Where did your passion for cars start?
02-10-2015, 08:07 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-07-2011
Location: SE Mich
Posts: 2,180
My Dad used to take me to the track regularly when I was just a little guy (under 5). It was a 5/8 mile paved oval where they ran modifieds (big-block V8 in an open-wheel configuration that initially were old 1930s cars when I was real little). They'd let you get right up to the fence during qualifying and practice, and my clothes would be shaking from the roar of straight exhausts just feet away.
That's part of why my hearing is not perfect now, too, probably... The track was 3-4 miles from home, and you could actually hear them from our house if the windows were open. You could also walk through the pit area after races, and I remember JUMPING when they started one of them up to put it on the trailer. It's funny now, but I almost needed new underwear then at about age 7.
That's part of why my hearing is not perfect now, too, probably... The track was 3-4 miles from home, and you could actually hear them from our house if the windows were open. You could also walk through the pit area after races, and I remember JUMPING when they started one of them up to put it on the trailer. It's funny now, but I almost needed new underwear then at about age 7.
02-10-2015, 03:22 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: 09-04-2012
Location: LI,NY
Posts: 170
i caught the bug from my dad. dad used to race his 64 1/2 GS 3 speed and his friends 64 GTA, but that was before my time.
when i was real young he had a 69 GS. then he had a 69 mach I that i do actually remember. that was the first car that i really can remember, i had to be about 4 or 5yrs old. i was always helping dad work on his and other peoples cars. holding the light and getting the tools. then physically helping by the time i was 9. then when i got my own car it was just a natural progression.
dad has passed on working on his car over the last few years. but i cant get passed this stage. i dont know if it is that i do not like anyone else doing what i can do or is it that i am just to damn cheap!!
when i was real young he had a 69 GS. then he had a 69 mach I that i do actually remember. that was the first car that i really can remember, i had to be about 4 or 5yrs old. i was always helping dad work on his and other peoples cars. holding the light and getting the tools. then physically helping by the time i was 9. then when i got my own car it was just a natural progression.
dad has passed on working on his car over the last few years. but i cant get passed this stage. i dont know if it is that i do not like anyone else doing what i can do or is it that i am just to damn cheap!!
02-10-2015, 03:56 PM
#13
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 37,620
I started something in the Radiador Cap thread maybe 843de will move it over here,
Oldblue ..I have owned many rides over the last 52 years, I bought my first car at age 8, have always had one rad cap per car.
I did clean the cap when I did check the coolant level , about once a week
DB/SB ...You've got me beat there. I had my first car at age 11 but it was long gone by the time I could legally drive.
Sleeper...yep you got me beat as well, got my 1st car @ 13, a 1953 Chevy 210 Deluxe, it had a 'spun' rod bearing. So it was not a runner. And the reason Dad allowed me to get it.
Besides by then I had removed the govenor on my Go-Kart & quickly blew the engine on it..
Oldblue...Age 8 bought 1957 Caddy 2 door hard top 87,000 miles $300.00 , my Dad drove it home for my, I washed it, cleaned the interior, steam cleaned the engine bay, waxed it and sold it 2 weeks later for $1,275.00 to a friend of my Uncle Norm.
Sleeper ...Oldblue- That was a great flip... And your mention of 'steam cleaning' sure hit home with me.. I used to steam clean any of Dad's excavating equipment or whatever that we were gonna be re-building..
843de ...Looks like I'm splitting Oldblue and sleeper up the middle, my first vehicular purchase was at age ten.
Hmmm, sleeper, unhooking the governor on a Go-Kart engine and finding out just when Briggs & Stratton's finest would become a fragmentation grenade. That's a right of passage unknown to these past two generations of button pushing gamers.
This is the type of memories I want to open up and dust off, time maybe cheap but it don't come easy or free ad it takes it's toll on us all so lets share those moments in time that define why we do what grandfathers, fathers, brothers uncles and yes grand mothers, moms sisters and anybody that took you to that first car show inspired you to do!!!
Oldblue ..I have owned many rides over the last 52 years, I bought my first car at age 8, have always had one rad cap per car.
I did clean the cap when I did check the coolant level , about once a week
DB/SB ...You've got me beat there. I had my first car at age 11 but it was long gone by the time I could legally drive.
