As you age,has your interests in restoring/fixing up your car(s) changed?

[Andy J]

When I was a teenager-my 20's,all I cared about was drag racing and hopping up my cars.When I went to work and got married I got rid of my fine '55 Bel Air 2dr ht and my hot '57 210 2dr sedan,as I no longer had the time or money to spend on cars.When I retired a few years ago (I'm 71 now) I bought a few cars to fix up. I planned on building a gasser out of one in particular,a '52 Ford Customline 2dr sedan.

 

Since retirement I've brought back my '51 Pontiac Chieftain as close to new as I can get it.I still have a little to do to it to be 100% complete. My cars aren't high dollar cars,but I just want them to be nice,safe,dependable drivers as close as I can get them to look like new. When I look at that Ford,I just can't see chopping it up to make a gasser out of it. All desire for that has gone. I want it to look like new. My interest in cars has always been from '49-'69 year models,no matter what make they are.

 

How much has your interests changed as you aged?

[CChinn]

Andy J, your post reminds me of a something I posted a few months ago in a forum thread where I thought how ironic it was when some (not all) forum members were teenagers in the 50s and 60s they were all about chopping and hot rodding their cars, but 50/60/70 years later as AACA elder statesmen they are all about preserving originality and will not discuss or allow anything to do with modifying or hot rodding an older car. 😂

Edited December 25, 2023 by CChinn (see edit history)

[CChinn]

Not meant to be a criticism of either thought process, just an observation on my part. 

[Joe Cocuzza]

In 54 years of owning old cars (1st one was when I was 13 years old in 1969) my interest has ALWAYS been to keep them as original as possible.

I never wanted to go fast - just want(ed) to go.

That hasn't changed in those 54 years and I don't see it changing in the next 54 years

[dship]

At 74, I no longer want to restore them...just drive them.

[Barney Eaton]

I was born in'39 (do the math), I still change my oil and do what I can that will not disable me the next day. 

I still love anything with wheels but my body vetoes many of the things my mind wants me to do.   

Sold the '39 Buick 3 years ago Christmas ...it did not need anything but I was not giving it the love it deserved. 

Need to inventory everything and start disposing of parts I will never need.   My golden years plan is to enjoy 

other peoples cars, regardless of brand and condition.   

Merry Christmas and hope to be around for many more years.    See you Buick people in Strongville OH this summer

 

[avgwarhawk]

I will keep wrenching on them until my body says, "No more".  As of late my shoulders are humming that tune. Advil will travel. 

[Walt G]

Interesting to read the views expressed here. I can agree with many of them.  I too got my first car at age 14 - an old car not necessarily wanting to drive immediately, a 1931 Plymouth Pa sedan.

I did want to drive, but the thought about owning a car like I saw on TV - The Untouchables and The Roaring 20s. Was my real attraction. Then the movie Some Like It Hot came out and it was great , because of the cars not Jack Lemon, Tony Curtis or even Marilyn Monroe who were in it .

I loved traditional jazz music, then and still do. I still like to work on my old cars but some serious health issues/surgery that took place 6 years ago have slowed that down - no more heavy lifting. I always loved to ride/drive my cars , with absolutely no interest in awards or trophies of any kind.  SO my interest, desire, enthusiasm will always be there just at a slower pace for "hands on" heavy mechanical work.  Most of my "hands on" work is now focused on the pressed steel toys of the 1920s I restore, not quite as heavy as the full size cars but look like them .

 

[pkhammer]

  My interests have always varied widely. When I was younger, it was muscle cars, motorcycles and hot rods. As I've aged I lean much more toward the earlier stuff, in stock form. As far as working on them, I've torn many cars and trucks down to the frame for a total rebuild, and even finished a few of them! 😃 These days my time spent in the garage is a lot less than what it once was. I just don't have the ambition to do the heavy work like I used to. I've always had a lot of projects sitting around and not much to actually drive and enjoy. I hope to change that in 2024. I weeded out (sold) a lot of projects this year (kept a couple I'd like to finish) and made room for a really nice driver. I've looked at everything from brass-era model T Fords to a late 70's Dodge 'lil Red Express truck. I'll know the one (or ones) I need to buy when I see it.

