Amazing story of 82 year old Bill in NY....

[Lebowski]

I saw this story on another car site and thought some of you might enjoy reading it. Hopefully it's OK to post the link here....

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/218660/post/new/#NEW

[Jim Rohn]

short cut to the actual text:

"While on our last trip we went to upstate New York to see some of my wife's relatives. When we were there, the wives were off doing their thing and her cousin asked me if I wanted to take a ride. I had no idea where we were going or I certainly would have taken a camera. About 15-20 miles east of Batavia, near a town called Caladonia, I met this 82 year old man known only to me as Bill.

Bill was stretched out on a lawn chair taking a break from his latest restoration project, a 1931 Cadillac 7 passenger formal sedan V-8. It was a basket case when he got it and now, after a year of work, Bill had the body on the frame, painted, the frame and the engine completely rebuilt. The doors were sitting there all painted and ready to install. To say the workmanship was museum quality would be an understatement. In one year, this 82 year old man had done every bit of work, with the exception of the chrome plating. He had sewn the upholstery. He had done the woodwork. He did all of the bodywork, welding, and painting. All by himself with equipment that was at least 60 years old. I was in awe of this old man and his abilities.

As I found out, the best was yet to come. Scattered around Bill's property were several storage sheds and in those sheds were 8-9 other cars that he had finished thru the years. There was a Stutz Bearcat, a Whippet, a couple of Chryslers, a Hudson, another Cadillac, etc. All were the late 20's to early 30's vintage. All had been totally restored to museum quality by Bill. They were now sitting in the various sheds, hidden from the rest of the world. Bill occasionally would let one of his friends drive the cars, since he no longer drives, but other than that, when Bill has restored them, he is basically done with them. He is ready to go onto another project.

One vehicle he was particularly proud of was a 1930 Hudson sedan. The car looked beautiful but what Bill had done with it was spectacular. Apparently the original engine was unsalvageable so Bill decided to try something different. For whatever reason, which he couldn't really explain, he decided that a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier engine would fit into this 1930 Hudson. As you all know, the Cavalier is a front engine, front wheel drive vehicle. Bill figured out that this engine would fit right in the Hudson frame, IN THE REAR, facing forward, which kept the Hudson a rear wheel drive vehicle. He did have to extend the Hudson rear fenders to accommodate the extra rear track width but other than that, you could not tell that there was a different engine in this car. Bill retained the original wooden Hudson spoke wheels all around and the access to the Cavalier engine was by opening the rumble seat hatch on the rear. Bill grafted the instruments from the Cavalier into the old Hudson dash and it looked like a factory installation. What a fantastic vehicle.

Bill is a little slow getting around now so he just told the two of us to wander around and look at the rest of his vehicles, house, and shop. Down near the front of his property was this old building that he used as his main shop. In it was an array of old equipment that also belonged in a museum. I don't know when woodworking equipment switched from being leather belt driven from an overhead power source, to separate electrical motors, but that is what all of this equipment was. He had a large table saw, planer, lathes(both wood and metal), jointer, sanders, etc. he also had a few old welders and compressors. Most of the cars in that era had extensive wood in the body, wheels, and steering wheels. Bill would remake all of those components with trees that he cut down on his own property. He made the wooden spoke wheels and wooden steering wheels. The craftsmanship on everything this gentleman did was unbelievable. My wife's cousin took me on a tour of Bill's house, that he had built 10-15 years ago. Each room was dedicated to a different type of wood from trees on his property. There was one room completely paneled in walnut, one in cherry, oak, poplar, and so on. Bill had also built all of the cabinets and furniture in the house. It was swell.

After a few hours we had to leave to let Bill get back to his Cadillac. Without a doubt this was the highlight of our trip. Never in my life had I seen one person so talented in so many trades. Here was this 82 year old man, alone in his own little world, creating works of art, and with the rest of the world oblivious to what he has done. According to my wife's cousin, even tho Bill loses interest in a project once completed, he has never sold any of his vehicles. He just sort of puts them away in a shed and goes on to the next one.

I can't help but be saddened by the fact that here is a craftsman that has no one working side by side with him to keep his talents and legacy alive for the next generation. Bill never did marry and is basically alone in this world, with the exception of some friends. If Bill would allow it, this is the place for an individual to spend a year or two just learning what this man has mastered in his 82 years. The knowledge in this man's head far exceeds what a person could learn in vocational school. Bill did not just duplicate parts in his restoration, he learned how each system worked in the process. He explained to me how the carburetor worked on the '31 Cadillac V-8, which was quite unique.

All I can say about the entire visit is WOW!. I only wish that I would have known what was going to happen and I would have taken a camera. Actually, no pictures could have done justice to Bill's vehicles. Since they were stuffed into sheds, and covered, taking pictures would have been very difficult. Talking and listening to Bill was the real treat. What an amazing man."

[ex98thdrill]

I can't think of Bill's last name, but we have been to his place, and every once in a while he'll swing into ours.

Most of his sheds are old box trailers bought from a trucking company, he took the axles out from under them, and set the boxes on the ground.

If I'm not mistaken, Bill is an old bachelor who never married.

[DizzyDale]

Hey Jim,Sounds like Bill is INTO the journey and the destination is meaningless.GREAT story,THANKS for sharing.diz

[Guest abh3usn]

Thanks for posting! I love these type of stories. The older generation has so much knowlege to share if we (The younger folks)are only willing to listen and learn. Many of the services people pay for in restorations can be done at home. I learned many things through a neighbor years ago. I've passed on buying things like a new SU carb because I wanted to learn how to rebuild it myself and learn how it works. I'm also teaching myself pinstirping, sign painting, machining, metal casting, sheet metal/body work, and am building a model steam engine, and an electro-static generator.

[Lebowski]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DizzyDale</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hey Jim,Sounds like Bill is INTO the journey and the destination is meaningless.GREAT story,THANKS for sharing.diz </div></div>

My name is Dave, not Jim. You're welcome....

[R Walling]

Quote

" According to my wife's cousin, even though Bill loses interest in a project once completed, he has never sold any of his vehicles. He just sort of puts them away in a shed and goes on to the next one."

I am just like that, when I finish a project I drive it for about a year until the next one is done and put the old one away.

The goal is not the finished restoration, but the journey to get there!

[alsancle]

I realize I'm bragging but my dad is 84, plays hockey 3 times a week, goes to work 2 days a week and is simultaneously restoring 3 cars doing much of the work himself. Last week I had an argument with him because he wanted me to teach him how to use the 62 inch deck mower (it's not a riding mower).

Hopefully some of those genes made there way down the chain.