I had an odd moment this weekend where I made an adult decision.This is new and uncharted territory for me even though I am not a kid. Here is how it went.. I was at my Fathers house with my 13 year old son helping Dad move some of his junk around and fix the fence posts that have been rotting for 30 years.Dad owns a 29 Buick roadster that I have posted for sale in the classifieds well my son wants a burger so I say jump in the roadster and we will go get one.His eyes get all big and his grin shows all his stragly teeth.We fire up the car and head out down the street, I figure my as well give the kid a little thrill so I step on it through first second and third before I reach the In and Out drive way.He is death gripped the dash but laughing the whole time.We go into eat and start yacking and he says Dad why don't you sell one of your Harleys and keep the roadster.My first thought was who is this kid to tell me to sell one of my bikes screw that I ain't selling shit!!!We talk some more,I change the subject for awhile.He gets back to the car and says you know if we ..get that "WE". had the roadster and not your bike I could go for rides with you and stuff.I know understand where he was coming from and my heart melted. Well...any body need a bike? I figure I only got a couple more years and then he won't want to hang with Dad anymore anyway.I am going in the living room and watch cartoons now all that adult stuff has worn me out...
Probably the same reason you need more then one classic car '54 Oldsmobile Holiday 2 dr. hardtop '61 Cadillac Coupe DeVille
Do it now, My son was 14 when he wanted this GOT TO HAVE IT 1969 Firebird 400. He knows how to pick them. Matching #'s 400/400turbo posi rear. He took it apart in my garage. IT took 2 yrs to find all the original parts. (LARGE GARAGE 32X 45)THEN LEFT to become a VW Mech in Boston. He's now 22 and I am just about done with HIS car. Will be a real treat to hand him the keys.
I would sell everything I have to get back one week with either of my kids when they were 13. Good call,man. 13 is a make or break age...they're either gonna love you or hate you.Sounds like its going the right way for you. Have fun with the roadster....pretty soon he'll be counting the days till HE can drive !
ive got to be the luckest man on earth!ive own a hotrod and custom bike shop with my son who is 25.we have own 5 custom harleys (choppers and bobbers) at one time,even a 100 inch rev-tech pro-street.me and my son and even my wife ride together, well we did. in o 05 i had a real bad crash and became pretty crippled up and stay in constant pain(thank god for narcotics). i still ride some but not to far away from the house. my son lives with me along with his family.(2 kids)and my daughter just moved out with her 2 yr. old a few weeks ago.she is 28.(my son has his own cottage here on our land about 25 ft. from our house) anyway. we have been selling off our bikes because of the fear factor. im afraid i wont live to see my grandkids get any older and that i might loose my son or wife in a crash.my son has become my best friend over the last few yrs. we spend almost all our time together. and its cars and bikes that brought us together. now we just are getting shed of the bikes and keeping our cars and projects.i love our bikes but i love my family more. hard choice for a biker of 35 yrs.and im hardcore.i was a biker who loved hotrods now im a hotrodder who loves bikes.and i can take my grandkids with me when i get out the hotrods!!! sorry for the rant but good choice.
Do it. I drive by the school where I used to take my daughter for softball and soccer practice and, at times, the games. I see the parents there with their kids enjoying themselves and I just miss those days so much. She used to go with me to swap meets and shows. Used to have an old 87 bagger that we would go for rides on. She was so short that she would have rest her feet on the crash bars and not the foot boards. But now she is 16 and is making plans for her educational future and those days are gone. Wish they were back.
No doubt, spending time with the kid is priceless. Bikes are cool,I've more than my share, but the Model A coupe has brought me and my youngest son closer than the bikes ever did.
What are you waiting for? You shouldn't need our advise to find a way to spend more quality time with your kids.
