Where do these people come from? My laugh for the day.

[Willit Stop]

I haven't driven my '36 coupe much lately so I blew off most of the sawdust yesterday and went for a little ride. It was getting low on gas so I pulled into a station. As I was pumping the usual 5 gallons and adding 2 ounces of MMO, some guy in his twenties walked by and said "Whoa dude! Is that a real '56 Bel-Air?"
I said "Yeah. Man, you sure know your cars".
I guess I should mention that he was pushing a shopping cart full of tattered garbage bags and didn't smell too good.
Dumb as a fence post but at least he appreciated old iron I guess.

[stangblue]

Reminds me time to reflect and count on our Blessings! California is going through some tough times!

[Andy]

I was at a show some years ago and had a poster up trying to sell a 55 Chevy project for a very low price. It was complete with pictures and detailed discription. I was in the host parking lot and had the poster up. I was in my 32 roadster high boy and a guy starts really looking the roadster over. He finally makes an offer way below the asking price of the 55. I realize he is trying to buy the roadster and not willing to pay the 55 price. He was very put out I did not want to sell the roadster and said ,Why did you put a poster up if you did not want to sell it?

[scicala]

Unfortunately a lot of these type people actually vote and produce children.


Sal

[RalphM]

I have had some of those with a flathead at car shows, usually I’m the only one with a flathead there. Like is that a V-6? Then I really confuse them by having them count the plugs.
Or I didn’t know Edelbrock made parts for these old engines, then I proceed to tell them about Vic Sr.

[Willit Stop]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

B-O-B. I WAS in the right part of town. He was on the wrong planet.

[4dFord/SC]

I had a guy ask me to start the engine so he could hear how the 4bbl Holley sounded.

[petehoovie]

Had the Greyhound Dog on my '34 and was told by an event Judge to park with the other Jaguars....

[deuce_roadster]

Yep they are out there. I think I posted this once before but was at a car show with my 32 5w and 2 teens walked by, one telling the other that my car had a Corvette motor in it, and he could tell by the "finned valve covers". I just smiled.

[tubman]

I've told this one before too, but since we are telling stories, I had my Chrysler hemi-powered dirt modified parked on the main stretch of a dirt track after a vintage race a few years ago (we did that so the fans could come down and mingle with the racers and look at the cars). I overheard one guy telling his kid, "See son? That's flathead. You can tell because the spark plugs are in the middle of the head". He was pointing at my engine.

[bobwellsnoveltyshop]

I was selling parts at a swap meet in Indy and a couple of guys came up and started talking about carburetors and I said I had a 40 ford pickup and it had a MANA-A-FRE intake and carbs like the 32 JOHN MILNER'S in the American graffiti movie and the younger one said a what? and I said it had 4 two barrel carbs an he said you mean two four barrels and I said no it has 4 two barrels and he said you mean 3 two's and I said no it had 2 fours and he said they never made any after a while they started to leave and I said wait I have a picture of the engine and the man-a -fre, so I showed them the picture and I asked the young man how many carbs are on the manifold and he said 4 but they never made any??????? I guess a picture is not always right???

[Talkwrench]

Yes , it takes all sorts...
I probably wouldn't even lock my pickup [but unfortunately its illegal to do that here] because theres no one with enough intelligence / skill to drive it these days..

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by Willit Stop

I haven't driven my '36 coupe much lately so I blew off most of the sawdust yesterday and went for a little ride. It was getting low on gas so I pulled into a station. As I was pumping the usual 5 gallons and adding 2 ounces of MMO, some guy in his twenties walked by and said "Whoa dude! Is that a real '56 Bel-Air?"
I said "Yeah. Man, you sure know your cars".
I guess I should mention that he was pushing a shopping cart full of tattered garbage bags and didn't smell too good.
Dumb as a fence post but at least he appreciated old iron I guess.

there are a lot of homeless people in Santa Rosa, when i drive my 36 pickup or my 29 Roadster they always give me thumbs up or a wave

[rotorwrench]

Ron White had it right when he said "You can't fix stupid". It's best to not even try most times you encounter it.

