The process of ruining your son's life

[Swiss_Toni]

I just couldn't help myself.

There must be a support group to help fathers stop doing such terrible things such as introducing their children to cars and ruining their lives (especially working under a dash of an Ultima)!

[Supertoadylight]

Nonsense!

It helped me! I remember my first project which was "handing dad tools" to help rebuild a late 1980's 1700 crossflow caterham. I remember very well doing the wiring under the dash at 12 because my dad could not reach!

Also anything to do with awkwardly placed nuts/washers/electrical connections, the old man always got me to do them due to being smaller!

Now 21 and a few rebuilds/restorations later and almost all mechanical work I can do myself - a skill that none of my friends have in comparison. I do all the servicing myself on my car, saving me a huge amount of money...!

...still have a long way to go though - but the lessons learnt through him being practical are geniune life skills that really are useful...he'll thank you in years to come - not to mention LOVE the Ultima!! (I mean - what's cooler than being picked up from school at 12 in an Ultima...?)

John

[UltimaCH]

Slave driver

[YIIHAA]

Supertoadylight said:

I remember my first project which was "handing dad tools"

Was it just me, but when I first read that I thought "he should have called Esther Rantzen"?

[Swiss_Toni]

He's a darn good helper especially for a 6 year old, probably better then some of so the called "mechanics" that I've come across. Things do take a bit longer with all the questions, but that’s the idea.

I think I'll wait a bit to get him to start wiring things up under the dash, though I like the idea!

I did draw the line the other day at his design of tube frame sledge that he wanted me to weld up with him, though I did like his theory of putting a jet engine on it when I said it was going to weight too much. Maybe a few too many Scrapheap Challenges?

[JoelRP]

even though i won't be able to drive it when it's built (insurance), and we haven't yet finished the stupid panels, i really like working on our ultima.

[V8Dom]

Swiss_Toni said:

I did draw the line the other day at his design of tube frame sledge that he wanted me to weld up with him, though I did like his theory of putting a jet engine on it when I said it was going to weight too much. Maybe a few too many Scrapheap Challenges?

And I thought I was nuts....i want to put a jet engine in a quad bike or go-cart!!!!!!!

[Haighermeister]

Wish my dad had been around/interested in cars when I were a lad...

[Storer]

Make the most of it. As they get older their interests change and spending time working with dad isn't "cool".

2 sons neither of which are interested in working on cars. They would rather Dad did it for them or paid someone else to do it for them.

Daughter prefers her horse power with 4 legs and when she is old enough for a car I guess it will be a repeat of the situation with the boys!!!

As I said, make the most of it.


Paul

[ezakimak]

My Dad was good with a lot of things (an engineer), but i alwyas find there are simple little things that i wish i knew. It doesent hurt to just ask. You will often find that if you are willing to learn, polite about it and show some initiative it will go a long way. Im in my early 30s now but have just resently been tought how to sharpen drill bits and operate a lathe. Both from people who have just retired from industry (production engineering and toolmaking respectively)

it realy is quite satisfying when i can turn around and touch up a tip on something and remember the time and helpfull guidence from thoes people that put the effort in with me.

[GTWayne]

First we had;

Supertoadylight said:

'handing my dad tools'

And then;

ezakimak said:

'touch up a tip on something'

How long I wonder will it be before someone is to announce they will be painting their car beige?
I am out of here....