suddenly ... an object of importance?

[stoner]

We can all agree - in some form or another - that an object is an object is an object. However, once it has played a vital role into our lives, it becomes an object with a significant sentimental value attached to it. Sometimes, our friends and even partners have a hard time comprehending it, given that it might not even have any monetary value attached to it. But to us, it means a lot, and it's just something that no one can take away from us.

If you have such a story, share it in this thread.

[stoner]

I'll start ...

As most of you know by now, I have an on-going bad habit with guitars, that I have collected seven of them since I picked the instrument up and re-ignited my interest in it many years ago. Every time we go somewhere, my wife always argued with me not to bring my instrument, as she often viewed the sheer size of the hardshell case alone, as "space-occupying nuisance." Sometimes, she would have it her way and sometimes I would manage to sneak it into our pile of baggage. :D

To alleviate the situation, I acquired the Martin LXM as my traveling companion. The guitar's size is small enough to fit in the overhead compartment of an airplane, and yet have a sound loud enough to come close to that of a full-size guitar. In my years of partnership with the instrument, it has/had its share of campsites, bonfires, picnics, beaches, swimming pools, local and national parks, outdoor barbecues, and even the backseat of a New York City yellow cab.

Two years ago, on the very last day of vacationing in Atlantic City with my wife, I was rushed to the hospital for severe abdominal pains. It was later attributed to diverticulitis, and had to be admitted until I got better. My wife wanted to stay with me, but I advised her to head back home, and assume our responsibilities in my absence while I recuperated. Looking at all the bright lights of the casinos surrounding the hospital, being there could get very lonely indeed. But that little guitar kept me company throughout my ordeal there. There were even occasions, with the nursing staff approval and supervision, that I managed to visit some of the neighboring rooms and sang a song or two to the fellow patients. Despite the needles, the IV and pain medication, antibiotics, the clear liquid diets, and surgery that I endured, that little guitar somehow was instrumental at making my stay there worthwhile.

Today, I still take it with me everywhere I go regardless of the weather, temperature, humidity conditions. And the small size makes it less of an issue to argue with the wifey. :D
====

p.s.
I'm attaching a photographs of my musical partner

[**Sapphire**]

What a very nice & heartwarming story stoner, thanks so much for sharing with us.

I'm going to have to think of something, right now, off the top of my head I can't remember of any stories regarding something I have that has helped me, etc.

I have alot of momentos that I love & they mean alot to me. Well, I guess I would have to say my Unicorn collection means a whole lot to me. It started in 7th grade with a grab bag gift that this girl gave to me since she was my secret santa. After that I have collect MANY unicorns over the years. I still have that first unicorn though & it's still my favorite. :)

I don't have any pictures to attach as my collection is pretty big so I would have a few to post, maybe I will see if I can get a picture of the first unicorn I got to show you all.

[daisychip]

I'd like to see your unicorn Sapphire, I love to hear about whats special to people.

I don't collect anything in particular to much these days.................got tired of feeling 'cluttered'.................but I do have several items I will always treasure and will forever be irreplaceable.

The first is a 'kitty' figurine my closest friend from school gave to me when my grandma died along with some 'ribbing and wrestling' to help cheer me up.................she always knew how to make me feel better. And the other two are...........an 'old time' pic of me and my closest male friend dressed up in (jesse james and dancehall girl) outfits and also a brass half moon w/ prism hanging in it, that we hung from the mirror while he 'taught' me to drive a stick on my 15th birthday...................I'm still "amazed" the prism didn't get broken.......lol. Even though they don't really match any of my decor they are prominently displayed for all to see.

Cool idea stoner............great thread! :)

[Myzyri]

Cars. I collect classic cars (as my avatar may have implied... It's my current project car). Guys understand the time and energy that went into them, but women never get it... Remember the garage in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off?" That's kind of what mine is like and guys think it's awesome. Chicks think it's "pompous" since I rarely drive them and usually just rub them with baby diapers and dusters.

Oh well, after you spend years of hard work and you have a finished product, yes, it's just an object, but it also carries a sense of great accomplishment (especially when you're a total perfectionist).

[daisychip]

I "almost" take offense to your post about females Myzyri..............lol.............but I forgive you.....lol............not that you were asking but I, as a woman, also love cars and can definitely understand what you mean. Although I don't have the cash to restore it and/or just to let it sit.............I would do it in a heartbeat. I'm more into 'guy' things than my bf or most guys I've dated.

Thanx for sharing, I'd love to see your 'garage'. Of course my dream car from childhood is a the box style 60's Nova. One day I will have it AND a motorcycle of my own.

[stoner]

Cars. I collect classic cars (as my avatar may have implied... It's my current project car).

Oh well, after you spend years of hard work and you have a finished product, yes, it's just an object, but it also carries a sense of great accomplishment (especially when you're a total perfectionist).

How about sharing a photograph of your garage with your prized automobile? I bet it looks really nice. :)

Perhaps, you may elaborate more about this car of yours. Where'd/whom you acquire it from and how much; how'd it look like when you first got it; the phone calls you made, one haggle after another, the distance you traveled to get the component/part authentic to your baby; the body shop guys that worked on them; the engine having to be rebuilt; etc.

