Muscle car wisdom

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Jim DeHaan
  • 3d Airlift Squadron commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  I've always been a Pontiac fan. I learned to drive in a 1979 Grand Prix, have owned a few Firebirds along the way and love the movie "Smokey and the Bandit." I've owned a few muscle cars along the way but never the one I "wanted," a 1967 or 1968 Firebird.

In 2012, I decided the timing was right, but I just couldn't find the right car within a reasonable driving distance. I started looking at other cars, Buick, Oldsmobile, Chevy, other Pontiac models, but I just couldn't decide.

A good friend of mine said the first thing I'll pass along to you: you might have to take a risk to get what you want. Assignment locations that don't appeal to you might be better for your career. Additional duties which may add to your daily workload might provide the experience you need for that future job you're eyeing. Spending money on education may open up opportunities, but stretch the budget a bit at home. Take a risk.

This leads into the second piece of muscle car wisdom: what you were looking for might not be what you really wanted. I wanted a Firebird because I thought it would be cool to drive. Well, I bought the car, sight unseen, from an internet auction site (I took a risk). It ended up needing more work than I was expecting. I've never done any major auto repair work, but I had always thought it would be something fun to do. It turns out this is really what I was looking for in a car. If I'd bought a car just to drive it, I'd probably already be looking to sell it (ask my wife about my long history with cars). You might be disappointed about an assignment because it wasn't the location you wanted. Go with a good attitude and learn the new job and you may find you didn't really know what you were looking for.

Next, take an opportunity to learn something new. Before buying this car I'd never rebuilt an engine, done a disc brake conversion, replaced a fuel tank, rebuilt a suspension or the myriad of other things I've had to learn how to do to repair this car. The tools and information are out there, but you have to be motivated enough to get the education you need to do the things you want to do.

You'll need help at times during your career. Take time to develop relationships. Find people who share your interests and compare notes. The previous command chief was in my garage the day I started the engine again for the first time. He helped diagnose a problem I had with the car and if he hadn't been there that day I'd probably still be banging my head against the wall trying to figure things out. There are folks out there who can help you get where you want to be. Developing relationships can save you time, money and headaches. Again, huge shout out and thanks to Mike for lending me his engine stand and hoist.

Finally, leave the things that have to be done right to the professionals. Rebuilding my transmission seemed way too difficult and I was not equipped to do the job correctly. Yes, it was more expensive to send it out but it was done right. There are things you can't do yourself, seek professional help if you need to. The mental health professionals and chaplains on this base are outstanding. If you need their help, go get it. Don't think you can fix mental health issues yourself.

I'm sure there are things my wife would add to this list, like; don't allow your spouse unrestricted access to internet auction sites, or if you see a black 1968 Firebird driving around, don't follow too close, something might fall off. Well, this is my article, not hers, so I choose not to discuss those things here.