Making someone’s day

[Mike "Hubbie" Stearns]

I took my father in law for a ride in my ladder truck. He’s in his 80s and was a volunteer firefighter. I drove over and my wife went in and asked him if he wanted to go for a ride. It wasn’t a very long ride, but he sure enjoyed himself. He hasn’t rode in a fire truck in quite some time and never in one that size. I even took my wife for the same ride as she stayed back with her mother. 
 

So who and or how did you make someone’s day?

[Brill_C-37M_Bus]

Not sure whether I made his day, but it sure sounded like it at the time!

 

So, my bus lives under an RV cover, and with the lousy weather lately, she hasn’t been uncovered much.  I had the cover rolled back and was working on her this weekend, when I heard a VERY excited young voice on the sidewalk:

 

”A BUS!  A BUS!  There’s a BUS under there!”

 

Apparently some little boy walking by with his parents had been really, really curious what was hiding under the big piece of canvas next to my driveway!  It certainly made me smile, and I hope it brightened that family’s day.

[J.H.Boland]

My wife and I are empty nesters living in the boonies (see photo in "How about parking your car in the driveway").

The only individual that we try to occasionally "make his day" is our dog Clancy. He loves car rides.

I titled this picture  "To the doggy beach,James " !

[Mark Wetherbee]

A couple weeks ago I was in my garage working on my Pierce-Arrow when one of my wife’s students and his brother were walking by. Now I have to give you some background before continuing, my wife is a physical therapist working in the schools with children who have disability’s, this particular student is in elementary school and has Down’s syndrome but is the sweetest kid you can imagine and he loves our Great Pyrenees so they stop by the house whenever walking by. He also asked about the car once So I told him I was waiting on some parts which will take time to get. So on one particular day I asked if they wanted to see the car and get in? I got the reaction you might expect, big smiles and they jumped right into the back seat which is so big their feet barely dangle over the edge. They were so excited it was contagious. So I said once I get it finished I would give them a ride and Jack looks really concerned and asked why it didn’t have seatbelts, you can’t drive without seatbelts, I won’t want to go if there’s no seatbelts... I promised him I would add seatbelts. So, now he asks if I have my parts yet, then asks about seatbelts every time we see them. I think they want a ride.

Edited April 21, 2020 by Mark Wetherbee (see edit history)

[TerryB]

This feel good moment features me and a Ford, but this Ford has four paws instead of four wheels.  It was a fundraiser for the hospital I was in.  Filmed in Philadelphia in 2012 .  I’m the guy In the wheelchair.  Not auto related so hope you don’t mind.

 

[SC38dls]

I made dinner and washed the dishes last night. My wife was happy to watch. 
dave s 

[George Smolinski]

I didn't know it, but my Dad didn't get many if any invitations to my siblings houses (there were 9 of us). We had him and his wife, Donna over about a half dozen times a year, mostly because I loved and respected him and what he did in WWII, but some out of a sense of duty & honor to parents. Seems he always looked forward to his visits with us and would ask Donna, "When is George going to have us over again." I never realized that it meant so much to him & Donna. Now I wish I could have him over again, but he's with most of the rest of the WWII vets, telling stories & bs'ing.

[4Hud]

  I don't do this kind of thing too much anymore, it often sounded more enjoyable than it turned out to be.

 This lady turned 90 yrs. of age and her daughter organized a surprise pick up and delivery in my 1930 Hudson to a restaurant dinner with all her family. Very recently, she had told her daughter if she ever won the lottery she would like to buy an antique car. Turned out her father had a Hudson way back and knew what kind of cars their neighbours drove, well informed indeed. She was a spry and absolutely delightful lady and really appreciated the ride. She put a smile on my face also.

[victorialynn2]

When I’m at shows with the ‘57, the young kids are drawn to the car. I love to put some cat eye glasses on them, let them sit in the car and take a pic. It seems to really make their day! Isn’t that what our cars are for? Not only our enjoyment, but preserving them for others to enjoy and appreciate as well. 💗

 

Love this thread idea. Thanks for posting it. 

