What your Dad taught you,

[DangerousDan55]

I was looking at this post, seeing all the Great ideas & information, when I suddenly thought about my Dad. My Dad has taught me many things about life, marrige, guns, hunting, respect of others, & mechanical stuff.

So, I'll start it out on "what your Dad taught you"

I remember when my dad helped me build a home made mini bike. Well he did 90% of the work, but I had to be there helping. No help, no build! I didn't know he was teaching & I was actually learning. Well it was driven by a fan belt, & when finished, we cranked it up for a test run. It ran ok on the sidewalk, but, when going through the yard it would stop pulling. Got it back to Dad & he said go and tell Mom that we need some Caro Syrup. I said what for. He said just get it. So I came back with the Caro Syrup & gave it to Dad. He put some on a old tee shirt(shop rag) & rubbed it onto the fan belt. He said crank it up & try it out. So, I did. BOY HAWDY!! That mini bike pulled like a scaulded ape!
And that my friends, was the begining of my 50 years of motorcycles. Oh, also i was introduced to " belt dressing"!
God I love that man!

 

[awdblazer]

my dad taught me lots!! sure miss the ******, was 5 years on November 1st
what I tell everyone enjoy time with your parents

 

[rburke65]

My dad taught me many things, but one that has helped me numerous times was to always be aware of your surroundings....be observant. Love ya Dad....miss ya......

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

"Lefty-Loosey, Righty-Tighty".
"Measure twice, cut once."
Sometimes you can CURSE it apart! lol.

 

[NUTTSGT]

My step-dad is a retired electrician. I learned some of that from him. What I didn't learn from him, I could always bounce off him for advice.

 

[Thumper68]

My father taught me to fulfill my obligations, Respect my wife and love my children unconditionaly.

 

[dodge610]

I learned a lot of what I know off dad a lot of elec wiring. Car repair mostly motor work. Body work was a self learn and I am no wear near pro on that but it does look presentable when I am done. And I am sure that there is more that I dont remember what I forget I hit older brother up and he refreshes my memory. Just know 1 thing I still miss him its been 10 years.

 

[jd_1138]

I learned mechanics, general carpentry, etc.. My dad is a mechanic (still PT at 71). I learned manners, decorum, how to treat people, etc.. I think he learned this in the US Army and then passed it onto my brother and me.

I also learned that you get what you give. He would always stop to help stranded motorists. People he has helped out sometimes become his friends and they help him out sometimes.

A few months ago, we were at the grocery store, and a young Asian kid was having trouble getting his ratty old Civic (lowered, some hop ups) started. My dad went over and found a loose coil wire or something that was shorting out. Got the kid going again while I was in the store.

 

[thecj3man]

Dad told me to never stick my fingers anywhere I wouldn't stick my pecker. Still got all my fingers to this day.

 

[e-tek]

"Lefty-Loosey, Righty-Tighty".
"Measure twice, cut once."
Sometimes you can CURSE it apart! lol.

Brother!!! I found you!!!!

Seriously - same stuff!!


But then mine also taught me that drinking WAY too much kills your marriage, alienates your kids, destroys your liver, then kills you, leaving ruined people and terrible memories in your wake.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

My Dad has been demonstrating love, loyalty and devotion for all of my 48 years on this earth. Not by talking about it but living it.

The main advice he gave us was "Enjoy what you do and you'll never work a day in your life".

Mechanically he's a disaster - but he's got the other stuff under control.

Jim.

 

[rsanter]

My dad has fought me a lot in life...
Woodworking
House repair
Welding
Auto repair
Don't drink and drive
Try not to behave like an idiot


So in general....stuff I try to use every day

Bob

 

[ddowdy]

My dad shared this with me at a young age and at 23 years old I'm proud to say I can do many of these:

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
— Robert Heinlein, Time Enough for Love

 

[Slednut]

Way too much to list. I really miss him.

 

[Thruxton]

One of the greatest lessons for a beginning mechanic, "don't meatball it." That has saved my **** so many times over the years I can't believe it.

 

[creativecars]

My dad was a mechanic all of his adult life, but more than that he could fix and make almost anything. Being born in a time when you could not order it on line or run to the store and get it. My dad was innovative and could do a lot with very little. I learned these things from him and now try to pass them onto my kids. He could squeeze a dime until the silver would ball up. I miss him.

