I grew up with a mother who worked graveyard shifts which meant my father cared for us at night. That also meant we got to hang out at local cruise nights in the Los Angeles area. The street rod scene was full force during this time and as a kid I simply loved the cartoon look of the full fender early ford with billet wheels, excessive chrome, and “RAD” colors like flo pink, teal, candy red…. you get the picture.
As I got older, I considered myself a “car guy” since all I watched was SPEED TV and Discovery Shows like Overhaulin’, Monster Garage, Orange County Choppers, you name it. My TV teenage years prepared me for a high school auto shop class taught by a great teacher Mr. Chalupa (pronounced Kalupa). He understood and appreciated the Hot Rod and Custom scene, and part of his curriculum was watching American Graffiti. After watching that movie, I felt like I was born in the wrong era. I also made the connection that the high school kids portrayed in that movie were the baby boomers now responsible for the Street Rod faze. Although their tucked in shirts and new balanced sneakers looked funny to me, I envied these same guys for being part of those early day gatherings at El Mirage or Bonneville.
I was 24 when I discovered the Bob McGee Roadster and the documentary created by Hagerty. At the time I was mentally and financially primed for a project car and that 21-minute documentary was all it took for me to want a 32 Ford Roadster. During my search I quickly discovered the cost associated with building a 32 Ford. One solution was a fiberglass build which I considered buying an abandoned project car for $5,800 but since at the time I didn’t have a place to work on a full build I passed. Months later I came across a drivable fiberglass roadster for $17,000 but for some reason it didn’t feel right, and I made up my mind I had to have a steel body. My search continued. I told myself it will happen someday when the time is right. It was now September 2020, I am 28 and one Saturday I was hanging out on the couch at my brother’s house, when an Offer Up notification came up for a “1932 Ford all steel COMPLETE project”. I sent a message asking if it was available to see. I got a response almost immediately saying “yes, I am open tomorrow” … I looked at my brother and jokingly said “well my Sunday just got expensive.” And after I said it…it felt right… you know… that follow your gut feeling.
Needless to say, I bought it.
Once delivered, I literally slept for about 4 hours total over the next 3 days. Not because I started building it immediately but because I could not shake off this feeling of regret for spending that amount of money. People who didn’t know much about cars were shocked that I spent that much for a non-running car. And people who knew about cars looked at me and said things like “cool, good luck” with this look of “yeah …you’re in over your head”.
I am usually good about turning people's doubt into fuel for my ambition but this time I started thinking they might be right.
On the 3rd sleepless night, I decided to write down my feelings, maybe a plan of attack, pros, and cons… anything in hopes to find peace and get some sleep! Minutes later, I recalled a list of goals I had made years ago, it had a “vision” of what I wanted in life. I realized everything on this list was completed or in progress except for one last thing. Building a Hot Rod. I slept like a baby after that.
The point is this…Ignorance is Bliss.
If you want to get things done, stop worrying about what you don’t know and continue to do the things you do know. You might find yourself on the journey…accomplishing things that your 7-year-old self would be proud of.
12 сен 2024