[19Fordy]

That "hand drill" drill press photo is priceless.

[A bones]

Hey Talkwrench, now I won't be able to sleep tonight.

[Talkwrench]

Originally Posted by A bones

Hey Talkwrench, now I won't be able to sleep tonight.

You like that one .. well this says it all to me these days....

[24ruxstel1339]

After twenty years of living with a mechanic, my wife is more knowledgeable than some about cars.
When we met, if she spoke of a car and you asked her what kind..."It was a green one..."

[A bones]

Found this years ago, in some car magazine. Fellow was standing next to his newly acquired Ferrari, on Rodeo Drive. An interested lady walked by was admiring the thing, noticed the Hood emblem and said. "My nephew just bought one of these new Mustangs."

[50fordcoupeman]

Had it happen again today...........fellow was looking at my avatar when I came out of the store. He started telling me all about-the year, engine etc. Of course he was all wrong about my "52". Some you fellas know him too..........

[50fordcoupeman]

Hope he has the correct size of pipe plug to screw into his knee when he is finished!!

[ford38v8]

"How come it has two brake pedals?"
I explained that they used to make cars like motorcycles with separate front and rear controls.
Later, when I told my wife, I said next time I'll say that's for sideshows the old fashioned way.
My wife said sometimes I go too far.

[dumb person]

Originally Posted by Talkwrench

Yes , it takes all sorts...
I probably wouldn't even lock my pickup [but unfortunately its illegal to do that here] because theres no one with enough intelligence / skill to drive it these days..

It's illegal to not lock your car?

As for the picture of the guy holding a drill press, i noticed it no longer has the bed level thing. I hate to think how that got lost.

[aussie merc]

dont think you got a monopoly on dumb in the states I drive 39 mercury nice big chrome scripts front and back custom number plates " 39 Merc " and still get is that a ch** or nice bui** obviously challenged by the English language

[35ragtop]

This example wasnt a “ dumb “ moment ,just the younger generation have not seen a flathead engine.
I called into my local parts sales store driving my 34 pickup. Several of the staff came out to inspect the “cool truck” and wanted to see the engine. Their resident “mechanic” asked me why there were so many nuts holding the rocker covers on! ( it has a stock 21 stud flathead engine!)
I did explane the setup but i dont think he could understand the concept of side valves.

[47Merc]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Much the same story as the one above, I drove my 40 coupe to a local Auto paint store recently and a young guy and a young woman from behind the counter came out to check it over. After much thought the woman said How do you change gears? Me; "Its got what is called three on the tree". Woman: "Really, I dont see any tree". Me: No the steering column is called the tree and that lever thing there is what you change gears with. It's got 3 forward gears.
Woman: Really, I havent seen 1 of them before. Thats novel. They must have only
made them for a short time because all the cars I've ever seen have either stick shift or T Bar and we get plenty of cars here to look at because I do the color matching.
At least the young guy had enough smarts to keep quiet and just look.
.

[Andy]

I was at a run with a friend and was in my Red Ram hemi roadster. A guy come up and started telling everybody about the Ar Dan conversion. My friend politely told him it was a Dodge. He insisted it was a conversion. My friend said it must have been an extensive conversion to move the distributer to on top in the back and the fuel pump to in front on the bottom.

[Jason in TX]

I drove through a fast food drive through window once in my 1931 Ford. The kid at the window said,

"Wow! Cool Car!! Does it run?

[V12Bill]

You should hear the comments when I open the hood on my V12 Lincoln.

[prpmmp]

WOW!! You guys are awesome!! Pete

[Lawrie]

We also get some weird questions, at the strip with our flathead dragster,it has home made twin plug heads and only three exhausts each side.
Lawrie

[RalphM]

I have this on the wall in my shop.

[4dFord/SC]

Originally Posted by RalphM

I have this on the wall in my shop.