 

[marty_p]

Way too much to list. I really miss him.

You and Dan hit the nail on the head. And while Dad is up there with Mom now, I love them both more than ever now.

It took this puppy 44 years to finally open his eyes...

 

[inphx]

Dad taught me by example how to respect everyone i encounter throughout the day, and if you can help someone - then do it.

Also if you are doing a job - do it right.

 

[Ocho]

Get ALL the bolts started.
THEN tighten them down.

 

[bczygan]

To detest alcoholics.
Long gone (Age 54) and seldom thought of and never missed.
What a waste.

 

[teamarctic]

To be a hardworker and give a 100% in everything i do.

At 24 i have a degree, full time job in my field of study, a car, roof over my head and a beautiful wife whom i love and she loves me. Owe it all to my dad who has taught me so much and i hope will teach me so much more.

 

[DangerousDan55]

Dads other tricks & directions...
Hold the drop light so not to blind my Dad.

Home made impact driver- i rapidly tap the end of a phillups screwdriver while Dad turns to loosen.

Me & my now wife was bikkering. Dad says, " when somebody get tired of it, the party is over!"

If you took it apart, then there is No reason to beat the hell out of it to get it back together.

If it came apart, it'l go back together. So think it through.

 

[isdavyy4u]

Always have a sense of humor.

1. First thing he said on my wedding day was choose the side of the bed closest to the bathroom and that has the best view of the TV.....because that's the side you'll be on for the rest of your marriage.

2. Young men bath at night ....Old men in the morning.

 

[ddawg16]

What he didn't teach me, he taught me out to learn it....it was the little things....respect, honesty...the list goes on...

If only I had listened to his one advice....he would say "Johnny, if you're going to say something, think about it 3 times.....and then don't say it.".....if only I followed that advice.

I think it's important to point out that he is not my biological father....I was adopted at birth....but was treated the same as my older brother who was his biological son....and to some extent....I was closer...

God, I miss him....

 

[Bear]

To detest alcoholics.
Long gone (Age 54) and seldom thought of and never missed.
What a waste.

I resemble that - thank goodness for a grandfather who stepped in.

 

[Wood'nMetal]

My dad is a genius (like the book definition, not the slang) but probably the most important thing he taught me is often the experts don't know their *** from a hole in the ground. (His term!) He taught me that with some effort I can learn anything and succeed at anything!

 

[toomanytoyzz]

My old man (he'll be 76 next month) still yells at me like I'm 12 y/o when working at his bodyshop. I will get frustrated often (think Orange County Choppers without the film crew), but realize when he is gone those are the memories I will cherish the most. I love you dad!!!

 

[bczygan]

I resemble that - thank goodness for a grandfather who stepped in.

Grandfather was even worse!

Wish I had had stock in Blatz beer!

 

[mmhouse]

My dad could fix anything - and I mean anything. I can fix about half of things thanks to him. If only I'd paid closer attention!

He also taught me that when you borrow something you always return it in better condition than you received it. That's a good one to remember if you ever want to borrow something again.

 

[Responder]

My dad could fix anything - and I mean anything. I can fix about half of things thanks to him. If only I'd paid closer attention!

He also taught me that when you borrow something you always return it in better condition than you received it. That's a good one to remember if you ever want to borrow something again.

What he said!

 

[Hangar Pilot]

One of my Dad's repeated sayings to me was..."Use it for what it’s intended for and take care of it". That pretty much applies to everything. It's worked for me all of these years!

 

[Super Sport]

The biggest thing my dad taught me how to be a good father. He wasn't perfect, but he tried his best. He wasn't around long enough to see either of his kids graduate from high school. His first priority was always his kids, if only I hadn't taken that for granted at the time. If I can take away what I learned from him and be half the father he was, I would be quite happy.

He also taught me how to respect others, work hard, and enjoy life. He wasn't a gearhead and while he was a mechanical engineer, I didn't saw that side of him often. He is the reason I'm into cars however, which is how I got where I am today...

 

[mmhouse]

I almost forgot the most important thing, and I can still hear him saying it....

