My condolences Don, I lost my Mum four weeks ago, we knew it was coming for the last four years but it still catches you off guard when it happens. Your dad sounds like he was a fine man.
My prayers are with you to.
Sorry for your loss.
From what you have shared it seems like he was a great man and that you shared some valuable time together.
I ask that you cherish these memories and while it is still recent and difficult for you that you appreciate what you got to have with him.
I love cars and its from my dad that I do. He passed away when I was 12 from pancreatic cancer, it runs in the family sadly.
Growing up I've had to be a self-taught, self made man. (28)
My best friend lost his dad to the same thing last year, it sucks too because he just got his first house and just bought a corvette, something obviously something that every son would want to share with his dad.
While your loss is a sad and difficult one, I wish you the best through it and hope that the memories of your time with him will help to make it easier for you.
My dad had the same story. His dad died while he was very young. I think around 10 years old. My dad was self taught. His values were built on his military service. He raised my sister and I with his self taught values. (my mom was out of the story when my sister was born in 63)
My dad got me into cars when I was 5 years old. I was his gopher when he was rebuilding the 57 Buick Roadmaster right around 1963 .
When I was 12 or 13 years old in Cannon AFB New Mexico we just started tearing down the 62 Rambler station wagon for a complete engine overhaul. This car had traveled all over the world. It was purchased in California in 1965. Shipped to Germany and it drove all over Europe for a few years, back to the states for a few years then shipped to the Phillipines for 3 years, back to the states and driven to New Mexico. (we only had this one car at that time)
My dad had an accident with a power mower and sliced his fingers bad. Needless to say he wasn't going to be rebuilding that motor anytime soon and we were planning a leave to Wisconsin for Christmas. I asked him how he was going to rebuild the engine now. He just said, "Your it."
I did the entire job with the block still in the car. 196 CI inline 6 cylinder. He told me how to remove the head. I did a valve job on it. Pulled the crank and pistons. He took me to the motor pool where the machines were and polished the crank and cleaned the good pistons. (Had to replace a cracked piston)Replaced the bearings. I used a drill attached hone and honed the cylinder walls in the block. He had to explain how to put the rings on the pistons. I reassembled the motor. Replaced the clutch as well. (Rambler had a driveshaft tube where you had to disconnect the rear diff and roll the wheels back to remove the DS).
The motor started right up and he showed me how to set timing. He and I went on a 100 mile break in ride and it ran beautifully. 2 weeks later he, my sister and I drove the car to Wisconsin for Christmas and back to New Mexico without a problem.
My dad retired from the Air Force in 1976. We drove that car back to Wisconsin towing a trailer with our motorcycles in it. My dad gave me that car while I was in high school and it was still running great when I sold it to my autoshop teacher a year later. (the frame finally started to rust through and was not road worthy)
My dad helped install the motor in the RX7 as well.
These are the kind of memories I cherish with my dad.