Edited December 25, 2023 by pkhammer
bad wording (see edit history)

[Ed Luddy]

My taste is cars is always changing gears and years. As I'm now into retirement years and no longer have my own shop or access to a hoist working on cars is a chore, not a hobby. I can still do a tune up, change fluids, swap out a fender, change tires etc. But heavy stuff is farmed out to a younger more ambitious guy who does a far better job than I.

 As a teenager late 60's early 70's I had to change transmissions, engines, head gaskets and the like in the cold and snow of Canada if I wanted to drive.

Don't miss it at all.

[31model70]

When I was young, I did a fair amount of engine rebuilding, particularly on gas and diesel farm tractors as well as car engines.  I enjoyed that heavy work.  I find as I approach 85, I still have the physical ability to do major work on my cars but, mentally, I just want to drive and have others enjoy them as well.  However, I somewhat look forward to problems that occasionally develop in these old cars so I can use my brain instead of my brawn to resolve minor rather than major issues.

 

Glen

[Terry Bond]

Sounds like a bunch of old timers sippin whisky at Hershey.  Love it!

Terry

[28 Chrysler]

I have always been restoring stuff since around 10 years old. Old chairs, wooden fern stands all dump finds. Then I moved on to early radios and small boats.

At 15 it became old cars and trucks and my father got upset with me a bit more often.

[John Byrd]

Andy J, my interests haven't changed much at all, I still enjoy doing mechanical stuff and still want an old original GT 40 Ford like I saw on my way to college back in 1966, but my abilities have changed considerably. I've been putting off an oil and filter change for a couple of months since we got a different little car, and pulled one spark plug out of it with LOTS of grunting and "construction worker" words, then decided it looked great and put it back in.. Yesterday me and a pal took the back seat out of his Avanti, fooled with gas lines and filters under the hood, so that will probably do me for quite a while lol. 

[60FlatTop]

In 1983 my great Nirvana came in a used car lot under the security light around 9 PM. I was staying in Moline, Quad Cities for a firing test on some boilers my company had commissioned to have in Kewanee. I was snooping through the hack row used car lots. I was about 35 years old at the time and had at least 20 years of serious car work behind me. Striving for better than new  and never achieving it. There was a black '76-'78 Mercury under the lights shining and looking pretty sharp. My Dad and I always liked those Steve McGarrett Mercs. This was newer hut caught my eye. While admiring the car I got to thinking how much I liked a sharp well maintained 10-15 year old sharp colored car. The recognition flashed that this should be my achievable standard. At that moment I declared that my standard for old car restoration and preservation would he that condition of the well maintained 10 year old car.

I came home from the trip and put that plan in action. I have been happy and satisfied with the hobby ever since. And generally achieved that goal. I notice that I tend to be much more at ease than many of my peers and it seems like I smile more than a lot of them.

 

I am not much for old cars and restoration anyway. I prefer getting that less than 20 year old car and keeping it nice. Just this afternoon I had my most recent acquisition out, an 18 year old very clean and collectible to my taste Cadillac RWD V8.  I had to move the '64 Buick I bought when it was 15 years old to get it out. I hoped the good weather would hold out for New Years so I can get the first ride in its 60th year, after 45 years of ownership.

 

I guess I figured out that the cars age along with me just fine. No sense in me buying an old one that is all shot when I can get a nice one and let it age with patience.

