Public thank you

Glad he's still at it with the paint, and using it for a good cause!!! He should be very proud of what he is doing!!
 
I just realized that you (Chad) are Auto Rod Technologies. I have been following your work on Facebook for quite some time.
 
Just an update. My son (16 yo) is still using the paint Chad gave him and restored the guitar, in the attached pic, to raffle off at this year's Relay for Life (American Cancer Society). Aside from the actual guitar, primers, and clear donations helped make this happen. He hit the streets and a few music stores donated strings, guitar stand, tuner, strap and a month of guitar lessons. He also donated and painted an Xbox wireless controller in the Relay for Life color scheme. He raised about $400 for this one night event.
 
This post is so refreshing. It is great to see this happening. Sometimes we go through life with blinders on and get too focused on one thing, be it painting cars, bikes or whatever. All that stuff is nice and fun but the OP reminds us all what is really important. Our hats are tipped to that young man, his family and all who donate without strings attached.
 
very cool! nice to see some good parenting and good use of skills!
 
I know most posts on this site involve paint work to autos (restorations etc..) and not skateboards and guitars but I wanted to show Chad what my son was able to do, because of his help, with his charitable work.
My son has also done some paint work on car parts. My son and I both have 68 Lemans convertibles with 4 speeds. My white 68 is a 1 of 176 built (most people opted for a GTO I suppose) 350 HO (320hp from factory), 4 speed posi car that is #'s matching throughout. That car is and will stay completely original. His is a Solar Red 350 (265hp but now has 4 bbl, dual exhaust, cam..) 4speed (factory 3 speed stick) that he has taken a few liberties with regarding non-original (to the buildsheet) equipment. This would include disc brake upgrade, engine mods (though low mileage 40k original engine), rear boxed control arms with sway bar, 8.5 rear to replace pegleg 8.2 posi, etc.
One mod that he needed/wanted was a tach. We both felt it necessary with a 4 speed. Mine has an in dash tach, he has a working clock where the optional tach would be. Other than a column mounted tach he opted for a hood tach. Of course he would need a GTO to mount it on lol. His original hood had a rust spot from underhood bracing that held water so we needed to repair it anyway. I let him spray the GTO hood, scoops and tach body (all separate) BC/CC (SW Ultra base/SPI Euro) and the underside with black SPI epoxy. By the way he has a fresh air supplied hood (Hobby Air) when spraying in a semi enclosed area.
Here's a couple of pics. One of his car with flat hood and the painted GTO hood.



 
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Price was the main reason Pontiac sold a lot of GTOs in 1968. I went to my local Pontiac dealer in November 1967 and priced a Tempest. A 350 V8 automatic with power steering, radio and bucket seats was going to cost just over $3,300. The GTO similarly equipped was $200 more. The salesman told my wife the GTO could be ordered with the 350 so she asked how much that reduced the price. It was the same price so we got the GTO with the 350hp 400ci engine. As a bonus, an automatic GTO came with a console and the Hurst dual-gate shifter for no extra charge. I wanted an in-dash tach and my wife wanted the clock -- we compromised and got neither. You kinda had to NOT want a GTO in 1968, thus the low numbers of V8 Tempests.

Great story and great work on the paint projects.
 
Labor Day bump.
This year's F.D. raffles, that Donald donated, are longboard, Xbox console and 2 controllers. As you can see he added Hydrographics to his repertoire. The flags, circuit board and wood grain are hydro. Base coats courtesy Chad and clear is Euro.

 
Your son is very talented, but most importantly, he is obviously a great kid. You must be proud. Also like that he is helping out the F.D., lol.
 
Having grown up on Long Island with an Uncle who was chief of the Holbrook Volunteer Fire Department from 1953-55, I know a little about what Donald is involved in. Volunteer fire departments in New York provide vital services and the one in Babylon saved my life.

Basic expenses for the departments are covered by taxes but many of the New York state volunteer fire departments have Drill Teams (and Junior Drill Teams) that are funded through donations. If you have a couple of minutes, here's a YouTube video showing the Riverhead team in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppu6kJiZTBc

If you found that short clip exciting but have no idea what's going on, there's a 50-minute documentary that explains this phenomenon: Race for Glory - The Story of Drill Team Racing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrjfkLmFg3g
 
You guys have a hydro place local to you? I thought about it for a few things but nothing to close to me.
 
Yes Chad, in the garage lol. He converted an old steel tub into a dip tank. Uses a propane burner underneath to bring up the temp of the water. He usually waits until he needs to dip a 1/2 dozen pieces before he "fires" it up. Real dip tanks big bucks but he'd be a pro at it with real equipment. He's worked out some dip issues through trial and error and gets a good dip on most items now. Airbrushing next! lol
 
Sounds like this kid is working his way into a new trade.. Whatever he chooses to do. lol..

I haven't put any time into looking into the hydro stuff.. I probably should.
 
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