That's SGT John M. Stryker, not John Wayne

[Talkwrench]

Yes "dumb person" [not sure how I felt about writing that..?]
"It's illegal to not lock your car?" Correct, here it is illegal. Now if your car is stolen they will ask was it locked. If you were stupid enough to say no, well they'll blame you and insurance wont pay out.
Strangely you're the criminal here...?? Pfft go figure..

[RalphM]

It’s getting to be the same here too, if someone buys a new drill and runs it through their hand, they sue the manufacturer for not warning them not to drill a hole in something while holding it in their hand!!!!

[Tinker]

Can't fix stupid. Most people just want to engage with ya. Old cars are cool.

[27TV8]

Here you need a licence to have a dog

[JSeery]

Went to a part store for a mustang brake line, the counter guy ask if Chevy made the mustangs!

[corvette8n]

When I stopped at the toll booth towing my '41 on a trailer the toll collector told me my car was the same one Bonnie and Clyde drove, only theirs was a '45.

[32phil]

Putting gas in my 32 Roadster
A guy walks up to it and says "is that a big block?" ( it's an 8ba with Edelbrock heads)
me ….Yup
He walked away happy and I didn't have to answer a million "big block" questions

[ford38v8]

The rude ones ask what its worth. I'm rude in return with "You haven't got that much."

[JRHASZARD]

I bought a new 67 Austin Healey 3000, some guy wanted to know what year "UNDO" is that.

[jimalabam]

Several years my friend and I had his 32 Flathead Hi-Boy at a local High School Show to be judged in a Hot Rod class. As we were near the car, two teenagers appeared with clipboards and judging check sheets, we overheard one ask the other, "What kind of engine is that" After they looked the car over for judging and made some notes and departed to other cars, I told my friend "Boy are you in trouble for the judging...

[AnthonyG]

At 29 I argued. At 39 I tried to make it fun. At 59 I tried to make it educational. At 69 I just smile. I try to tell the 29 yr old's the secret, but they have to live it to learn it

[stangblue]

If everybody could do it, it would be easy!

[fourfords]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

We're talking about cars that are 65+ years old. The vast majority of our younger population have NO IDEA what these cars are. Example: I took my Model A to the store. When I came out, there was a family looking at it. The kid asked: "Is that a Disneyland car?"(Actual quote) I patiently said, this is the kind of car your Great Grandparents drove when they were about your age. -I found a way to connect that kid to history through someone he could relate to. On another trek with my '33, Another kid asked what that metal rod was coming up out of the floor of the car. I again, and patiently said it was the stick shift for the transmission. He only knows automatic transmissions in this world. A part of our responsibility as vintage car owners/enthusiasts is stewardship of the historical place these cars hold in many lives.

[Ned1]

I love it when they tell me how they had a car just like my 29 A Roadster except it was green, had a hardtop, four doors and was a chevy.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by fourfords

We're talking about cars that are 65+ years old. The vast majority of our younger population have NO IDEA what these cars are. Example: I took my Model A to the store. When I came out, there was a family looking at it. The kid asked: "Is that a Disneyland car?"(Actual quote) I patiently said, this is the kind of car your Great Grandparents drove when they were about your age. -I found a way to connect that kid to history through someone he could relate to. On another trek with my '33, Another kid asked what that metal rod was coming up out of the floor of the car. I again, and patiently said it was the stick shift for the transmission. He only knows automatic transmissions in this world. A part of our responsibility as vintage car owners/enthusiasts is stewardship of the historical place these cars hold in many lives.

Well said. Be kind, we are stewards of the next gen... or we are the last Mahicans (probably more accurate).

[RalphM]

Yes, I get a chuckle out of it, but I always school them on the old flathead designs as well! Teaching others about flatheads is almost as fun as working on them

BTW I know quite a bit about sleeve valve engines now, but 15 years ago I was an idiot as for as much as I knew!

[Karl]

Originally Posted by RalphM

Yes, I get a chuckle out of it, but I always school them on the old flathead designs as well! Teaching others about flatheads is almost as fun as working on them

BTW I know quite a bit about sleeve valve engines now, but 15 years ago I was an idiot as for as much as I knew!

