[NewMuscle67]

My wife and I just found out that she is pregnant! I'm so excited to be a Dad, but I think the reality has just set in, because I was outside looking at my project Falcon, and realized that it is once again going to end up on the back burner... All of a sudden the projects in the house that have taken a backseat to my car are more important. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here. Anybody have any wisdom to impart? I would love to find a happy medium, but I'm concerned it doesn't exist. I hear so many stories about how the car sat for 15 years after the baby came...

 

[Juan]

Its a great opportunity. Set the child down beside you while you work on the car. DO NOT let the child watch ANY TV. Its a marvelous and rewarding time. Savor it. John--Las Vegas

 

[kennymo]

ive never understood why people sell there projects after they have a baby. maybe they are already so broke that they shouldnt have had a baby in the first place or something. but i am not rich at all. im actually on unemployment making half of what i was making while working and ive built 2 cars in the year and 10 months that my daughter has been alive.

and i agree with juan, have the baby sit with you while you work on it, i did that with my daughter and now that she actually knows whats going on she comes up to me and asks if we can work on the car.

 

[ShotRod64]

kennymo had the same thought i did. Don't sell the project, you'll just end up having to buy another later on. That's if you have a place to keep it. When the girl or boy can park outside with you in walker or playpen or even can walk, have them right there with you. I was having a good ol time in the grease and oil by the time i could walk, granted my mom wasn't too thrilled, especially when i decided to take a bath in a big pan of used oil she still let me go out with dad. But being before pampers, that diaper went in the trash. lol

Babies don't mean you have to sell the projects and be the TV dad, just be yourself, love them and just be a dad. Babies don't care if they have the best crib or nothing else, they just want food, burped when real little and clean diapers and i suppose, a bath now and then.

And congrats to you two being pregnant!!!

 

[dennis112]

Congratulation. Glad to hear that you are excited about becoming a father.

Keep the car if possible, even if it sits for 15 years. Someday you might want to make it a father/son project. Heck, you don't even need to wait that long. Case in point, here is my youngest son helping me sand on the tailgate of my 68' GMC:

That son is now full grown and has 2 young sons of his own. I can still vividly remember this hot sunny Italian day (we lived there at that time) that he was helping me and yet that was over 2 decades ago. He is also still fond of the same GMC (which I still have) and has specifically asked for me to give it to him someday.

I've owned that same GMC since I was a teenager (over 38 years ago) long before I had a wife and 3 kids. Just wanted you to know there are those of us who manage to keep our projects and raise kids too.

Cars can make good family memories.

Good Luck!

 

[ford4v429]

Keep any projects, get plenty of pics of projects with kiddo... Someday those pics will mean a lot to both, and the sentimental value just grows...my 69 mustangs been sitting 27 yrs now, oldest sons only 16... We'll get after it one day. 16 yr olds mark vii almost finished, 14 yr old going to start on a 78 ford pickup soon...13 yr old and 4 yr old don't have plans yet, but someday the mustang will get on the front burner
Tim

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

Back in the olden day's, before my daughter was a Purple Arabian Princess and before I was a Biker Dude

Long before she became the greatest musician in the world.

I pulled my little girl around the streets of Menwith hill Station Harrogate North Yorkshire in a Pink Wagon and we fixed all of the broken fences... She was almost 3 1/2 years old when this was happening....
(dammitt... NO PICS of her & wagon but this is her at the same time...)

Then I only wished I could afford to have an American car over there...

Anyway, I kept hoping an hoping, and then This came along.

And it became this....

then finally this....

Which would NEVER have been as rewarding in it's doing and completion if it weren't for this little lady right here....

Have that baby and let her or him help you out! Get them in a BERZILLION photographs and BACK them ALL up every week on a zip file or separate un-corruptable hard drive and enjoy being broke but happy

 

[arnoldtx]

Congrats but you have to sell the projects!

 

[montybrown]

I have a baby boy due any day now!!! It is my first child after three
miscarriages so I can share in your excitement !!!!!! I'm just going to back burner my mustang for a bit....

 

[montybrown]

If your wife is anything like mine she doen't care if I work out in "our" garage, but when I leave the house and go do something thats where it becomes a issue....I guess if I'm a few steps away all is good .....I have been painting rooms, putting together all kinds of baby stuff and the mustang dosn't seem to mind at all....

 

[Arabian454]

My wife and I just found out that she is pregnant! I'm so excited to be a Dad,

Congratulation,

but I think the reality has just set in, because I was outside looking at my project Falcon, and realized that it is once again going to end up on the back burner... All of a sudden the projects in the house that have taken a backseat to my car are more important. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here. Anybody have any wisdom to impart? I would love to find a happy medium, but I'm concerned it doesn't exist. I hear so many stories about how the car sat for 15 years after the baby came...

Yes, there is a happy medium. And it may surprise you.
Everyone handles it differently.
For me personal car projects came almost to a halt. And it was my choice.
Being a father was a BLAST. Still is but kid is now grown, doing the college thing, and starting his own life. So I don't see him as much as I would like to.
Watching your kid experiance things for the first time is as they say priceless. You may very well find out that you are the one deciding and wanting your car to take a backseat to. School projects, camping, parks, kids sports, fixing wagons, toys, and bikes, etc. etc. etc. list is pretty much endless.
If it takes 15 years to finish your car (although it prob won't) No big deal those 15 years are going to go by rather quickly.

Again Congratulation's to you and your wife.

Lou

 

[greggking]

Keep the wife happy, keep the project, teach your child valuable skills. My son worked by my side, in high school on my 64 comet,While he loves muscle cars,and 4x4s, he didnt turn out too mechanical, but did great in IT now 28 yrs. His daughter who I sat 2 days a week , worked on all things mechanical by my side. At 3 she wanted her own play toolset. at five only real tools wold do,So I got her a set of cheap tools. Now at six, she needs real things to work on.I had to fab her boxes with bolts and nut so she can use real tools. She says Papa can fix anything, and me too!...... Congrats!

 

[NewMuscle67]

Thank you so much for all the great words everybody! I had a real sit-down conversation with my wife and she told me not to sell the Falcon. montybrown kinda pegged my house pretty well, as long as I'm just farting around in the garage, she is happy. Lord knows she needs time away from me just the same as I do.My greatest dream is working on cars in the garage with my kids. I would love to instil in them the same love for FORDS that I have. I probably wont even get upset if my daughter brings home a Carmen Ghia or something to play with >_< My bigger concern right now is finishing all the projects around the house that I have back burnered for the Falcon.
I guess in the end none of it matters half as much as this little ball of joy that I am looking foreward to!

 

[ShotRod64]

My mom never went out to the garage much so no pics Wish there were though, especially the oily diaper event. lol
Only have a pic helping dad with some kind of saw and water skiing. Although nobody would know it was me he's carrying. My mom and dad went back to water skiing and camping when i was only 5 weeks old. They were boating/skiing addicts.

 

[montybrown]

sitting in a hospital in St.Louis waiting on this boy of mine to join us

 

[ShotRod64]

Hope has joined you by now!! Congrats!

 

[montybrown]

sorry to hijack the thread but meet the future owner of my 65 mustang!!

 

[Arabian454]

Too cool.........

 

[montybrown]

last one I promise

 

[cleverulz]

Congratulations!!!!!