Can you be into cars, and NOT drive?

One I knocked up this morning.... will try and keep this from the colouring in connection!

 

I just bought a reproduced copy of Roger Huntington's Flathead book that was first printed in 1951. Quite a book and worthy of being in any flathead fan's book collection. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120454275493&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I read a lot of his stuff from a long time and his being in a wheel chair wasn't an issue with his writing.

I think the key is to focus on what you can do or enjoy doing and not what you can't do. Then go out an do it.

I really like that drawing of the Olds by the way.

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Jon...I think we might share a brain, sometimes...

Car shows, for me = boredom.
Building, dreaming, learning, searching....that's the reward.
I'm actually attempting to learn the love of driving at the moment, because I think ( or at least I'm told...) I need to relax a little bit and
enjoy a car for at least a little while before selling it.
And...actually, if I drive for longer than an hour, my neck starts to hurt from an old injury.
I drive because I have to, AND, I DO enjoy the idea of a trip as an endurance, or a proving thing, like a reliability run, but, still, its for a goal...I seldom drive for the sheer joy of it.

Now RACING....now thats another story!

 

you know I've often thought of this...all my life, I've built cars..nothing that was for sale was exactly what I wanted..I could have bought something and modified it to my liking..but instead I would start with nothing...and build it up..only to sell and start another project..it has given me a maybe not so vast a knowledge..but I have been able to p*** along some information to others..and maybe they won't make some of the same mistakes I made...anyhow this is getting to long and phylosophical(spl?)...

anyhow...thanks d32

 

you take pretty good pics, you draw pretty good, you definitely have taste in cars from examples of both; sounds like you got a handle on your car jones to me so far. i've got the three money boxes out back, none of which are drivable (one has trans trouble, one has a undiagnosed brake problem and the last is a Falcon i've been working on for ten years...) but every weekend i get to wade in elbows deep...

i'd have suggested building models with your kid, but they are so expensive now.... maybe start a collection of diecasts with him? or better yet, cultivate your artistic skill with him...

 

I had a friend who was in a motocross accident when he was 18 that put him in a wheel chair. He had a custom van with a lift and no drivers seat so he could roll in and drive. All his friends made his dreams happen. He'd get ideas and we'd make it happen. He had a prostreet Cuda, IROC R/T Daytona, a very quick turbo'd Omni, a GMC Syclone, a modified 77 Trans Am 400 4spd done Pro touring, etc. He talked and dreamed cars all the time. He'd go for rides but couldn't drive them.

Unfortunately he p***ed away from a freak accident. The car hobby kept him busy and he made LOTS of friends...he was a cool guy.

 

I get questioned all the time.
"Where's the Econoline?" (think little red wagon)
"My shop. Getting lettered."
"When we gonna see it."
"When you coming to the shop."
I had an uncle who had been blind most of his life. When ever I'd go see him, he always ran his hands over my cars. I often thought he SAW them better than me.
Used to take him to used car lots with me. He'd run his hands over the car as the salesman was talking to me. I'd tell the salesman the car wasn't for me but for my uncle. I'd say, "He drives bus at night, and they want to move him to days, and he doesn't want to move, so he's looking for a car he can use as a cab."
Point is anything can be enjoyed if you have the p***ion.

 

From the time i was 8 telling my dad when the stop light changed in his radical chopped 34' 5 window, to the month befor i got the 49' F1 at 18 and tore up the streets, (Literaly). i was the shotgunner always, through 4 different cl***ics of my dads and countless miles. However when i got the 49' The thing only did 45 and couldnt travel the trips, so i managed riding with my dad. When i got the 58' Del ray, thing took 2 years to build and never drove it, so i rode. With the cadillac now i travel in that to shows and cruises, but shotgun is still more enjoyable by my tastes, you get to relax and take so much more in.

 

We have many collectors that no longer have old cars or even a car. I have talked to many who can no longer own, maintain or afford cl***ic cars any longer. They find a release in collecting die cast cars. Here are a few examples of our cars. You can see more at www.M2Machines.com

Sean

 

The sound of a hot motor, the smell of mohair, hell just the smell of a barn find coupe. A good friend had his motors build by a blind mechanic. If its in your blood just enjoy what you can. Your son will always remember the time you spend teaching him. Most of my time is spent in the shop prior to a good ride anyway. Keep the faith.

 

I've had a bunch of cars in my life and, fortunately a good many pre-'65. But I'm getting to point where my age and ifnances have forced me to narrow the oldies to just the '55 and the '38.

BUT, I always wanted to have the BIGGEST pole barn in the eastern U.S. and just fill it up with cars! Impossible, of course. What IS possible is just what Sean 72 mentioned. There are good-quality die-cast car replicas with admirable detail and made in various scales (1/26 is my fave, though 1/18th is cool too). My wife, dad and I have even gotten eachother favorite models (hers, '57 Stude Golden Hawk) for birthdays, anniv., etc. We probably have at least 20.