[41 Su8]

I have had Model T's since I was young, but now with too many people trying to run me off the road at 30 mph, I ended up selling the T's and bought a 53  Ford mild custom with a stock flat head to go along with the Model A.  Just too crazy out there.               John

[Roscoe]

I'm probably considered a youngster here at 47. I always used to imagine all of my dream cars modified, hotrodded and slammed. Then somewhere along the way, I started to appreciate stock. I still admire modified cars. But I'm appreciating stock more every day, and now there are some cars I simply cannot imagine anyone hot rodding. Hopefully, I still have a long road to go in the hobby..and I'll continue to enjoy all aspects of it.

[31Buick96S]

My interest has evolved over time. When I first started, I was fascinated by small, sports cars. When I was in my mid twenties, I developed an interest in 60’s and 70’s muscle cars. In my mid thirties, a friend introduced me to his ‘37 Packard Super 8 and the pre war cars became an interest. Throw in a few motorcycles along the way and that’s what I like. I never really changed my interests, just added some new stuff along the way. There’s not much on wheels that I wouldn’t consider for a project.

[Andy J]

Roscoe,you sound like me.When younger,all I wanted was souped up modified cars to drag race.I still like to go to the drag races and one day I may find a car that I could build as a gasser. I used to think that the '58 and '59 Chevrolets were the ugliest cars on the road.Today I would love to have either one.

 

I vision my cars as looking like new,having the factory stance,wheel covers,or anything else that was original to the car when it was new.Two of my cars probably are candidates for the crusher,but I fully intend to bring them back to like new condition.I can't bear the thought of them being any other way. I just won't alter them in any way.I want them to look and be like new. I love the body work,especially fixing rusted out parts with new metal that I have formed with my own hands.It is a challenge and I really enjoy it.This is my next project,a '52 Bel Air.

[Dr B]

I think I am in the minority, I am doing more work on cars as I age.  I was always interested in cars and like @60FlatTop, I tried to stick with cars that were in reasonably good shape and running. They mostly need minor work, tune ups, etc. Work and family took up a lot of time and wrenching had some but limited time and I wanted to enjoy driving the cars with my family.  I didn't want a car that needed extensive work to stall and be an expensive paper weight in my garage. Now that I am retired and the kids are grown, I have more time to devote to working on my cars and have extended my wrenching to more extensive work.  No full restorations mind you, but at each step getting deeper into the work.  It was part of my retirement plan!

 

Robert

[alsancle]

10-45 I was primarily interested in Musclecars.   45-55 I was interested in everything but Musclecars with a focus on 1930s stuff.  Post 55 I'm more interested in esoteric pre-1932 stuff.   But could easily fall for something cool in the 30s.   Mostly lost interest in all post war cars.

 

Now I zero interest in any car that needs major work.   Be that mechanical or cosmetic.  When I was younger I did not care about condition and was only concerned with with what the car was (or could be).

 

 

 

 

[Andy J]

DrB,you have described me to a T! Working on old cars was a big part of my retirement plans. When I got married and sold all my stuff,I told my wife that one day I was going to do it all again. I made plans for retirement,invested wisely,and now I can afford to do it;thanking the Lord that He allowed me to see my plans come true. The only thing that didn't work out as I hoped is that I have two daughters and three granddaughters.I was hoping for sons and grandsons.But,on the bright side,they are all supportive of my hobby and they like to ride in the old cars.

[Steve Braverman]

I inherited my love for cars from my father and maternal grandfather. They were both into pre-WW2 cars, and that is still where my main interest lies. I have a couple of 60s cars for when that need arises. As I am getting older, the early cars are getting easier for me to own as prices drop and my disposable income rises. I currently have a wonderful collection of cars, all of which need work. I am looking forward to retirement so that I will have more time to play, and also more flexibility to attend AACA meets which are almost always scheduled to exclude the working person.

[Dr B]

25 minutes ago, Andy J said:

I have two daughters and three granddaughters

I hope you gave your granddaughters tool sets for Christmas! 🛠️ 

Great opportunity to diversify the hobby! Start them enjoying old cars with their grandpa.