I try but some just won't listen. They seem to get upset when you politely correct them . I know little about sleeve valve engines but if I was in conversation with you I would listen and learn -Not push my limited possible incorrect knowledge onto you.

My pet peeve is the know it all who tells me that some thing is incorrect on my car . My standard response is to ask if they own one-The answer is almost always no but they know someone who does . My response is to tell them to buy one, spend the time and money I have spend restoring this to as accurately as I can and then they might be qualified to pick my car apart. They tend to drift off after that !

[Darrell S]

Our church has a car show every summer. We meet at one of the guy's house for planning sessions and all the guys bring their old rides. Mostly Mustangs of all sorts and one Porsche, various others including my 48. One of the guy's grand sons were there they are about 10 and 13 or so. Both of them were keenly interested in the flathead. They said it was their favorite and they wanted to know all about it. I thought they would interested in the Porsche but they liked the old Ford.

[fortyonerag]

I try and be patient with folks, depends on wether they are genuinely interested, or just running their mouths.

I'm happy to let nice folks behind the wheel and I'll snap them with their phone too!

[Brendan]

i belong to Early Day Gas Engine And Tractor association, i sometimes bring my 36 pickup with a old engine to shows. some of the questions i get are funny. some people ask me if my truck runs? or did i drive it hear? some people ask if the engine in the back is for the pickup?

[Mike..Yorba Linda]

Originally Posted by fourfords

We're talking about cars that are 65+ years old. The vast majority of our younger population have NO IDEA what these cars are. Example: I took my Model A to the store. When I came out, there was a family looking at it. The kid asked: "Is that a Disneyland car?"(Actual quote) I patiently said, this is the kind of car your Great Grandparents drove when they were about your age. -I found a way to connect that kid to history through someone he could relate to. On another trek with my '33, Another kid asked what that metal rod was coming up out of the floor of the car. I again, and patiently said it was the stick shift for the transmission. He only knows automatic transmissions in this world. A part of our responsibility as vintage car owners/enthusiasts is stewardship of the historical place these cars hold in many lives.

We should all do this....^^^^

[hombres ruin]

I had a 50 ford custom,done in the kustom style.I was in the taco shop when some lady asked if that was my studebaker,i said no thats my ford,she said your wrong its a studebaker,i said " are you telling me that i have been restoring a studebaker with ford parts for the past 6 years and i didnt even know?" She said i know my cars and thats a studebaker,I said listen lady its a ford,she pointed with her burrito at my car again and said no your wrong its a studebaker, I looked at her and said " ok lady hope you choke on your pizza"..she looked absolutey confused and left in a hurry

[joel]

I don't mind explaining that my 41 pickup has the wrong year engine, but still is a flathead V8. I hate when they say they would drive it just as it is, rust damage, missing paint etc. I reply that the truck deserves better and I'm working on it.

[1948F-1Pickup]

My favorite sign.....
Probably a necessity already with some IQ levels out there.

[redmodelt]

Just remember with your replies...YOU had to start someplace.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

Just remember with your replies...YOU had to start someplace.

True, but there some folks out there that really are absolutely clueless (and don't realize it).

[Ray in La Mesa]

Saw a clothes iron in it's box, box had a warning: CAUTION- do not iron clothes while wearing them. You know someone had to try it!

[redmodelt]

True, but there some folks out there that really are absolutely clueless (and don't realize it).


That is why even back then as now there are places to take your car to be fixed.

[amodel25]

At a car show several years ago with my '51 2 door with a 226 flathead six. It was stock at the time with an iron head and one carburetor. Two older gentlemen walked up and looked under the hood for a minute and one turned to the other and said "why on earth would someone go to the trouble of putting a Plymouth six in a '51 Ford?" I tried explaining that it was the original engine and it was a Ford. He wasn't buying it. As he walked away he was still ranting about a Plymouth engine in a Ford.