Called my Dad yesterday to ask for a hand tightening some belts on the Hurst. He let me know he couldn't, he had to go to the doctor to get something taken off his chest. 23 stitches late.. and when told by the Dr to skip work that day, he said "that wont happen." Dad is a painting contractor and a car guy and as tough as a 2 dollar steak. He bought the Hurst for me when I was 14 and told me once I invested the same amount into the car as he paid for it, the title was mine. It was weird to hear him say "i can't help you", to know he is in fact mortal. Made me grateful for our bond as father and son and just wanted to say to the forum that if you're a Dad on CO, thanks from 1 son on CO.

 

Adam,

That was a very nice post.

If I could give you one bit of advice it would be to treasure the time you have with your dad and to remember the good times you have together. Strangely enough, my dad bought me my first car when i was 14 (1966 Tempest). I had plans on passing that car onto my boys however, Hurricane Katrina had different ideas for the car. But in the end, "possessions" are not worth anything. It's PEOPLE who matter and all the wonderful memories that you have with them.

Treasure today and your loved ones who are here with you.

Tomorrow is promised to no man.


Dave

 

I know what you mean, my dad (he is 87) and I have been close for ever and are best of friends, business partners, he's my investment adviser, hunt together and as I write this we are waiting for a diagnosis on a suspicious spot that came up on a x ray on one of his lungs. He has been bulletproof all his life but this could be a game changer.... We are only mortal for a while. ...Tedd

 

Tedd, i certainly wish you and your father the best with this.


I lost my best friend, mentor, hero and most of all DAD on December 5th, 2002 to Cancer. He was only 58 and had never been sick a day in his life. A lifetime of working in the oil refineries suddenly caught up with him.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss him or think about him.

Hopefully, my boys will say the same about me one day.


Dave

 

Know how you feel. My dad turns 70 this year and we work together everyday at our family business. In Aug this year during a routine test they found a spot on his pancreas. In sept they removed 40% of his pancreas and all tests came back negative but said that kind of cyst has about a 75% chance of becoming cancer in less than 2 years. Sometimes you get lucky, he is back at work and doing well. In Dec he is taking a 19day crusie with my mom.

Larry

 

I hope he bounces back quickly.

 

We got Pop's report back today and all is good no cancer, he is good to go(very relieved). Were headed off to hunt pheasants this afternoon, life will go on as we know it for a little longer...Tedd

 

Great to hear Tedd.


Dave

 

Adam, thanks for sharing. Treasure the time you have with your father. I hope he recovers from his doctor visit soon.

Tedd, that is cool that your dad is cancer free.

My dad (aka Oldsguy) is a cool guy but he is odd, he hangs out all day on this Japanese car forum... oh never mind it's an Oldsmobile forum.

 

What??????
NO WAY!

 

Guys:
I lost my best friend and the guy who taught me about life a couple of years ago, we were both working on major projects at the time, his was the 1928 Model A he had since were were just kids and mine was my high school car from, a 1966 Olds Cutlass. Both were major body off restos, he never got to finish his, I go back and forth between the two of them. If you think we work on hard projects, try finishing a Model A that you inherit in piles and not really labeled. There are virtually no assembly manuals out there to help and even fewer guys to give advice. I have gotten it to the point of a complete rolling chassis and ready for paint. Everywhere I look in the shop, I see something that reminds me of him, including the awesome selection of Bluegrass cassettes he had. So enjoy your father while you can, you only get one, so make the best of the time he gives you.
Thanks Ron

 

Thanks for that Adam, it helps to get a back to earth reminder for us. My pops is is his late 70's and was exposed in Nam. He was only recently granted full disability after years of health issues and being a prostate cancer survivor for about 15 years now. Only the last several years has he decided he can't do all the "man" things around the house and that's a little humbling to see. Just yesterday he called me from his cell phone (talk about pulling teeth to get him to carry it after I got it for him for Christmas) and I immediately panicked. But fortunately he had only locked his keys in the house. Still, I straightened things out at work and hauled a** that way. He called me a few minutes later a told me mom had gotten home and not to worry. If it were so easy. Here's to our dads.

 

Tedd, I had the same scare a few months back. Turned out to be some sort of calcification that is common in the midwest. Nothing to worry about but it scared the hell out of me!
Adam, my daughter (24 yo) helped me pull the engine out of our '71 CS two weeks ago. I remember her saying "It's cool how we bond over manual labor, lol.
One of the reasons I bought my '71 was that my Pop was an Olds man. He had a 65 Jetstar, an early 70s 442, and an early 70s Supreme. I lost him a few years ago. He was unconscious when I got there but he came out of it long enough to say "Oh, hi Tuck." He wanted to call me Tucker and called me Tuck my entire life. They were his last words. I just got my plates for the '71..."TUCK ###".

 

My dad's 86 now. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's last year and it has progressed to the point where he's too unsteady on his feet to do much walking. He apologizes to me all the time for not being able to help me around the garage and yard anymore. He lives just down the street and has always been around when I needed a hand. Kinda sucks that we can't really travel together anymore (too hard for him to get around and he's too proud to use a walker or wheelchair). We went to the Oregon coast when he was 81, he went to the Byron Olds race with me a few years back, and we used to drive up to Fort Drum to visit my son a couple times a year.
He always tells me not to get old, but I tell him I don't like the alternative.

 

Sorry if it is Sideways, Today is Dad's 54th birthday. He is doing great after his surgery. We took a trip to harbor freight last Friday and he let me know every thing is ok. That said I plan on doubling our fishing trips next summer. I'm hoping I can save enough money to surprise him by getting his 79 Impala painted for the next birthday

 

My dad and I have been very close and anywhere he went I went and every Saturday I go to his shop where he works and I work on his 77 pontiac or his daily driver what ever it needs. I remember as a kid growing up just watching him work and passing him wrenches and getting him a beer. It's funny how the tables have turned my skills have surpassed his now he gets me a beer and hands me wrenches lol. I think he enjoys it though . He had a scare a few years back and although my dad isn't a man of many words the look on his face told it all. I take any opportunity I can to spend time with my dad. One thing I miss the most about living at home is just talking cars as we ate dinner. As he is getting closer to retiring he is geting more excited about his pontiac getting done which I took over the project 4 years ago he doesn't say much but I know he can't wait and he hints at me when I start to slack.