Bittersweet, but it's running

Speedo959 · 06-23-2006, 06:43 PM

Well I finally broke down and paid the $485 and registered my car. It's been about two weeks. I would of posted sooner, but I wanted to wait for things to settle down.

My grandfather, who really loved 944s passed about two days after it was back on the road. It has been a bitter sweet road. We were always talking about the trips and events we were going to do. The car means nothing really, it was the fact that me and my best friend were going to do it together.

I'm enjoying the car, but it's not the same. Everytime I drive it I can't help but think of the long conversations we would have about where we were going to go. Some trips I knew we would never do, but most of the fun was just talking about it.

I miss him terribly.

Here is his memorial web page. click on the movie
http://www.mem.com/display/biography.asp?ID=1394944

Thanks for all your guys help and suggestions.

Robert

bryanthompson · bryanthompson's Garage

I spent countless hours with my grandpa restoring a '51 Chevy and working on anything else we could get our hands on. He didn't get too involved with the 944, but was always interested in that crazy German engineering and the headaches it caused me

But, he was always there to help and offer advice, no matter what the problem was. He always would say, "If I can't fix it, it ain't broke." He died 4/20/06 of cancer at his house, surrounded by all of us, just like your family.

Thanks for sharing about your grandfather. Everyone goes through this, but it really does feels a lot like losing a friend

Dougster · 06-23-2006, 07:30 PM

Sounds like a very good relationship you had with him.
Something to cherrish as you get older...

Take care & smile when you think of him, while driving her.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

Something as objectively meaningless as a car becomes something special when there are positive memories attached.

Speedo959 · 06-23-2006, 08:13 PM

Thanks guys for the kind words.

About the family being around when he passed. I went over before work to see him. He had been on morphine and hadn't moved since being brought home. I started to talk to him thinking maybe he could hear me, he opened his eyes looked over at me and was gone within five minutes.

It's amazing to me that he waited until he was home and for all the family to be there before he decided to go.

seaboltman · 06-23-2006, 08:54 PM

im right there with you. My father passed away on may 17th due to cancer (im 19) and we just buried him 3 days ago at arlington in DC (navy chief Ret.) and I miss him alot.

My project 944 was one of the first things that my dad showed endless support in, and had all the faith that I would complete it. Even though I have yet to truely start, I know that when Im done, the first cruise i take will be up to visit him.

AA_Ezra · 06-23-2006, 10:28 PM

Very nice vid/slide show. Looks like he lived a full life from the start. Looking at those pictures he was having a blast from rearing those horses to holding his doggies after a good time huntin. Nice memorial you're family honored him well. It's all about the good times cuz it is in those good times we pick up traits that we later see in our self's that' never go away.

Glad to see ya got's the car running. how soon untill i see you rolling in town with those bbs' blings.

Speedo959 · 06-24-2006, 02:21 PM

Seabolt you and your family are in my prayers.

Jaime I did have the wheels on for a time. I went over to the Pismo Car show last weekend and BENT the rear wheel over a bump. The wheels have this weird valve that you screw in to inflate the tires and I didn't get it with the deal.

It's my own fault and I should of waited so the tires were at proper pressure.. So it's off to Fresno to have it repaired.

I may just throw the Fuchs that I was saving for my 914.

AA_Ezra · 06-24-2006, 10:51 PM

I heard abot the car show from a freind at work he said it was realy cool. What size are those wheels again 18x? or 17x?. Hope they can fix it at Fresno and put in some valves that you actualy inflate. It's looking sweet hope it's helping on the gas.