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What Are You Thankful For?

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Today is the day we kickback, eat entirely too much food and reflect on all the things we are grateful for! Being car nuts, we really have a lot of things to be thankful for, so we thought it would be fun to share a few of the things we are grateful for. We’d also invite all of you to share what things you’re grateful for in the comments section below!

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From Jesse – Cars are fun and all, but they wouldn’t mean much without all the special people in my life. I’m thankful for my beautiful wife. She has spent countless hours listening to me blabber about cars and has been a great support. Heck, she has even helped prepare some of our cars for events and shows! I’m grateful for my son. We have enjoyed many hours of Lego playtime together. I’m thankful for my brother. We’ve gone from Big Wheels to four wheels together and it’s been a lot of fun. I’m thankful for my parents and all their crazy stories about cars past. I’m thankful for all my extended family and all their love and support. I’m grateful to all the writers here on Barn Finds. We have a great team and together we’ve accomplished things that I could never have done on my own. And finally, I am thankful to all of you! Without everyone’s enthusiasm, feedback, and comments, this site would not be where it is today. See, we may spend a lot of time thinking and writing about cars, but without the people involved, they are just lifeless hunks of steel. People are what really matter. Finally, I’m thankful to God and all the ways he has blessed me. Happy Thanksgiving!

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From Josh – I’m grateful for spirited summer drives with the top down in my Fiat 124 Spider with my wonderful wife riding shotgun. I’m also grateful for the Barn Finds Community, all the great comments and insights that are shared on these pages everyday, and for all the amazing finds we receive from many of you in our inbox! It’s an honor being the managing editor of this site and I’m grateful for all the amazing people that help us 7 days a week 365 days a year to make it happen, here’s raising a drumstick to all the BF Staff. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also give thanks for 5 speed manual transmissions, limited slip differentials, free flowing exhausts and curvy mountain roads! But most of all, I’m grateful for my amazing family, including my extended BF family (that includes all of you!) and for good friends to share my automotive passion with. May each of you have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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From Jeff – What I’m grateful for: the salvage yard owners that keep old cars around so people like me can keep buying oddball projects and still find parts for them! Incidentally, although my love of automobiles has led to making many new friendships and creating plenty of interesting stories, my exploration of salvage yards and getting to know the owners who store these forgotten vessels of automotive history have helped keep the proverbial “flame alive” when it comes to taking on new projects outside of my comfort zone. And of course, no amount of thankfulness would be possible without mentioning my very understanding spouse, who is more accommodating than I deserve when it comes to the time (and attention) given to four-wheeled contraptions. 

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From Jamie – When it comes to the automotive aspects of my life, I’m most thankful for my wonderful family, that not only allows but participates extensively in my vehicular exploits! I should note here that my wife says she enables them; I’m inclined to agree. I’m also thankful for the friends I’ve met through cars–through car club activities, racing, and the online community at Barn Finds. Thanks to Jesse & Josh for allowing me to participate with you! Finally, I’m thankful to my late mother and father for fostering this love of four-wheeled vehicles I have and enjoying them with me while they were alive. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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From Scotty – Every day that I wake up, I’m thankful. I’ve had a great life so far, it’s been a lot of work filled with many changes: careers, businesses, cities, lots of travel, and, unfortunately, family and friends leaving too soon. One thing that has remained constant throughout the last fifty years, however, has been my love and passion for cars. And by cars I mean vehicles of all types, years, configurations, and nations of origin – cars, trucks, motorcycles, snowmobiles, etc. I started identifying cars as a tiny kid as we drove in our ’56 Pontiac and then our ’69 Ford Camper Special on trips out west. It solidified my love for the car hobby that will always be in my soul whether I’m currently eyeing muscle cars, microcars, oddball vehicles, trucks, wagons, or motorcycles – old or new, American or import – I love them all. I’m thankful that my parents let me go on and on  (and on and on) talking about cars from the time that I was a tiny tot. And, I’m especially thankful to Barn Finds for taking a chance on me and I’m thankful that there are so many great fans and friends of the website out there! Have a great Thanksgiving, all!

