Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Every once in a while I look at this video and I think, not of country music and what's important in the music world, but I wonder Who is Actually gonna fill our shoes. Our 'ford shoes, our 'liking old car shoes'...I'm not gonna this say this song changed my life , but lets just give it a watch. It is one of my favorites and who doesn't relate to an old white haired guy in stained coveralls. He saw it all.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxHjRqnY7zA

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Thanks GB, that was an enjoyable video. That video reminded me of my days working at the Custom Coach shop. We had some of the biggest Country Western stars as customers in the late 1970's.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Truth is, our empty "Ford shoes" shoes will never be filled, just replaced by the newer style. Time just marches on and history recedes, replaced by the new.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

I hate to say it but this is true in my experience. There will be a few trying to not keep this thing from becoming air ride and non-flatmotors. But we are getting thin. Things change, who knows in 5-10 yrs, it may be all the rage. It will be fewer, maybe just collectors.


But lets face it, you guys are going to be around for a while.




.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

"A time and a season"........

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

We have lost so many this past year. i think back to the guys gone over the years right on this forum. It is possible for a mechanic to be in the business for 40 years and have never worked on points. So many lost skills not carried on. Gerry windle is currently looking for help with the V8 Times. Not just submissions but in case he cannot put an issue together, who can step in.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Gary, a real classic tune....thanks for sharing....Mark

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Good one, GB.

Al Hook

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Good one GB. Heard this on "Willie's Roadhouse" the other day and had the same thoughts. I do see a few young flathead guys out here., so there may be some hope.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

My 5 y.o. Grandson told me “I really like your car Grandpa”, so far he’s the only one who shows interest, I wish he lived closer so he could help me work on the old car.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Even though I've been contributing to this old car deal for over 40 years, I'll just be 1 blip on the radar screen when I'm gone. I will continue to do what I do as long as I can but there's no one lining up for me to teach my trade to.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

It will go the way of the blacksmith.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Yeah, I guess you guys are right. We have a successful mobile mechanic here who works out of his truck. Stays real busy, about 45 years old. He brought me a carb from a 46 ford farm truck the heirs wanted to get running. He had 11 years in a certified Audi dealership as a tech and wanted ME to rebuild the carb. This is the guy (me) that has been known to chuck a float needle into an electric drill and hold it about 45 degrees and introduce it to my portable belt sander held upside down in a vice. Heck the needle was 3 sided, so perfect.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Well I turn 37 today and I'm pretty hardcore into old Fords. But I have been seeing a lot of good deals on cars lately as the owners pass on or it just gets to be too much to work on them.... It's a shame when the sellers are my age and really don't seem to care about pop's old car.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

Back in the late '60's and early '70's, when I first got into Model A's, there were about 6 or 7 guy's in my area restoring them. When I got back into street rodding in the late '80's, there were also several guy's in the area building street rods. Now in 2021 there isn't one person in my area thats building or restoring a car. It's simply a sign of the times. The young guy's that are now building the cars that we built, are few and far between.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

I just turned 42 last month, so I'm neither young nor am I old. I have been working on vintage cars and machinery since I was 16, professionally for the past 22 years. Even though I have built my fair share of customs and hotrods, I still prefer restorations. I like learning about the history of when you "old timers" (respectfully) were young. I enjoy seeing how things were built in that era, whether it is old metalworking machinery, motorcycles or automobiles. I always enjoyed having conversations with my late grandfather, born in 1916, who was a blacksmith by trade, and listening to stories of his work, his life experiences and his fond memories of all the cars he had owned. I would often accompany him on his trips to visit his many friends and especially enjoyed the shops we would visit, including old car dealerships or his friends radiator shop down the street. He loved his country music, or as he called it "good ol' cow poop" music, including George Jones. I like to think I am a lot like him.... That I inherited a lot of his traits... Maybe it's simply that he significantly influenced my life... or most likely both. I became a metalshaper, I love old country music, I love old cars and I love preserving the history on these old Fords. There are a lot of "younger" guys like me that sincerely wish to carry on what you folks are doing, what you started. Don't lose hope. There will always be enough of us like minded people around, regardless of age, to continue the traditions and respect them enough to preserve them, or at least do our level best to fill your shoes.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

I think you underestimate the younger generations. Go take a look at the HAMB. Flatheads are pretty popular.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

I met Ol' possum at Collier Jaguar in Orlando. He had a Jaguar that we worked on and if I remember right he lived near Lakeland at the time. Of course the tag on his car was "No Show". He was a fine Country Gentleman and a pleasure to talk to.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

I wouldn't panic. Who would think there would be people to "fill the shoes" of those currently capable and certified to operate the old steamers. Take a trip to Rollag, MN. You see a team of teenagers operating the steam traction engines in the parade, plowing, and belted to the pony brake. You see younger folks in the blacksmith shops and sawmills there operating machines from the late 1800s-early 1900s.

Re: Who's gonna fill their shoes?
 

We had a small welding shop in town along side an alley, small building with all kinds of scrap outside. When you went in you couldn't see anything except a light bulb hanging. Stand for awhile and start looking around, they had a belt driven lathe, had to be some kind of forge. There was the biggest anvil I've ever seen attached to a tree stump in the middle of the shop, I believe the floor must have been dirt, an enormous welder. They also had and old portable welding van. Nice guys, just stand there long enough and not interrupt with what you broke and one of them would come over and ask 'What cha got' and weld it for you. All gone now.