Who was your mentor?

MONC440

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So I’m interested in who got you into car’s, who inspired you and taught you about car’s.

For me I never had a chance. My dad was one of those guys with motor oil in his veins. I was born in 72 and we had a dairy farm but my dad’s passion was drag racing and hot rods. In the 70’s the local drag strip, Onondaga Dragway, was only 6 miles from the farm so I was going to the strip before I could even remember. He and my mom campaigned a 65 Plymouth up until the strip closed in the mid 70’s. Then they joined the Mid Michigan Street Rod Association and he started building rods. On the farm I was my dad’s shadow and learned how to fix almost everything. He taught me to love God, family and country.

In the mid 80’s he turned an old hog barn into a body shop and we built all kinds of hot rods and muscle cars. I learned everything about cars from my dad and had years of bonding time with him in that shop. He closed the body shop in the mid 90’s but continued to work on his own stuff. He always had a rod to drive and was always working on the next one.

I took what I learned from my dad and have worked in the automotive industry for 25 years.

In the last couple of years his health was failing and he couldn’t do what he loved as much as he wanted. I lost my dad this week. He died in his sleep at home.
 
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I work as a auto mechanic and I grew up watching and working with my dad who has a auto repair business. I went into the Air Force, was a B-52 crew chief and when I got out I started in automotive and been doing it since. I work for a small family owned shop. My dad is past retirement age but still works at his shop to keep himself busy. I live about a hour away or we would probably work together.
As I said in your other thread, I am very sorry for your loss.
 
So I’m interested in who got you into car’s, who inspired you and taught you about car’s.

For me I never had a chance. My dad was one of those guys with motor oil in his veins. I was born in 72 and we had a dairy farm but my dad’s passion was drag racing and hot rods. In the 70’s the local drag strip, Onondaga Dragway, was only 6 miles from the farm so I was going to the strip before I could even remember. He and my mom campaigned a 65 Plymouth up until the strip closed in the mid 70’s. Then they joined the Mid Michigan Street Rod Association and he started building rods. On the farm I was my dad’s shadow and learned how to fix almost everything. He taught me to love God, family and country.

In the mid 80’s he turned an old hog barn into a body shop and we built all kinds of hot rods and muscle cars. I learned everything about cars from my dad and had years of bonding time with him in that shop. He closed the body shop in the mid 90’s but continued to work on his own stuff. He always had a rod to drive and was always working on the next one.

I took what I learned from my dad and have worked in the automotive industry for 25 years.

In the last couple of years his health was failing and he couldn’t do what he loved as much as he wanted. I lost my dad this week. He died in his sleep at home.
First, sorry to hear about your Dad. I lost mine 29 years ago and miss him and still miss his advice. It took me years to remember not to pick up the phone and call him when I had something that I knew he could help me figure out.

He was my mentor on a lot of things... He was an electrician by trade but always worked on his own cars along with about everything else. His back was very bad from an industrial accident in the 30's. The garage door became a real issue and he solved it by building an electric door opener... And this was way before they were common. His solutions for problems were always thoughtful and there was always a lot of "why didn't I think of that?" from folks outside the family. Want to put a tire and wheel on without making your back hurt even worse? Stick the breaker bar under the tire and lift it into place using leverage. He was the example of "work smart, not hard".

I can't not mention his mentor though.... Someone I never met, he died young, but I have his desk and a few books. His uncle Harry (by marriage) was someone that he admired greatly and taught him a lot. My oldest brother was named for him.

So, walk into your basement or closet and pull the chain on the light fixture? My Dad's uncle Harry invented that. His name is on several patents from Pass & Seymour.

I also have to mention Onondaga Drag Strip. I live in Onondaga County, but it's in New York State. I had to look it up and Onondaga, Michigan was named after the local (to me) Onondaga tribe, part of the Iroquois Nation and the town was settled by people from the New York State and New England areas. So, a little history!
 
My first real recollection of a specific car was in 1953. I was 6 years old. My parents were shopping for their first new car at a Dodge dealer. They were busy with a salesman and on the showroom floor was a new, 53 Dodge convertible. Splendid in red. I still remember walking around it.... The chrome wire wheels, spare, (also with a wire wheel), on the back bumper, the wide white walls, all the chrome. I could not understand why my parents were not taking that one, I pleaded.
They did buy a two tone blue Coronet 2 door sedan.

Years later, in high school, I had a auto shop teacher that I remember to this day, Mr. Finny. (even if I shipped school I still showed up for auto shop). He was my greatest influence. He made things easy to understand. THANKS Mr Finny.
 
Wish I had one. Me Myself and I.
My Dad was a Commercial artist from London UK. He never understood my passion for cars and Mopar specifically.
I'd watch neighbourhood motor heads, go hang out at service stations, used to be one on ever block. I was the kid making chopper bikes for friends, building ramps and jump bikes.
Friends were off playing sports, I was wrenching or hanging out somewhere. American Graffiti really fired me up. My dad was always making stuff for our house, always did his own home repairs, etc... He would often wake my brother and I up to watch late movies like the bullitt chase, not complete movie but the exciting scenes.
 
