady ran a stop sign and I hit here.My chevy had no front bumper on it and the collision caused the frame to split and ruined all the body work I'd done.The car was totaled.So I'm sitting there waiting for the police,my cars a wreck and I feel like crying.A Douglas county sheriff finally shows up and he walks over to the ladies car and says "Mrs Johnson,are you allright?"Mrs. Johnson replies that "yes Billy I'm ok but that boy was speeding."So deputy Billy walks over to me ,reads me a riot act and tickets me for speeding.Her insurance should of covered her negligence, instead I end up with a ticket and have to pay for her damages.I ended up with out a car and nothing to show for it.Oh well,another day in the life.Ryan,I really liked your warm fuzzy story,you are a lucky man.
Yea Brootal, that's '55 Chevy #2 for me! And one I love as much or more as my first. I used to see it at the Turlock swap... but at the time (mid 80's) the $7000 price tag was way too much! So, I bought the black one for $550 (fivehundred and fifty)... Here it is on Photobucket: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v476/SamStrube/1955%20Chevy/ Here's a link to racing it: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=189402 The beginning of the story: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60533&highlight=chevies+rule+others+drool
Ok when do we as HAMB members build a clone of the Ryans(Jesus)car ?... ...start saving these pics and the details ... Ryan said he'd give a arm and a leg to get it back.... we''ll see how well he can chase ol Stinky down .....while sputtering in a circle on the sidewalk swearing and all agitated!!!
Great story, Ryan. Not sure how I missed it first time around, but I'm glad it got brought back to the top. Wish I could have had that kind of relationship with my Dad. It just wasn't in the cards. Kudos to your Dad for being such a cool character.
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