AtlantaSteve
Active Member
A true classic car met its unfortunate demise this weekend. Fortunately, the driver is fine.
Go here:
http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/ ... l_air.html
Look for: '36 Dodge Coupe.
Rick Harris is my brother's best friend's Dad, and when my dad, who knows almost nothing about cars foolishly bought his 16 year old son a 1966 Mustang, Rick was one of the first to run over and check it out...and told me everything that was wrong with it, and encouraged me to fix it, and to know that I could if I'd just try. Rick taught me a TON, and helped, I'm sure, more than he ever wanted to. I imagine all the times I'd drive by his garage and stop to hang out, or call him to ask him a question and end up taking a couple of hours of his time were a pain in his side, but he always helped.
Like me, Rick got his car when he was 16. Rick never let it go, and based on his commitment, I decided I would NEVER sell my mustang. It doesn't run right now, but it's out in the garage as I type. My younger brother, at 16 got a 1971 Olds 442. Again, based on Rick's example, he still has that car, and is currently restoring it.
Saturday night, Rick was riding down the road in his Dodge, when something happened in his rear end, and an axle, wheel attached, came right out of the car. Riding on 3 wheels, Rick tried to keep the car straight, but it ended up going off the road, and rolled 1 and a half times before coming to a rest on it's roof. Rick was able to crawl to safety, but after taking a close look at the condition of the car, he has decided it's probably totaled, and is hoping the insurance company will agree with him. He says as bad as it is, he can't imagine ever really trusting the car on the road again.
The car is 75 years old, and Rick's had it for 45 years.
It's a beautiful car that has so much character, and more stories than Rick has time to tell...It is just a damn shame that it'll probably never see the streets again.
But, all that said, when my brother called me to tell me what happened, I was sure he was going to tell me Rick had died in the wreck. That he's alive is all that matters.
Like I told my wife tonight...Do you know what a 75 year old car that you've had for 45 years, and was your first car is? Compared to your life, it's just a car.
But as those of us in this hobby know...sometimes "just a car" is NOT just another car. I can't imagine Rick without that Dodge, but I'm grateful that I don't yet have to imagine life without Rick.
Go here:
http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/ ... l_air.html
Look for: '36 Dodge Coupe.
Rick Harris is my brother's best friend's Dad, and when my dad, who knows almost nothing about cars foolishly bought his 16 year old son a 1966 Mustang, Rick was one of the first to run over and check it out...and told me everything that was wrong with it, and encouraged me to fix it, and to know that I could if I'd just try. Rick taught me a TON, and helped, I'm sure, more than he ever wanted to. I imagine all the times I'd drive by his garage and stop to hang out, or call him to ask him a question and end up taking a couple of hours of his time were a pain in his side, but he always helped.
Like me, Rick got his car when he was 16. Rick never let it go, and based on his commitment, I decided I would NEVER sell my mustang. It doesn't run right now, but it's out in the garage as I type. My younger brother, at 16 got a 1971 Olds 442. Again, based on Rick's example, he still has that car, and is currently restoring it.
Saturday night, Rick was riding down the road in his Dodge, when something happened in his rear end, and an axle, wheel attached, came right out of the car. Riding on 3 wheels, Rick tried to keep the car straight, but it ended up going off the road, and rolled 1 and a half times before coming to a rest on it's roof. Rick was able to crawl to safety, but after taking a close look at the condition of the car, he has decided it's probably totaled, and is hoping the insurance company will agree with him. He says as bad as it is, he can't imagine ever really trusting the car on the road again.
The car is 75 years old, and Rick's had it for 45 years.
It's a beautiful car that has so much character, and more stories than Rick has time to tell...It is just a damn shame that it'll probably never see the streets again.
But, all that said, when my brother called me to tell me what happened, I was sure he was going to tell me Rick had died in the wreck. That he's alive is all that matters.
Like I told my wife tonight...Do you know what a 75 year old car that you've had for 45 years, and was your first car is? Compared to your life, it's just a car.
But as those of us in this hobby know...sometimes "just a car" is NOT just another car. I can't imagine Rick without that Dodge, but I'm grateful that I don't yet have to imagine life without Rick.