Your story will be an interesting one to read about ...

[Myzyri]

Alrighty, I'm short on time, but that's never stopped me from being long-winded before... LOL

I will try to get some photos put up somewhere (like Flikr or shutterfly).

I kind of had to chuckle when you said, "How about sharing a photograph of your garage with your prized automobile? I bet it looks really nice."

Right now, it's a disaster area. The two side walls are just regular walls, the back is all glass, the front is pretty normal. So, I guess it looks like the Ferris Bueller garage when you're standing in the back. Anyway, I've been adding a deck in the back and I'm adding a screen porch to the area behind the garage, so it's a complete mess. I also tore out the one wall inside the garage so I can redo the insulation, add pegboard, and a ton more cabinets. So, again, it's a mess. The two cars I'm working on now (a 1968 Jaguar XKE Series 1.5 which I plan to restore to original and a 1966 Ford F-100 that will be my first attempt at a "Hot Rod" but who knows when I'll get to that one) are still in the garage, but for the construction, I moved them out to my uncle's pole barn. He's the one who got me into this when I was a kid and he's got a collection of his own... So much so that he needed a whole BARN! I actually hope I never get that addicted.

The last car I finished was... don't laugh... a 1982 Trans Am. I was (and still am) a HUGE Knight Rider fan. The show was so cheesy, but the car was so cool. So, I did a KITT replica. I actually picked up where another guy left off on it, so it was far less work.

The current project is the Jaguar. My father bought it used in 1982. He sold it in the early 1990's because he never drove it. Even now, it's 39 years old and only has 38,000 miles on it. However, it was in rough shape when he got it and only did very minor repairs. After my dad died, I wanted the car. All I had was the name of the guy my dad sold it to. I eventually found him using Google. It had been sold about 4 times after that. Finally, I tracked down the last owner who paid $1500 for it. He drove it once in 1996, the brakes went out, he got an estimate for repairs and decided it wasn't worth it. It's been sitting outside, next to his garage ever since. He was happy to sell it to me for $500 and I was happy to buy it!

After 11 years outside, it's in pretty bad shape; HOWEVER, surprisingly, the interior looks great and it actually has some semblance of "new car smell." It's a little musty, but you can still smell a hint of fresh leather.

As for phone calls, I made after finding the car, I found several problems. Since the car is a half-year-model, there's no manual for it. Only 263 were shipped to the United States. Of that, only 12 came to the United States with the engine "upgrade" (US emissions requirements which actually drop the horsepower a little, so it's really more of a "downgrade").

So, I have a 1 in 12 car and god only knows how many of the other 11 survived this long. It may be a one-of-a-kind now... Who knows. Actually, I know for a fact that another one exists.

Anyway, the 2+2 had a folding seat in the back. The upholstery didn't match. 3 of the rims were different and the other 2 (I'm counting the spare). The original fan system was obviously replaced with something else. And there were a bunch of "oddities" that I wasn't sure of. Again, being a half-year model, it's hard to look it up and see what it's supposed to be.

So, I called every guy on the title. It took a long time to hunt down the 4 guys who owned it before my dad, but I found 3 of them. They were able to explain most of the oddities. The backseat was reupholstered because one of his friends ripped it accidentally with a knife that he was carrying in his back pocket and the original leather was a fortune from Jaguar, so he had it redone cheaply. Two of the rims were damaged because another owner's wife had accidentally driven over a set of spikes that screwed up the rim and it was cheaper to buy two used rims than it was to have the wheels repaired. So, stuff like that...

As for parts, I found two awesome places that deal in old Jaguar parts so, thus far, I haven't had to go junkyard scavenging. One place also has a Jaguar Museum and they have two of the half-year models. One is exactly like mine and the other has the standard emissions.

Currently, I'm in the dismantling and sandblasting phase. I'm testing parts and ordering what I need as I pull of the old stuff.

I'm going to send the engine out to Gran Turismo Jaguar. They do some beautiful work. I met up with them at the Illinois Jaguar Club's Concours. They had a few engines they rebuilt and the guys really knew what they were doing. I'd normally do it myself, but since the engine's been sitting so long, it's locked up, it needs to be tanked and magnafluxed and bored out, etc. It'll just save me a huge headache.

I found a guy who's great with carbs and I've always screwed them up, so I'll send those out.

These cars originally used leading instead of bondo for seams, so I may try my hand at that. If it doesn't work out, I also know an old man who does an unbelievable job with that.

I'll be doing the wiring, upholstery, general bodywork, mechanical, cooling, exhaust, etc. myself. I'm doing most of the powder coating and painting myself in places like the engine compartment, frame, supports, etc.; however, I'm going to hire out for the final paint job. The wiring should be a hell of a learning experience since Jaguars are known for their retarded electrical systems.

I'll also be doing all the restoration of the salvageable pieces.

Overall, I've been looking up all the info on Jaguars as show cars and I'm hoping to finish this car as a 100 point car; however, with the Concours, there are actually things you can do to "over restore" a car and still be considered original (i.e. all chrome bolts, perfected seamless welds, etc.). I'd love to pull that off, but who knows...

