Advice for a New Father

Thanks a lot guys for the comments. Like all wives, well most, mine would prefer the project never existed. I love to get out there and play around. I am an amateur but enjoy working with my hands. For me it is about the process, not the end result. I am trying to do most of it if not all myself so I can step back later, even if it is not perfect and say, "I did that/ We did that?". My son will definitely be involved as much as he wants to be. Just wanted to make sure I was normal in not having any time to work on the truck. Thanks again for all the advice.
 
40fordpu said:
Hey guys. I am a new father at the ripe old age of 30. My first and it is a boy. He is 6 months but what I have found is that my hobby, has gone been put aside. Slowly starting to get back into it. What is your advice for a guy like me? I love the hobby but time is limited. How do you guys/dads do it?
Thanks
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For me old cars have never been a hobby. If it had been a hobby, I probably could not have been able to afford it.
Instead driving old cars has been a way of life for me for more than 45 years. As such, it is very inexpensive. I probably spend as much PER YEAR on a car as most people spend PER MONTH on their new car payment.
The newest car I have is a 1966 and I only have something that new because my parents died after owning the car for 25 years. I've had it 17 years but rarely drive it. I have driven my 1939 Ford pickup every day for 17 years and have numerous other drivers including my favorite, a 31 Coupe. You dont have to give up having old cars, you have to give up having a NEW car! (keep one for your wife, if you must)
I considered marrying a woman who asked, "What would I drive?" I suggested she could drive my 57 Chevy and she said she was concerned about breaking down. Meanwhile she was driving a Ford Escort that frequently broke down! With my 57 Chevy came a guaranteed tow truck and mechanic but she couldnt quite understand.

edit: I raised two sons after my wife left when the baby was three years old. Both boys have a working knowledge of mechanical things and the many renthouses I owned.
 
Properly install a child seat in the PU. On the warm Summer nights take him out for a slow drive around the neighborhood. By the time you get home he will be sound asleep. Later in life he will always wonder why that sound of that engine is so comforting.
 
you either make time for everything you do in life, or you dont.

your choice and you only get one life...........
 
Your car working time has have just been drastically shortened but that's okay. In three-year's he will want to help you work on the cars. Just keep buying the parts for now and spend your time with your son. My three-year-old grandson told me the other day to get off the couch and stop watching TV, it' s not good for you, let's go work on hot rods. I love that kid. You'll have to get creative while he is really small to get "anything" done. When my girts were babies I used to setup a playpen in the garage so I could keep an eye on them sleeping while I worked on cars. I was doing autobody work one day and when my oldest girl was able to walk, Megan took an autobody hammer and was hitting my 1966 Shelby GT-350 with it. right concept, wrong car. They watch everything you do and want to imitate you.

I have two grandsons now and I only buy them toys that are Fords and toys that shoot stuff. I never received a hot wheel from my dad that wasn't some kind of Ford. My first pedal car in 1965 was a pedal Mustang from the Ford Dealer. The Ford brainwashing begins early and I'm carrying on the tradition with the grandsons. My five-year-old grandson was going to San Diego with his family on the freeway and he said, "look, papa has three of those." He took a picture and sent it to me, it was '32 roadster with a flathead. I took the two boys to the local car show and Greyson said, "take our photo with that hot rod". He has good taste, it was a real '32 roadster. I figure in another year he will be able to tell me if it's a 21 stud, 59A or 8BA. When your son starts counting to 24 have him practice on head studs.

Future Ford Barners in training, age five and three. 200 cars and Greyson picked my favorite one to want his picture taken with. I had nothing to do with this, it was all him. There is a reward if you choose the right car. This is what you have to look forward to in just three more years. Each time you show your son an old Ford give him some ice cream. i it's part of the Ford brainwashing. I don't want to tell you to spank him when he see's a Chevy but that's up to you.
 

