What's the meaning behind your Avatar ?

[Mr Oldschool]

Re Avatar -

Shortly after I started wearing a fedora I was twice in one week addressed by strangers as "Mr. Welles". When I asked what it meant I was told that I resembled a young Orson Welles. News to me, go figure. So I went with it. Interestingly enough, my dad, who I see more and more when I look in the mirror, was quit often said to resemble Johnathan Winters. And as for screen name, way back when as an undergrad I had a French class with a sabbatical replacement (very odd guy who wore a very pronounced and even worse looking toupee) who gave us all french pseudonyms and I was Hercule.

Awesome backstory! There are certainly worse people to resemble than young Orson Welles, you just don't want to resemble him as he appeared later in life... bad for your health.

 

[Matt Crunk]

My avatar is of me taken from a series of wardrobe studies for a film role I was preparing for. That role is also the reason for the beard. I shaved it soon after production, but am now in the process of growing it back (almost two years later) for some retakes and added scenes.

 

[Mr Oldschool]

My avatar is of me taken from a series of wardrobe studies for a film role I was preparing for. That role is also the reason for the beard. I shaved it soon after production, but am now in the process of growing it back (almost two years later) for some retakes and added scenes.

Dr Livingstone, I presume?


Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[Michaelson]

Mine is just me and my old 1950 Plymouth Special Deluxe, which now resides in a collection in New Jersey. Regards! Michaelson

 

[sola fide]

My 38 Chevrolet Master Deluxe is a symbol of my favorite era in clothes and cars.
Mike A

 

[jamespowers]

Mine is just me and my old 1950 Plymouth Special Deluxe, which now resides in a collection in New Jersey. Regards! Michaelson

You sold it?! :doh:

 

[Mr Oldschool]

You sold it?! :doh:

That's my reaction everytime my dad sells one of his out of his collection... I grew up around classic cars.

 

[Michaelson]

You sold it?! :doh:

Yep. It was getting harder and harder to keep going, and quite frankly, it was getting harder and harder on me driving it everyday to work in every type weather. Living in South/Central Tennessee you just don't find parts.

No heater in winter when it's 17 below zero, but 120 degrees inside in summer due to nothing but steel interior with no escape from the heat, pneumatic wipers that stop at the worse possible time during a driving rain, drum brakes in the rain and a brake system that NO one makes parts for anymore, no turn signals so you have to keep your drivers side window down year round to give hand signals that no one can see after dark anyway, a defroster that barely works, sweating bullets at night hoping no one back-ends you when your brake-line delay switch to your brakelights work slower than a driver behind you expects (specifically grain trucks who don't drive all that good anyway in my neck of the woods), and just the fact folks are so busy looking at your car, they're not watching what THEY'RE doing. I was sitting at a traffic light and watched a guy cause a 3 car chain reaction in the lane next to me looking at my car and not the traffic stopped in front of him. On and on and on.....

For those who actually own and drive these old monsters on a daily basis, you know it's not just a matter of climbing in, turning the key and driving off. There's a LOT involved in both ownership and just driving. It's a physical effort each and every day, sometimes exhausting.

It was always a love/hate relationship. Wish I had it just for 'funsy' driving, but that wasn't the case. Having to depend on it as my bread and butter winner was stressful.

I miss it, and then I don't.

I'll get another someday when it's a fair weather driver and not something I have to depend on to put food on my table.

The man who purchased it was going to do a complete frame up restoration and just enjoy it as a Sunday driver. After me driving it everyday for over 9 years, it deserved it.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[2jakes]

Yep. It was getting harder and harder to keep going, and quite frankly, it was getting harder and harder on me driving it everyday to work in every type weather. Living in South/Central Tennessee you just don't find parts.
Michaelson

I can relate to this.
One time I had to stop at a steep uphill traffic light.

One foot on the clutch , the other on the brake pedal with a car real close behind me.
I had the emergency brake on as well.

What I did was wave the car behind me to go around, pretending the truck was stalled.
Afterwards, I took the foot off the brake pedal & stepped on the gas pedal while releasing the
emergency brake & coasting back before I could go forward.

The old system brakes work as they should, but they will not stop instantly like todays brakes.

