I think I have saved #2 son from a horror...

[O's Fan Rich]

I bought him a 90 Merc Cougar . Decent car, 76k miles, 3.8 V-6 ( yes, I know head gaskets!!) and it's black. It's PA inspected until 2-04. It has obviously spent the majority of it's life outdoors. Peeling clearcoat, faded red interior and a cracked dash. But it's all there, and get this, I paid $500.00 for it!! WOOOHOOO!! Cheap kid wheels!!
Best of all, he likes it, and now is forgetting about the Chevy crap ....for now.
Now all I need to do is find him a 68 Mustang coupe... that'l fix it for sure!!

[MarauderBZ]

My first car was an 87 merc cougar, my dad got it for me when I turned 16. I recall he paid something like $2500 for it and it had 46,000 miles on it. It was beautiful inside and out, two-tone silverish color with grey interior.
I drove the heck out of the thing for 4 years, I had alot of fun and memories in the car. At the end of its life it had 98,940 miles on it and it had great troubles pulling any sort of hill at over 30mph. Not sure exactly what happened to the engine to cause it, but I remember my dad saying it was cheaper to trade it in. I got a Grand Am after that and got $1000 on trade for the Cougar. Grand Am went away last month (thankfully) when got my Marauder. I still miss that Cougar! I'm glad he likes the car and I hope he enjoys it as much as I did mine.

[jgc61sr2002]

Rich - That peeling clearcoat is a common FMC problem along with the head gaskets. My son ha a 90 Cougar, the head gaskets went and the clearcoat was peeling. :(

[Bigdogjim]

Rich: Good wheels for the "kid" to learn on? Glad you keep it in the family.

[SergntMac]

Y'all know...this is a lot more sentimental to me than what appears obvious here. This is dad-son stuff, right?

I mean...I don't have any kids, but I was a kid. My dad steered me towards something that changed my life, turned me around.

That was working on cars and stuff, rather than hang on any street corner, pack of gigs rolled up in my sleeve, asking Marywhatshername to the movies just to cop a feel.

It's more a cliche these days, more than ever before, but my daddy got behind my desire to explore cars, automobiles, gears, cams, headers, heads, power, rather than Marywhatsher name.

He seemed to know everything I should want to learn, and he did really know all that stuff. I don't know how, or why now, he's been gone since '82, but he did did know it all. I am glad he did.

Rich...You didn't just buy your kid a car, you made a reservation in his adulthood. Keep this reservation, kick the door in if you have too, but keep it open. It's not just a set of wheels for a teenager.

It's a bookmark in his life.

Sorry...Be safe y'all.

[crom]

SergntMac I couldn't have said it any better, heck no one could. Enough said

[amerikan]

SergntMac well said

[O's Fan Rich]

When I was a teen, my Dad had little time for doing things with me. He was building the business and working hard to just supply the day to day needs of the family.
When I worked on a car, he usually was not around, alhough he would direct me now and then. I could have used some more help.
I decided a long time ago that I would be as available as possible for our kids. I don't know if it will all turn out right, but so far so good.
As far as my dad, I totally understand now. And the whole family now benefits from his hard work and efforts. I have no grudges against him. Now that he has the ability (time) to relax, it's amazing how much we have in common. I am definantly enjoying our relationship now. Feels good.

[martyo]

I can't help but post this here, so here goes. My Dad was my best friend (although I did not always recognize that). He made me who I am (for better or worse). Unfortunately, I lost him two years ago to cancer....

Yesterday I spent the day fiddling with my boat (the passion that took me away from cars -- until the MM, of course!). When I got home at night I was literally ready to call my Dad to tell him what I worked on all day and had to literally catch myself just before I dialed his number to chat about the projects that filled my day!

Bottom line guys (and gals), build those bonds strong and early. They last a lifetime, and beyond. Trust me, I know!

[Dr Caleb]

Well said Marty. My Dad's been gone 5 years, Mom's been gone 1, and I still catch myself sometimes. First thing I wanted to do after I bought the MM was go show Dad.

I hope my children (If I ever have any) will consider me as good a friend to them as my Dad was to me.