Question/New Topic for us Oldtimers

[TransAmMike]

I'm not sure if this is an appropriate topic on here (and Mr. Moderator feel free to delete it)....but I was just curious how old the oldest member on here is and how many real oldtimers are on the forum and  are actually active in doing builds.

Me, I'm 77 and in reasonably good health with the exception of old arthur in my hands and shoulders but it hasn't stopped me from getting a few builds done throughout the year (ha, tho a bit slowly). I'm currently doing the '55 Chevy Street Machine (not completely out of box)

I'd be interested in hearing from y'all?

 

 

[bluestringer]

Hey Mike. I will be 73 this year in September. I am also in reasonably good health. Bad knees and back, high blood pressure but meds keep in under control. I try to stay busy but can't do a lot of things I use to do. I spend a couple hours a day building, currently working on a 61 Impala SS 409 that has been on my shelf over a year.

[TransAmMike]

5 minutes ago, bluestringer said:

Hey Mike. I will be 73 this year in September. I am also in reasonably good health. Bad knees and back, high blood pressure but meds keep in under control. I try to stay busy but can't do a lot of things I use to do. I spend a couple hours a day building, currently working on a 61 Impala SS 409 that has been on my shelf over a year.

Hey there James, I didn't realize you were getting up there in years like me (a gentle way of saying older guy).   

Thanks?

[Danno]

I'm apparently an old geezer, although I don't know when it happened. Kinda snuck up on me, I guess. 

 

[TransAmMike]

30 minutes ago, Danno said:

I'm apparently an old geezer, although I don't know when it happened. Kinda snuck up on me, I guess. 

 

Oh yeah Danno, it sure does happen.  Light to moderate physical things I did just 2 or 3 years ago are pretty much out of the question now?

[Bills72sj]

Gee, at 63 I am just a punk.

[Mike 1017]

I will be 73 in September. Thanks to modern medicine I am a Cancer survivor. 

Mike

[TonyK]

67 and in reasonably good health. I keep active with yard work and dog walks. I get up early and work on models for 1-2 hours every day. Have way too many model projects going at once and as I've gotten older have a harder time finishing one before starting another. I eventually do finish them but it takes many months.

[TransAmMike]

15 hours ago, Bills72sj said:

Gee, at 63 I am just a punk.

 

3 hours ago, Mike 1017 said:

I will be 73 in September. Thanks to modern medicine I am a Cancer survivor. 

Mike

 

3 hours ago, TonyK said:

67 and in reasonably good health. I keep active with yard work and dog walks. I get up early and work on models for 1-2 hours every day. Have way too many model projects going at once and as I've gotten older have a harder time finishing one before starting another. I eventually do finish them but it takes many months.

Wow, I really feel old now...you guys are youngsters compared to me.   I'm guessing at this point I'm the oldest old f@rt on here.

And Mike, congratulations on being a survivor?

[TarheelRick]

Will turn 75 this coming Sunday. Working on becoming the Bionic Man, both knees replaced and looking on a shoulder replacement later this year. Somehow, my model work area has come under assault from 'junk storage', must have a clean-up day and garage sale soon. What really feels weird is being the same age as old people. My mind has ideas of a 60 year-old, my body says keep on dreaming.

[espo]

I'll be 80 later this month. I remember my father telling me once when he was in his late seventies and had jacked up his leg real bad downhill skiing at Mt Rose at Lake Tahoe, he said he was a young man trapped in this old body. I now better understand what he was talking about. Still build 5 or 6 models a year and I'm trying to build models of the cars and trucks I have owned through the years. Other than being overweight my high blood pressure is held in check with a fist full of pills every morning, but I consider myself pretty healthy. I enjoy checking in on what all everyone else is doing here since we all share pretty much the same interests. I'm really impressed by what I'm seeing many of the younger builders are doing, they all seem younger. There is so much talent and creativity going on and everyone is trying to help each other anyway they can with suggestions, parts, or even a model swap now and then.   

[StevenGuthmiller]

I suppose I’m just a child at 61, but I’ve still been building for almost 55 years! 
 