Sleeper...yep you got me beat as well, got my 1st car @ 13, a 1953 Chevy 210 Deluxe, it had a 'spun' rod bearing. So it was not a runner. And the reason Dad allowed me to get it.
Besides by then I had removed the govenor on my Go-Kart & quickly blew the engine on it..
Oldblue...Age 8 bought 1957 Caddy 2 door hard top 87,000 miles $300.00 , my Dad drove it home for my, I washed it, cleaned the interior, steam cleaned the engine bay, waxed it and sold it 2 weeks later for $1,275.00 to a friend of my Uncle Norm.
Sleeper ...Oldblue- That was a great flip... And your mention of 'steam cleaning' sure hit home with me.. I used to steam clean any of Dad's excavating equipment or whatever that we were gonna be re-building..
843de ...Looks like I'm splitting Oldblue and sleeper up the middle, my first vehicular purchase was at age ten.
Hmmm, sleeper, unhooking the governor on a Go-Kart engine and finding out just when Briggs & Stratton's finest would become a fragmentation grenade. That's a right of passage unknown to these past two generations of button pushing gamers.
This is the type of memories I want to open up and dust off, time maybe cheap but it don't come easy or free ad it takes it's toll on us all so lets share those moments in time that define why we do what grandfathers, fathers, brothers uncles and yes grand mothers, moms sisters and anybody that took you to that first car show inspired you to do!!!
02-11-2015, 07:04 AM
#15
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 37,620
Thanks, now come on let's open up the memory banks and spread the wealth!
I had my grand nephew on my lap the other night and had an old NASCAR event on the old VCR and he is only 4 months old but he did respond to the colours of the cars as they went by and the sounds, so maybe we have another auto-O-Phile in the works!
I had my grand nephew on my lap the other night and had an old NASCAR event on the old VCR and he is only 4 months old but he did respond to the colours of the cars as they went by and the sounds, so maybe we have another auto-O-Phile in the works!
02-14-2015, 01:42 AM
#17
Deceased
Join Date: 06-30-2010
Location: Kannapolis NC
Posts: 25,739
02-15-2015, 08:03 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-19-2013
Location: Southern NJ
Posts: 182
my earliest recollection of any automobiles was when I was about 8 yrs old (in 1960).
a tenant ( Dale and Arlene ) upstairs in our house had a 1953 era MGTD. It was silver and had a big round emblem with a number on the side, from road rallys they used to frequent. It was my 1st ride in a sports car.
A few years later the next tenant ( Marvin Lessen ) had a black 190 SL Mercedes Convt. He kept it so shiny, and immaculate! I rode in that too! (My 92 year old mother continued to receive Christmas cards from him until her passing in Dec 2013).
And the next tenant ( Jimmy Hupert ) had a black 1961 Buick coupe (or convt?) that he kept in impeccable condition.
The whole time I would, in pen and ink, draw, draw and draw pictures of cars... hot rods... futuristic... and old time cars (i.e Model A's) .
Later, as I got older others like my friend's older brothers, a high school classmate, and a local gas station owner would play pivotal roles in keeping that passion going. But the earliest and initial passion was from those mentioned above.
a tenant ( Dale and Arlene ) upstairs in our house had a 1953 era MGTD. It was silver and had a big round emblem with a number on the side, from road rallys they used to frequent. It was my 1st ride in a sports car.
A few years later the next tenant ( Marvin Lessen ) had a black 190 SL Mercedes Convt. He kept it so shiny, and immaculate! I rode in that too! (My 92 year old mother continued to receive Christmas cards from him until her passing in Dec 2013).
And the next tenant ( Jimmy Hupert ) had a black 1961 Buick coupe (or convt?) that he kept in impeccable condition.
The whole time I would, in pen and ink, draw, draw and draw pictures of cars... hot rods... futuristic... and old time cars (i.e Model A's) .
Later, as I got older others like my friend's older brothers, a high school classmate, and a local gas station owner would play pivotal roles in keeping that passion going. But the earliest and initial passion was from those mentioned above.
02-15-2015, 08:21 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-19-2013
Location: Southern NJ
Posts: 182
We kept the car hidden though as our parents would never have allowed that. We would drive it on weekends.
Got caught by our parents eventually. Had to sell it back to the previous owner (my cousin).
Paid $25 for a 1959 Chevy in 1967