 

Robert

[jp1gt]

Now 70, I went through many phases in my life. Always helped my dad restore the brass and classic cars. I liked fast cars that made a lot of noise. First car was a 65 mustang fastback. 10 in tires in the back and a hurst shifter. I got 3 tickets in a month so the mustang had to go. Got a 69 LTD which I could not street race. It was a good change since I got rear ended by a big hudson. I was standing still and he hit me going 50mph. Knocked me out, but I would have been dead in the mustang. Got into mopars, had 20 at one time. Divorce took care of my mopar collection. Now I get something if it will fit my budget. Got my bucket list classic car phaeton that I will be working on for a long time. Still love working on cars but have a lot of good memories also!

[TAKerry]

Im almost 60. Have loved old cars since I was a kid. My older brothers belonged to the NSRA and we would go to the nationals in York PA every year. My first vehicle was an 'old' truck. 65 f 100 hot rodded. I say old because at the time it seemed like it was ancient, but looking back it was newer at the time than my last work truck I just put out to pasture, which I thought was just getting broke in. The Ford had a transplanted corvette motor. Although it could, I never drove it fast. I Have never really had a desire to race, but do like to know my vehicle has enough power to get out of its own way. For the longest time I liked hot rods, and mildly customized stuff. My taste in a car now is mainly stock, although I can appreciate a custom vehicle. I have a very slight artistic bug in one dark crusty corner of my head that I can look at an old car and imagine what kind of mods can be done to make something really cool. I guess my lack of funds have kept me from doing so, thus saving a few old cars along the way, LOL. I have a half dozen antique motorcycles that are restored to stock as well as a slightly modifed daily drive bike and have owned a custom chopper. I enjoy working on old cars, taking a piece of junk and putting it back to something useful. I have a few projects in the works that I hope to get done one of these days. 

 

I do think my tastes have change a bit over the years. IF I were buying a car now it would def. be something stock. 20 years ago would have been a custom.

[ddavis]

While I enjoyed working on cars in my youth, I was not gifted as a mechanic. After retirement, at age 67, I have had a resurgence of car work the last several years.

I spent three years restoring our 1985 camping van, upgrading running gear to a LS engine and 4L60 transmission, gutting and rebuilding the interior. Now I have acquired a 1932 Studebaker Dictator which I plan to dink with as long as I am able.

A few big differences where I am at this stage of life:

I have time- not just throwing a repair together to get to work- if I don't get it done today I can do it tomorrow.

I am always trying to learn new things to keep my mind fed.

Most of all I have patience I never had when young. Less cursing, more satisfaction.

[JV Puleo]

Short answer, No.

When I was about 14 I bought an English book, "Veteran & Vintage Cars". In British terms this means up to the mid-20s although the bulk of the cars in the book were brass and many were "veterans"...i.e. pre-1905. That book captured my imagination. I still prefer brass cars before 1910 although a long association with RR cars has left me with an appreciation for the Ghost (introduced in 1908) and the PI which is essentially a Ghost with a OHV engine. To this day I don't aspire to own anything newer than about 1928/29. I have never even seen an automobile race or had any interest in muscle cars, many of which were new when I was in high school. All this belies the notion that collecting is driven by what the collector's remember from their youth. I don't think there is anyone left who remembers brass cars on the road and precious few that remember 20s cars in regular use.

[alsancle]

9 hours ago, Bills Auto Works said:

I will use the word "Expanded" to describe my interests in this great hobby instead of "Changed"

 

I was thinking I've gone the other way.   My interests have narrowed with age.  There is only so much time and money and at this point I'm not messing with anything that doesn't tremendously float my boat.

[Paul Dobbin]

No I don't think my interests have changed, but ability to maintain my fleet has changed.   Have  not

purchased another car in about 6 years.    I've looked, lusted and admired,  but keeping all my old

stuff ready to go for a drive keeps me busy enough.   I sold my 57 Ranchero because I had two other

pickup trucks and sold my diesel pusher motor home after more than 1000 nights on the road. 

