Featured Projects I Like Too Many Things

I have numerous interests, including playing music. I have 4 guitars, 2 banjos, 2 dulcimers, 2 ukuleles, an “Irish” bouzouki, 2 amps and 55 harmonicas. I have 2 boats (one power, one sail), and change up my car projects every couple of years as I finish them. Over the years I’ve had 40+ motorcycles, but had to give them up due to balance issues.

 

(Not by plan but by circumstance, I've lived a suburban lifestyle my whole life.)
In my twenties, I was mostly an apartment dweller. Having no garage or shop limited my options of vehicle things.
In my late thirties, I finally had a 1-car garage and parking for one more. My limit was far short of my dreams.
In my forties and fifties, I had various 2-car garages. But I had more than 2 cars' worth of stuff.
In my sixties, I managed to have a house built with a 3-car garage. I've got room for shelves and toolboxes, but no room to swing a wrench. Space has never been so tight. I have to step outside just to have enough room to fart.
I've never been so limited in my car-interest options. My wife and I are starting to talk about the possibility of moving into a retirement condo with a 1-car garage someday.

 

My issue is dwindling strength and endurance. I could spend all day in the sun and heat and not feel wasted, but now my limit is easily reached long before I consider having made a bit of progress. I started the Morris Minor project back in March and have literally hit the wall with the heat down here. Which is why I keep plugging away with side projects (all related to the main project), so I don't lose focus and then motivation. Then there's the acoustic guitars I have hanging around the house... the models I fiddle with when it's raining... if I feel like rummaging through parts boxes.

 

I have had the privilege to have visions of things I would like to have and do with my life, and have been able to achieve a huge number of those dream visions.
Accomplishing that has had its share of challenges, and had a lot of learning curves thrown in for good measure. I have been blessed to have a huge number of people step up beside me to help me and guide me as I worked through accomplishing those dreams.
One of those people is my wife, whom I married when I was 19. She has been with me through all those struggles and accomplishments for over 49 years. I truly believe I could have never made it without her being by my side. Many of those accomplished dreams have been shared dreams between both of us. Those shared dreams are so much better then anything I could have thought of by myself! I (we) carry no regrets for things we could have, should have, or failed to do. Our accomplishments may be small (or big) compared to what others may have done, but this life is not about how we compare to others, its about how we view what we have accomplished in our hearts, given the circumstances that we have been dealt.

What a wonderful (and sometimes challenging) ride its been! We would have no idea how good it was, if we didn't have the challenges to compare against. We are at a point right now where we are enjoying the life we have built. The dreams and goals we have now are not nearly as big as those of the past, but I believe that is OK. We still have a few dreams, but the dreams we have these days are based on our current reality. As we both near the age of 70, our dreams don't look like they did when we were nearing age 40.

 

One thing leads to another,and it adds up.
I guess I've raced most every thing I ever got into.
Toy cars,pedal bikes,Push car,go-carts,full size racecars of all types, race boats an sail boats too,even battery powered car ya sit in an drive. Is that race sick ???? A long with hotrods.

 

Hello,

When my brother told me he wanted to build a Model A hot rod with a Chevy motor, I got all excited. He was driving his first hot rod sedan, a 51 Oldsmobile two door sedan. So, adding one plus one more, equals me getting the 51 Oldsmobile sedan as my first car. “Hand me downs” for the little brother can sometimes be a good thing.

So, I found a Model A Coupe under a half strewn canvas tarp on my way, walking to school. When I told him, he got all excited, too. We drove over to the house and bought it straight away. Towing it home was interesting as my duty was steering/braking, to keep the large dock line straight and taut.

Now, after a power spray wash, it was clean inside and out. It glistened in the sun and we knew the body looked bad, but did not have any dents or dings. It had just sat and weathered nicely.

Jnaki

Now, the 51 Olds was pulling the old Model A Coupe and we had the makings of a nice coupe with my brother’s vision of a centrifugal supercharged SBC motor for the drags and daily driving. Now, the thought for me was, if he drove the Model A at the drags and then cruised to school during the week, that would open up a nice situation for me. My first cruiser or hot rod. This was the first time we had two projects, one running and cruising and we were working on one that had been sitting for months.

So, if both were running, one had to be mine as my first car. Probably the 51 Olds sedan.
Thanks, @themoose
In looking back to when I started all of the work I was doing on that sedan, now it was heading for my own purposes… YES!

But, as soon as we got the Model A Coupe running and took it for a long ride in the neighborhood, a giant smile came across both of our faces. My brother knew he could make a fast hot rod with the SBC motor+a Paxton Supercharger. Then, I knew where my first car was coming from and I was smiling at another idea.

But, then this guy showed up one day after school.
Fall of 1957...
as a result of the 51 Olds and Model A Coupe, now missing from our backyard.

