Hi 78_200_C4, yes I for sure was very blessed with two great parents, who let me do many things growing up, encouraged me, and even got involved in my First car project. My Dad was a Master Carpenter and Builder I started helping him after school and on weekends at around 5 years old handing him tools or picking up the trash and always watching how he did things. One day in 1963 I came home from school (8th grade) and he was building something different so I asked what he was doing. He said I am building us a Camper, two week's later it was done and we were heading back to North Dakota to build a new house for my uncle. My Dad got many complements on that Camper setting on the back of his 1956 F100 (since there was no Brand name on it) on that trip back east as well as on the return trip, it had so many great features. We lived in the South El Monte Calif. area which back then also had so many Camper and RV Trailer Builders and many of the specialty parts needed were readily available.
I worked all summer on my uncles new house and even did all the electrical wiring myself, my pay was to pick out a Ford Model A that I had been wanting for my first car. I looked at several and settled on a nice 1928 Sport Coupe that ran and was drivable for $400.00. We welded together a Tow Bar in my Uncles Farm shop to tow it back to Calif. with behind the 1956 pickup.
I also had two uncles that were excellent Mechanic's that would I often would watch them work and sometimes got help from them on my projects like welding up some custom Bicycles Frame's and also a Mini Bike frame build. I learned a lot about engines from my Dad but much more from my one uncle. Years later after I had got out of the Army that uncle and I built a 1964 Falcon Ranchero into a Drag Racer we did very well wining lots of races.
I worked on that 28 Model A after school and on week ends completely Restoring it. My dad often also helped me and something happened with both of us working together on that car that really was a bonding great experience too. He went all in and we built a large addition onto the Garage for working on it and we found good deals on Tools and Equipment like a couple of Lathes, large Air Compressor, Drill Press, Big Vise's, Tool Boxes, a large I Beam with a rolling Trolley was mounted in the ceiling to use a heavy duty Chain Hoist to remove engines and also lift the bodies off the chassis, and many specialty tools for working on those Model A engine's. I worked on that car for about 1 3/4 years but it was done before I was 16. We did everything except for the Upholstery, and Chrome. I learned to do body work and Painting and so much more, years later I also learned to do Upholstery work, still would like to get a good Commercial Sewing Mach. We also joined the Model A Restorers Club and entered the car in many shows and did very well. later on we built another 1928 Sport Coupe that was even better. I have quite a few old Polaroid's of that build if I had a way to scan them. My Dad also started finding more Model A's and restoring them, he and my Mom continued in that hobby and were active in the Model A Club for many years. And there is so much more.....
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