Question: Does Reproduction Interfere With Your Car Hobby?

Editor

A lotta people be having babies. And while I can’t bring myself to take any interest in child-rearing, one thing I’ve definitely noticed about it among my friends and acquaintances is the extent to which it cuts into wrenching time. I used to know a guy back East whose crabby, neurotic wife would start demanding a baby every time the existing one began getting close to school-age—every time, he swore he’d get a vasectomy on the sly, but then every time, he’d succumb to his serial-impregnator destiny and wind up with another kid to deal while his project-car collection got to look more and more like a scrapyard. I mean, it’s hard enough to complete a project as it is—how are you supposed to make time for it when all of your non-working hours are consumed by the demands of a precocious infant, or of the stressed-out spouse who spends more time tending to it than you do? It’s true that kids can be trained to "help out" around the garage, but that’s much, much later—and it tends to work out a lot better as a bonding experience than as true homegrown labor. When you get right down to it, raising kids is an expensive, time-consuming hobby. And for a lot of people who work on cars, one expensive, time-consuming hobby is more than enough—the multitudes of car classifieds and eBay auctions that mention "new baby" as the reason for sale testify to that. So as a gearhead who knows that there’s no shortage of humans being produced, would you choose to have kids at all? And if you’ve already got both children and a car habit, how do you deal?

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Posted at 11:42 pm in Jen Dunnaway, Rants

Comments

Travis
Jun 25, 2008 at 3:21 am

last year I was driving around in a 67 Barracuda, A year later and thrid child, driving a Probe GT. Just doesn’t have the same luster. Now I know why all the best cars at car shows are owned by retired guys. They had to wait until the kids were grown.

Evan
Jun 24, 2008 at 2:28 pm

Kids are great, yeah they cut into wrench time but, by the time they reach the age of 5 they are totally the best helpers. Not a car wash goes by where my son isn’t out there with me. And as for finding time to do more tougher jobs, oil changes, struts, etc that’s when the monkeys go to bed and you get to go to the Shop.
Yes it’s a long road, yes it’s expensive, would I change a thing? NEVER!!!!

atomicalex
Jun 24, 2008 at 1:45 pm

My kids are my little helpers, just like I was to my dad. There is no reason that car habits should have to interfere with children and no reason that children should have to interfere with car habits. The only compromise I have made was putting off my dream Opel GT (2seater) in favor of my Rabbit, which is a four-seater. You know, the best way to make sure the family is down with the car thing is to include them. My mom has sewed interiors for several cars – she’s no welder, but she can stitch with the best of them. My husband is my sounding board – he’ll never rebuild an engine on his own, but he’s got a decent sense of style and as a musician, he’ll always be good for exhaust tuning!

tyler
Jun 24, 2008 at 6:46 am

That must be chip foose as a kid cleaning wheels!

http://www.tunerplaza.com

Stewart
Jun 24, 2008 at 3:06 am

I was driving a ’66 Olds 442 when my daughter was born.
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It had a 455 w/ 6 Pack, disc brakes front and rear, did a best of 12.95 in the quarter with street tires, and I had just repainted her black.
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The interior was a mess. It needed complete upholstery, door panels, head liner and carpet.
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My wife didn’t want our daughter riding in a car seat in the Olds, since the interior was pretty shabby.
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So…
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I sold it, and we got an Aerostar!
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That was a sad, sad day.
.
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After that, I bought a 1941 Chevy to make into a street rod.
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We had two kids at that point, and I was in the middle of a frame off resto / customization.
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Time and money were in short supply, so I sold it to a friend.
.
.
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Enter my current project car, the RoadMonster.
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It was purchased as a daily driver. My wife didn’t like driving
it, and wanted a truck. We got her a truck, and I took the RM for
myself.
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I soon discovered that all the Impala SS aftermarket parts would fit
the RM, so I did a few mods to her.
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Five years, and a whole bunch of money later, I have a pretty nice
RM that I take to shows and cruise ins.
.
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My kids are now old enough, that they are actually a benefit with working on the cars. My daughter is 20, and my boys are 17 & 16.
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I couldn’t have installed my headers on the RM without my son Rob’s help. He has long skinny arms, and he has been very helpful with things like headers, plug wires, etc.
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Also, Rob is an expert detailer. Seriously. I would trust him
in detailing a Veyron, he is that knowledgeable and careful with
cleaning and detailing.
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Soon, we will be getting him his first car, and I can’t wait to start modding it with him.
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All three kids love car shows, and they were very helpful and involved last weekend at a show, where, thanks to their help,
we won best in our class, and runner up for best engine!
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Kids are a lot of work, but they are very much worth the effort, IMHO.
.
Stewart

Chad
Jun 24, 2008 at 2:03 am

I have twin girls that are only 2 years old, I also have a 1968 camaro that Ive restored ground up. Luckily the camaro got done just before the girls came. But even if it wasnt, i have a very understanding wife who would still let me go to the garage, but the car would not have been completed near as fast as if the twins were here before it was done. People will always find time, the greats of the Industry all have kids, Chip Foose, john force (who by the way has all of his racing i think). Its possible, just gotta find time for both.

Heidi
Jun 24, 2008 at 1:49 am

My car is my kid. I don’t want a human baby. They take too much money.

Anonymous
Jun 23, 2008 at 11:46 pm

holy cow. I thought I got uptight about never having kids…ya know. One day I was smashing something on the car with a hammer (rust and lots of it). I was being quite serious… my little nephew comes over, I pay no mind. He disappears and comes back with a tiny hammer, and starts smashing the car with me. No one is born an adult.