My 5 other old cars average 70.5 years old and I love them all.  I would sell some of them if i could

decide which ones I could say goodbye to.

New years day I'm leading our annual Birthday Tour (Weather Permitting) in our 90 year old car,

followed buy a bunch of hardy souls in older cars.   All to celebrate our cars becoming another year

older.  There may even be some drivers old than me.    How could I give that up? 

[32buick67]

This is going to probably sound overly prosaic, but when I was young, I was enamored with 1920-30s cars and specs, driving slow and serene settings, and even excited with the occasional hod-rod info of what I read about Duesenberg's at my local library.

Through the years I settled for buying and working on mid-history cars, never had enough money and mods, and never enough hp, but the rides were fun, but I never lost sight of my old interests in the 20s-30s cars...

Now that I am working my way past the precipice of mid-life with a family and navigating aging parents and increasing responsibilities, I am thinking that life is kind of parabolic...

I really enjoy driving our nicely sorted Buick at 45-50mph on country roads, smiling and waving at the neighbors and relaxing.

I agree with AJ, my plans for the next coming years are intended to be more narrow and focused on solemn experiences with those closest, investing time and energy and attention quietly...

I am trying to be responsible and take care of others in my life, while enjoying amazing automotive experiences when possible. 

[zepher]

Since I grew up around pre-war cars, I have always loved cars of that era.

The lines, the smells, the handmade portions of those cars always seemed like rolling artwork.

 

In my early 20's I was into muscle cars and bought a 1964 Malibu SS convertible 327/4 speed car.

I drove that car all over creation as it was my daily driver for many years.

But, even while I was pursuing muscle cars, my interest in pre-war cars never waned.

 

Growing up riding around in my Dad's Rickenbacker attending shows, my Dad always looked at the rows and rows of Ford Model As and said, 'Model As are like elbows and a**holes, everybody's got one' so my Dad is probably rolling over in his grave since I have been hankering for a Model A to drive the wheels off of.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

No, not sure they have changed that much over the years.  Prewar cars, traditional hot rods, sports cars and a smattering of interesting cars across decades.  What I am reallizing is the list of cars I would still like to own is longer than what I may eventually buy, if any more.  

 

A CCCA car is something I wouldn't mind, but I doubt we would do the activities I understand that club does.  

 

The right sportscar, an early open V8 Ford, an early Mustang fastback maybe or C1, C2 corvette would be interesting but it would have to be cool enough to warrent moving one or two of the others out - time, space, money.  Usual stuff.

 

I expect to give the A a cosmetic restoration upon retirement which is 4- 5 years out.  The efforts Andy and others have posted keep my interest going in that department.

 

Just had a pal who isn't active here reach out asking my thoughts on selling off one of his R107 SLs to move an early C3 into his mix.  He is in his early 60s.  After owning both I told him I get it but over the road the SL is a much better car.  And think about entry/exit - try a couple on for size first if you can.    He gets that but it is a car that has been on his want list forever.  So I suppose never say never.  

[alsancle]

12 minutes ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

No, not sure they have changed that much over the years.  Prewar cars, traditional hot rods, sports cars and a smattering of interesting cars across decades.  What I am reallizing is the list of cars I would still like to own is longer than what I may eventually buy, if any more.  

 

A CCCA car is something I wouldn't mind, but I doubt we would do the activities I understand that club does.  

 

The right sportscar, an early open V8 Ford, an early Mustang fastback maybe or C1, C2 corvette would be interesting but it would have to be cool enough to warrent moving one or two of the others out - time, space, money.  Usual stuff.

 

I expect to give the A a cosmetic restoration upon retirement which is 4- 5 years out.  The efforts Andy and others have posted keep my interest going in that department.

 

Just had a pal who isn't active here reach out asking my thoughts on selling off one of his R107 SLs to move an early C3 into his mix.  He is in his early 60s.  After owning both I told him I get it but over the road the SL is a much better car.  And think about entry/exit - try a couple on for size first if you can.    He gets that but it is a car that has been on his want list forever.  So I suppose never say never.  

