I’m starting this thread because tomorrow will be our 41st anniversary of being happily married. A lot of my friends that know a lot more about Hot Rods then me are divorced. Before I was married I had 4 cars at a time some times more even when I was in the Army I had a part time job a Standard Station. I had two cars behind the building a 55 Chevy 2 dr.sedan and a 57 Desoto I had plans of putting the Hemi engine in the 55 but I didn’t have time and had to leave them there. The cars I took turn driving were a 55 Chevy 2dr. ht. And a 65 GTO both were pretty fast cars. I got out of the service the first week in January 1967 I sold the 55 Chevy and drove my 65 GTO to Chicago. I drove the GTO until the engine was pretty much worn out from too much drag racing. I would spend my working days in the Chicago and surrounding areas until retiring from my work injuries.

In the late 60’s I lived in an apartment and had a 53 Chrysler for work, a 57 Chevy for drag racing, a 65 Mustang and a 31 Ford Coupe Hot Rod/ Street Rod before that name was coined this was 67 and 68. I pulled engines and replaced transmissions, clutches and so forth I helped hone a big block 396 that was bored out to take 427 pistons. I never have taken apart an engine by myself and I regret that. I have taken heads off to have valve jobs, put a rear main seal in a slant six Chrysler engine and that was a real treat.

I had a 40 Chevy Coupe for 16 years it had a citation rack and pinion mounted to the tube straight axle. I should have taken pictures of it but I sold it and I had a 41 Chevy Coupe that had a Citation rack mounted to the independent suspension. A lot of you guys are building your own frames and adding different suspension set ups and I admire you guys for be able to do that.

I got married in 1969 and my wife knew that I was into cars but I said when I get married the family would come first so that put a damper on the learning curve. My wife had a 47 International she paid $40 for it, she said I could have it I said no thanks. I had a 60 Chevy 2 dr. Biscayne the clutch would go to the floor and I had been around throw out bearings and the forks so I knew what it was. I go to the parts store get 4 jack stands that I still have today and a creeper. I had bottle jacks and scissor jacks no floor jack at that time.

I would work all week and on the weekend I would try to slip out to the garage without waking my wife, later it was to keep from waking the new baby. If my wife would hear the baby and me before I could get out she would ask me to get a bottle ready but if I got out to the garage first I was in the clear.

Well over the years of spending too much time in my garage or at my buddy’s garages that didn’t go over too well. I thought it’s going to be garage time or stay married so I let the car building go. I just did what I had to do to keep our daily drivers running. I didn’t want to give up my family which I seen so many of my friends that really knew engines and were racing on the weekend end up in a divorce.

Now I’m older and my wife wants me to fix the projects so we can sell them. I have lost some of the confidence that I had in the early years when I would learn as I go with something new. With my physical condition in bad shape and my lack of patience when things don’t go the way I would like and have to do the job over it’s harder. When I see someone in worse shape then me I try harder to get back on track.

I have taken my air compressor apart that I got from sears 30 years ago and put new rings in it and the small valve’s an it’s still running. I also have a 5 hp 60 gallon Campbell Hausfeld for about 20 years.

Does this make sense to anyone or can anyone relate to this?

Richard