So who else has gotten into trouble

Well No Girl friend no wife but the T body is in pieces in the living room, the 6-71 lives on top of the file cabinet, Intake manifolds in the spare bedroom closet, 6-53 and Latham under the TV, Garage full of bikes......... Ever thought about moving to Alaska Brandy???

Dawg

 

I remember many years ago my wife used to tell me she wanted a whole garage full of old cars to ride around in.
I thought ..great..just my kind of girl !
I Started my first project 20 years ago. She started keeping track of the receipts.
mmmmm i thought. Whats this all about....
After I hit $15,000 in receipts (thats 20 yrs ago now.) She decided that old cars are no longer something thats important to her.
I stopped giving them to her.
6 projects later and I'm not looking back..
Funny...she's always around when its time to go for a ride again.

 

My wife of 33 years has no problems. After four cars that I still own, she just asks, if you want another one, figure out which one you want to sell, and then buy the next one.
The HA/GR does'nt count, I can not drive it on the street

 

"You paid How Much for that!? And what is it exactly?"

 

I learned the hard way to just tell them what you're doing. I used to hide it all but now if she asks I tell her. If she doesn't I don't go out of my way to tell her. On the flipside she doesn't come back from shopping and show me the receipts.

Right now I have two project cars in the garage and 2 daily drivers in the driveway. That will change when the temperature drops though.

I vote for a don't ask don't tell policy for a long and lasting relationship.

 

Oh yeah... Like the time the wife (now-ex) walked into the shop, spied the Packard i had bought a week earlier, gave me the Scowl of Death and coldly stated "That had better be a customer's car." and then went back home.

It's amazing how late I had to work that night...

 

Here's my MIG welder story .

For years I wanted a Miller MIG. Finally stepped up and bought it but didn't tell the wife.

About 6 months later she said, " If I said the word MIG, what would it mean to you? ".

I said, " I would immediately think about a Russian fighter plane."

She said, "That's the wrong answer to the question and I know more what's going on than you think I do."

Turns out one of my buddies innocently blabbed to her that my new welder was neat.

 

You just have to find the right one...
I was trying to get dirt work done for my shop to be built at the old place when we lived in MN (insert: "God Bless Texas" here). 4 estimates and no show or too busy or some other lame assed excuse for it not getting done or showing up when promised.

So I did as my mentors would say fuck it I'll do it myself. Called old friend who had 853 Bobcat for sale and said how much cash today?
$14,500.
Cool be there in two hours.
Call wife said meet at the bank on the way home. Honey were getting a Bobcat.
Really what for?
$14,500.
No, what do we need a Bobcat for?
Oh for getting the dirt work done to creat your your new parking spot inside my new shop.
Ok see you in an hour.

Three cars, no questions. Three race cars bought, built, sold never a question. $8K bill from engine shop. Is that cheap? Blower and two sets of heads in the kitchen for a week. Traveling circus monkey for a race team 24 times per year, she came to the races to see me for visitation.

Now it would take a week to think of everthing I have dealt in since I met her. Lets just say I could put a new 14-71 in her closet and she would ask where I moved her shoes to.

They are out there and they are abundant and not all Orca Bettys either. If they know going in all of your real interests and how you are, it should be pretty smooth sailing. And as others have said if house and yard are all ok, kids ok, life should be pretty good.

You work with them on what they want and they will work with you on what you want IF YOU GET THE RIGHT ONE. This was about the 37th in the test drive proceedure before purchase process.

Hell, this is the same one who said I could have a live in girlfriend as long as she never see her or runs into her in the house. Now I am not too sure about trying it, but I at least know I can play cars whenever I want.

All this from the woman who still asks every once in a while if I am trading her in. LOL! Only if I find two who make twice as much and could give me more free reign (if that is even possible).

So they are out there and available. You just have to look and find the right one.

And believe me I know I am a lucky man to have what I do.

 

I have been getting threats about returning her spot in the garage. Ther'll be hell to pay if it snows and her car is outside! I'm buying a SBC from my neighbor, and she made sure to remind me that her car better fit!

She loves me though! Who wouldn't?

 

It goes like this:

Wife "these parts came for you today. What'd they cost?"

Me "You really want to know?"

Wife "No I don't"

The subject will die after that, but she'll find a way to sneak it in during a conversation several months later after she's done her homework to find out what they cost.