Edited April 23, 2020 by victorialynn2 (see edit history)

[edinmass]

Back in the late 90's I was driving a world class Duesenberg at a show helping out a friend. A gentleman showed up and said he remembered seeing the car in the original owners driveway back in Hollywood and he never thought he would see the car again. He was literally all over it, and so excited I though he may have "lost it". Turned out he was a very nice guy, and I enjoyed the story of him and the car........I called the owner, and explained the situation. He told me t take him on a ten mile ride after the show was over, and then let him drive it "around the block" if he knew how to drive a standard. It was one of the most enjoyable moments I have ever had in a car...........the ride was great. Seeing the look on his face when I told him he could drive it.........fantastic. I'm sure he's gone by now, but I am sure he told that story 1000 times before he died. Here is a photo of the car........and the owner back in the day, who the gentelman new as a neighbor when just a young boy. J-391

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2020 by edinmass (see edit history)

[J.H.Boland]

A couple of years age,our local chapter of HASC attended a meet and greet at a campground for crippled and disabled kids. The kids loved the cars, which ranged in age from 1925 to 1970.It was a great evening for all concerned.

Edited April 22, 2020 by J.H.Boland (see edit history)

[Walt G]

A good friend in the local Buick Club has several great mid 1960s Buicks. He has 4 great kids, three are boys all the same age around 11 years old or so. My friend did me a favor and went and picked up a new battery for me, I told him when he was to drop it off to bring his boys along too.  We all went into my garage and there sat my 1940 Buick Roadmaster conv sedan , next to the 1930 Packard touring car. I mentioned to his boys that before they left they all had to sit in both cars , and in the front and back seats as well to try it out. They didn't hesitate - were very well behaved , and my friend took several photos of them enjoying the experience. Neither car had run in some time so I couldn't take them out for a ride. I explained the difference in the cars, one having roll up windows and the other side curtains and showed them how they would be fitted. Great day with some great young people who I hope would  continue to be interested in "old" cars as well.

[zepher]

Back about 25 years ago, I drove up to the desert to see an uncle.

He was in very poor health at the time having hereditary heart troubles.

He wasn't blood related, or really related at all, he had been my Dad's best friend since they were in the 5th grade so he was always Uncle Roger to us kids.

We used to visit him and the family quite often growing up and he always had a bunch of off road toys, dirt bikes and dune buggies.

He had those go-fast off road toys because back in his teens he was something of a hot rodder.

He had a souped up '40 Ford that had no hood and you could just see the three chrome air cleaners above the fenders.

He had blown up the rear end in that car so many times he said he could a complete swap of all the internals in 20 minutes flat.

The local cops didn't take too kindly to him having outrun them a number of times so when he came back in the area to visit he had to park at the end of town and have my Dad go pick him up.

In the early 60's he sold the Ford and bought a '62 Impala 409 / 4 speed car.  He just loved going fast.

This trip up to see him I had driven my '64 Malibu.

Knowing how much he loved going fast I asked him if he wanted to take it for a spin.

He said he didn't think he had the strength to deal with manual steering in his condition but asked if I could take him for a ride.

How could I refuse?

We found some long, straight, deserted roads and I really wrung out that little 327.

After the 2nd pass he was grinning from ear to ear but said we probably shouldn't do another since he didn't know if his heart could take all that excitement.

Uncle Roger didn't last too much longer after my visit and that was the last time he got to get pushed back into the seat while someone was rowing through the gears.

I know we didn't share a bloodline but he definitely passed along the speed gene.

 

 

[keiser31]

I tried to give a kid the bug a while ago. He was a friend of the neighbor and saw my '31 DB coupe on the front lawn. He came over to check it out, so I asked if he wanted to go for a ride. His eyes lit up and we were off. Hopefully he will get the old car bug....

[SC38dls]

You are lucky the cops didn’t see that bottle of beer in your car or they would have definitely pulled you over. 
dave s 

[29 franklin]

i am a carpenter with my own business and work on a lot of old houses in our town. An older fellow called me for some work and we went over and did it. I asked him if he liked old cars and he said yes very much. i showed him a picture of my 31 Franklin but he didn't  believe it was my car.  I said the next nice Saturday or Sunday I will be over. A week and a half ago my son and myself went to his house. He almost s@#t  himself. He was so happy. We went for a long ride and he could not thank me enough. He was almost crying he was so happy. Really made my day and showed my teenage son what life is all about . This is one of the best parts of our hobby .  By the way turns out he was a retired forklift mechanic and he GAVE me his complete set of Snap on tools . You never know .