Can I sit in your car?

[Patrick L.]

Most are just fine and respectful, but, I've had some stick their kids in and spill their soda or ice cream on the seats.
A little bit off-topic, at our yearly 4th July breakfast at the airport we have the planes out on display. One year this jerk had his kid run along the wing and jump off the end. When I said something to him about it after about the third time the kid did it and the damage he had caused to the wing tip he had to start yelling at me.
A few can ruin it for the many.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by 1930 coupe

I was at a car show and people keep opening my trunk, it was full of tools and spare parts so I locked it with the key. Some big no neck grabbed the handle and pulled it clear off of the car, broke the shaft off. He mumbled something and threw it down and walked away.

I wonder if a nice grease coating on the handle would have stopped that guy?

I made a walking beam steam engine with a polished flywheel. I had it running slowly on compressed air, but people kept touching the shiny flywheel, which would leave rusting fingerprints. I repolished the flywheel and gave it a good coating of oil. This stopped some people, but not all of them. Seems there is something about shiny that makes people want to touch it.

People can touch my 28 Phaeton all they want and sit in it or honk the horn, but hopefully they do it when I'm around. A couple times I had to turn the lights off after someone turned them on. I was in a Goodwill store once when an announcement came over the loud speaker that an antique car had it's lights on. Another time at the same store I came out after only being in the store for 4 minutes, and found someone had stolen all my magnetic dash plaques from the threashing shows.
Respect for other people's property isn't always alive and well.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by eagle

There are jerks everywhere, including car owners. If someone is interested in my car I enjoy it. If they want a ride, or to sit in it, thats fine with me. I've even let some people drive as long as I'm in the passenger seat. I would love a trailer queen, and it would stop being a trailer queen the second it was unloaded in my driveway. It would at that point become a really nice driver that anyone could come over and admire/touch/sit in/ and yes maybe drive! I hate control freaks and I refuse to be one. Now don't get me wrong, your car is your car, but...My car is MY car and I will allow others to admire it all they want. The model A is very tough AND repairable.

I'm with you!!!

Originally Posted by Patrick L.

Most are just fine and respectful, but, I've had some stick their kids in and spill their soda or ice cream on the seats.
.

I have told parents that their kids could not enter my car with food, most have come back later.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by 1930 coupe

I was at a car show and people keep opening my trunk, it was full of tools and spare parts so I locked it with the key. Some big no neck grabbed the handle and pulled it clear off of the car, broke the shaft off. He mumbled something and threw it down and walked away.

If I saw him he would have been mumbling to the police when I knocked every tooth out of his head!!

[Tom from Drippin']

At every car show that I bring the '31 Deluxe Roadster, when I see parents with young kids looking at, and discussing the open rumble seat, I offer (to the parents, first) to help the kid into and out of the rumble seat for photos. I also tell 'em that "You now are probably the only kid in your school that has ever sat in a rumble seat." It brings smiles from the kid, his / her parents, all the other folks around, and especially me.

[ronn]

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Good thread with many valid points on both sides of the coin.......

I guess it comes down to what you've experienced. Good, bad and in between.

I too would be mad as hell if someone damaged my car and walked away!

society isn't always polite anymore.

[Mitch//pa]

can i sit in your car???
HELL NO AND DONT BREATHE ON IT EITHER
to much time, $$, labor and love for some ying yang to screw it up

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Had a sign on Minerva: YES, YOU CAN SIT IN MY CAR & IF YOU EVER "MADE OUT" IN A MODEL A, SEE IF YOU CAN REMEMBER HER NAME??-----Bill W.

[nhusa]

The A is not running so I haven't had it out but I use the T just about every weekend and have not had a real problem -yet!

I have done three car shows with the T and usually offer to let kids sit in it if they seem respectful.
I always make the offer to the parents and they usually insist that the child be very careful.
The only slight problem I have ever had was one kid didn't want to get out of the car, but the dad dealt with that very quickly.

OH ya- the T got a trophy at each of the shows - most likely because the judging was done by the spectators.
I kinda tilted things in my favor by offering to let some of the kids sit in the car, starting (cranking) it once-in-awhile, and spending time answering questions.

I have heard some of the horror stories and am waiting to find someone in my car when I return to it.
I'll just ask them where their car is parked. When they ask why I'll tell them that I want to go sit in their car.!
If they are fooling with knobs I'll add that I want to see what the buttons and switches do in their vehicle.

[rscardina]

I allow kids to sit in my car and take pictures. The smiles I get are priceless. However, I do see the other side of the issue being a concern. Whatever happens will always be something that can be fixed. I enjoy having people sitting in and taking pictures of my car. To me it is part of the joyful experience of owning something like this.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