Does that earn me any brownie points? ?

As long as the eyes and nerves hold out, the plan is to keep on keepin’ on. ?

 

 

 

Steve

[TransAmMike]

3 hours ago, TarheelRick said:

Will turn 75 this coming Sunday. Working on becoming the Bionic Man, both knees replaced and looking on a shoulder replacement later this year. Somehow, my model work area has come under assault from 'junk storage', must have a clean-up day and garage sale soon. What really feels weird is being the same age as old people. My mind has ideas of a 60 year-old, my body says keep on dreaming.

Goodness Rick, you are a gluten for punishment with those surgeries.  I'll  bet the recovering was tough.  I really like your comment about being the same age as old people. Wife and I both go to doctors appointments and look around at the old  folks around us and swear we don't look even close to what they look like....they do look old?

[TarheelRick]

46 minutes ago, TransAmMike said:

swear we don't look even close to what they look like....they do look old?

That is not a comment you want to make at your 55th high school reunion.

[TransAmMike]

2 hours ago, espo said:

I'll be 80 later this month. I remember my father telling me once when he was in his late seventies and had jacked up his leg real bad downhill skiing at Mt Rose at Lake Tahoe, he said he was a young man trapped in this old body. I now better understand what he was talking about. Still build 5 or 6 models a year and I'm trying to build models of the cars and trucks I have owned through the years. Other than being overweight my high blood pressure is held in check with a fist full of pills every morning, but I consider myself pretty healthy. I enjoy checking in on what all everyone else is doing here since we all share pretty much the same interests. I'm really impressed by what I'm seeing many of the younger builders are doing, they all seem younger. There is so much talent and creativity going on and everyone is trying to help each other anyway they can with suggestions, parts, or even a model swap now and then.   

Well  David I had no idea you were, well, that young?, Great statement "young man trapped in an old body".    I guess that sums up how I felt up to a little over a year ago when I had colostomy surgery (and 7 months later a reversal to get rid of the freakin' bag thank goodness!!)

[TransAmMike]

2 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I suppose I’m just a child at 61, but I’ve still been building for almost 55 years! 
 

Does that earn me any brownie points? ?

As long as the eyes and nerves hold out, the plan is to keep on keepin’ on. ?

 

 

 

Steve

Oh my Steven, you're just a kid?.     Well I sure hope you do continue on, your builds are an inspiration!!

[TransAmMike]

1 hour ago, TarheelRick said:

That is not a comment you want to make at your 55th high school reunion.

You are correct huh!!   Can sure think it tho?

[1972coronet]

Chiming in at 54 (or, as I refer to it as, twenty-seven for the 2nd time). 

Never been my age - never felt my age (been sore for more 'an 25 years , the result of car wrecks (none were my fault) and physical labour).

[TransAmMike]

9 minutes ago, 1972coronet said:

Chiming in at 54 (or, as I refer to it as, twenty-seven for the 2nd time). 

Never been my age - never felt my age (been sore for more 'an 25 years , the result of car wrecks (none were my fault) and physical labour).

Thanks for "chiming in" John.     Like I said earlier in a reply, I never felt my age (well almost never) until the surgeries a little over a year ago.

When ever I tell my wife how I feel old, she says "beats the alternative"!!

[CaddyDaddy]

66 years old.......mentally mid 20’s.....LOL!!! Heart attack 15 years ago, couple of stents. More recently, heart valve. Due for a new shoulder and knee. Been getting shots to prolong the inevitable. Still pretty active. Lots of yard/farm work. Matter of fact, shoveled/threw about 5 yards of mulch today. Still help a kid out with his Modified at the Saturday night track. Get in a few two hour bench sessions each week.

[TNT]

Glad to hear age has not stopped you gents or your health issues from building. Myself i am 61 on the outside. But back in 99 i had to have my colon removed and a j pouch made with the remains of my guts. F.A.P./ gardner syndrome. Then i developed 2 desmoid tumors on each mesentery. Then they found a pancrestic tumor, but by the grace of you know who it disappeared. Dr calls me his miracle patient. Everything got to hurting so bad i would drop to my knees. Got to hurting so bad along with a surgery on my foot from my army days forced me to quit plumbing. Became a casino tech and my foot became issues. Another surgery and forced on SSDI. This February had toes removed. Still seeing DR. Dr apologized for having to do it told i wish it was done sooner because it would have saved me a ton of money from visiting your office every other week. But i keep plugging away. Wife says i need to quit trying to do so much. Told quit trying start dying. Never give up. 

