Where did we learn DIY? In many cases, it was from our Fathers…
Subject: Happy Father’s Day
or Thanks for not playing golf
Dad,
Thank you for all that you do. I love you and I thank God that you were
my Dad. I also appreciate all the things we did together in the
past. Dealing with all the stuff at my work lately makes me really
appreciate all the stuff you had to put up with to work for the same company
for 34 years. I know at least a few times you’ve said you think you’re
career would have advanced further and faster if you would have played
golf. Thanks for not playing golf, I don’t like it and I don’t think I’ve
ever missed anything. Thanks for spending your time and money restoring
some cars with me instead. This made for some interesting moments, some
tense times like when we had a yelling match and I tossed the keys on the floor
and walked out of the shop. Some good such as when we started replacing
the leaf springs at 8:00 at night (well, at least I had fun, even though you
were ready for bed), and when we just got the engine we rebuilt, installed
behind the transmission I rebuilt (I only rebuilt it after gaining confidence
during the engine rebuild). Then it was your idea to break it in hard, to
make more power of course, and we broke the tires free in all three
gears. And when you told me not to street race because it wasn’t smart or
safe but you said I could race anybody at the track (since they had an
ambulance) but to call you first since you didn’t want to miss out on watching
me smoke somebody. Not many Dad’s I know tell their kids not to street
race because they don’t want to miss a good race.
Back to the engine rebuild, I went to get plastigage to measure the clearance on
the big end rod bearing of the Listeroid, a middle aged guy at the parts store
knew what it was and was able to dig it out, the slightly younger guy didn’t
know what it was. He said they really don’t sell it very often anymore
since only shops rebuild engines these days. It feels good to know what
it takes to rebuild an engine, even if now it may seem like it’s a dying art. I
like the fact that I have the confidence and know-how to work on my own stuff
and keep it running. I look at all the kids my age and can’t name anyone
who knows how to use plastigage or how to check the clearance of the gap on
piston rings. Most of them don’t even know how to turn on a
band-saw. Their dad’s probably all played golf.
Thanks for inviting us to the Model A Ford events I hope I can do the same with
my kids, to spend time with them. Teaching them, allowing them to explore
their interests and develop their talents in a way that gives them usable life
skills. I just hope they learn cooking from their mother and not me. 🙂
I love you very much,
Give God the Glory and God Bless,
Rollinns
