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Turning in my Garage card


Dudeboy

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The last four years I have had some highs and lows, but more highs and thankful. But, I come to the realization that I don’t have the time and commitment to keep hot-rodding and tinkering with cars.  My Z is like a living entity and through raising children, job layoffs and career transitions I have been able to keep that car craziness thriving.  I have just enough energy to finish the last few areas on my car, but I am about to let a good friend who owns a speed/race shop tightened up a few things and get it painted. Too many times I have close to selling out of not having time, and not wanting the car to just sit on jack stands. But, I will never sale my car (my daughter will kill me!); I will do routine maintenance and leave the heavy lifting to my friend. I will be 51 this year and I am in that staged of life where I want to enjoy driving versus building. I am not leaving hybridz, but, it is just time to turn in my builder card. My list of toys from age 16.

1971 Datsun 510 ( Lord forgive me for my street racing! my brother and I put a built 2 liter motor from a Datsun truck  in this car with some SSS stuff and had it lowered, BFG and Libre wheels ! Lord forgive me.

Funny story my Dad drag race professionally ( found out recently my dad and uncles all were street racing !!) My dad a 1966 Ford Galaxy he was converting back to a street car. He asked my brother and I if he gave us this car would we speed in it ? And we both said YES !! so he sold it. My dad said he did not want to be responsible if we killed ourselves.  We did not kill ourselves obviously, but it was too late we were hooked on speed and we knew how to make Datsun’s and Toyota 4 and 6 cylinders go fast.

1972 Chevrolet Impala 400 (All original suck gas like a hoover vacuum) I just could not cut it up to lowride.

1988 Fox Body  5.0 ( I should kept this one who knew!)

1987 Toyota  SR5 4x4 ( 35x15 Mickey Thompsons, Rough Country suspension, Alpine system, body-lift,…..paid for college when I sold it)

1976 Datsun Z  ( took off fuel injection built motor and Triple webers, Centerlines… sold it when my son was born.

2004 Corvette (Sitting in garage under cover with a battery tender. Wife drives to work 2-3 times spring and summer). Still have it

1977 Datsun 280z  LS1/4L60E. Still have it

There were a lot of grocery getters and daily drivers in between. I had Jetta 90s’GLI-16V with Recaros and BBS wheels that was a lot fun going from Georgia to Boston.

Next either Pantera or Factory Five Cobra built to my specifications, and I am done.

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Hey Dudeboy, Tinkering/Modifying cars will never leave you. Even if you step away for a few years, you will always have the itch.

 

And age won't matter. Im 48, have 2 daughters, one is 5 and the other is 7. I had them later in life thinking i would outgrow tinkering with cars by then. I find time for my car and my kiddos. I have been an automechanic since i was 17, I have been a Nissan Tech since 1998. After working on customers cars all day, i still like to mess with my Z, I built it the way i wanted it and as everyone knows, your car is NEVER FINISHED. :o)  After stepping away, you will feel that itch again. And its not Hemorrhoids Lol.

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Your entire life is a series of ever changing events and circumstances, some that brought you closer to cars, some that moved you away. This most recent line of thinking is just another ebb and flow in that cycle. It's not the end, its just where you're at right now. I'm betting like everyone else here, that you will be back with the car thing before very long. Just pertend you're on vacation.  Once oily, always oily.  Remember it ain't over Until you hear the "mass-challenged" female singer at a somber gathering in your honor. Can't think of any more cliches right now. We'll expect you back on this thread in about, oh, 1-2 years at most announcing your next project. See you then!

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Without a doubt I will always tinker ! I was looking at a Chevelle SS Clone this weekend !!My father has been at it over 60 years and he was my guru on the Z swap so it is not about age, but for me I have been doing this stuff since I was 12 years old (go karts and motorcycles). I will continue to be involved in the car scene because I am Car Crazy, I just want be doing any of the major stuff on my on cars. I am in good physical shape for 50, but my life/world is going in a new great direction and this is a part of my life I want to give up.

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I have turned my car over to a shop for them to complete my LS3 swap.  I am 38 and just do not have any time to spare from my 2 businesses, and family.  I love cars and will never stop modding.  I have come to the realization that I will just have to farm out things from now on.  It costs me more money to do it myself then to send it out and keep earning......... Don't feel bad. 

I will not give up family time that I will never get back......... call me crazy

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I have turned my car over to a shop for them to complete my LS3 swap.  I am 38 and just do not have any time to spare from my 2 businesses, and family.  I love cars and will never stop modding.  I have come to the realization that I will just have to farm out things from now on.  It costs me more money to do it myself then to send it out and keep earning......... Don't feel bad. 

I will not give up family time that I will never get back......... call me crazy

These are my thoughts as well.

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"I will be 51 this year and I am in that staged of life where I want to enjoy driving versus building. "

 

Damn, where was the stage of my life that I had time to build? I just hoarded in expectation of building and driving later on in life...

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Once your kids are grown and gone, you'll be that grey old guy hiding in the shed with a grandkid handing him spanners as he tries to explain carbs to a 3D-VR raised computer nerd used to electrics and fuel cells!

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The day I turn in my garage card is the day my headstone will be ordered.

 

A wife came and went

A fiance then came and went

Several girlfriends also came and went

Three jobs later

Three houses and an apartment later

A cross country move

A financial dig out and....guess what...

The Datsun is still with me.

Edited by slownrusty
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I'm the original owner of a 72 Z. Through marriages, divorces, two kids and their college, Porsches, Corvettes, a Cobra (yes a real one), BMW's, 427 Ford, various jobs and many of life's trials, tribulations and triumphs, the only car that has survived is my 72 Z. Best decision I ever made was to keep it.  Now that I'm retired I start out almost every day with a short blast in the Z. My great escape and an incredible way to start my day. Long story short, don't let a lull in interest keep you away from your passion. It will eventually be rekindled. My Z keeps me young, I will probably always have it, and it will never be finished. Oh did I say sometimes a money pit....well worth it!!!!

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TimO,

 

My wife told me one day "do you have to point out every car you see when we go out? " and my wife was being funny when she asked that question.But, I just watch cars when I am out and  I enjoy the car culture from Hot-wheels, Tyco Slot cars, and car shows. When speed channel was off the air I was pissed ! Now I watch Velocity channel and some of the other car shows. That underground street racing show on Discovery is a guilty pleasure, and I have family law enforcement. Oddly enough my son has took my athletic genes, but it is my daughter that is taking auto shop this year in high school and loves cars. My daughter likes only old VW's and 1968-1972 anything SS, Chevy and V-8 ! I  know I will be back in it for her. The BBC Chevelle I was looking at was for her !

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Talking of daughters: you know my screen name? Well, my daughter was turning 16 soon and said she wanted to drive my car to school on her 16th birthday. She started referring to the Z as her car. So we went together and got my old Z out of my mother's garage in Arkansas and trailered it home. It took a few months to get the Dellortos cleaned of tar and the car was running well. Did I mention that her birthday is in January? So she cranks up the car easily in the heated garage and parks it in sub-freezing school parking lot all day. Comes out and can't get the cold-soaked side-draft L6 to crank. Drains the battery, floods the car, has to hitch a ride home in the dark-on her BIRTHDAY! I had to trailer the car home that night. She never referred to the car as "hers" again and has not driven it since. It was that night that I started making plans for the LS2 swap. I wanted modern EFI so that I wouldn't get stranded in the cold-the 400 hp was just an added bonus! Funny how the car bug bites and bites back.

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