My in-laws are cool. Before my father in-law passed away he wanted to buy my fire engine red 1966 912 powered full caged bug, as he put it this was the coolest little car he'd ever ridden in (it took 10 minutes to get him over the door bar). Actually the 1966 was a POS, it looked good from about 20 feet but never did quite run right. Just the idea of a guy who drove lincoln towncars enjoying himself in a cramped noisy stinger was enough "credit" for me. My mother in-law who now lives with us asks me every saturday evening if I got a chance to work on my car. While they may not get it they still offer me some measure of respect for my hobby. s.
I think this is a key point you've made. I have co workers who do NOTHING-no passion, no interest, no development of talent, no obsession in their gut that drives them to create. They are always the most vocal, and I don't know if its jealousy or total indifference. These are the guys that go along doing the regular routine, never tasting the spices life can bring. How boring! These are the people who buy a new sedan or SUV and actually think they will be noticed in their new ride. They usually are keeping up with the Jones's, too.
'The only people that buy one of my old cars are people that can afford a new one' ..... Enzo Ferrari
I am retired now, but I remember when I was younger(probably in my 30's) Some older person commented about a a young married guy, with a small child, spending money and time (that he thought he didn't have) on a car that was more than everyday tranportation and how silly he was. I didn't say anything but I thought, this guy will be alright. He has a drive and a passion. If you take that away from him he won't exist. These guys (me included) always find a way to be involved in their passion. They learn to do something that someone will pay them for or they learn to be so sucessful at their job they can afford to have someone do it for them ( not my style) but an alternative. I feel sorry for people that do not have a passion, but I used to see them all of the time when I used to work. They would go home every night and watch TV. I have a hard time getting interested in any TV sports. Unless I can be involved in it it doesn't interest me. I can't live my life watching others live and I think most hot rodders are that way. We have to be hands-on kind of people. Automotive TV shows has changed the image from grease monkeys, to people like me that are TV stars now. Imagine that.
Some people will never get it. Poor bastards. Some guy at work asked me in all seriousness if "I ever thought about buying a car I could just get in and drive?" This question is cause I have to start my car a couple of times before it will idle in the cold. Gets pretty damn cold here in KS. Well, my carb doesn't have a place for a choke and I don't care. No big deal for me to have to start it a couple of times. I've got a huge battery. For a quick second I got pissed cause of the way he said it, then I just felt sorry for him. He's got a 4 banger S-10. He never gets the joy of riding in something he screwed together. And like someone said, he's one of those guys with no passions or hobbys. It'd be pretty wierd having work as your only thing to do. My driver is an 81 Camino (too new I know) in red primer, and I know a lot of people see it and think it's a POS. I don't mind. I love it and I get lots of complements on it from people who do get it. It's paid for, parts are cheap, I put it together, insurance is cheap, and it hauls ass. Perfect. Later Josh
I think Josh (Mac762) pretty well said it here {It's paid for, parts are cheap, I put it together, insurance is cheap, and it hauls ass. Perfect. Later Josh} I've been married 38+ years and Never had much of a problem with the inlaws on my hot rods even though I did some things I regret with cars now. I think they were pretty happy that I was out the garage or carport working on a hotrod and not sitting in a Bar somewhere. I decided early on that my main priority was my family and the toys came second. That doesn't mean that we go overboard with stuff in the house or new cars. In that 38 years I have only made payments on one car for my wife to drive. Even that one had to have a brake job, tune up and tires before it was drivable but then she had a 4 year old Deuce and a quarter to run around in. We don't have a fancy house or big house payments, It's the one my grandfather built 80 years ago. We don't have fancy furnature or furnature payments but everything is (looking around the room) presentable. My wife doesn't drive a new shiny car ( with big payments) but she loves her old Mazda) 250 bucks and 30 mpg, what's not to love. If your wife hasn't missed a meal because you spent the money on a car or worried that the bills would be payed on time for the same reason I don't think that the father inlaw has a kick comming. And remember to give the motherinlaw the first ride when the car is finished.
I have never quite understood how someone can go through life without a passion. It makes someone so boring. Im impressed by people who have a true and burning passion in life, even if its something I don't quite get at least they have that spark of interest there. I will never understand model railroad fanatics but Id rather talk to one of them than mr no-idea.
If you got to explain it ,they aint never gonna get it! Just like explaining golf, fishing or hunting. None of it makes any logical sense. I dont golf or hunt but I sure can understand the passion. So just put some louder mufflers on it and rev it higher!
It's funny though, how many of the dingbat relaitves dis what we're doing & then line up for a ride in our "heaps" as soon as the weather warms!
My inlaws thought I was crazy for what I do. They also thought I was the only person on earth doing it which in their eyes made me even crazier and stupider. ...so I took them to a Grand Rod Run in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. They now have a new appreciation for what I'm into.
no body at work has a clue what it's all about, even the guys who like old cars. they all have new trucks and say they can't afford a hotrod. or maybe their wife has a cruise booked, either way they can't "afford" it. i can't afford not to have a hotrod. since i got my 69 camaro at 17(24 years ago), i've gone no longer than 6 months(1 time) with out at least 1 sometimes 2-3-4 old cars. for years my daughter and my house took priority, but i always had a car to work on. now i have too many cars and i'm still looking for more! my family doesn't quite get it, my dad even has a 57 vette hotrod that he's had since 62. my wife won't even walk outside to look at my latest find, but she is VERY tolerant of my hobby/obsession. i don't have any inlaws.
Fire up a engine you have rebuilt. To me has to rank up there better then a hole in one in golf. My $2500 dollar 55 merc I bought to fix up is going to be worth alot more then the $30,000 fishing boat they just bought in not to many years.I rather have cars that are fun to have then a big dollar freeway sofa on wheels. They just don't get it. Don't get me wrong I like fishing and golf to.But I like cars best after the best " they are called grandkids" got lov'em.
Ahh shit man it aint about new stuff and it aint about money. If you had new shit and you were a car guy you would have to dick with it to make it the way you want anyway. Nothing stock is good enough for a car guy. It's like Pete from SO-CAL says ,When I get in my hot-rod and look through the windsheild I feel like I,m 16 all over again. And that's what matters that your doing what you like and your happy. And about that color red and the blind man thing ,Explain this,IF AN ORANGE IS AN ORANGE HOW COME AN APPLE ISN'T CALLED A RED?????????
Ahh- people are so obtuse. That's all there is to it. I have my F100 on the slab behind my RV gate, so people can kinda see it if they're nosy. I just flipped both axles, and am ready to work out the steering geometry, adapt different brakes, etc. All my neighbor can say is "boy, it's takin a long time to fix that truck- what'd you do to it? I thought it ran when you bought it?....." She won't even notice that it's six inches lower than it was before.
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