A Fathers Influence

As I mentioned in my first post my love for motorcycles goes way back to my childhood and growing up around them and riding them.  There also exists the mechanical intuition that I think every boy is born with but sometimes grows beyond the "wow, firetruck!" phase that most little boys go through.  Part of it for me had to do with not only my nature but the nurture.  If you knew my dad, Mr. William Cox, or Bill as he prefers, you would understand.

Train layout my dad built from scratch in his basement

My first memories include building my first plastic model airplane with the help of dad at the age of 3 or 4.  It was an Me-262, the first operational combat jet fighter built during the waning years of WWII by the German Luftwaffe.  You see, my father himself is a mechanical engineer and a total gearhead.  No doubt I got that from him.  As I grew up under my dads guidance, he would include me working on the cars, in his shop building models, fixing things around the house, etc.  My dad could do anything..he was like McGyver only he makes MyGyver's inventions look like Boy Scout drivel.  Where McGyver would use a toothpick and a gum wrapper to make a circuit, my dad would build the lathe to turn a piece of wood to make the toothpick and then extract the aluminum from the gum wrapper to complete the circuit.

I thought of growing up to be a truck driver, then a pilot, a lawyer and then I resigned myself to my destiny..to become a mechanical engineer.  When I graduated from Ohio State with my bachelors in mechanical engineering, I started to gain an appreciation for my dad's gift.  He has made a very impressive career designing and building high speed packaging machines and starting several businesses with his patented designs.  I mean, seriously, I would put my pops up against anybody in any design contest and Bill Cox would kick some serious fanny.

When you see your family as you know it in the aftermath of a divorce, it's very difficult.  My dad moved out but he always made the effort to see me as I grew up and only moved away after I graduated high school and went off to college.  All this to say is that while I am very thankful that I had what time I did during my preteen and teenage years with my father, I wish I had more time with him.

These days dad is as involved as he can be as a grandfather and dad given our distance apart.  When we hang out we always talk about doing something together as adults such as building a hot rod or restoring a motorcycle.  It would be hard to do as most fathers and sons live close by and could easily spend weekends building something or working on a project as a team.  I approached him over the phone and told him of my plans to build a cafe bike and if he'd be willing to help me.  Sure enough he said he would love to do it and even helped throw in a few buck to get the bike.  I was ecstatic!  I figured between visits we could each work on our bits and pieces of the bike and when we get back together we would assemble that portion back on the frame.  It will be an interesting process!

My dad Bill and me on Father's Day 2010

So, part of this whole endevour is me wishing to do something big and to push my skills as a gearhead and to learn all the details of restoring a motorcycle instead of watching someone else do it on TV.  The other part of it is to bridge a gap that can only exist inside a son looking to his father and longing to connect with him, to forge together in common blood a creation that both of them can be proud of.  I know that my dad and I would make a great team and here is our chance.  It's also an uspoken question and statement of  "dad, look what I can do..you taught me well, I hope I make you proud...and that you love me as much as I love you."