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From Brian – It is the time of year where we reflect on things we are thankful for. A time to remember the pioneers and all they contributed to our modern world. Pioneers like Henry Ford, the Dodge Brothers, Virgil Exner, Harley Earl, William Mitchell and Gordon Buehrig to name but a few. They pioneered the greatest vehicles of American Dreams, and for that I am thankful for all of their efforts. Automotive history is such a memorable part of the American experience. Many of us remember tinkering on an old car with our Grandfather, Dad or Uncles. Long before football was televised, Thanksgiving was a time for men to stand outside and smoke while they talked about performance, modifications, or care of their motor cars. They planted the seed of knowledge and desire in our minds that carries down through the generations. I am thankful for those who sold their old cars cheap so teens could have a turn with them, turning them into hot rod Lincolns so to speak. I am grateful to those who have stored away vehicles like artifacts, waiting to be discovered by a whole new generation. But mostly I am thankful to the guys at Barn Finds who present a venue for us to revisit memories of our cars, the ones we had, the ones we wanted, and the one we still plan to get! Happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers! I hope you enjoy good food and good times with your family. Remember to take a look around Grandad’s or your Uncles back yard garages… You may find a treasure, sleeping not yet found!

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From David W – I don’t want to burden everyone with my curmudgeonly rants about the crass over-commercialization of every important cultural touchstone in American life, so I will resist complaining on this occasion. In fact, I am always grateful for simply being around to experience the richness of life itself, especially with the people whom I love, and who hopefully feel the same way about me. I am grateful to all of them for the joy and warmth they bring me almost daily, even from afar. It is really important to break through the incessant noise of our lives for this brief time, to share these moments together, and to tell the people we love how much they matter to us. I am thankful to have that opportunity. I know this message is supposed to have something to do with cars. From reading Barn Finds every day, and having the opportunity to experience and enjoy so many great vehicle finds vicariously, I have come to realize how great it is that I don’t feel the need anymore to own and work on almost every old car I saw. It is just a relief to realize that someone else will be suffering for their crazy love of old metal and plastic, and that I am relieved of any such responsibility now. So I am really grateful to Barn Finds and all the people who make it possible, including the wonderful community of readers who make it so rich and rewarding to read. I am just really happy that there are so many people who are still so in love with cars that make this whole thing possible. And some of them, I can even count as friends. What a great world we are blessed to live in. Happy Thanksgiving to all! — David

Well everyone, we hope you and your families have a Happy Thanksgiving! And we look forward to seeing what things you’re grateful for!

*Corncob Racer Photo Courtesy of Mark Dalzell

Comments

  1. Avatar Larry Boehm

    I’m thankful for the guys at Barn Finds.
    I’m not just sucking up, I really love to read all of the great articles that you send me every day. I love the combination new, old, fun and very well written articles that provide fantastic details about all of the great cars that you find. I’m not kidding when I say I love to read your articles as soon as they come into my mailbox. So for this Thanksgiving, besides being thankful for being on vacation in the Caribbean, Blue Water, my beautiful daughters and wondeful family, I’d like to give a hip hip hooray to the barn find guys keep us car Nutz entertained everyday!
    ( Can you help me find an decent 80 or 81 Scirocco S? Not red pls, on the east coast and not a racer.. :-) )
    Larry

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  2. Avatar Peter Lee

    Every time I go down the stairs to the basement, I peer through the window to the garage and behold my glorious 1956 Studebaker Sky Hawk in Glenwood Green and Seaside Green and simply marvel that I actually own this car. How lucky can one man get?

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  3. Avatar leiniedude Member

    Thanks gang, that pretty much sums it up for me also. And saved me a bunch of typing. Keep up the great work! Happy Thanksgiving! Mike. Oh, the corn cob car is so cool!

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    • HoA Howard A Member

      Hi leiniedude, figures you’d say that about the corn car. I know Iowa is the “corn cob ” state, but Wisconsin is close behind. I think it’s cool too, only I’d have some “popped kernels” by the exhaust.

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  4. Avatar Gary Fogg

    I am thankful I ran out of space so I would stop buying project cars I cannot find time to finish ! Amen.

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  5. Avatar TVC15

    Vodka

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  6. Avatar Blackta1

    Sitting in a 911 center for an 8 hour shift this morning. Thankful anytime our first responders make it home safe and thankful for family and friends.

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    • Avatar Dr. D

      I am thankful for people like you.

      Best wishes and Happy Thanksgiving.

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  7. Avatar Bingo

    I’m thankful for purple corvettes, hippie VW’s, roached out corvairs, meticulously maintained Yenko’s and corncob open bodies.

    Also windscreens, door cards, bonnets and frog eyes (not really but I thought it was funny).

