Projects Old Rusty . . . a Father/Son '51 Chevy

what a build thread!, im just starting on my own build on my '51 styleline, love the way yours is going, and love the attention to detail. Check out my build although its nowhere near along as yours! well done!!!

 

A father, a son and their amazing trip together down the cruising lanes, building a cool Chevy. If, you haven't read this thread, you should. BTT

CRUISER

 

One of the best threads on the HAMB.

 

Great to the little man and even one of his buddies working away on the car he will get his driver's license in when he is 16! There will be no greater appreciation than what he will have at that point in his car life. Congratulations to you all.

 

Been a while, any updates?

 

Yeah,i was thinking same thing..

 

Us Styleliners gotta stick together. Thanks.

Thanks Cruiser.

Thanks Jim!

Appreciate it.

Sorry to disappoint, but no. The long of it is that I cannot seem to work it into the family routine. Two girls in high school who have absolutely no interest in old cars or working on any car. My wife has less than zero interest, she does not get why in the world I would want to spend so much time on an old POS car. The Chevy has come to symbolize my own selfish interests. Time spent in the garage is time away from the family.
If Billy would show any interest in wrenching, then things would be different. He is interested in a completed car, but has no interest in doing the work. Part of this is his routine, while home for the summer he's working nights in a restaurant, stays up until the wee hours, sleeps most of the day, back at work at 5pm.
I get it, I agree that any time spent with my girls is better than time alone with the Chevy, even if we're watching "Say Yes to the Dress". I just can't believe how fast they grow up. Soon enough they will have flown the coop, and I'll have all the time in the world for Old Rusty.
Thanks for hanging in there everyone, the updates will be coming, just don't hold your breath.

 

That's, at least, the second thread you've posted this on Hen52ry, want to explain it a bit more...NO don't...!!! Go start YOUR OWN thread and quit polluting someone else's thread...THEN you can explain WHY you're insistent on posting that line...

R-

 

If there were no dreamers...nothing would get done .

 

Hang in there.. I have 2 cars in that garage that have been waiting 30+ yrs because of family priorities...

 

I understand completely. Family first, hot rods second. Quick question for you though, is time on the HAMB considered "selfish time"? Is that time that could be better spent in the garage?

Don't misinterpret this wrong, I go through this myself on a regular basis, although my wife has no problem with me in the garage.

Sent using the NEW Droid HAMB app from atop my toilet.

 

Great build thread and best to you and your family!

 

Well,there is a time and place for everything.And its good to know priorities.
I said same thing once about priorities for a guy who was choosing between paying electric bill or buying an another part car

 

Valid question. The difference is I can be sitting in the same room with them with my laptop vs. alone in the garage. Maybe I should blow out the house/garage wall and install a huge picture window, then we could wave to one another? Seriously, a few more years in the big scheme is nothing to me.

Thanks for all the comments, and thanks Roger, never even saw his post, guess he deleted it.

 

I love rusty old cars as much as the next guy but family is always number 1. Time for working on the car will come.

 

I just got home from a great anniversary weekend with the wife. I'm on the couch with her and the kids while we tell them about (some of) the weekend. Although I'm listening and contributing I'm here on the HAMB. LOL

Sent using the NEW Droid HAMB app from atop my toilet.

 

great picks I may have to refer to these if I ever start on my '51 project I acquires a few years back! it was a basket case when I got it all taken apart!
Thanks

 

LOL
They already helped me

I hear yam haven't touched mine in over a WEEK

I going through withdrawals LOL

 

Hey Mr Hair finally went through all 31 pages.
Man what a ton of work.
Looks like your stalled out now that all the loud dirty work is finished!
Just remember that driving around will allow more family memories,
so it's not all selfish!
A guy next door to the old shop has a massive car collection.
He and his friend spend every monday building.
They take about 2 years to do a car.
(a couple long weekends are included but not many!)
Anyway I learned from them that slow progress is still progress.
It's even better when you have a good 70's bootleg cranked in the background!