A blind man & a lady comin' out of Bad Bud's Mini-Mart-----"I heard a Model A door shut"----"Introduce me to the driver"----After salutations----"What body style & color"?----"ALL BLACK, '30 Coupe, with RED wheels"----"May I feel her"---"Be my guest"!---He slowly felt out the WHOLE car----"OH! she's got 19's, black or white tires"?---"BLACK"!----"Whuts the sign on the R/H side say"?---"Minerva'--He chuckled!---I told him my other Coupe was "VERMIN"----"Why VERMIN"?----"It was one of the few names I could make by cutting up extra MINERVA stickers & I also have a RAT TERRIER, named BUSTER T."! After careful inspection, he held his hand on the horn---"Whut Brand"?----"Stewart Warner"----"Giv'er a blast"!
Some weeks later, the same lady, his Sister, came out of the drug store with 2 very young Daughters, the girls were taken aback with the car!----"Don't touch the man's car"!------"It's O.K. if they touch it"-After they looked all around the car, the youngest girl was standing at the L/F wheel & laid her body & out stretched arms over the fender & looked up and said, "Mother, I just LOVE this car"!!---I reached in the package shelf or my camera, but, ALAS, I only had my OLD Transistor Radio, (with 2 weather channels) & Art Yeager's (RIP, Art) OLD Big Ben alarm clock! Does anyone make a mount to put a Big Ben clock in a Model A?
YES! I'm "Wired Up on 2 BIG cups of JET-FUEL Coffee, (Thanks, Son, Mitch!) but my point is that I LOVE to have fun & share my car with folks!---Bill W.
(Another time at the same place, a group of about 9 High School kids asked if they could take pics. They popped out their phone cameras & even took interior shots, asked me if they could take engine shots, & LAFFED at my rubber chicken, in the trunk!!)

[Gold Digger]

I go along with #32. I try and watch about my cars, trucks and tractors at shows and see that nothing bad happens. Last week I was asked to bring something to the Pioneer Days that the school near by has each year. Usually I take a steam tractor but this year they have fenced off the playground where I couldn't run around on grass and couldn't play on pavement so I drove "Jellybean" my 30 roadster pickup instead. Each grade came by at different times and looked and asked questions. I was amazed at the respect and some of the questions that they asked, even the lower grades. I let them feel and handle it and blow the horn. Jellybean is a daily driver and not a garage queen, but slick and clean as most other modern cars. I was well rewarded by sharing my truck. I would do it again. I've had more trouble at car shows than anywhere I can remember and less respect.

[jkeesey]

My buddy has a 1919 Model T tourer and we have a competition every show to see how many kids sit in our cars. He always beats me cause I wander around after a while when he just stays at his car. His record is 27 kids at 1 show.

[700rpm]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

A blind man & a lady comin' out of Bad Bud's Mini-Mart-----"I heard a Model A door shut"----"Introduce me to the driver"----After salutations----"What body style & color"?----"ALL BLACK, '30 Coupe, with RED wheels"----"May I feel her"---"Be my guest"!---He slowly felt out the WHOLE car----"OH! she's got 19's, black or white tires"?---"BLACK"!----"Whuts the sign on the R/H side say"?---"Minerva'--He chuckled!---I told him my other Coupe was "VERMIN"----"Why VERMIN"?----"It was one of the few names I could make by cutting up extra MINERVA stickers & I also have a RAT TERRIER, named BUSTER T."! After careful inspection, he held his hand on the horn---"Whut Brand"?----"Stewart Warner"----"Giv'er a blast"!
Some weeks later, the same lady, his Sister, came out of the drug store with 2 very young Daughters, the girls were taken aback with the car!----"Don't touch the man's car"!------"It's O.K. if they touch it"-After they looked all around the car, the youngest girl was standing at the L/F wheel & laid her body & out stretched arms over the fender & looked up and said, "Mother, I just LOVE this car"!!---I reached in the package shelf or my camera, but, ALAS, I only had my OLD Transistor Radio, (with 2 weather channels) & Art Yeager's (RIP, Art) OLD Big Ben alarm clock! Does anyone make a mount to put a Big Ben clock in a Model A?
YES! I'm "Wired Up on 2 BIG cups of JET-FUEL Coffee, (Thanks, Son, Mitch!) but my point is that I LOVE to have fun & share my car with folks!---Bill W.
(Another time at the same place, a group of about 9 High School kids asked if they could take pics. They popped out their phone cameras & even took interior shots, asked me if they could take engine shots, & LAFFED at my rubber chicken, in the trunk!!)

Great story, Bill.

[eagle]

"can i sit in your car???
HELL NO AND DONT BREATHE ON IT EITHER
to much time, $$, labor and love for some ying yang to screw it up"


Wow! What a nice attitude! I suppose you hate Christmas too! Ha!

[mshmodela]

Keep in mind, we really don't own these cars, they own us, use us, and when we're 6 feet under, hopefully find some other human to tend to them. Maybe the cars call to the kids in hopes of finding a new owner one day

[C26Pinelake]

i find people love to get in the rumble seat and have their picture taken. I have many times used their camera to take their photograph. If it brings a smile to their face it can't be all bad !
Wayne

[mot]

in 1961 i used my tudor for all my transportation
and i parked it on the street
the neighbor kids used to love to slide down the fenders
it made them so happy
today i still have the same fenders with the same scratches
of course it wasnt /isnt restored
it was as model As were then
an old car
still brings back old memories
those kids must be near 60 years old now
and ill bet they still remember sliding down that old cars fender
think ill take the grandaughter out and let her slide on them

[Brian in Wheeling]

He'll, as long as I'm there, I don't care. It's not a show car. I just want to be there and for someone to ask first...is that too much? If you have show paint and interior, maybe different, but it ain't going to Hershey anytime soon.

Brian W.

[Terry,NJ]

I can personally vouch for Mitch..... He really means it with that Tommy gun!
No,...... I know Mitch and a nicer guy you're not liable to find. And his car isn't just first class, it's the ne plus ultra of mod. A s. He spends a lot of money on it. Every things perfect!
Terry

Originally Posted by eagle

"can i sit in your car???
HELL NO AND DONT BREATHE ON IT EITHER
to much time, $$, labor and love for some ying yang to screw it up"


Wow! What a nice attitude! I suppose you hate Christmas too! Ha!