Projects, Money Pits, or Molding a Man?

For as long as I can remember I have always enjoyed working on and tinkering with trucks and now cars.  I have lots of memories of my dad and me working on daily drivers to keep them on the road daily and on various projects that I have drug home over the years.  I look back on those days of my youth and see how important it really was that my dad took time to teach me the importance of working on and maintaining your own vehicle.  My earliest memories of working on vehicles was with my dad, not in a restoration or a modifiying sense, but because we couldn't or wouldn't pay a mechanic to do the things that we could figure out on our own.  I will always value the knowledge that my Dad has given me in all areas of my life but especially in autos.  He always took the time and had the patience to answer my thousands of questions. ( I just wish I was as patient and knowledgeable as he is)  I cant ever remember him getting mad at me for the things my curiosity made me take apart and not remember how to put back together, the lawn mowers and various other things I took apart must have made him bite his lip in anger.  In hindsight this is what made us so close, we enjoyed the same things and he took time to teach me, and keep me interested.  We are best friends to this day and he still comes over to my house and helps me with all those projects when I need and expert opinion.

     

 So when LeeAnn and I had Gunnar I started thinking back on all the great memories I had as a boy working on the family car or whatever with my Dad.  I saw that those things actually helped keep me out of trouble.  I wanted to have that same relation with my son.  I couldn't dig up a 64 Ford Falcon or a 75 Ford Station wagon so I kept my eye out for a cool project vehicle.  I have always been a Toyota lover and I have always wanted a 1985 Toyota 4Runner. (my wife didn't belive me either)  Since they came out when I was in highschool I have always liked them.  When I finally got the opportunity to get one it was ruff at best.  Tan with bondo and grey primer, my wife and son had their doubts.  Gunnar and I slowly started to shape it and figure out what we wanted it to be.  Of course my bank account wouldn't fund the grand ideas Gunnar had for it but we compromised and have built a nice trail capable rig, and we continue to test its limits. ( I will share pics of a little past its, or my limits later) 



 Gunnar has learned so much tinkering and watching me try to make since out of various parts laying before me.   He is always eager to use a rattle can of spray paint, to paint whatever he can get his hands on.  And the magnetic draw of power tools is more than he can stand.  To see him using an impact driver to put lug nuts on is enough to warm the heart of the toughest of rednecks.  Or to see him with a cordless drill with a circular wire brush attached to it cleaning rust of the frame of an old Ford pickup is pretty funny too, just picture big safety glass and a respirator on that little face, arms shaking away at the pull of the wire brush spinning at 1800 rpm's.  Or how excited he was at Christmas when he got his first toolbox from his Pa.

    All that to say this, I hope the small investment of all these project vehicles and the parts and goodies that go with them (less than the price of a new KIA) is enough to mold a boy into a man.  To give him the confiedence to take on challenges that he has never attempted before.  The confiedence in himself to do things on his own that most people pay others to do.  To teach him patience and pride in what he does, and to take care of the things he does have.  I want him to feel confident that if he sets his mind to something that he can achieve it.  I realize that I have big ideas, and high hopes of keeping him busy with projects to try to keep him out of trouble, to have his time and money focused in areas that will improve his life and not harm it.  Some people will not agree, or think that I am being silly, but a boy with interest and goals is better than one who is bored and looking for something to do with his time.
     I can only speek from my experience, and how well my dad prepared me for life by teaching me these things, while at the same time having fun.  My dad was so good at keeping me interested in working on old 4 wheel drives that it spawned into a hobby, and something I can pass along to my son.  I guess I never really realized it at the time but my dad was directing my interest and energy into something that would shape the person I am today.  He taught me that I have the ability to do whatever I set my mind to.  My wife brags on me all the time saying "Is there anything you can't do?", she is biased but I do surprise myself sometimes.  I can only say that it is because I had such a great dad, teacher, and friend that took time to teach me to belief in myself and not give up.