THAT really would take a major pole barn, if they were full-size cars. And the replicas don't need new batteries, tires or polish. Maintenance can be done with a feather duster.

Point: Cars can be a FAMILY affair!

 

Great resposnses all, thank you!

I have had one or two cars gracing my garage in the past, last being a '58 Holden which was sold not long after my eye op

When I bought it,



Pretty much how it looked when I sold it,


I also built this, too much fun riding this the 10k's to work everyday, not that the cops thought so!

 

That Holden rules.

 

Yo, man, that Holden reminds me a tad of a Willys Aero, maybe a Hudson Jet (quasi-hood-scoop). Any CHANCE this was an Australian version of one of those?

 

Sorry Jimi, I think the Holden desiugners had the '55 Chevy in mind when doing this one, here's a stock (except for wheels) pic

 

I remember a story about a guy in California that was blind, but loved circle track racing. knowing that he could not ever drive, he built a car and had someone else drive it for him. I believe that the bolts were only a few different sizes, and he knew what size for different areas on the car. This guy was very impressive, he knew what his car sounded like as it went past him while he LISTENED to the race.
I remeber hearing about this guy the better part of 20 years ago, I wonder if he is still at it?
I would say that you are only limited to the limits you put on yourself.
Build a car and teach your child the thrills of our hobby!!

 

Yeah, those rear fenders, 2-tone & trim sure smack of '55 Chevy, eh? But, this Holden is a little shorter wheelbase, isn't it? From the pic, it sort of looked compact. Just wondering.

 

Yeah, quite a bit smaller, came factory with a top of the line stonkin' hot 138ci 6!

 

We all know people that build/buy cars and dont drive them, altleast you have an excuse, dive on in!

 

Communication with that 8 year old. He can't drive either, well maybe not! I recall at 9 I was driving all over the place, of course we lived on a farm with a lot of space. He's at the question stage. He needs answers to a lot of questions. Eat every meal at the same table as that 8'year old. Spend more time talking and listening than eating. Talk with him about your limitations, how that affects you life, your hobby. Listen a lot. As you have already pointed out, you can't expect him to really understand enough about hot rods to know if they will be his p***ion when he grows up. A project dedicated to him, maybe his first hot rod as you would interpret it, wouldn't be a bad idea. The experience, the journey is more important than the car. Before you know it, he'll be driving, anyhow.

 

I love building cars and watching them being raced but i dont particualrily like driving them. My friend, the late Brian Farrel was also this way. I have gone and ran my senior dragster but I would be much happier of someone else would drive it. Why that is I dont know but I would encourage you not to worry about it. The guy who designed the space shuttle hasnt driven it either. The two are not necessarily related. Enjoy the hobby.
Don

 

My father and I like building better than driving.

 

Rikster doesnt drive

 

The Nice thing about a Hobby is that you can particapate at your own level.
It should be for you by you and about you.

Heres an intersting bit of info for the m***es .
15-20 years ago There was a man named Bert who was the BC Canada"s comissioner
of blind affairs .Bert built an early T-bird and showed it a a little car show in Elko Nevada.He was adopted by the Morroders Car Club from Elko .Bert had a dream of Driving Bonneville ! (no ****) The club researched the dream and SCTA said no ,but
Utah Salt Flat Racing ***oc. said yes with conditions .He could only run 130 cl***
had to drive a street car and had to have a co-pilot.Jim Watson somewhat reluctantly agreed to co pilot his late model corvette for the attempt .Bert made a p*** of around 125-129 mph .Watson claimed he was very stable behind the wheel .
Rick Steatdnitz (Rock Crusher ) was a major factor in making this happen .Go Rick.
The following year Bert built his own car a later 70 s Trans Am with big block chevy
motor .The car was not ready to race but Rick trashed on it for three days and nights in the motel parking lot .The car was finally taken to the line but we could nver make it run right so Bert returned to Canada happy he tried .The following year Bert lost his battle with Brain Cancer .
This is the Reader Digest version.
I hope this is an inspiration to some readers.
Thank you

 

My best friend is blind. He enjoys cars with the help of his friends. People are the best part of our addiction to cars. Some of Louie's cars.

 

if you had the money.

 

Actually I do drive... but only since a year and a half.

Always lived in a big city here in the Netherlands and owning a car was just very impractical, and way to expensive over there.

But now living in an old farm with some property and a two car garage...
So I got my drivers license a year and a half ago, and a car (very much OT)

However it never prevented me from being very pasionated about cars and especilly custom cars. Not owning a car allowed me to spend much more money on my magazine/book/photo collection. And left me with more time to start my "Custom Car Photo Archive" site...

 

And I'm only too proud to know there are a few of my photos on your site!