My Dad is ace. When I think of all the projects I want to get finished - and share here on my blog - I don't even come close to the aceness of my Dad. All my life he has been building things to such and expert finish it has made me look at him as a man who always gets things done. On one of my recent movies they needed a 1915 brass radiator Model T so my Dad built them one - in three days! He can build and make just about anything. But since 1979 there is one thing he hasn't been able to finish. A 1933
SS1 Jaguar. This car has fraught my father at every turn. But he has kept at it. He has has found unfindable parts. When no plans or photographs existed of details of this vehicle Dad would discover someone somewhere with the answer. It's been hard on him. A few years ago after spending years shaping the side of this car he discovered the door didn't fit. The Jag is "coach built" which means it is essentially metal panels nailed to a wooden frame. So, as you can imagine, fixing this problem wasn't easy. In fact when it came to building the car much of the frame had actually rotted away. It was as much a carpentry job as it was an exercise in panel beating. Dad and I have always had a friendly bet that he wouldn't finish this car. $100. I'm happy to announce that yesterday I lost that money when my father took me for a ride in this wonderful car. Yes you can shift from fourth to third gear and he had to tied the exhaust on with his jacket when it fell off on a test run but just over thirty years from whoa to go the SS Jaguar is on the road. Number 28 (it left the factory on the afternoon 23rd March 1933) off the production line and believed to be one of the oldest in existence. And my Dad fixed it. Proud? You bet your cotton socks.Well done Brian Ward.
My Dad is ace. When I think of all the projects I want to get finished - and share here on my blog - I don't even come close to the aceness of my Dad. All my life he has been building things to such and expert finish it has made me look at him as a man who always gets things done. On one of my recent movies they needed a 1915 brass radiator Model T so my Dad built them one - in three days! He can build and make just about anything. But since 1979 there is one thing he hasn't been able to finish. A 1933 SS1 Jaguar. This car has fraught my father at every turn. But he has kept at it. He has has found unfindable parts. When no plans or photographs existed of details of this vehicle Dad would discover someone somewhere with the answer. It's been hard on him. A few years ago after spending years shaping the side of this car he discovered the door didn't fit. The Jag is "coach built" which means it is essentially metal panels nailed to a wooden frame. So, as you can imagine, fixing this problem wasn't easy. In fact when it came to building the car much of the frame had actually rotted away. It was as much a carpentry job as it was an exercise in panel beating. Dad and I have always had a friendly bet that he wouldn't finish this car. $100. I'm happy to announce that yesterday I lost that money when my father took me for a ride in this wonderful car. Yes you can shift from fourth to third gear and he had to tied the exhaust on with his jacket when it fell off on a test run but just over thirty years from whoa to go the SS Jaguar is on the road. Number 28 (it left the factory on the afternoon 23rd March 1933) off the production line and believed to be one of the oldest in existence. And my Dad fixed it. Proud? You bet your cotton socks.Well done Brian Ward.
oh wow!!
ReplyDeleteWOW is right. I know how you feel knowing that you will never be as cool as your Dad. Mine was such an awesome guy and I miss him everyday of the past five years that he has been gone. What a cool memory to share with him.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sez. Thanks Kal. I'm so inspired by this that now I'm getting to work on my car. Watch this space!
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