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I get it that it’s hard with kids and everything that comes with them
In terms of time sucks. Sports, activities, friends etc. All of these things and family is #1 priority. Job #2 to keep it all afloat. Hobbies priority #3. I Find plenty of time for my hobbies including my 40 Ford and other cars. Time management. They are off doing their 30 minutes of tv, I’m off in the garage. 30 minutes at a time adds up. They go to bed, in the garage for an hour or two a couple nights a week. Check out my build and see the progress I’ve made in 9 months. It’s doable if you want it. Take time for you too.

I keep it simple and try to accomplish one thing a day on my car. That could be spending g 2 minutes figuring out a bolt size or 3 hours when kids are in bed getting lots done. It all ads up!

My kids are 7 and 9.
 
Flathead Fever said:
Future Ford Barners in training, age five and three. 200 cars and Greyson picked my favorite one to want his picture taken with. I had nothing to do with this, it was all him. There is a reward if you choose the right car. This is what you have to look forward to in just three more years. Each time you show your son an old Ford give him some ice cream. i it's part of the Ford brainwashing. I don't want to tell you to spank him when he see's a Chevy but that's up to you.
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520441

Neat little guys...
520444


520443
 
Here’s my personal experience, make of it what you will. My dad had been a gear head going back into the ‘40’s. With 3 kids to feed my dad did side work on friends cars in the evenings and as early as 4 or 5 I was in the shop helping him (mostly getting in the way I assume) but by the time I was 6-7 I knew enough to bring the proper tools and such and I think I was a little help. But I was learning, boy, was I learning. My 2 younger brothers had zero interest in cars and preferred to watch TV in the evenings when I was in the shop. My dad passed unexpectedly when I was 18 years and all of a sudden I was maintaining the family cars. I treasure every moment that I spent with him, even now 50 years later. I have always been a gear head and that’s where it started. My (only) kid was a girl and I had hoped that she would take an interest and we could do a car together but it was not to be and my hobby was set aside for 20 years (but I’m back at in now). As I’m sure you are aware, kids always come first so you have to go with the flow. I tried to get a neighbor kid I tested but he could not tear himself away from his game boy tablet, go figure. Good luck and high marks for you, seeking out the advice from (the gray beards) older guys.
 
Well, my Dad hated old cars, and I knew every one in the neighborhood. I had to move out to buy one. Go figure! Newc
 
Keep your garage a safe haven that you can retreat from time to time because new mommies will have their support groups over all the time, there will be countless "play-dates" so you will need a spot that has not been converted to a diaper changing station or a quiet nursing corner. Trust me on this. You'll be out there staring at all the work you have been dreaming about, drooling over and fantasizing in your head. All the while all you hear are crying infants and Thomas the Train in the background thru the door on the other side. You will thank me brother, stay in your safe haven!
Yes be a good father and husband ........... but keep your safe haven.

P.S. I became a dad at 39, now with two children of 13 and 11, I have seen a lot. And my garage saved me.
 
sounds all good just keep their interest and enjoy them as they grow up [as mentioned trips to get ice-cream or just a Saturday arvo cruise all help] Dont think you will have to push more like apply the brakes a little and nothing helps like arriving at school in the COOL car infront of their mates P.S. get then addicted to Cams Carbs & Compression and drugs dont stand a chance.
 
Well....
This thread started in 2012. 40FordPU's boy would be 10 now ! Wonder if he's got grease under his fingernails yet.
Although I didn't bring my first project - a 52 Customline home untill I was 57, I always had hot rod mags lying around had mates in the game, went to the odd car show and no doubt waffled on endlesly about early Fords and always drove one.

One day when my eldest son was an adult he found one of his old "Dinky" toys in the toybox we kept around for the grandkids. It was a British Commer truck (Can't remember who bought him a bloody Commer- can't have been anybody on my side of the family !) So anyway he grinned when he found it because he'd pulled the fat wheels off some other little dinky toy race car and stuck them on the truck. He grinned at me and said something like "Ya could have nipped it the bud then Dad!" I replied that I'm glad I hadn't ! He's now got a BIG shed full of projects - rods, pickups, bikes.

