Of Men, Women, And Old Cars...

I love going to old car shows.   You know the ones..  Where the vehicles from the 50's 60's and 70's have been restored to their former showroom glory.  I find it fascinating that those cars actually exist outside a history book or old movie, poster or catalog.

And I find the people who restore them even more fascinating.   The amount of love and dedication to put all that time and money into something that only brings them joy in the form of memories hints at the kind of people they are.   Builders.  Fixers.  Artists...

And most, if not all of them...  are Men.   

To be honest, I have never met a woman who has restored an old car to its original condition.  Or even souped it up with mods and fancy tires.  I don't doubt that there are some women out there that do these shows, but I  have never met them.   And given the ratio I have seen,  they must be in the minority.  

I'm sure that there are those who "support" their husband's hobby.  I have met a few Husband/Wife teams touring around the show circles with their first car that they both helped restore.  But even those are a rare sight.  Most of the time it is an old man, sitting by himself or with his kids,  talking cars and telling stories.  

Of drag races....  And accidents,  First kisses, and memorable dates.  Getting stuck  down shady trails and surviving blizzard conditions.  Cars bring back those moments.   And those men, with love, have kept and maintained that vehicle's condition just like the way they remembered it to be.

I suppose it is telling of the kind of man who is capable of loving something that much.   And I wonder if there is a correlation with the type of husband they are at home.   I wonder if they remember their wives the same way.... as a hot cutie that they originally fell in love with.   Their first kiss together.   All those wild rides through hills and valleys. And now....  looking at her as she is.   He only sees the beauty that originally captured him.  

I wonder if women are the same.  

I do know that not all men are the same as the fixers and builders.   There are also the users and abusers.   They run their cars into the ground and treat them badly.   Sometimes because they are young and foolish.   Other times because they are rich and can always buy another one after they crash this one around a tree.  (Provided they live to tell the tale.) These "Bad Boys" look at cars as a thing to be driven to the max.  Raced!  And pushed to the edge of breaking.  I wonder if they treat their women the same way....

The type of man who restores cars is certainly not as exciting as the guy who races and crashes them.   All women seem to like the "Bad Boy: for some reason.   And then wonder why he keeps crashing his cars or blowing the engine.   Or treating her badly  or cheating on her with another woman.    She is nothing more than a thing to be used by him.  

And yet she continues to go back.    All while lamenting that there are no guys who want to drive her for 400,000 miles or more.  There are those guys.   You just don't choose them. 

I think there is a satisfaction to repairing a car and restoring it to the level where you remember it.   For those couple who are married 50+ years,   I'm certain that the man does not see an old woman sitting next to him... but rather:  a Beautiful  young woman who gave him his first kiss.   And his Children.   And all of those memories of struggle and achievement.  And it may only be a one sided love affair.  Just like a car that they.put in all that time and money into that only brings them joy in the form of memories.