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  8. Avatar Alex

    I’m thankful that prices on the third gen rx7 convertibles are staying down. And family and stuff.

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  9. Avatar JW

    I’m thankful for my gearhead wife of 36 years and counting who gave me 2 son’s that love cars & trucks. I’m also thankful I got to be around enjoying the 60 & 70 musclecar era which IMO will never be duplicated today because horsepower was not everything about that time in history but only the main course.

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  10. HoA Howard A Member

    Oh, now this is a loaded thread, Josh, and you know it. I’m thankful for Barn Finds, of course,,,, I know I tend to “shake up some soda’s ” here, and even if you disagree with me, please, let’s be civil. ( no work arounds with swear words and let’s talk, why not?) We’re all here pretty much for the same thing, we’re a bunch of motorheads that want to blab about cars ( and never leave the kitchen table) I feel we are kind of a “club” here, someone usually knows something about everything.( and no, not me) Not a big holiday fan, I guess all those years as a trucker, one day was just like the last, and parents are gone, ( and my brother and SIL are vegetarians, GOOD HEAVENS, so no turkey there) and with them, probably went my last decent meal. For years, I went to 2 Thanksgivings/day, so it kind of averages itself out. I’m thankful everyday ( not just at the end of Nov.) for reasonably good health, 2 wonderful kids, great friends, but I’m really thankful I got to drive many of the cars and trucks that come through here, when they weren’t $40,000 dollar museum pieces, but $400 beaters. It’s going to take someone that wants to experience that car now, a small fortune, and that’s a shame. Please drive safe. Now, I wonder how late the deli at the “IGA” is open today? :(

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    • HoA Howard A Member

      Oh, one more thing, I seemed to have fixed my shockwave problem, if anybody else is having the same issues. I disabled the plug-ins ( which who knows what that leaves me wide open for) and VOILA!

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      • Avatar leiniedude Member

        That’s Great Howard! Can you tell me what a plug in is? Maybe help with my problem, Thanks, and I wouldn’t waste anytime getting to the IGA. Mike.

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      • HoA Howard A Member

        ( ok, takes a deep breath) I went to the 3 dots in the right corner, customize, went to settings, then to advanced settings, then to the privacy section, then content settings, then down to plugins, and then manage individual plug-ins, and then hit disable “adobe flash player”. Whew, did I just say all that?
        disclaimer: not responsible for blue screens, noooooo

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    • Avatar geomechs Member

      Hi Howard. You know that ‘vegetarian’ is an old Indian word, meaning: ‘Bad Hunter?’ Have a great day, my friend.

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      • Avatar leiniedude Member

        lol!!!!!

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      • HoA Howard A Member

        HA! The standard routine for years, was on the way to their house for dinner, we’d stop at McDonalds 1st.

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  11. Avatar Terry J

    I’ll stick to a B/F thought: I really appreciate this great site. At age 68, I have a lot of car memories stashed away and B/F allows them to wake up from a long slumber. I’ve learned a lot about cars in the last 60 years but often I read a thread from a B/F contributor and think: “I never knew that”. Here’s my old 440 powered Dodge truck. Thanks. :-) Terry J

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    • Avatar David Wilk Member

      That is a way cool truck, Terry. ’47?

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      • Avatar Terry J

        ’41. Bored one winter (23 years ago). The 1 1/2 ton cab and front were in a berry patch. Took the front frame section from a ’71 Plymouth Fury and grafted a ’67 Dodge 1/2 ton frame to it. 440 from a ’71 New Yorker, 727 Auto, 3.90 posi 8 3/4 rear end. Torsion Bar front suspension, power steering, power disc brakes. Found a turbocharger off of a Class a 440 powered motor home so ran it blown for years, but crummy gas so finally took it off. Old boy rides good and goes like you’d expect. :-) Terry J

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  12. Avatar geomechs Member

    I’m thankful for: my wife putting up with car and truck magazines oozing out of every corner; living in a era where I’m able to enjoy and appreciate cars, trucks, motorcycles, tractors, airplanes, snowmobiles, power units and just about every fossil-fuelled device that sends tree-huggers over the edge; I’m thankful for being able to travel the great expanses of this country, see new things and meet new people; I’m thankful for a wonderful family, good kids and wonderful grandkids who look forward to our visits; I’m thankful for wonderful friends to meet with, banter with, and discuss common interests, in person or on sites like this; and I’m thankful for moderators who don’t censor everything….

