Let me tell you about my dad! When I was a kid he was really mean. He even made me buy my own bicycle. He was so mean he actually made me do chores to EARN my paltry allowance of 50 cents a week. (Oooopps) Showing my age a little there!
My dad worked 3 jobs most of the time I was growing up. I begged and pleaded for him to buy me a minibike. He told me if I wanted one to buy it myself...... Can you imagine the cruelty of this man? When I was old enough to make some money of my own I saved enough to buy a minibike. It was my MEAN dad (who was usually dog tired) that would load it up and take me to the local riding area. And when something broke it was my MEAN dad (still tired) that coached me and taught me how to repair things on it. Anyway, I really did think my dad was mean back then. I didn't realize however that along the way he was teaching me some valuable lessons in work ethic.
Now as a father myself each day I realize more and more the precious gifts he really gave me instead of material things. He taught me how to be self-sufficient, he taught me work ethic, he taught me how to save for something if you want it bad enough.
My dad is retired now. Now its is my turn to teach him. I can be pretty mean too. For a while I forced him to ride my ATV. Only once in a while though. Just enough to let him get a taste of it. When he wanted to use it more often I told him if he wants one, then buy it himself. Well guess what! He is on his 3rd ATV now and he is 75 years old! What a great feeling to putt through the woods together and enjoy the good things in life. I hope the pleasure he gets from it is as much as the pleasure I get from seeing him do it.
Thanks Dad for all the things you gave me in life that you didn't have to pay for!

 

Greetings,

Nope, never had a Hemi -- and in fact I don't think we ever even sold a Hemi. Despite their incredible capabilities, Hemi cars were a lot of trouble to maintain. I remember one guy saying its like adopting a baby.

And my father generally avoided cars that looked like trouble. In 1970 he ordered us a Superbird -- the NASCAR Plymouth with the wing and the nose. They had to build two per dealer to qualify for the track and you were supposed to take at least one (this one was white with a 440 4bbl -- worth at least $40K today). Anyway, the truck driver ripped the wing off while backing it off the truck and he told him to just put it back on and send it to the car bank -- looked like trouble.

He didn't even like selling performance cars because they had a tendency to get repossessed for lapsed payment, plus they brought along a lot of warrenty work due to abuse. He concentrated on the heavy iron -- Chryslers and Imperials -- which had a higher margin and a more solid clientelle. He said you couldn't make any money on a Barracuda given the dealer invoice and that selling Dusters was a complete waste of time given the pricing. And never sell anyone a purple car -- it will eventually turn into a trade-in you can't sell. Things were different back then.

 

I owe everything to my dad(and mom but that's not for this post). He taught me the values I still beleive in today. I even followed in his footsteps for a career choice. It didn't hurt that he looked just like my hero Dale Earnhardt. I learned some tuff lessons from him but I always survived to do better than I did before. I'm a teacher now and there's not a day that goes by that I don't see or hear from a kid who didn't have the fortune of an at home father or just someone who loves them and tries to do what's best for their future. My girlfriend's father died two years ago when she was 20 and she misses him a ton. Sometimes it shows and at times it doesn't. It's a fine line. He was such a great man/father that took 4 police cycles and nearly 4 miles of cars lined up for his funeral. I can only hope there will be that many people I touch in my life to say I was a good man/father. I know I miss him and he wasn't even my dad. Dads rock.

 

Yes my dad rocks too. Taught me to ride on his bike, bought me my first bike and then i bought the rest. We have always had dirtbikes, snowmobiles, and jet skis. He also taught me everything i know about mechanics. He also gave me his 1979 Bronco which he bought new in 78. Together we have almost fully restored it.

 

Yes my dad rocks!Even though he is ALWAYS a grouch.He is actually kinda mean but I still love him.And try and get along with him.But he tries to be nice.he works everyday to put a roof over my head and feed me.He also bought me all the qauds I ride and tought me to ride and fix them.I hardly ever ride though because I am afrid he will yell if I ask him.If my room gets dirty he wakes me when he goes to work to clean it.I don't know if he is trying to teach me something or he is just mean.I don't know.he is mean to everybody though!

 

My dad & mom have done more for me than I could ever imagine. My dad & mom bought me a 110 3-wheeler when I was seven. My dad had to sell his only shotgun, a 12 gauge Ithica, to pay for it. I rode it constantly. He actually would be upset with me, because as he tells my wife the story now, everytime he came home he would wonder what would be broken on it. He worked as an electrician, troubleshooter, etc. He didn't want to have to do it at home. Of course, it was him that welded the hub to the axle after I stripped the splines off of it. It was him that fixed the recoil pullstart. It was him that took me to the hospital after my first atv laceration, lol.
Then when I turned 12, my folks bought me a 200s 3-wheeler. Yes, I was spoiled & didn't know how bad. Another atc that was ridden into the grave. I was hooked on atving. My dad worked a lot, more like all of the time. We didn't go hunting or fishing, or play much ball. But he did everything he could to give me the things that I wanted. And my mom would sacrafice things that she wanted for my sister & I.
In 1994, I was finally able to buy my own quad. A new 300ex. What a ride. Guess who was there when I started researching and adding modifications? My dad. In went a 12:1 piston, cam, valve springs, etc. In 1998, I bought my Banshee. Guess who was there for me to plan my mods with? My dad. And he was there when I got my motor back from Trinity. And he was there helping me jet the carbs and replace the clutch. Anytime I need help on it, he's here. He lives an 1'30" away, but if I called him right now, he'd be here and my mom too. He's even gone to most races with me, which is the single most important thing to me. I love going to races with my dad. He has a 1966 Ford Galaxie, 428 Cobra, 4-speed, that was his pride & joy. When I was young, he took me to the drags with him.
There is just so much stuff that my parents have done for and with me. What can I say but "MY DAD AND MOM ROCK!"

 

ok...you guys are getting me all teary-eyed! i am so glad to see people who appreciate their parents! i just hope that my children will talk of some day! keep the stories/comments coming! sniff...sniff!