My Dad taught me.... When someone is speaking to you, look them in the eye. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. Some people talk about what they are going to do and some people just do it. Be the second of the two, and rest assured the talker will tell you what you did wrong!
Mine quite nothing . So I learned young to count only by myself I m now a great autodidact in many things ..
After reading all this, it really is amazing what is learned. I learned......Trust, no one. Give, give , give never take...you'll get screwed. I wish I could take off the last part of that statement. I love all the hot rod stuff he taught me....we just don't get along.......my son doesn't like to build.....irony....
And another thing - he taught me to drive his work truck , a beat up old Ford panel, stick shift with a clutch pedal so hard to press that it nearly took this then-10year old to use both feet on it! But he wouldn't let me touch Ma's car with the automatice trans until I could hold the panel truck on a hill without rolling backwards - and without using the brakes! That was when I first learned what 'clutch' smelled like. . .
He is responsible for my love of 40's - 50's classics. He always had something. Had some REAL beauties before I came along, but I remember even as a kid drooling over the old photos of his Caddies, Merc's, Chevy's and Fords. ... and of course he had a story for each one.
He taught me two things: 1. If it seems too good to be true, it is. 2.If the truth hurts, it shouldn't be the truth.
My dad is why I have old cars and taught me the basics such as use of hand tools, grinder, drill press, oil changes, brakes, and electrical wiring when it comes to car related topics. But has instilled repsect, doing things right and that it is never to late to learn. He still helps me today with my car builds, and is my number one crew member at the dragstrip today.
My Dad was not a "car guy" by any means but he was interested in cars. In 1970 he bought a 68' Chrysler with a 440 and that's what really got me started. Then in 1974 he bought a 66' Mustang coupe (6 cylinder). Dog slow but looked cool. He didn't do much car work but was not afraid to let me use his small toolbox in order to learn some basic maintenance. Thanks Dad.
My Dad taught me more than I can list. One of the most valued things has been to effectively communicate. Pay attention to what you are told, and think before you talk. the fun stuff I remember: 1) real race cars don't have doors 2) if it don't go.... chrome it 3) gas is for washing parts, alcohol is for drinking, NITRO is for racing 4) there is no substitute for cubic inches and 5) racing is a great way to make a small fortune..... out of a big one I hope my Dad is proud of the man I have become, even if not the path to it.
Be on time! Be respectful. You can only be intimidated by someone if you allow it. Always try to make do with what you have first. Never buy the least expensive, nor the most expensive product. If a fastener is stubborn, try tightening it first, then try backing it out. Problems with the simplest solutions are often the most difficult to diagnose. Step away from it, come back tomorrow, and the answer will hit you over the head. Stay out of my tool cabinet!
My Dad was a product of the Great Depression so he learned how to make do. He went on to become a self-taught Electrical Engineer and had to teach younger guys with college degrees how to do their job. He never got full Senior status at work because he didn't have that college wall hanger . We never had a repair man in our house to fix anything, ever, and he passed those self sufficiant traits down to me. He bought me my first "car" at 13 and showed me how to put the basket case motor back together. I too have learned how to repair most anything which can be handy in this Great Recession. The only regret is he passed way too young, only 68 and missed out seeing most of the things I've accomplished.
The most important thing my Dad taught me is ..I can do anything in this world with the right instructions, be it a Ditch Diger or a Brain surgen...With the right instructions and tools anything is possable.
1. Cheep tools cost more in the long run. 2. learn something new every day. 3. Don't pick up anything you cant lift.( . )( . ) 4. They can take everything you have but your integrity, only you can give that away. 5. Walk fast, look worried. No one will bug ya. 6. How to hunt and fish. Eat what you kill. 7. 100's of wrong uses for a hammer and other lost tools..
My dad was/is a foot shorter than me (after I grew up, of course). But he'll ALWAYS be the biggest man I've ever known, and he always pointed a notch for me to measure up to. He's been a real father. Not only did he teach me about cars, I turned around and HELPED him with the cars he still needed to get to work every day. I always looked up to my Dad. He is one of the few people I've ever known who would never say die. He never quit. If he was laid off because company orders got slack, he'd find another job inside of a week. He knew/knows how to do EVERYTHING (except lay block or brick -- hell, nobody's perfect!). Because of him, I'm a hotrod nut. He loved V-8s, especially DeSoto Hemis. I love everything with four wheels! Dad's who do stuff with their kids are the best. <!-- / message -->
Theres no sense wasting time with an ugly woman. They are all gonna yell at you at some point, if they're at least pleasing to the eye it takes a bit of the sting away.
to always do your best work, even if the task is not your specialty. slow down and do it right. have one level of work, your best. nobody will complane when you've done your best.
To have patience. I try to be as good as he was in this regard and usually fail horribly. However, he taught me that by being patient I can damn near accomplish anything. If I just stay focused on a project I can solve any issues/problems as long as I'm patient enough.
Hey, man, he didn't miss anything. I understand your missing him. But he gave you life, and he lives IN you. I believe that all our forebears watch over us and are still with us. Witness, how darn many times do you think what your Dad would say in a certain situation! And you can't help but smile and remember. Nah. Fathers (and mothers) don't die, just their bodies wear out. They live on in US. Memories of all the good times, though? Nope, never die. Memories are the mind's real way of just hitting rewind, eh? That you miss your Dad just shows that -- unlike so many in today's world -- you have a soul. You know because it always hurts to miss someone you love.
Mainly that just gettin my ass outta bed and TRYING wouldn't kill me near as fast as he would if i DIDN'T try...
My Dad taught me how to work with my hands and how to use tools the proper way. He taught me how to hunt and fish. He taught me to be aware of my surroundings no matter where I go. He taught me how to walk through the woods without making a sound. He taught me to stop and look behind myself once in a while because that's the way I'll be coming back. But most of all he taught me to be honest. He's been gone since 1983 and I still use some trait that he taught me everyday.
The Jalopy Journal
