Got to spend some quality time with Dad...Finally Finished

[dreinecke]

Racing!!!

Dad came over for a few hours tonight to run on the track. Sad part? He lives about 2 miles from me and this is only the second time I think we have done this. He's also got 2 large older Carrera sets at his house that were last setup about 5 years ago.

So, we set a race/BS night up and he brought over the few cars he has: A Fly C5R Vette, Carrera Bentley & Audi Lemans cars, and two '55 T-Birds. The verdict: all need work to run on the wood track LOL. So, he's left them here for some "tweaking" so we can run them next time.

We ran my SCCA stuff, some T/A action, my Mono Stockers, and my vintage GP cars. Had fun, ran 10 laps, talked, ran more, talked more, etc. He was seriously amazed at some of the stuff you can do with these things.

Best part though? He hates the way the T-Birds run/look, so after driving my vintage SCCA Corvettes, I show him the Cheaterbird. Biiigggg mistake LOL! Guess what we're going to build now? Both of them are going to be Cheaterbirds.

So, I'll be placing an order for some wheels and gears from my favorite nuts at SCC in the morning. Some paint, new interiors (well, I GUESS the well endowed woman could stay...we'll have to see...may need to lose the broad for weight purposes...), M/T motors and HRW tuning, and we should be in business.

So, stay tuned, should be a busy couple weeks coming up!

[ListerStormGT]

Sounds like you guys had a good night together. While the racing is good too just the time together sometimes is priceless. Looking forward to seeing the T-Birds done!

[Tubby]

David sounds like you guys had a blast! I am hoping to do this with my Pops too. He lives about 4 miles away and has never run on the track. We have sat down and looked at my cars and he even bought a pioneer stang. For his birthday I am giving him a replica of his 68 stang fastback. Glad to hear you had fun. I'll let you know if I ever get him to race.

Tubby

[waaytoomuchintothis]

It makes a nice pictures in my mind to read what you say about your father. I wish it had been like that for me, but I'm very pleased that it is just like that between me and my boys. I don't think about it much, but when someone writes something like this, I can't help but feel like the world may turn out okay after all. Good for you, David, and good for your Dad, too.

Now get to work!

[Ember]

That's great David. Make the most of it. Such times will always be precious.

I've not managed to talk my dad into having a run on my track and with his advancing Parkinsons I doubt that I will now.

But I was lucky enough to get my brothers over for an afternoon run before we lost the eldest to cancer. I blame those two for my slot car addiction, they never let me play with their Minic Motorways when we were kids. The two of them had an absolute blast for four hours or more while His Lordship and I marshaled. I had quite a few repairs to run on cars and track when they finished. Both of them regressed 40 odd years to become their 8 and 9 year old selves having nerfing wars on the corners. The joyful smile on big brother's face was worth it all.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Good going. Sounds like a fun time indeed. Sounds like you have quite a project on your hands too.

[dreinecke]

Great to hear other's stories about their dad's. My dad is the reason I'm the gearhead I am. He bought a 1968 Chevelle on my first birthday that eventually made me nuts for cars. I played with Hot Wheels and Aurora slot cars from the minute I can remember. One of my earliest memories is going with him to a hobby store in Maryland to get parts for the Aurora HO Cougar I still have. I was 3. They had row after row of shinny new cars. I liked the Aurora stuff so much, my mom bought us a brand new Aurora set for Christmas in 1970 - later that same year.

Rebuilt the old Chevelle with help from dad and spent lots of time working on other stuff. Funny that I ended up in college and not the mechanic's world. Since then, every house we've had, everything needing work, I tackle. I figure those formative years of doing stuff with my dad led to all of this.

I shot dad an email last night after he left with some ideas for the 'Birds and here's the one he wants:

[TsgtRet]

David, I , too, envy you your time with your Dad. After mine retired from the Navy he was off to work "in the real world" then I started my 20 year AF vacation. After I retired we did spend some time together but never enough. The "big C" got him in 97; treasure this time.

On a lighter note I'm working on a T Bird also but more on the lines of Sebring/LeMans "what if". Hey if you're doing 2 "Cheaterbirds" leave Suzanne Sommers in the one, just give her a helmet! Who do you think you are, Archie Bunker?

[HRWJim]

David enjoy it while you can, they are gone altogether too soon. My father is also the reason for me being car crazy also. He owned a Chevy dealership for years and drag raced a 55 Chevy in C gas, a Bantam roadster in c/ altered and a very competaive 68 Camaro z28 in E and F stock. I can't wait to see the T-birds, I knw they are going to turn out great. Jim

[dreinecke]

Jim - I agree with your statement as my mom died at 55 10 years ago. Really sucked.

I got a cool email from Dad today - he wants to work on the T-Birds together so he can learn. Awesome! So, he's going to paint his first model essentially since I was probably 6 years old when he showed me how to do a camouflage paint job on a T-38. Yes, I have that kind of memory...

I still need to order some parts and decide what to do with the chassis - I'd like to do an inline...BUT the goofy bushings and lack of room look somewhat challenging - stay tuned!

[ListerStormGT]

Dave, you know Slot It makes those goofy bushings to fit those cars right? I had the same problem on the Vette but they worked out great.

That is awesome that he wants to work on it together with you. I wish my dad was into cars like me. His sport is Golf and doesn't know the first thing about cars so who know where I got it from...lol

[dreinecke]

Which bushings are they? These are the funky square Carrera ones...

[ListerStormGT]

[dreinecke]

Well, almost a year to the day later, we are working on these tonight!

[dreinecke]

Think this will keep us busy for a little while...