His son, now 17 and 6ft 5inches is a 2nd year machine fitter & just dragged home a 79 F100 that needs a "little" restoring.. He was pretty happy when Grandad helped him fire it up for the first time in 8 years.
It's in the blood !
It gives a man a warm glow when his 17 year old grandson, is quite happy to give his old grandpa a big squeeze in front of his workmates and says "I love you Grandad".
....and I didn't have to work on it. It just happens when you do the right thing for your family.
(**** ! Was it really over 50 years ago when I watched hid dad wind and squirm his way out into the world ! Time moves faster every year! especially when you're so old that you've outgrown your wisdom teeth. Does that mean that I'm old, but not wise?:D

Mick

(From the land of the REAL Tasmanian Devil)
 
40fordpu...The best of luck to you. Since my teens I have had two things that have stayed with me throughout my years, the car hobby and a love for hiking/backpacking/travel. I scratched those itches pretty hard until my mid-20's when I sold everything and went to college which didn't end the travelling, but sure killed the car hobby for several years. I got married at age 30 and our first child was born when I was 34. With the age differences between our 2 kids, my younger was still in college when I retired at age 62 and we had one or more grandchild staying with us until I was in my early 70's. Cars were always around, some finished, some not, some vintage, some sports cars, a street rod or two including one my son drove to High School because it had a/c and a stereo. Motorcycles went away when my 4-year-old first child wanted to go ride with Daddy and I decided there were some things I did not want to have to explain to their mother if there was a calamity. Neither of my kids were or are into the car hobby. The kids had activities and sports, and both liked travelling. My daughter loved hiking and packed into the Rockies with me and hiked with me in the Smokies among other places. If I drove to Kansas to pick up another project that ended up going away, they grinned. I would tow the family car out to Kansas, and we would go spend a week in Colorado and then I would go home towing the project and they would head to Branson or Gatlinburg with my wife on the way home. There were lots of things for them to do that they enjoyed on the way to or from places like PA and WI and a week in the Upper Peninsula between Iola and Belleville made the car hobby fun for them even if it was not one of their personal favorites. I go piddle with my vehicles now. I took the street rod back apart to redo 6 years ago and have another project vehicle I have had for at least 20 years that I have been working on again now and then. Most of my time pre-COVID in recent years has been used to take my wife places she hasn't been before as we finally have time to spend with just the two of us after well over 30 years.
 
When my daughter was born I was halfway into my first body of frame total rebuild. Progress certainly slowed down. But I would spend an hour here and there as she napped or when she was out with my wife running errands or visiting family. I finished it when she was about 4 and sold it when she was about 6. It was loud, hot, and not really something we could enjoy as a family. It spent a lot of time sitting in the garage looking cool.

When my daughter got to be about 8 I bought another project and over the years built it to about the same state the one I sold was in. My daughter is 17 now and has went to every event or cruise with me in the newer project.

I still regret selling the original one to this day.
 
Find ways to include your kids in your hobby, and even more importantly... find ways to make it FUN.

Kids like ACTION. Some guys are into guns. They may be into bench rest target shooting. Kids will be cool with that for about 30 minutes, then get bored. If you want to hook them into shooting, bring out the metal targets, dueling trees, reactive targets, etc.

Similar tactics need taken with old cars. Not too many young kids want to go to too many car shows just to sit there all afternoon in the glaring sun. Once they've made a quick trip around to look at the cars, they are usually done. Build a cool wagon, pedal car, etc that THEY can set claim to if you want some real 'buy in' as they get old enough.

Good Luck and Have Fun!!!
 
Congrats on the birth of your son. I don't think it's an "either or" situation. I think it's an opportunity. Let me explain;
Children naturally want to be with their dad. Dads do neat stuff. In the case of my son and daughter and their children I used our hobby to stoke their intellectual curiosity.
 
Well, here we are 11 years later (from the original post) - would be cool if the original poster circled back and let us all know how it is going . . .
 
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