Sight, Hearing, Taste, Touch, and Smell

[60FlatTop]

The weather is great and I had my convertible out. I stopped by the parts store and picked up a five quart jug of Texaco oil, in my mind helping the people of Texas. The guy from the parts store came out to look at my car. The conversion required a panel to be fabricated and fit between the deck lid and top. Since it didn't get factory baked finish there are a couple of blisters in the paint next to the third brake light.

The older counter guy came out to look and was immediately drawn to the small paint blisters. He reached over and touched them and looked at me with a very concerned expression. He had found a flaw that I may not have noticed. Perhaps the paint blistered while I was buying the oil and I had not noticed yet.

Touching seemed to reassure him. I imagined that possibly his vision might be impaired so he needed to use his sense of touch to confirm the reality.

I knew that although the oxidation had actually moved and lifted the material, and would continue to, the movement was too silent for him to hear. Being 25 year old paint the smell was gone as well. As he leaned over to touch I kind of cringed at the thought of him trying to taste the experience of the flaw. He told me he did detailing on used cars so he always checked for things like that.

I thanked him for bringing the imperfection to my attention. I must have overlooked it while we had the subframe out for cleaning and repainting before reinstalling the rebuilt engine and transmission. Of course the car was off so he couldn't listen or smell any issues I may have overlooked. As I left it was interesting to ponder the acute sense of touch automotive spectators develop and seem to rely on so heavily. It was almost like a one man car show.

I think there are five counter guys there. Maybe I will take one of the other cars up there when he has a day off and check the propensity of one of the other employees.

Bernie

Edited May 8, 2013 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

I generally don't like people touching my cars, although it is one of the most acute senses and I routinely fondle them myself. I was at a show when a person said his father was blind and would I mind if he ran his fingers over my car to "see" it. I was pleased to approve and to help him see my car. On the subject of warts I still discover warts I never noticed before after 12 years of looking at them. Little micro dents that you can't see unless the light is just right and your head is cocked a certain way. But if you know how to do it they can be felt.................Bob

[Guest shadetree77]

I witnessed that "acute sense of touch" at a car show last year. I was checking out an old Lincoln parked next to a mint condition muscle car. I believe it was a Camaro(What can I say? The muscle cars just don't do it for me.)and an older gentleman walked up. I could tell from his general appearance and demeanor that he was the gruff type that didn't get out much and probably wasn't exactly a pleasure to be around. Anyway, he ambled up to the muscle car on a cane. I then watched him lean the cane against the front fender, put both of his hands on the car, and make his way around to the front end, all the while groping the car. He came back to his cane, picked it up, and then I watched him repeat this scenario all the way around the car until he had made a full circle. Propping his cane on each section of the car as he went. The poor car owner was nowhere in sight. That was probably the worst case of "acute touch" I have witnessed thus far. Oh, and you better believe that the car's windows were plastered with "Look But Do Not Touch" signs. :eek:

[Guest Hector]

I witnessed that "acute sense of touch" at a car show last year. I was checking out an old Lincoln parked next to a mint condition muscle car. I believe it was a Camaro(What can I say? The muscle cars just don't do it for me.)and an older gentleman walked up. I could tell from his general appearance and demeanor that he was the gruff type that didn't get out much and probably wasn't exactly a pleasure to be around. Anyway, he ambled up to the muscle car on a cane. I then watched him lean the cane against the front fender, put both of his hands on the car, and make his way around to the front end, all the while groping the car. He came back to his cane, picked it up, and then I watched him repeat this scenario all the way around the car until he had made a full circle. Propping his cane on each section of the car as he went. The poor car owner was nowhere in sight. That was probably the worst case of "acute touch" I have witnessed thus far. Oh, and you better believe that the car's windows were plastered with "Look But Do Not Touch" signs. :eek:

Just saying...I have seen something very similar on two different shows at different times,in both instances the people touching the car were lagally blind.Of course the owners were there and they had allowed it beforehand.In both instances I was moved to count my blessings.

[Guest shadetree77]

I could understand a situation like that. I would be glad to let a blind person do the same to my car. However, this guy was definitely NOT blind. I watched him for some time. He wasn't feeling the car to see it. He was just using it to lean on while he checked it out.

[trimacar]

FlatTop, I understand perfectly what you're saying...for some odd reason, people are quick to point out flaws, and somehow assume you're blissfully unaware of them....I know every square inch of my '31 Pierce for example, and remember well the day a fellow backed into the corner of my rear bumper, bending it back and kissing the fender ever so slightly but enough to remove a little paint...(the bumper is spring steel and came right back) and it's barely visible along the bottom curve of the fender and I haven't fixed....any time I park it, someone invariably says "hey, you know you've got a scratch on the bottom of this fender?" Sheesh....what's the point in telling me?

When I first saw the title of the post, thought maybe you were referring to the difference a convertible makes, and how you can smell the cut grass and feel the touch of warm and cool air pockets and such....

[60FlatTop]

David, I'm glad you caught the topic exactly. I got into this hobby in 1959 and here we are at 2013. There has been a never ending flow of junior judges at shows, at the gas station, in parking lots. Now you would expect these nit pickers to be just plain civilians, not other car hobbyists; wrong.

Watch at the next show or cruise. Another car guy will ask "When are you going to fix this? or Did you know you had a this or that?"

When you ask some of them about their car you know the answer; it's home, it's not finished, I'm saving for it, the list goes on. So what's the use of writing this in a car hobbyist forum? Some of you guys are guilty of it and should know better. Make 2013 a season where cars shows celebrate the fact a car was driven to the event and that the owner is maintaining a level of preservation they can achieve. The owner doesn't need a whiny little voice pointing out a scratch in the fender.

When you catch yourself starting to say it, look down in your at your hands. If you aren't carrying a clipboard zip it. Your comment is unnecessary.

Blind people at car shows? That's a stretch. You see a few but there are no where near as common as the people who think "Wow! A car show day. I bet my dog would really like to go see the cars. I'll put him on a leash and we can go look together."

Looks like I got the oil on the wrong day, huh.

Bernie

Edited May 9, 2013 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[avgwarhawk]

If someone points a flaw out on my Buick I simply say, "I hope to look this good when I reach 60." Some folks just don't understand saying nothing at all sometimes is the best way to go.