When we were young

[Scott Engelhardt]

I just read Bafriad's post about his son. Got me to thinking of when I was young. Thinking this could be a great place to share some of our pre driving experiences.
I will start out with one of mine that dam near got me killed by my father.
We got our first color T.V. when I was about 12. Well I needed to see what made the cartoons color, so I took it apart. Mom said, your dad will be home in 2 hours and that T.V. better work when he gets home. It was only a matter of putting the speaker and a few little circuit boards back in place.
My biggest success as a young guy was over one Christmas break. The timing chain when out in dad's work van. Dodge Tradesman with a 318. Dad got his hands on a Chilton repair manual. I decided I would look the book over and maybe I could offer a hand (get a few sips of beer) Well after about 1/2 hour of dad cussing up a storm and getting madder and madder I slipped under the van and took over. Dad kept the fire going and I finished the job. Dad did make sure I got all the bolts tight. Two days later the old 318 was running like a champ!
It was dumb luck that I made it work but It was the start of the rest of my life.

 

[eldubb440]

12. maybe 13 years old.....I took my Hodaka 125 engine out of the frame and completely apart. I don't remember why; I think it was a shifting issue..... whatever it was, I fixed it and put it back together. Got it running and sold it to one of my buddies

 

[Ron H]

Lol, mine had more to do with finding trouble. My folks were old T-Bird fans and we had a '57 in the garage under a very long resto plan...meaning not well prioritized. It had been in the family for years as my mother's daily driver. It was a job to keep doing when time allowed. Stripped off most of the trim and paint; but kept it running so we could move it given tight garage space. On occasion during summer vacation I'd sneak it out of the garage and run it around the subdivision itching so bad to get my license. Nothing on it, no lights, plates, etc. Was lucky the cops didn't snag my butt (unlike the two times they did with my go-cart; the cop said you're on strike two, next time I catch ya the go-cart will be gone). One time I damn near drove the T thru the back garage wall. Too close for comfort so stopped this chit. Plan was to eventually resto it and be mine...but at 17 got a sweet deal on a 67 GTO. My mother was fed up with the Bird sitting in the garage for 5 years and up and sold it.

 

[Budnicks]

I know I've told most of this here before, probably a couple of times...

My stepdad Bob was a huge mechanical influence on me
he was always doing some project for a buddy
or bodywork & paint for extra cash
he was a great metal guy, he could do some awesome metalwork
amazing what he did with a body hammer, dolly, torch
& a come-along sometimes
He'd work the metal instead of replacing it, true art...

I was always out there
I started out with a couple 2x4's a bit of rope, tires of my sister doll stroller
& made my 1st gocart/down hill coaster (deathtrap)

I tore my bikes apart & would repaint them often
I always wanted tools for Christmas & my birthdays

I about 10-ish moved onto Mini-Bikes had a couple Taco-22's & 44's
hand me down from my older (like 5 years) cousin Joe
Bob was always doing some sort of project for Joe
I'd help (more like probably get in the way)
when Joe outgrew his gocart he gave it to me,
for helping my dad with his projects

I had changed engines & sprockets & or taller/wider tires
so damn often on that thing
Just to go faster or to change the look etc.

Bob was a life Union Pipefitter/welder,
he was unemployed a lot it seemed
always out in the shop/garage doing some side projects
he taught me to weld starting with oxy/acet. gas, to weld a tin can together
until I perfected it
he'd let me help sometimes when he'd do repairs on stuff
usually hold this kid (many time his beer)

I was the head tool fetcher & flashlight or the torch holder
(the person to yell at & blame for lost tools, when stuff didn't go well
seems It wasn't me after all, that lost all the tools
he realized shortly after I had left, my mother would tell me)

I graduated into motorcycles/dirtbikes, motocross etc.
then later into cars

My 1st car was a 61 Renault, rear engine gutless POS
worked my *** off mowing lawns, to buy it....
Bob helped me turn into a dune buggy
he had told me never take it on the street or he'd cut it up
& haul it off to the junkyard
He caught me driving it around our court, after driving down the street
after fiddling with it, test driving it
& he did that very thing
he got out the cutting torch & cut the car into 4 pieces
& hauled it off to the junkyard, lickidy split

I was heartbroken...

Bob (my stepdad) was into drag racing,
1st with a 64 GTO 393cid 4 speed 12 bolt 4.11:1,
12.50's really good runs to 12.70's average, H/S (IIRC)
he had many different cars over the years
a very cool 35 Ford pickup hotrod I loved

I'd love to go to the track, it made my week
I'd go back to school & brag on Bob, tell others what I saw etc.
I'd do all kinds of chores, weeding, mowing lawns, tending his garden
(I didn't really like to do) just to get to go to the races...
(he'd have taken me probably anyway)
Got to see a lot of cool tracks in the mid 60's to early 70's
all up & down Calif., loved the Fuel Altereds/FC's

Long before I got into it, I far surpased his wildest dream in racing
he never really was the type to give praise,
but I knew he was proud, I knew he was a huge part
of me being who I am today, what I was back then too...

Good memories mostly
what a different time era to bring up kids
no handheld devices, cell phones, no video games (except at the bowling alley)
no internet, no 100-200+ channels of TV, to brainwash/indoctrinate the youth

it made me the gearhead I am today

I tried to emulate my stepdad, Bob, in many ways