Restoring Vintage Vehicles - My Father's Calling

Like many baby boomers, my Father recently woke up to find himself to be an old man of 70 years old. He is a wonderful, intelligent, nostalgic man of old school values. He does not compromise his values or integrity for any thing. His word is golden. He always says anything worth doing is worth doing well. Like many older American's he is struggling to find his place in this world as a retiree.

He has crossed many items off of his “bucket list.” He has climbed every challenging mountain from Colorado to North Carolina, lived in the wilderness out west for several months, swam in many oceans, obtained a pilot's license, and is now planning to hike the Appalachian Trail.

The son of Slovakian/ Irish immigrants, my Father worked for more than 40 years as a construction supervisor and his work led to many awards and publications in Better Homes and Gardens. He thinks nothing of it, he will tell you that he was just doing his job the way it should be done. His labors never led to financial wealth. He instead counts his family, friends, good health and nature as his blessings during this life time.

Still having a deep need to “fix things” as well as beautify his surroundings and items of nostalgia, my Father turned his skills and expertise to restoring classic cars. He can spot the most dilapidated vestige and see past the rust straight to its stunning potential. From tractors, classic cars, trucks, and Jeeps, my Father salvages the most unexpected finds and turns them into stunning show cars for sale. Applying his old school work ethic to these antiques, he leaves no detail neglected. He hand polishes every single nut, bolt and washer.. paints every single inch of his work with the utmost care. His vision and craftsmanship inspire me time after time.

My Father is a classic. His values are classic and part of a dying breed. Today, the value of someone's word means so little. Handshakes are limp and cold. People will compromise their values and beliefs to make a dollar. In the work place, employees dedicate the minimal amount of work needed to get a job done, mostly because their employer wants quantity rather than quality. Though he struggles with dealing with these types of people, my Father never sacrifices his values to make living in this world more comfortable. I wonder what this world will be left with when people like him are no longer in our society.

I am thankful for my Father for making me tough, instilling a deep love of nature with in me, for teaching me the value of a good work ethic.