[bobss396]

I will be 70 in exactly 8 months. I'm in decent shape despite a bypass in 2016 and a few other things. I take a bunch of pills every day to keep things in check. My girlfriend is 4 months older than me and still looks good and is still working.

I was hurt in a 2011 car accident, have had many ESI injections to battle pain issues. My lower back, I hurt that now and then. I had a tough spring with spasms. I see my heart doctor on Friday, he checks me out every 3-4 months.

So far this year, I have gotten my veggie garden planted, also my patio pots and flowers. I made a new pool filter platform a month ago that was hard work. I bought a "new" 1966 Belair that I am working on, got that registered yesterday. I still own and drive a '59 Ford with a 355 Chevy and a 4-speed in it, worth about 425 HP.

I just keep moving, I'm up most mornings by 6.... I have a 4-legged alarm clock, an 8 year old feral kitten-cat rescue. I avoid the day time TV trap like the plague. I retired in 2020, lost about 40 lbs and feel pretty good aside from chronic pain. Before the driveway gets too much sun, I have to stumble out to do some work on the Belair.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm pretty ancient, but working almost full time years after "retirement" and getting moved to my place in Az. takes up all the time I'd otherwise have to build models right now. My recreation these days consists mostly of hiking at a nearby national park to de-stress, and I credit that and continuing to do physical work for my remaining in relatively good shape despite the miles that are on me.

I have a lifetime's worth of full-scale project cars to keep me busy in Az. after the move is done, and a nice shop out there to work in, plus a separate model shop. And the place is close to mountains to hike and camp in, Lake Mead, the Colorado River and boating, and pretty much everything else I love about outdoor life. So if I live long enough to enjoy it all, I'll never get bored.

I just wish I'd known at 18 what I know now about people and expectations and opportunity and disappointment and resilience and self-reliance and taking personal responsibility for one's own actions and standing up for what's right no matter what and all that other "boring" stuff.  

[bobss396]

I was working on the Belair over the long weekend almost 3 weeks ago. At the height of my back and knee pain.

I was finishing up the back brakes and my son walks up. He sees me having a hard time getting up off the driveway. His advice.. maybe you need to give it a rest for a while. He was not wrong. 

I just took a break, I have the rear wheels off the Belair. I'm waiting for it to get shady so I can adjust the shoes. My buddy is coming over after 5 and will help me bleed the brakes again. It stops but the pedal should be better.

[Ace-Garageguy]

22 minutes ago, bobss396 said:

I was working on the Belair over the long weekend almost 3 weeks ago. At the height of my back and knee pain.

I was finishing up the back brakes and my son walks up. He sees me having a hard time getting up off the driveway. His advice.. maybe you need to give it a rest for a while. He was not wrong. 

I feel for ya. I have a fair bit of chronic pain from old injuries and creeping decrepitude too, and sometimes the early morning and the last hour or two in the shop every day can be...less than pleasant.

But I've found over several years that 1) getting down to and maintaining a reasonable weight, 2) "working through" the pain with ibuprofen as required, and 3) frequent strenuous exercise (and stretching to maintain range-of-motion) absolutely positively reduces the stiffness, aching joints, back, and need for pain meds over time.

It hurts to exercise when you hurt, but after a while...for me at least...the pain retreats to the point where it's not the defining characteristic of every activity. Sometimes I can go for several days without ibuprofen.

Thing is...as soon as I slow down or take it easy for too long, I start going bad again...kinda like leaving an old car sitting out in the weather. Things just rust up, stick, and stop working.  

Then, every time it takes longer and longer to get back to the point where I can function the way I want to.

Just a thought. Your mileage may vary.   

Edited June 12, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy