Explaining old car math to the wifey...

I could try and post something funny in response to you Larry, but please allow me to do some bragging on my wife. My girlfriend before my wife Sandy, made a statement once, that my '52 Chevy 2-door was a "lugwump", and didn't have any spirit. She also informed me that I was "allowed" to have just one old car at a time. Shortly thereafter, she left me for a "hair-products" guy. When Sandy saw my '52 Chevy for the first time, she stuck her head in the car and said, "Man...this car has character!"...then dragged me into the back seat for kisses. We've been together for almost 25 years now, and have a barn full of old cars, of which she has contributed quite a bit of $ toward. We've been on country drives, when she's said, "STOP MR!", when she thought she spotted an old car behind someone's barn. She has hung out with me all day long, as I pulled a 302 six out of a farmer's truck. She periodically brings home cool old stuff for me that she's found at garage-sales...tools, tool-boxes, a '40s-era creeper, '50s car-magazines, etc. I'm almost gauranteed a new power-tool on my birthdays. One Christmas, she gave me Henry Gregor Felson's books. Here's a good one...This last Christmas, she bought me the whole blessed set of Don ****omery books, and had taken the time and effort to speak with him on the phone, and get them all signed by Don! Awesome. Granted, she has a decent job as a nurse. And granted, I bust my *** around the place, and dig flower-beds and plant trees for her and stuff. And don't think for a second that we haven't had our riffs over money and such, but geeeez, I'm one lucky SOB. Now excuse me...I've gotta go give 'er a kiss, and thank God for her...Then I've gotta start plannin' somethin' REALLY REALLY GOOD for her for our 25th. - Rick

 

Thats how it works here, I don't touch household funds for car stuff, in fact, several times I would sell off car stuff to help with home expenditures.
My wife makes and sells Jewelry, she has her own account and I have no idea whats in it,... it's hers. same deal goes with my car funds.
(But not a car on earth is worth more to me than my wife and family,..... don't ever love something that cant love you back)

 

worked for a guy whose customer had at least 8 sweet finished cars and several projects. his wife was *****ing at him and said "you must have like 30,000 dollars in cars out there" wisely he did not correct her


i went to a swap meet and sold some /bought a little came out ahead mind you that this is all my stuff and money above and beyond responsibilities i get home she says "how much did we waste" i says "screw you its all junk to you anyway" that day did not end wellhttp://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

That's how I explain it. If she doesn't like it I just walk in tothe closet and look at the few hundred pairs of shoes.

 

I just tell her everything costs 20 bucks. example how much is that that thing that says Spalding........ 20 bucks

 

This is not to knock wives, 'cause mine has put up with me having old cars under foot since 1971!

Everybody hopes to come out ahead, IF they EVER are forced to sell their rod or custom, right? But, often, the reality is, you might get, let's say, $25,000 for it and just break even or lose some money, in the long run. It's HARD to explain the 'rodding hobby simply in terms of dollars and cents. How do you put a price on the hours in the garage, driveway and at runs & shows? The many hours of adventures in junkyards and at swap meets? The time spent with loved ones, cruising and waving at appreciative p***ersby?

Not to fault ANYBODY, but some people see the PRICE/COST of everything, rather than the VALUE. You can be a bean counter, or you can be a philosopher. Your choice. There's a good argument to be made that it's not the DESTINATION; it's about the RIDE!

 

In the wise words of "Brokenspoke" - "A man is going to chase something - fast deer, fast woman, or fast car parts"! I would think your wife would rather you chase car parts, and she always knows where you are - in the shop! As a woman, I agree with Bill. I think you have picked the right thing to chase. Now get to work and stop whinning!

 

My wife is amazing. I finance my projects by buying and selling parts. Almost every time I sell something she'll come up to me, without knowing how much I sold the item for, and tell me she has a bill that needs to be paid that is usually about 110% the amount of the part I just sold. She has some money to put toward it but she doesn't know where she's going to find the rest. I usually ended up handing over the money. I've gotten smart, I no longer tell her when I sell anything. She still whines about not having money to pay the bills but eventually she finds the money somewhere else.

 

Here’s the answer :

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10432597-1.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

daydreaming now (insert harp music)…………

You: Hey Ro**xy look out the window, I just hauled home another pile of rusty **** on the trailer!
Ro**xy:
You: Blew my whole paycheck on it!
Ro**xy:
You: After me and the guys throw down some beers, we’re gonna drag that **** inside and start grinding on it.
Ro**xy:
You: We’re gonna watch some TV now…sorry about the greasy footprints
Ro**xy:
You: Hey look, Winfield is selling his personal custom ! I’m goin down to the bank in the morning and take out a second mortgage so I can bid on it.
Ro**xy:
You: Hey Ro**xy, did I tell you how fine you look tonight…hows about some sugar, baby ?
Ro**xy:

 

sorry but, expounding upon your dysfunctional relationships can wait until after Tech Week