"The world doesn't owe you a living."

 

[Kevin C]

My dad trusted me. He let me do things, that in retrospect no sane adult would ever do. It was OK to screw up... To try and fail is better than not trying at all.

 

[tr4a]

My dad taught me the value of dogged determination. Sometimes that's all you've got. Wish he was still around. Fate truly was the hunter...

 

[dirtybiker]

My dad Passed away a few years ago. He was running a motorcycle shop for about 30years. After he died I decide that I would try and take it over. I kind of always planned to at some point; I just figured I would have more time to learn from him. With that being said I didn’t learn much about British bikes from him. But I did have other motorcycle knowledge. So when I figured out what I was doing it really felt like being in his shoes, and some part of me probably felt that he was just going to come back and take over where I left it. Fast forward a few years to this fall we (we meaning my mother, my wife and I) decided I would not be able to continue running the store. I loved doing it, but with my son just being born and working 3rd shift I was not able to put enough time into the store. The whole time while I was in the store I swear I would know what he was saying if I moved something or sold something probably to cheap.
I did learn a lot of other things from him also about life, love, gun, motorcycles, and cars.
(Your first car is like your first girlfriend you need to get over it.)
My *** ED talk was my favorite.
(If you get a girl pregnant I am going to cut your **** off) Well that one worked I didn’t have a son until after he died. LoL I really do wish my son could have meet his grandfather.
My dad also told me to use the right tool for the job.
I have gotten a lot of my personality from him, my humor, and practical jokes.
It’s funny that now after he is gone I am starting to enjoy everything that he was into even more. Politics, guns, motorcycles.
About 1 year after he passed away my mom let me have one of his T140 triumphs. I had it out a few times. I think the third or 4th time I had it out, on the way home I over revved the engine. Shattered the piston somehow it still made it home. At the time I had no idea what I did. I knew he would be have been really mad, made me fix it, and call me a dumb ***, probably without saying a word. It took me until I bought a new house with a good garage and a solid winter to rebuild it. But the happiest day was when I fired it up and started it on the first kick just like it did before I blew it to bits. My dad was always proud of his machines. Along the way I got to learn that he was not perfect and that was an awesome feeling. Some stuff that he did on the bike made me scratch my head and ask why? Also knowing the last time the engine was open was when he had his hands in there. I think he would have been proud.

 

[Scott H in Wheaton]

I remember Dad as a man of great honor. His second wife was the former Bride of Satan, but even after her true colors started to shine through he refused to consider leaving her. Stayed with her for 20 years because he promised to her in front of God "'Til death do us part". He did get an apartment a mile away and let her live int he house, which he would go to everyday to mow lawn, pull weeds, paint fence, whatever. She would have been destitute and had nothing, he wouldn't leave her. He was a stubborn man of honor. Retired USN Captain. Saw many times the respect he commanded when on base.

Worst and best lesson he taught me by example was if you smoke for 55 years you WILL ruin your lungs beyond repair, and it will take you several years die as you whither away, lose all your strength, become confined to a wheelchair, and feel like your chest is in a vise 24 hours a day while you gasp for breath like a fish on dry land.

But other than that, its all good.

 

[darkk]

You can do anything you want, and you can have anything you want in this world, all you have to do is work hard for it...I miss him...:'(

 

[egnorant]

"Start, Do it, Finish" If I asked for clarification he would add "NOW", "Correctly" and "Completely" to the phrase.

Always try to fix it, if you fail it will still be broke!

If it ain't in writing, it ain't a fact!

Buy and sell at leisure...hurry is expensive for the one in a hurry.

Fix it, get used to it or get away from it...problem solving 101.

Stop arguing when you are wrong, it confuses the hell out of most people.

He may not cheat ya', but he might just stupid ya' so count your change and check their work!

When admiring something that someone did, remember, you are someone too!

He also had some less deep thoughts like "Knowing when to run is a skill worth knowing".
Often run was replaced with "duck" or "walk away" or any of a million actions.

Bruce

 

[Bojans]

If we are talking mechanically the most important thing he taught me was "if you can figure out how it works, you can figure out how to fix it". If we are talking about all the other things I could never begin to list them all.