In the end, it's original color was British Racing Green and I've been debating on what color to paint it. British Racing Green isn't bad, but it's not "flashy." However, I was thinking of Regency Red or Signal Red which are original Jaguar paint colors offered that year. I saw a paint job at the IJC show that was Signal Red with some Ferrarri Blue mixed in. It was absolutely gorgeous and it didn't lose points for the paint job. So, I dunno, paint is a long ways away, so I still have time to think about it.

So, how was that for a story?

[stoner]

wow!! :eek:

But in all honesty, thanks for sharing your story. I've been to a few vintage car shows in the past, and as these automobiles were displayed for the public to see and pose for a few photographs, I've always been intrigued at the journey that these cars went through. The stories of the individuals, revealing the great lengths, adventures and the chances they took, to make these cars come back to life were always worth listening to.

Trans Ams are nice cars IMO, and I used to watch Knight Rider when I was little. I always thought that the nearly invincible talking car was so cool that I convinced my cousin to install the lights that traveled from left to right (and vice versa) on the hood of his then Toyota Corolla. :D

I'm not into cars much, but my younger brother is. Back in our college days, he nearly emptied his bank account and drove our parents off the wall, when he purchased a '71 Camaro RS/SS from a senior citizen, and then had it restored partly by himself and with the expertise of others. Ah yes, he painted it British racing green (as you also mentioned in your post). Since he's married in the here and now, and raising a family of his own, he had since gotten rid of the car, especially after he got into a major accident with it.

A friend of mine did something similar, and it all started when he purchased the body of a mid-70s model Mercedes that was still in great shape in the junkyard. Just like your story, he too made numerous phone calls and drove significant distances to obtain the front and rear seats, steering column, dashboard, and other parts to rebuild the car piece per piece. Took it to an autobody shop to have the entire car repainted. The original diesel engine had been long gone, and since he wasn't into diesel fuel, he installed a rebuilt engine to power the car. Looking at the top of the engine when opening the hood, everything looked that of an authentic Mercedes Benz, but underneath it was actually an Isuzu engine! LOL. Overall, he had a very nice car that he drove mostly during the summer and fall, but garaged during the winter season.

Ahh ... with today's advancement in technology and such, it's still comforting to see these cars from yesterday's past still roaring the streets, mostly from the patience and TLC of the individuals who really took care of them. :)

[**Sapphire**]

Very nice stories you all that have shared with us so far. I have really enjoyed reading them & getting a feel for the things that you all treasure so much.

Thanks for staring this thread stoner, great idea! :)

[GeeksAreHotter]

We can all agree - in some form or another - that an object is an object is an object. However, once it has played a vital role into our lives, it becomes an object with a significant sentimental value attached to it. Sometimes, our friends and even partners have a hard time comprehending it, given that it might not even have any monetary value attached to it. But to us, it means a lot, and it's just something that no one can take away from us.

If you have such a story, share it in this thread.

Oh, I have a number of things like that. Being a comic geek there are a number of issues that hold a lot of importance to me. It is really hard to explain to people who are not into comics (or any type of fiction) why these character are so important to me. Comics are my life, I live, breath and sleep them. Nearly everything I do is somehow inspired or related to them. They are my life line, and if that sounds sad or stupid to anyone the I can not get on with that person.

When I date girls, and I've said this to the girl I am with now, that comics are and always will be a HUGE part of my life and if they can not accept that then they may as well go and find someone else. My S/O, however, is as big a geek as I am.:D

But, you know, I get all the stereotype stuff thrown at me. Oh, I must be a loser or unable to connect with real people because i care about what happens to men and women who run around in tights. But the people who sling that kind of rubbish have either never read a comic in their lives or have only read one or two issues of Spider-Man or whatever which is like picking up a novel, reading one chapter and saying "I don't get it, I don't like it."

And there is SO much more to comics than what you see at the movies or on TV. But, for some reason, people seem to find it hard to accepts that.

But anyway...

Sometimes it isn't the whole comic that is important, but rather just one panel or page that sparked some emotion in me. Sometimes it's just the cover image. But there are, of course, whole issues that are important. For example, issue #13 of Ultimate Spider-Man contains not battles, not tights, no super villains. It is the issue in which Peter tells Mary Jane he is Spider-Man. The whole issue takes place in Peter's bedroom. MJ, of course, has no idea what that Peter is Spider-Man and she goes to meet him thinking he is going to tel her he likes her.

The thing that gets me about that issue is that it is SO intimate, so personal. This guy is going to give away his biggest secret. And MJ goes thinking that he is going to tell her he likes her. She goes knowing that. It's the most up-lifting thing for someone who has ever been afraid to tell someone you care for them.

And then, of course, there is the big reveal and it isn't shock or surprise, MJs reaction is one of pure happiness and exitement. It's brilliant.

There are many other examples I could give, but that one will do for now.

[daisychip]

I love to see others with "passions". I don't really have any that contain objects...........a person mostly(Princess Diana)............and getting passionate about the Steelers football team............and moving into passion about work, when I get the schooling I need over with.

Great stories!