[Canuck]

This has been one of the best posts ever on this site. Besides reflecting on what we do with our kids it has given me time to reflect on how our fathers may have influenced our love of cars.
My father passed away on Feb 3 at 80 and I traveled 4000 miles to be home for the services. I put together a photo collage from the 1930's to the late 90's to reflect milestones and the things that were important to him. Having gone through 30 photo albums one thing that was obvious was dad always had his picture taken with one of his cars whenever possible. There were photos of him tinkering on 1930's Chevs as a teen in the 40's, standing proudly in front of his brand new 56 Dodge, and pumped up like a peacock in front of a 1968 Rolls Royce in the fall of 1971. The Rolls was not his,but he was driving it from Halifax to Toronto to sell it on behalf of his company.
Dad didn't do a lot of work on his own cars in the 60's as he was buying a new Plymouth or Dodge every 2-3 years depending on if he liked the styling. The buying decisions were:would he opt for whitewalls,a $5.00 option or the full wheel covers at $8.00.
His tinkering was limited to my moms car,installing a radio and antennae,or if the car was not running right,"must be the needle valve". I saw the inside of a carburetor when I was 10. When cars went to fuel injection in the 80's he blamed the coil.So the car work i did with my father was the minor stuff,take a rad out for repair,install a trailer hitch or install a radio.Since the age of 10 I was washing his cars every Friday night and waxing them once a month. I started doing the minor stuff on my Mom's Valiant in 1968 and bought my First car a 1968 Camaro in the summer of 71.
For Christmas 1971 he gave me a Chiltons Manuel which he wrote "To many repairs ahead". We did not think of the word restoration then.
Its been a great week remembering him and the timing of this thread has made it better. I hope I haven't hijacked it. For those of you who have not had the opportunity to work along side your children-go for it! It may be a short experience but it will be a lasting memory for both of you. And don't forget to take some photos and give copies to everyone.
Paul