I cannot drive on the freeway, it puts too much stress on the engine even at minimum speed limit.

I considered installing a modern engine.

The mechanic asked "how deep are your pockets ?"

He told me that there was more then just swapping a modern engine .
He mentioned the brake system & gears to make it safe to drive
at a faster speeds . Which this vehicle was not meant to do in the first place.

Basically I would have a steel shaft aimed at my chest if ever I should be unlucky & hit something.
Meaning that there is no air bags or collapsible steering column.

I still have my truck & on occasions drive it on the back roads, weather permitting. My wife
finds it uncomfortable..."rides like a tank" .
No A/C as well.

But I love it & don't want to get rid of it


edit: I have ridden in a tank & it actually is a better ride then the truck & safer too.

 

[Mr Oldschool]

What is your truck, btw?

 

[2jakes]

What is your truck, btw?

1946 GM with straight 6.

 

[Mr Oldschool]

Sweet! She's a beauty!

 

[Michaelson]

One foot on the clutch , the other on the brake pedal with a car real close behind me.
I had the emergency brake on as well.

'Emergency brake'? What a luxury! My cable was kinked and I NEVER had one. It was always an adventure driving the car.

Anyway, sorry to drag the conversation away from the question.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[jamespowers]

Yep. It was getting harder and harder to keep going, and quite frankly, it was getting harder and harder on me driving it everyday to work in every type weather. Living in South/Central Tennessee you just don't find parts.

No heater in winter when it's 17 below zero, but 120 degrees inside in summer due to nothing but steel interior with no escape from the heat, pneumatic wipers that stop at the worse possible time during a driving rain, drum brakes in the rain and a brake system that NO one makes parts for anymore, no turn signals so you have to keep your drivers side window down year round to give hand signals that no one can see after dark anyway, a defroster that barely works, sweating bullets at night hoping no one back-ends you when your brake-line delay switch to your brakelights work slower than a driver behind you expects (specifically grain trucks who don't drive all that good anyway in my neck of the woods), and just the fact folks are so busy looking at your car, they're not watching what THEY'RE doing. I was sitting at a traffic light and watched a guy cause a 3 car chain reaction in the lane next to me looking at my car and not the traffic stopped in front of him. On and on and on.....

For those who actually own and drive these old monsters on a daily basis, you know it's not just a matter of climbing in, turning the key and driving off. There's a LOT involved in both ownership and just driving. It's a physical effort each and every day, sometimes exhausting.

It was always a love/hate relationship. Wish I had it just for 'funsy' driving, but that wasn't the case. Having to depend on it as my bread and butter winner was stressful.

I miss it, and then I don't.

I'll get another someday when it's a fair weather driver and not something I have to depend on to put food on my table.

The man who purchased it was going to do a complete frame up restoration and just enjoy it as a Sunday driver. After me driving it everyday for over 9 years, it deserved it.

Regards! Michaelson

This is all why none of my classics are older than 1955. Most of the modern amenities with twice the style.

 

[2jakes]

'Emergency brake'? What a luxury! My cable was kinked and I NEVER had one. It was always an adventure driving the car.

Anyway, sorry to drag the conversation away from the question.

Regards! Michaelson

Let me rephrase this part....

" I had the "token" emergency brakes on as well "...


Also if I may be allowed to write this...
Don't be sorry about dragging the conversation away from the question....
I started this thread about the question of "avatars" & I love to read about
what others think from all over the country.


Thanks to all,
jake

 

[Chas]

Flip Phillips playing on 52nd Street some time in the late 1940's. Pic taken from the Gotlieb Collection, photos of the golden age of jazz, library of congress.

 

[ChiTownScion]

Tex Avery's Wolf trying to put the make on "Red Hot Riding Hood." One of the best toons, ever.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Speaking of FL avatars and cartoon Red Riding Hoods...submitted for observation:

 

[galopede]

It's a photo of a hand made Italian Castagnari Tommy melodeon, my pride and joy! Gets me out of the house several times a week as the musician for a local morris dance side, regular pub music sessions and even makes me money as I run and English Ceilidh/barn dance band...

Gareth

 

[LuvMyMan]

My avatar was a easy picture to place here. Just me as I have my own account here now, but gee whiz, I do love my man!