I agree, buy your dad's roadster, don't pass up the time with your son. When we had our Superformance cobra, I would take my duaghter to Doubles (loacal cruise spot), and to car shows, and she enjoyed the time we had, the one thing that she was emabrrassed about was if I would take her to school in it. Found out, she would get barraged with questions about the car, which then meant she got an education about the car. Now where she works as a waitress, when guys start talking car stuff she says she jumps right in, or if a gang of guys try to impress her with their knowlege of Mustangs at one of her tables (her name is Shelby) she just lets them go, then just zings them with her knowlege about our cobra, and what it had, and what "we" are building now, all with a smile Not to mention, keeping the roadster in the family, is always a good thing, I am sure your dad will appreciate knowing that where it ends up, it will be taken care of. Mike
What do you mean why do you need more than one Harely? Why do you need A Harley? Just funnin' I like performance bikes, so I ride rice; yeah, rice built in Nebraska. Do what you can to keep your kid tight. That's all I got to say.
CONGRATS THATS A COOL CAR ANYWAY.AND YOU JUST MADE A FREIND FOR LIFE ! my son is 23 and graduating from college in May and we are close because he wants to be around my car .So Good for You ! You are helping return rodding as a family "Sport".
DO IT!!! i spend every moment i can with my kids at the my shop, riding bikes working on my car or whatever! Hell, my 2 yr old duaghter loves to sweep the shop floor, we will see how long that last, haha! it gets them out of the house their minds of the WII (damn video games).
You'll look back some day and realize the happiest times of your life were the moments spent with your children. Do it.
Make two kids happy - give me the Harley and buy the roadster!! Seems to me you already know what you're going to do. Enjoy your time with your son.
I agree .... Do it! My 15 year old used to call the 53 "the rusty pile of crap" but he started asking about it, went on some parts hunting trips, helping out here and there. Now he says " hey dad, lets go work on the car" Priceless!!
Go far it! I'd give anything if my 15 year old gave a crap about any of my cars. Or even the convertible project I bought him for us to rebuild together. He could care less about a car..
You are very fortunate. Most of my childhood was spent without a dad. Mine chose to leave our family so I was raised by a single mom. My mother re married when I was about 16 and I was very lucky to get a great step dad but I still missed having a dad around from the time I was 2 untill I was 16. Spend all the time with your kids that you can. It will pay huge dividends. Later, Dick
Good for you Dad! Now you have to take the next step in making his dream come true. That dream??? you say?... Yes, to spend quality time with his dad.
OH MAN!!! that is a adult decision. and you made the right one. my kids are grown.and i miss like hell not having them here.oh just remember this "get older,but never grow up", well to a point. you did very good!
you won't regret it for a moment, i did it 10 years ago, and i have a lifetime of memories of all the things i've done with all 3 of my boys.
Go for it! Time spent with your kids is priceless. They grow up really fast. Maybe make a goal of having the Roadster done up to his expectations for his Prom or Homecoming. Bond with him now before a Girl gets his attention and he becomes real scarce. If your bond is good, he'll be man enough to tell his eventual girlfiend that he'll be dedicating some of his time to HIS interests/activities (Dad, Hot Rod, etc). This will carry with him into adulthood where he'll be able to be his own man and won't be PW'd over his interests. Your Son will be grown and possibly relocate in 5-10 years...they'll be plenty of Harley's still around for you then.
Heck ya do it , now is the time to keep that boy busy. He might stray off for a while but he will come back ... What about Grandpa ? Didn't this thread start off at his house? The car should bind all of you or the whole family for Precious Memorys
How true this is.... My Son helped me build my truck we got it running in august of 2007. I got it from my Dad in 2004 he got it in 1953 and never got it running..Took Dad out for a cruise on his birthday August 27... Dad passed away in Dec....Now we are going to build my son a 34 pickup...The TIME I get to spend with my son is priceless....he is 24 and still likes to hang out with Dad.....DO IT NOW......
I'd do it. I don't have kids, but I remember picking up my little sister on my motorcycle. I would take her from school to piano class. She had the biggest smile and thought she was so cool. I think that would be a great way to spend time with your son before he heads out to follow his dreams. Now, back to cartoons.
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