To all:
I started in this hobby with my father when he was a jobber and owned 3 Texaco stations (1959). Went on to engineering school 1968, he kept the stuff as he was interested too. When I came back to the hobby along with Bob Pettigrew (Arlington Heights Il (Mr. Sinclair) along with Jackie Knot)it was 1980. My father was right there with me. I like Jack moved tons of pumps GIVEN to me because my mother owned four farms and I could get past all the farmers. I loved the cash I was getting and also the rare pumps. Also at that time I again started collecting cars antique and muscle. Now this is where my story differs.
My son that is 26 now and daughter that is 24 are both in this car thing hard. She drives a 650 hp 99 Pontiac Firehawk (top tier trans am) he drives anything from a pro stock drag car to a rare 1991 GMC twin turbo Syclone truck. I drive my never out of the family 33 coupe with 25,000 original miles to the Univ out of our collection of 20 or so autos and maybe one of the other of 20 or so cars we are frtunate to "be keeping"! I could see times changing, them growing, built a very large 2 story garage 110 ft by 40 for the collections and put these two kids, me, their friends and our hobbies together. Thanks to doing this, I have my kids very interested in "watching out" for things dad likes and yet me being an old car guy from the 60s drag racing scene keeping them going in their hobby and being part of the pit crew for my son on the weekends racing. My biggest enjoyment out of all this at 58 yrs old is that my kids and I have something in common. (They even talked one night "who is going to get the garage and the "stuff" when your gone? I said JUST A MINUTE! Anyway for us it is not the money something ( I use to be like that) but the commaradary. To all whom have lost someone I am truly sorry and did not mean this post to harm anyone as I can't imagine that happening to us. I just saw my Amateur Radio hobby go down the drain with a bunch of old men and was bound and determined to get my whole family involved. Satellite radio , HD in the garage, other kids come over not in bars (we are in a college town) refrigerator filled with vitamin water (Don't laugh Tara and Lastgas) pop ect and maybe I am staying younger. As my mother and father always said to "we are the keepers for now, we are NOT the owners.
For those that just got the Matthews auction flyer about Don Fiedlers auction in Cedar Point Il (Lasalle) May 1st, here is a perfect example of what can happen. He has a successful business powder coating (House of Powder). Got divorced 25 yrs ago, his kids got mad and have not talked to him or sent him a card since 925 yrs) nor have ever come to see him in all that time. Now he has diabeties very bad, has a person drive him in his truck always. He told me in his truck the other day, "I thought my kids would want the collection Rob but they don't". Look at that flyer and imagine turning all that down and the good times those kids could have had with him and rememberences. Yes ,Don I understand and the unfortunate thing is they will be there for the money after your gone. Again, we are the keepers, my high is sitting out here in the garage at one of the computers with both of my kids, their girl and boyfriends (like right now as it snows like heck outside) and realizing what money won't buy. Take care everyone as my wifes sister at 45 has a double blood clot on her lungs tonite in an ICU ward in Charlotte amd was in what seemed to be perfect health yesterday. Enjoy what you have and your situation NOW as it could be gone tomorrow, it took me a long time, heart ache ect. to get to that conclusion believe me. Take care fellow "collectors or whatever we are. Rob
