About to head over to parents farm to get ready for big birthday bash tomorrow, my Dad, born in 1919, will be 94 years old tomorrow.
He bought his first car when he was 12 years old, (a 1924 Model T Ford he found in a barn covered with hay. He paid five dollars for it. He says wide open, it would run about 60 miles per hour if you pulled the throttle and the spark advance all the way down on the steering wheel till they met). He bought his first truck in 1937, (a 1933 Ford V-8 which he says would easily do 100 miles per hour). He bought his first tractor, (a 1933 Case Model C) in 1941, (it was in pieces and he and one of his brothers had to put it back together. According to him, when they got it, it still had the steel wheels. They cut these off and welded rims so they could install rubber tires and drive it from grove to grove on the road. He also said they replaced the gears in the rear end so it would run faster. He would tie a string to the carb so that while traveling down the road, he would pull the string back and the tractor would run at 45 mph).
Two of his older brothers, (one born 1903, the other born 1906) ran a garage that had gas pumps with the glass "tank" at the top and sold oil that were displayed in glass bottles.
He has worked around machinery and motors all his life and it amazes me to think of the advances he has seen in both engines and lubrication. Think of it, the non-detergent "SA" oil that no one here would use even in an old junky car was the norm when he was starting out.
He has seen engines go from magnetos to electronic, flathead to overhead valve, manual to automatic transmission, carb to fuel injection, splash lubrication to full pressure lube, poured babbet bearings to "inserts" as he calls them. When you think about it, it's truly amazing the things he has seen and witnessed.
As a member of the greatest generation, he has truly been the greatest Dad any son could ever have. Dedicated to his Church, his Lord and Savior, and his family. A man of tireless energy who as he says, "started out with nothing and still has most of it left." Happy birthday Dad
He bought his first car when he was 12 years old, (a 1924 Model T Ford he found in a barn covered with hay. He paid five dollars for it. He says wide open, it would run about 60 miles per hour if you pulled the throttle and the spark advance all the way down on the steering wheel till they met). He bought his first truck in 1937, (a 1933 Ford V-8 which he says would easily do 100 miles per hour). He bought his first tractor, (a 1933 Case Model C) in 1941, (it was in pieces and he and one of his brothers had to put it back together. According to him, when they got it, it still had the steel wheels. They cut these off and welded rims so they could install rubber tires and drive it from grove to grove on the road. He also said they replaced the gears in the rear end so it would run faster. He would tie a string to the carb so that while traveling down the road, he would pull the string back and the tractor would run at 45 mph).
Two of his older brothers, (one born 1903, the other born 1906) ran a garage that had gas pumps with the glass "tank" at the top and sold oil that were displayed in glass bottles.
He has worked around machinery and motors all his life and it amazes me to think of the advances he has seen in both engines and lubrication. Think of it, the non-detergent "SA" oil that no one here would use even in an old junky car was the norm when he was starting out.
He has seen engines go from magnetos to electronic, flathead to overhead valve, manual to automatic transmission, carb to fuel injection, splash lubrication to full pressure lube, poured babbet bearings to "inserts" as he calls them. When you think about it, it's truly amazing the things he has seen and witnessed.
As a member of the greatest generation, he has truly been the greatest Dad any son could ever have. Dedicated to his Church, his Lord and Savior, and his family. A man of tireless energy who as he says, "started out with nothing and still has most of it left." Happy birthday Dad