 

New England Caravan is scheduled for Sept 2025 based on the coast of Maine.  That gives you almost 2 years to get a car and get ready.  All the boys will be there!

[Steve_Mack_CT]

14 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

New England Caravan is scheduled for Sept 2025 based on the coast of Maine.  That gives you almost 2 years to get a car and get ready.  All the boys will be there!

AJ maybe 24 is the year we do a Western MA tour if your inclined to slum it with a Jr. Packard in the mix.  We ventured over the line earlier this year.  20 west of Springfield to Stockbridge and on up 7 back and down 10 is a nice loop...

 

 

[alsancle]

8 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

AJ maybe 24 is the year we do a Western MA tour if your inclined to slum it with a Jr. Packard in the mix.  We ventured over the line earlier this year.  20 west of Springfield to Stockbridge and on up 7 back and down 10 is a nice loop...

 

 

I think this is a good idea. The problem will be me keeping up with you and my Stearns.

[edinmass]

 

My interests haven't changed.........but now I prefer original and barn find cars over shiny paint. I literaly do NOT care what the car looks like. As a matter of fact, I rather enjoy driving a 60 point car down the road passing the trailer queens that are stuck or stopped that are on tour with me. I find that today the more the car looks like a rolling junk yard, the more people look at it and enguage with me. It also removes the need for white walls and washing/detailing the car. I will admit my interest is tending to shift earlier every year......... for decades I only owned cars of the 30's. Now my two early cars are both 15's. I expect to break into the 190X's soon.

Edited December 29, 2023 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Billy Kingsley]

I'm a bit different than most on here in that I don't own an old car and can't work on them, but my interests have definitely changed. Not only that, I know the exact time and place they changed. 

 

I was into hot rods and customs growing up, but it all changed for me when I saw a (I believe) 1937 Terraplane heavily modified to look like every other rather generic mid 2000s build, in flat black primer, ugh. It was the first time I had ever seen one in person, but it was just a shell of what it should have been. It was then and there I fell out of love with hot rods and switched to full stock. 

 

I still like some hot rods, if they are tasteful. If I had the money I would probably build and daily drive a 32-34 Ford using all the reproduction parts available even. I do tend to build hot rods in plastic model form because it allows me to play with colors and also I don't have enough knowledge to do factory stock builds in many cases. 

 

One other thing is that growing up I was very, very biased for American cars. There were maybe four non-American cars I liked when I was a kid. (Volkswagen Beetle, Ferrari F40, Lamborghini Countach and Acura NSX to be exact...in case you can't tell I grew up in the late 80s/early 90s😂) and as I've aged I have come to appreciate others much more. I still think we as a country make and made the best but at least now I can appreciate and enjoy others. I've even been to an all-import show at the Saratoga Automobile Museum, something that I could never have imagined doing when I was younger. 

 

My lifetime love of automobiles is still maturing and growing as I go along. The more knowledge I aquire, the more I love... everything. Anything I learn makes me appreciate it all so much more. Any vehicle that can propel itself just makes me happy. I don't know what the future holds but based on my past life experiences I know it will change again and again, and I'm looking forward to finding out where the journey takes me, both physically and metaphorically. 

[Jack Bennett]

Change………..Nope………..Adaptation……….You bet!

I was fortunate that I did have the privilege of spending 57 years of my life being married to my wonderful wife. Even more fortunate, as compared to many others, I was privileged to spend the first 13 years of my life as a full time retiree with her.

But, as with abs, glutes, long hair and late nights, that too had to end, and the passing of my wife made it possible, and necessary to make some adjustments to my hobbies, and how they were done.