    Happy Thanksgiving, from our house to your house. May you have good health and prosperity. George & Mikenzie.

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  13. Avatar S Ryan

    Hard Liquor and Ear plugs!
    My wife and kids!
    American muscle and Gasoline!
    A heated garage!
    The sun and moon are cool too.
    Websites like this. What a Great World!

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  14. Avatar Jeffro

    From my house to yours…have a Happy Thanksgiving

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  15. Avatar RX7TURBOII

    I am thankful for my wonderful girlfriend, the ability to make just enough money to survive every month, my health and I am thankful to be alive.

    I hope each and every one of you has a great Thanksgiving and holiday season this year. Remember, it’s not what kind of car we like and what kind of car we disagree with that other people like, it’s that we all love cars, transportation and we all share the same passion.!

    Happy thanksgiving!!🍖🍖🍖🍖

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  16. Avatar Barzini

    @David W – your post is the best thing I’ve read about Thankgiving this year. Thank you for your thoughtful perspectives on a day when I needed it.

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    • Avatar David Wilk Member

      Thanks Barzini, your comment made me grateful all over again.
      David W

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  17. Avatar Alex B

    Land of the V8, Home of the Super Bee. :)

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  18. Avatar Brian

    I too am thankful to BarnFinds! Gobble gobble!

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  19. Avatar Joe Kruskamp

    Yes, I give thanks for BF and the constant currents of Diverse opinions of what’s a cool or collectable vehicle. I also give thanks to the legions of Car nuts that have joined the fight against the EPA and car Nazis in CA.
    Does my 72 Pinto or my 84 GTI make my street cred worthy? Only a new age of non Governmental sensible freedom to Drive philosophy will tell.
    Tryptophan OD for us all , best of wishes to you all…
    Pintosopher, oracle to the temporal rift

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    • Avatar boxdin

      A Pinto race is real street cred to me !

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  20. Avatar Ck

    Im thankfull for my wife and two boys who pretty much love old cars,trucks,bikes etc.etc.as much as I do.Whitch is why I have 8 of them,and 5 of em run. Im also thankfull that we live in the greatest country in the world,and for the men and women that made it that way for all of us.I’m thankfull I found BF cuz I have learned alot from you guys .Oh and Howard if your feelin like a road trip next year your more than welcome to come out to MA for some turkey and my wifes Portuguese stuffing it’s the best. Which I’m also verry thankfull for.

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    • HoA Howard A Member

      Thanks for the offer, Ck. Not sure, just got done with a 5 month stint in upstate NY with some friends. Wonderful area, great people. Little too busy for me though. Nowadays, my road trips involve 8 miles to the grocery store. Amen on the Good Ol’ USA!

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  21. Avatar Rock On

    Happy Thanksgiving to my southern neighbors. Good luck at the Black Friday sales tomorrow. I just have to say that, that’s the corniest roadster that I have ever seen!!!

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  22. Avatar Mr. Bond

    All the best, to all the Barn Finders! I am grateful for the internet! It brings me my favorite site! Thanks to everyone who contributes!

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  23. Avatar stillrunners

    Guess what most have said….really like the salvage yard comment…..at dinner today the horder word came out…..yes I have more about 30 cars/trucks and about the same in vintage motor bikes….more than I will every win a trophy with….most all run/drive so I can enjoy them a little….it’s what keeps me sane….and what I’m thankful for is that I can still tinker with them.

    And of course all youse guys !

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  24. Avatar Doug M. (West Coast)

    Thanks to this whole group! You all help me feel normal! I, too, really like working on cars, usually old, usually not very expensive… But it brings me a real sense of satisfaction to take something old and crusty and make it drive-able and I really enjoy some of the great cars that keep getting older. I have a few sitting around, but am finally getting time to work on them. Thanks Giving to all of you… keep sharing in this great community!

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    • HoA Howard A Member

      Hi Doug, what year are the windows?? ( good save below) :)

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      • Avatar leiniedude Member

        I bet Doug is restoring a VW van.

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    • Avatar L.M.K.

      Nice windows. Even us car guys can appreciate windows……

      And the Volvo and Bmw in the picture you meant to send are nice as well….

      Thanks Barnfinds for this great site…..

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  25. Avatar Doug M. (West Coast)

    OK, Sorry about that picture above that posted in error!! So, here’s a caption to try to make sense of it: “May this great and entertaining web site be the “Window” to even more of us sharing with each other a common passion that brings us together!”

