Round trip from my house to the seniors home was an hour ten minutes and I burned about 1/4 tank of gas.
Mr Veinot the 99 year old gentleman had a lovely ride. I took him around for quite a little drive around new subdivisions and secondary roads. Every now and then when I would shift from low to high he would go woo hoo. I think he was having fun. In the parking lot I let him drive it a few feet as well. He still remembered how too. He turn's 100 in September 2014 and I told him I would pick him up on his 100th birthday. Now I have to make sure the car stays working well for that day. Lovely fall summer day for a drive as well. What a wonderful day.
I'll try to add a couple pictures.
There aren't many folks around anymore that knew these cars when they were new and everyday transportation. What a wonderful thing to do.
The look on his face shows all you need to know. For a moment it's not 2013...it's 1927 or 28 and he has his whole life ahead of him.....
Thank you. And congratulations.
It is wonderful what you have done.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
That's a great story and very thoughtful of you.
Thanks:
It was a great day weather-wise as well. I would've gone a bit longer but I think his daughter and granddaughter would worry about him leaving with a complete stranger. It was a great day overall and a nice summer-end drive.
For a short time, he realizes that the days of his youth are not lost and forgotten. We all need to do more of this. It won't be long before you can't find anyone who remembers these cars from new.
Dave I'm with you. I've talked to a few car show members and they visit seniors homes but the seniors are wanting to see older cars,not the 50's and 60's,and even 70's which are at the shows these days
We should definitely make the effort. it's very rewarding, like someone said, better than trophies.
I think the rest of us will help you remember to be there Enos. What a kind and generous gesture.
I once visited with a very sharp fellow in a nursing home when I went along with my wife delivering Christmas cookies. He told me that his family's first car was a 1912 Buick. He went on to talk about the tribulations of the early cars; a very enjoyable time although a short one. From his appearance and vigor I mentally placed him as being an unusually hearty 75 years of age. As I was leaving I saw a birthday card to him displayed on a shelf: "Happy 100th".
I have a dear friend who is 96 years old and this summer I took him to dinner in my '27 Touring. He smiled the whole way to and from dinner. The next morning I met him for breakfast and he talked at the table about riding the "fliver" the night before. Others didn't know what he was talking about but he and I had a great conversation. He started to drift back in time about being a young boy and how his mother would take them shopping in the "T" and he went on and on. I loved every minute of it.
He had some health issues this summer and now that I saw your thread Enos I'm thinking of taking my car and heading down to his nursing home and taking hm for another ride.
Enos'
Proud of you man!
Don't forget the 20 and 30 year olds too. When you can. I was 14 when I had my first ride in a T. 1918 Roadster. It was unreal! I was use to scooters, soap box derby cars, bicycles, and a few "REAL" hot rods I had ridden in too. The T talked to me. I gotta have one!
Why? I don't understand nor know why but it kind-of did. So you guys wondering where all of the young guys go who are NOT in your T clubs? The other thing that ruins or fraternity is "club clicks". When people seem shut out they in order to SAVE FACE walk away and do not return! I have seen this MANY times! Some of us are the Know-it-all types when it comes to our T hobby. That's so sad!
There are young people out there wanting T's. YES! There are.
I was at a sale the other day and practically no one spoke to me. I ran into a 40 year old fella I've known for a long long time. In fact his father was one of the original club charter members for our local club. He had left because of the power players he said. Wow! I asked the young man why he was at this sale because he doesn't drive our original cars? He replied, "You know all these geezers are dying and we're (his friends) buying up their stuff to build cars and we're makin hot rods out of them!" Again SAD! But true!!!
So if we want to survive T guys...
Give those inquisitive young people rides too. Tell them that they can buy one of these like we all have done (along our lifetime)too. And some of them really reasonably. Keep talking to them and show them what you know that they "could" do. I started out with those black (rusty) Fords too. In fact it was club member's snobbishness that got me into the brassys. I got tired of the BIG boys together and me just being a nobody T owner. That started me on a brass T learning spree (long before From Here to Obscurity) and I started being the FAST guy in and out at sales. Buying all of the early stuff I could before the BIG guys came in. Pretty soon I had enough to build one of those.. or a... lets see two, no, three cars. It was the politics in clubs that did this. The no help from other T members in the local club. So that is why I take time with newbys. So they don't follow in my footsteps.
Again, Enos, Did great man! And I know you won't forget that fella on his birthday.
Again we need NEW blood too.