I was building bicycles when I was 12 years old, and my favorite toy was a single cylinder Maytag gas engine. I spent more time with my old Maytag engine than I did family or friends. And, that seemed totally normal until I got my first twin cylinder Maytag engine, and heard a P-51 Mustang fighter plane engine, and than things became complicated because a triangle love affair had entered into my 14 years of life.

Now I have both the time and finances to play at whatever hobby I choose to pursue, but have lost the wander lust, no longer spend weeks of RV travel, camping or fishing. Rather, I enjoy the freedom I experience while working on my antique machines, and the time I spend with them are of equal value as a source of relaxation or excitation as visiting Niagara Falls or Carlsbad Caverns.

I did say freedom because the topic of the thread asks for comments on how age has changed my interests in restoring/fixing up my old cars has changed.

And my first comment on that involves the freedom to exercise my ability to select what it is that I choose to do/not do in regards to restoring/fixing my old cars.

I will never believe I can “restore” a 100 year old car to a condition it retained for scant minutes from the time the last bolt was tightened, and the few minutes it took to be moved from the assembly line to the resale lot.

And, it makes no sense to me to place myself in a constant state of competition with the professionals who MAKE big bucks from humongous amounts they are paid to restore a car, or a person afflicted with OCD or a compulsion to keep everything they possess just a smidgen bigger, more luxurious, taller, faster, brighter or deeper than anyone else.

Instead I have accepted the idea that, at nearly 80 years old, there is no such thing as a MINOR injury. It now takes longer for things to heal, and the single accident which may lead to total physical or mental disability may be waiting mere inches behind the bumper of my old Fargo panel truck.

That does not mean that I can’t/won’t tear the bumper off, use a zip tool to slice a few fender bolts loose, or even do a questionably necessary engine-transmission exchange.

However, along with the ability to buy a replacement engine-transmission, for a hobby car, spend time, energy and money on a vehicle which rides like a buckboard, steers like a semi and will never be safe at speeds above 35 MPH, comes the wisdom which also makes it reasonable for me to do absolutely nothing.

And there are days I choose to do exactly that……nothing.

My hobby machines range between an old Cushman motor scooter, through an old Ford tractor, and include an old sedan, an old roadster and an old panel delivery truck. This assortment provides me with something to do regardless of my energy level, joint pains, weather or time of day. 
There is always some body work to be done, paint can always be applied, electrical tasks on these machines will never end, upholstery needs can run from re-carpeting a wood floor to cutting new floorboards, and now, with the Fargo Express panel, there is always another piece of wood to be cut or a metal piece fabricated.

Of course there are times when no physical effort is required, but the amount of pleasure derived from the old car hobby is not age related. Shopping for parts on eBay, Amazon or one of the old car forums can be mentally stimulating and rewarding when the part, especially those made of unobtanium are found and procured.

I guess I should have mentioned the mechanism our old obsessions provide in regards to the social community.

I am retired military and retired department of corrections. I have worked in blue collar supervisory positions, but I have nothing in common with the real estate mogul or the president of a bank. 
But there was no physical exertion, no super human feats of mechanical ability, and gender or nationality never came into play during the three hours I spent talking on the phone to a fellow three thousand miles away about the motor mounts for my old Fargo panel truck. 
Now, that is a strange occurrence these days!

[Jack Bennett]

If it is “Bill” of “Bills” auto works…..thanks Bill.

If it isn’t I still appreciate the reply.

When I write these tirades I use a method which entails typing one word, not actually knowing what it will be until it’s typed, and then finding a need, or should I say “being compelled” to quickly think of another word to hook to it. After a period of time, and a number of key strokes, I have made some rather impressive strings of words, and those strings, now called “sentences”, need to have other words connected for the sake of a well constructed paragraph. And from there it’s a real toss up as to the value of the whole thing.

These journey’s into a hereunto unexplored land of digital highways may end up in the virtual trash can, or, they may be offered up as lengthy, and rambling posts on forums such as this.

I believe you run a car transport business, and as such, feel assured that you understand the criticality of finishing every journey you start.