    Now, here is the picture that I REALLY meant to post with my message above: (and, no, I have not been drinking today!) :)

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  26. Avatar Rolf Poncho 455

    Fantastic I love the site first thing I do in the morning
    when I start my computer (BARN FINDS) so here is
    my firebird once more with a trophy 73 455 formula
    Thanks barn finds for all the good stuff

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    • Avatar Alex B

      Awesome car, excellent color and in my opinion the coolest hood scoops ever designed on a muscle car. :D

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  27. Avatar Rolf Poncho 455

    I’m also building this opel manta 1972 2.0L 8valve
    motor R25 opel record trans and it fits perfectly
    on motor.

    I KNOW IT’S NOT A FIND JUST FOR ALL THE RESTO GUYS

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    • HoA Howard A Member

      Hi Rolf, I had several Opels, including a Mantra [sic]. They were all good cars. While my Kadette Rallye was the most fun, the Manta, I thought, was a nice car. Good luck finding one in the states today. NOBODY, me included, ever thought of saving an Opel. Keep us posted on the project.

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      • Avatar Dave Wright

        People in North America don’t realize how popular Opel’s are in Europe. They still make a large variety of great cars. In the old days there large car (the same size an an early Nova or smaller) had a high performance 283 with highway gears. They would really run on the autobahn. Great stuff.

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  28. Avatar Michael

    Thanks for doing all the ” legwork” that makes the Daily Barn Finds email so informative and entertaining. It’s great to be able to get your head ” outside” all the blabber whipped up from the mainstream media ….gearhead is closer to my soul than ” the Situation Room or Meet the Press”. All I need is access to non Ethanol gas and the ability to make a good cup of coffee and a sandwich.

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  29. Avatar Mike Burnett

    I’ve been at some low points following a stroke but the friendly, knowledgeable and often humerous comments from other barnfinders has helped pull me through. I’m thankful for these and the fact that I’m not wealthy, otherwise my house would have to have its interior walls knocked down to accommodate still more projects that I will never get round to restoring The count as risen to 7 so far!

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  30. Avatar Another Bob

    Thankful I was born in the 50’s and have seen so much change with tons more to come. Also enjoy thinking about the interesting qualities of manufactured objects. Having worked in a car factory it is hard to believe that a roll of soulless sheet metal run through stamping machines by bored workers can turn into such lasting objects of desire. Certainly thankful for health in our families….and would like to raise a glass of Cheer to the various Dogs in our lives. Thanks Barn Finds!

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  31. Avatar nessy

    What am I thankful for? I thank God and my lucky stars every night that I have a beautiful understanding wife, a wife who totally supports my car collecting. she even bought me several cars in the past because she knew how much I wanted them but also knew I was short on the money. She never complains about the driveway and garage being filled with cars. Thankful for our two little boys who are already into the cars, they want to play in the garage everyday after school. Thankful that I still have my mother and father and that I was able to give them grandchildren. Thankful for a good business so I can pay the bills and have a little left over each month. Thankful for good health because without it, nothing else is really important. Thankful for the sweet smelling spring afternoons, the hot summer Saturdays at the beach or the car shows, the smell of fall in the air. Driving with the top down for ice cream on a Sunday afternoon. Walking in a fresh snowfall. Coming home to a wonderful dinner with hugs from my wife and kids. Beautiful music. Beautiful places to visit. Peace to all mankind in every part of the world. I wish for health and happiness to all of you and to all the people we will never meet. Money? Cars? Our toys? If we are lucky enough to have them, fine, if not, just be thankful to enjoy the day because the toys are not what make us really happy. That feeling comes from inside and once you have found it, nobody on earth, can take this away from you….

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    • Avatar Dave Wright

      The best post in a field of great ones………

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  32. Avatar Richie Rich

    I thank my wife who puts up with having her car in the driveway when my projects completely fill the garage. And for my kids who appreciate the cool stuff in the garage. Thank you for cultivating a community of folks who are as a group a treasure chest of automotive experience and knowledge who are willing to share and benefit those of us without as much time for our hobby as we’d like.

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  33. Avatar Wm Lawrence

    Late on this thread as I’m just catching up from my 5 day 2,000 mile trip to and from Turkey dinner. I’m thankful for this beautiful continent we live on and the freedom we have to roam around on it while burning lots of cheap fuel and drive great cars.

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