Wife "Let's go spend the weekend in Hot Springs."

Me "Can't afford it this weekend."

Wife "OH, but you can afford 475.82 worth of car parts?"

 

My wife flips flops between liking it and hating it. I don't think she was crazy about me getting the 51 4 door, but at the same time told me to buy a new tank for my 56.

 

I remember the winter i decided to make a body shop out of the whole garage.
She was somewhat understanding about me taking up her spot for the winter.
But till this day she still complains of the dust and overspray thats impossible to clean out of every nook and cranny.

 

Ya' know, I'm about to get married and already I've noticed I've been "fibbing" a little about parts and prices of parts! Probably not a good sign for the future!! I think she's starting to get a little annoyed with how much time I spend working on my car and bike (even though she won't admit it). The other day when I told her I was going to be working on the coupe, she assumed it was just going to be for a few hours.... WRONGGG!! I was working on it all day!! She better get used to it now!! It's not going to get any better

 

"It's far better to beg forgivness, than to ask permission"

I no longer have to do either. I like it this way!

 

You find anymore girls like you, send em' here! I broke up with my ex-girlfriend of 3 years because I wasn't attending to her needs enough because I was always in the shop - and she wouldn't come out there.

 

I had to make a hard decision years ago. My wife said, "over my dead body". Funny thing is, I don't miss her at all.

 

The best one was when I called Van Pelts and left the message that Toms new chassis was in and the balance was 12,500. Of course Toms wife got home first and he DIDNT actually order a chassis . Call me an asshole.

 

if they do, maybe you'll luck out and they'll think the other is cute too...

 

Personally, I dig being an old broad and single..... It'd be my luck to hook up with some dude who would bitch at me for spendin' all of my time and money on cars..

Jan

 

This is the way it works...........

"Honey, I'm thinking about buying (insert part or car name here) for ( insert amount of part PLUS 20%). what do you think?"

she says too much.

Next week you come home with the part/car and tell her you saved 20% by talking the person down or finding a better deal or whatever.

she thinks your smart.....

 

Hey, didn't this fridge used to be green?
Avacado, didn't match the stove and it was wore out.
But now it's yellow and the stove is white?
The stove is still on layaway.
Layaway?
Get the hell outa my kitchen, if I think you need a beer I'll bring you one...

It works both ways.

 

divorce = all the parts I want and all the wrenching I feel like at 0300

 

and I got to keep the couch (cause I was sleeping on for so looonnggg...)

 

Life is wayyyyy too short to have a bitchy wife. I let her do her thing....and she lets me do my thing. We are building her a 64' Lincoln and she knows the stuff costs money.

 

Amen - I told my wife before we were married - "You know what? You're not a pain in the ass, I dig that."

She is pretty cool about the car thing, I spend a lot and a lot of time in the garage. I told her all kinds of stories about selling the first car to by my second and I honestly thought I would. After the second one was in the stable I couldn't and she finally told me I could keep my car. That was real cool of her. I think a third one would probably be trouble, but damn if I haven't been looking. I just keep saying NO- I'd better not. Its hard though!!

 

I got in trouble for the first year and a half of marraige.... She would fly off the handle that i loved my 'hot rod' more than her and said she would take a sledge to it if things didn't change... I kept telling her that she came first and I could be spending all my time either at a bar, strip club and watching ESPN.

After a while she saw the light and also realized what I was actually doing in the shop. Now she thinks its kool as hell what I am building and can't wait to go for a ride. She even likes to go to swap meets with me and hunt for parts. Every once in a while she will encourage me to buy tools if I need them. Damn what a woman. Wouldn't trade her for 50 '32s....

In the end make sure she is taken care of and the house repair is getting done. Also watch out for grudge buys... you buy a $100 tool and she buys $200 shoes... they will eat you alive!!!

 

That is what they call balance.... For every $500 you spend on car parts, you gotta buy a boquet of flowers.

 

I guess i'm one of the lucky guys that has a wife that likes the ol' cars as much as I,,,

I learned a long time ago to be up front with her about the cost of building them,,,not only cars but everthing and she supports me 100%.

She don't spend a lotta time in the shop nowadays,but she is usually close by to lend a hand if needed,,, and in the passanger seat in the 32 mor-door and can be found behind the wheel of the roadster with great regulatory.

Corny as it sounds,,, "Honesty is the best policy",,,its worked for me for 33 years with my wife! HRP