Gone were the 51 Olds Sedan to a good friend who lived around the corner. Gone was the Model A Coupe to another friend of my brother’s group. So, what was the total cost sitting in our driveway? A two for one project, a new 1958 348/three carb/stick shift/280 hp Impala that gave my brother an ear to ear grin.

This led to a new chronology of hot rod sedans and drag racing adventures…

Yes, the car culture started and got heavy as we both grew up. It has lasted for a long time… with varying hot rods and culture photographs/films in our history… YRMV

 

Just add guitars and cars to this list and you pretty much got me.

 

One of my biggest regrets and joys has been having a couple expensive hobbies beyond old cars. If I could only just been interested in one I'd have nicer cars and not have my funds constantly deleted by other things I love.

 

A person should have a bucket list. I will never accomplish everything on my list, I designed it that way. My list also changes with time, money available, physical stamina etc. I’m like most here I have many interests. One of my hobbies is building custom handmade knives. I’ve had several people tell me I should dedicate the bulk of my time to building knives, you’ll do well they say. I say yuk I’m not a one track kind of person I want to do it all. Cars, guns, knives, travel, woodworking, on and on. I’ll never have a collection of beautiful cars like some here, and I’m alright with that. I’ll simply appreciate those collections from afar, oh and I have a lot of collections and museums on my list part of my travel plans.
Dan

 

imagine all the money we would all have if we were one of those people who only like sports on TV.

 

What are these “sports” and “tv” things you speak of?

 

One thing for sure, as I get older I would rather be in my garage than on the street. Ironically it's also more difficult for me to do some of the physical work. Like sucks sometimes.
I've chopped quite a few cars over the years and built and rebuilt many cars.
Having health issues now has definitely slowed me down. I have many other interests like drawing, painting and making just about anything.
Now it's time to sell stuff including a coupe I recently finished. Old age ain't for sissies!

 

That's the reason for FanDual and DraftKings.

 

What’s that?
Dan

 

@Sharpone fantasy ball stuff!
As I've gained age, what were once big dreams has focused into manageable hopes.
Even if I hit the lottery tomorrow, I wouldn't go out and buy a big warehouse and enough cars to jam pack it. The issues with taxes, insurance, maintenance and exercising them properly would become a job for myself and/or others.
I'd sure like to be able to see more of the country and world, but that can be done with a good car and the funds to fill the tank, sleep, eat and visit attractions.
A bucket list would include some of the museums, big shows, big races, and other attractions, but I wouldn't want to do it millionaire style. Not a jet in, rent or ship an exotic, stay in the finest BNB, rub elbows with the rich and famous stuff. More like @squirrel 's travel exploits.
Goodwood, LeMans, Pike's Peak, Isle of Man, Bonneville, TROG.
GRNS, Detroit, Amelia Island, Pebble Beach and other international concours, if they are not too jammed up and inflated as it seems some have been.

 

Sports betting

 

.....Need picture of said Coupe.

 

I'm not going to win any Lottery (you have to play to win).
My wife and I are doing the travel and see the country in the old pickup, thing.
We probably won't be doing the cool events Jim does. I'm not much into that any more and my wife would tag along, but probably would rather do other things.

We just spent a few days driving to an area in WI to check out some waterfalls and a few historic sites along the way. Its more laid back, less strenuous, and more cost effective then doing big events. More our speed these days.

 

There comes a point where we value time more than the $.

Yeah it will cost X ammt, but will take X years off my life.... Weighing the tradeoff, I guess.

 

Last year I sold my last Italian 60s scooter (had dozens the last 30 years) as I also have too many interests and decided to focus on fewer things. Last week I found myself looking through ads for...... 60s scooters. it's a disease.
But when I get carried away too much I think of my uncle who was also a "I like too many things" man and ended as a hoarder who could not enjoy the cool stuff he had amassed in over 60 years.

 

I like a lot of things I can't afford. Like a 33 Willy's coupe

 

I think it's an ADD/to much imigination thing for me anyways. Growing up I was always making model cars, especially the 3 in 1 kits, and always ended up using the leftover part or the kits that my little brother destroyed to make some new crazy build.

 

I sold my '66 Rayson Craft about 25 or 30 years ago. Dual-quad 428 Ford V-Drive. We got six skiers up one time at Kentucky lake. No regrets for selling it, but what a wonderful memory. That event still comes up from time to time when I'm talking with the friends that were along on that trip.

Maybe that's what it's all about...... Great memories!

Lynn

 

The original quote is by legendary Northern-Irish footballer George Best and fits the HAMB better as he mentioned cars:

 

Hmm - I've got a feeling some ancient Greek said it first

 

Probably some drunk guy at the card table and it was stolen, lol.

Wc Fields has a version as well, so....

 

God hasn't decided that I'm ready for the responsibility.

 

I hope you don't .I really want that ride.