Like most of us here it was my dad. He owned a taxicab company, but man was he a gearhead. He would always take us kids out and open the car up. How can any kid resist the sound of a four barrel opening up. He passed away back in 1979, and what I wouldn't give to go for another ride with him.
 
Grandpa and Dad were the reason I have this addiction! Grandpa built a body shop/mechanic shop in 1946. The same building that my Dad and I spend our weekends messing with old cars.

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So I’m interested in who got you into car’s, who inspired you and taught you about car’s.

For me I never had a chance. My dad was one of those guys with motor oil in his veins. I was born in 72 and we had a dairy farm but my dad’s passion was drag racing and hot rods. In the 70’s the local drag strip, Onondaga Dragway, was only 6 miles from the farm so I was going to the strip before I could even remember. He and my mom campaigned a 65 Plymouth up until the strip closed in the mid 70’s. Then they joined the Mid Michigan Street Rod Association and he started building rods. On the farm I was my dad’s shadow and learned how to fix almost everything. He taught me to love God, family and country.

In the mid 80’s he turned an old hog barn into a body shop and we built all kinds of hot rods and muscle cars. I learned everything about cars from my dad and had years of bonding time with him in that shop. He closed the body shop in the mid 90’s but continued to work on his own stuff. He always had a rod to drive and was always working on the next one.

I took what I learned from my dad and have worked in the automotive industry for 25 years.

In the last couple of years his health was failing and he couldn’t do what he loved as much as he wanted. I lost my dad this week. He died in his sleep at home.

Sorry to take this thread a bit sideways, but the mention of dairy farm in Michigan put me in mind of an old Mopar buddy who I have not seen for years. His name was Jim Droscha and he owned a 1970 hemi Roadrunner. He used to sell car parts as an agent for some shop in Lansing as I recall (but this memory could be faulty as it was 40 years ago). Jim's family owned a dairy farm in mid Michigan. Just wondering if you know (knew) Jim. If I were a guessing guy I'd say he was a few years older than me, perhaps 65 or so.
 
I am 54..my mom says I was naming off cars when I was 2.
Both my dad and uncle were mechanics.
So I was the wrench monkey in our driveway.
Everybody said I would be a good mechanic someday but both dad and uncle discouraged me saying its a thankless job and your body will suffer in the end.
Even though I was in the auto service industry, I made wrenching my hobby and passion.
Growing up our neighbourhood was full of cool cars and I would hang out in garages as the owners were working on their rides. I was a kid in an adult world.
One man Tom Basha saw my interest and after supper on school nites and weekends I helped him with his Model A Fords or Stovebolt Chevies.
He taught me the difference in "nice junk" and POS. LOL Also the order of how a restoration process should go.
Now the Mopar connection...Most of my relatives had Mopars. My Aunt always drove big Chryslers. When I was 10 she had a 68 300. The feeling of being pressed into the seat as she stomped on the 440 never left my brain.
It was always my dream to restore a car but could never afford to do so. Also bought, drove and scrapped cars that were either too nice or too far gone.
Back to the "Nice junk" theory.
Thats when I got the Boab and took 12 years to make history.

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Certainly my father, I’m sure in many ways he was no different than anyone else’s dad, but to me! He was the cats ***. Lol I wish she was still here to talk to…

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From the day I was born, I was destined to be a car guy.

My dad was never a stereotypical car guy, but always supported me in my endeavors.

I started in the trade working on cars and light commercial and have had a great career. I moved to Truck and Coach last year and absolutely love it.

In the last few years my dad has really come around to cars, it's been a way for us to get closer and it's been great. He's helped me do everything on my stuff and his. Being off work last year and home, I had his car in my shop, dad came over everyday and spent the day working with me.

The older I've got the more I've come to appreciate my dad and all the sacrifices he made for myself and my siblings.

I created a bit of a monster as he wants a second hobby car now.

I've had a few mentors in the trade, but my dad's always been the one to give me the advice I needed.
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Sorry to take this thread a bit sideways, but the mention of dairy farm in Michigan put me in mind of an old Mopar buddy who I have not seen for years. His name was Jim Droscha and he owned a 1970 hemi Roadrunner. He used to sell car parts as an agent for some shop in Lansing as I recall (but this memory could be faulty as it was 40 years ago). Jim's family owned a dairy farm in mid Michigan. Just wondering if you know (knew) Jim. If I were a guessing guy I'd say he was a few years older than me, perhaps 65 or so.
I didn’t know a Jim but I was aware of the Droscha farm. We knew it as sugerbush farm just outside of Mason.
 
My Dad introduced me to a couple of men who mentored me.
A coworker who helped my brother and I get our 65 Corvair painted (8th grade by yours truly) and another coworker who taught me how to drive a stick, do 4 wheel alignments and slalom race.
My auto and metal shop teachers in high school also furthered by addiction .
In my career (flight test), I had a few, one being my department manager who told me that‘your mother doesn’t work here, so always start looking for your next assignment as soon as you can’…
 
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