Hope you get back on it!

Travis

 

That's what I'm trying to say Jim!

Yep, my two high school cross-country girls, my wife and I went running this morning affter watching Wimbledon, and now we're loafing around watching Shrek (for the umpteenth time).

Really my main motivation for posting the thread! Hope it will help in some way. Thanks.

As your upholstery thread will help me when I get there.

Thanks guys.

 

Travis, you are a dynamo of an inspiration. Watching you thrash on your cars with such imagination, skill, and gumption is pure inspiration.

And now here you are at my doorstep teaching me new lessons. Now if I'm really honest with myself, I would admit that 20 years ago I would find the time to make it happen (I'm 60 ). Pretty lame, isn't it. Get home from work and I'm tired. Lame, right?

And really, of course, marriage is all about trade-offs, so I know I could make it happen. Guess I feel like I'm pulling a huge weight uphill by myself. Lame, right?

Now, I don't know but I've been told
If the horse don't pull, you got to carry the load
I don't know whose back's that strong

Maybe we'll find out before too long.

Thanks brother! I can feel some rumblings inside.
Oh, and for me it's Dick's Picks, only bootlegs I ever had were casette tape .

 

Hair,
I just found the thread today and sat down and read all 32 pages without stopping.
Incredible, amazing and awesome are the words that came to mind watching everything you have done to this ride. You give yourself way too little credit for your talents. I fully understand priorites change over the years, and will be keeping track of this build as it has given me inspriation with my 42 Ford Fordor project. I look forward to further updates, but make memories with the family too.

 

Thanks Ed. I think this is one of the main things that makes the HAMB such a wonderful place, the fact that we encourage/motivate/inspire/critique each other in our build pursuits.

 

Great build thread, I really like what you have done so far!

 

Anything new Brer? I just lurked through the whole thing (took a couple of days). 25 years ago, I bought 60's cars (instead of 50's) because of the full oiling 6's, better powerglides "modern" brakes less frame rust etc. Working on a non hamb friendly 90's truck now for the same reason. Cheap, less rust, better frames. Your work is amazing and I KNOW you'll finish it some day.

My daughter has 0 interest and my wife is with yours, "why would you want to buy anything but a NEW car so you "don't have any problems" ".

There's hope though... Her fiance (getting married in October) has a Korean Vintage Willy's Jeep and wants a house with a pole barn to work on it. I already get "in trouble" for spending too much time with him rather than her and my wife. As somebody else said, circle of life....

 

Saw this pop up and got excited thinking you were back on it. Wish I lived closer, I'd come help you.

My '27 T Roadster build: www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t= 734383

 

Thanks.

Yea, personally I have a hard time with the concept of going backward. Nothing new, zero action. But that will change some day, not sure when. I've always taken the long view. Snap your fingers and it's five years hence. Oh, and I have a son-in-law, they've always lived far away, have never spent much time with him, do it while you can. Thanks.

I wish you did too! It'll pop back up for real one day, stay tuned.

 

Hey, I know what you mean about family time vs car time. It's funny, when I started racing I had all the time in the world, but no money. Now I have the money and no time... My garage time is after the kids are in bed, so I start in the shop about 9pm and work as late as I can and still be able to function at work the next day.

Great build!! Just keep at it as best you can. All of us with kids are in the same boat. My daughter and I will be starting on her car this summer. I know she'll help some, but not expecting 300 hours out of her either, unless she surprises me (which she's done before).

 

Wow!

I have been tinkering with a 50's Aussie mopar and the base of the A pillar needs replacing on one side and both sill panels need replacing and some sections of floor. For the last month or two I have been tossing up whether to find another body as mine needs a lot of work....

I have nothing to be worried about after seeing you rebuild the entire floor and sills in your Chev!

Nothing is impossible.

Congratulations on a remarkable effort.


Thanks for the inspiration.

 

Brer, we need an update! Mine can't be done before yours!!