Car guys know the pain. Happened with my Focus RS at work

But a good deal of the time you’ll be dealing with a noob or casual, which can be entertaining if you are also one- but also likely a bad thing since they will be as clueless, only now there are more clueless people in one place which tends to encourage bold action without knowledge base. Of course they may be intelligent enough to know that the stuff that is worth doing is a pain or expensive- so that’s something of not boring.

So all in all- a front wheel drive domestic compact without any notable racing pedigree in any sort of trim that is practical for daily use and a questionable record- is not something that most people into cars would find exciting if they like cars. I wouldn’t buy a focus. I’d race one of someone else was paying, but I’ll race anything just about if someone else pays. So when you show me your focus, either you REALLY know what you’re doing and it’s an amazing focus. In which case- I have very little to say. I don’t know much about the focus because asides yours- I’ve never seen one worth looking at. I don’t want to learn about the focus because asides yours- I’ve never seen one worth looking at. I won’t build one, because of you put that much work into it I could build a better platform for the same work and it would be... better.

If your focus isn’t some partial tube frame stitch welded, motor swapped built work of art- then it is in my view- at best slightly better than all the other focuses that... aren’t worth looking at. At worst you’ve managed to make it less desirable to me than a stock focus- which as established I don’t consider worn even looking at. If the car is front wheel drive- I pretty much don’t consider it worth looking at so that’s nothing against focuses. Even though I don’t care for them, they are surely fine platforms for those who love them

But all that asides, I might not be interested or like the style or direction of your build either. So here’s what happens- you show me your focus, yup. It’s a focus. You’re excited. You obviously put some degree of work or money or time into it. You like it. Good on you. I’m glad you do. So, I’m gonna say: “hey, that’s cool.” Then I will change the subject. Because I know you want to talk about your focus, and I don’t know you well, anything we have in common? It isn’t a love of the Ford Focus or even a passing interest in it.

So I don’t want to hear the build diary of the Ford Focus. I don’t want to know what is the “hot set up” or the rare parts for a Ford Focus. If you want to talk about what lap times you laid down at the track in your focus, discuss issues you’ve been having like poor turn in or tire temps- yeah man. We can get into a bit of focus tech so I can try and help or at least understand. But standing in a parking lot staring at a Ford Focus isn’t where I want to be in my life. Ever. It isn’t what I would see as a good use of my time, somewhere below sitting at home staring at a wall.

Cars are a big hobby with many sorts of people. I can respect that you have your tastes and they aren’t the same as mine. I can respect the passion, encourage growth and learning, yadda yadda. But car guy hell is being trapped talking about something you could care less about- not so different from how no car people must feel when any car person goes on a bender to them. Experienced and knowledgeable car folk with backgrounds in engineering and racing and the science and physics of cars can only handle so much “mentoring” too.

It physically hurts us. Yes. We were all once new and empty with incomplete knowledge bases primarily based on what other people told us (and was mostly wrong.) We all thought doing impractical things to street cars was a good idea and that everything from paint to jet engine conversions were simpler than they are. Most of us rolled our eyes at the guys telling us “spend the money on seat time instead...” whenever we detailed our idea for how we were going to build the baddest car on the block. But it’s still very taxing listening to kids who don’t have much to say but sure love to say it- and trying desperately to explain and repeat and repeat fundamental concepts that you’ve explained to 3 other kids this month, and knowing they’ll keep just enough of what you said to totally misunderstand and STILL go off trying to put that airplane engine in their car.

But do you. If you aren’t building cars with a purpose- to win shows, to win races, to go fast, to be comfortable, because you enjoy them- then you aren’t doing it right. It’s nice when people appreciate our work- but if it does what you built it to that’s the pay dirt. So if you’re building a car because you want to, you’re building what you like and not for what others like. If you want to show off your focus or your Honda or whatever- the best place for that will be with other people who share your interests. To anyone else it’s just “cool.” Now, let’s change the subject.

Holy moly, writing a book?