Your Occupation

[Tonus72]

Hi all

I always wonder how reasonable it is for me to pursue my dream of building a Cobra. Am I being too 'selfish'?

I wonder what people do for a living to be fortunate enough to put this much time and money into a hobby, some may say a 'toy'...

Please feel free to take part in my poll if you wish.

Tony

Some of the categories are a bit vague, but come for the ABS website...

[Paintwerks]

My first career background was in advertising originally as an Account Exec and working up to Account Director for a major global agency owned by the Interpublic Group working on GM Holden (amongst other brands). Got very sick and tired of my colleague's ego's, tantrums, psychological games and general chest beating in this 'dog eat dog' game. I wanted to be more than a glorified salesperson. I'd always been into cars as a hobby, had been painting since I was 20, so in 2005 decided to make a career change and I founded/opened a bodyshop in Moorabbin called 'Paintwerks' (http://www.womo.com.au/search/paintw...ralia/M0001001). The hours are long but I love what I do because we get to work on awesome projects and deal with great customers. It's enjoyable too because I get to utilise both my postgrad business degree and spraypainter trade qualifications in my everyday work. It feeds/houses my family as well as provides somewhat for my Cobra passion! Of course, it goes without saying that I have an environment in which to paint my Cobra!

I am a long, long, loooooong way from wealthy and am scraping and scrounging (incl. selling off other toys/assets), as well as putting things on the credit card to build my Cobra. At this point in my life, I am being a little selfish in proceeding with the build. However, my build will also benefit my business as I will be using it for promotions/brand awareness as well as personally enjoying it (along with my kids who will help me build it and drive in it).

I'm 43, so perhaps at my midlife crisis. I have my health at present but who knows what will happen in future? Touch wood...nothing I hope! But there are only two things that have held my interest for such a long time. One of those was a desire to learn to fly and become a licensed pilot (which I accomplished back in 2004), and the other was building/owning an AC Cobra. That has been on my bucket list for the past 24 years. So I'm damn well doing it now while I can!

You leave this earth with your experiences, not your money. If this makes you happy, don't feel bad about it.

[d488y2]

I guess my Occupation comes under Professional.
But It's hard to soar like an Eagle, When your surrounded by Turkeys!

[soulman]

Would Porn star come under personal services ???

Soul.

[OnyxRider]

Originally Posted by soulman

Would Porn star come under personal services ???

Soul.

Under fat head

[Bernica]

I started as a carpenter in the 70's and since riding in a Cobra back then I had always kept the dream alive. Somehow after 35 years of hard work, going broke more times than I care to remember, raising two great kids and managing to stay married (29 years now). I worked my way up to manage a large construction company and be able to build some significant projects in LA and elsewhere.

I found myself able to pull off (barely) being able to fulfill my dream and get the Cobra. It was a long road with many struggles and sacrifices. Some continue, but I am grateful everyday.

[damage]

I wasn't sure which to tick, I'm a qualified marine mechanic but haven't done that for over 20 years and I don't really have a title for what I do now. I almost cut my fingers off when I was at the end of my trade so decided a job change was in order so ended up selling realestate working ridiculous hours and 7 days a week and have been doing that ever since, except now I own the company rather then working for it. (Not sure you ever stop working for it when 14+ hour days are normal).
I have wanted a cobra since I was a kid I started looking at DRB kits around 2000 but the waiting list put me off in 2005 I was sitting at Brisbane Airport waiting for a delayed flight and spotted a cobra that ticked all my wants so I called the guy and as luck would have it the car was 5 minutes from where I was going in Sydney next thing I owned my first cobra.

[TMax]

Originally Posted by soulman

Would Porn star come under personal services ???

Soul.

Good one!

[Tonus72]

That's a tough one soulman... Also might fit under Technician

Ps - I stuffed up with the public results too. Didn't read the damn check box properly...

[Tonus72]

I am hearing you Simon. I am 41, but I had my (first??) 'mid-life' crisis when I was in my 20's and bought a Toyota MR2!

Anyway, the shed is finished, save for the two windows that are on back order. Oh - and plumbing, electrical, etc

One step closer.

[rms427]

I spent a week convincing my dad to cosign on a loan for my car a month before I graduated from college in June 1968. I finally got him to agree after a week by convincing him it would be worth a lot more in the future. I was thinking $10,000. I bought if for $4,995. I paid $100 down to the owner to hold the car for a month until I graduated and actually had a job as an engineer and could get the loan. With the payments on the car loan and student loan I had very little money left over. The first week I had the car I couldn't drive it much because I couldn't afford gas at 36 cents per gallon. I was pleasantly surprised when I got my first check after my first week at work. I could then afford gas but not much else for the next two years until I paid off both loans.

[Mother]

I'm 64 this year. I sure hope this is not a mid life crisis, owning and driving my Cobra. Can't see me driving my Cobra at 100 years of age.
Polishing it, maybe.

[boxhead]

Bit of a hard one to pick where I fit in the scheme of the list.
I picked manager as my title is "Purchasing manager" but I do not manage any people, but I do manage the day to day requirements of 9 medical clinics, as well as the pharmaceutical items and the telecommunications, and the vehicle fleet.
So not sure if Clerical is more appropriate.
But in any case I see the Cobra as a "toy" (a very expensive one) as it is more a "want" than a "need" item.
My desire for a Cobra stems from when I was about 12 and I saw one (Gloss black with chrome side pipes) and fell in love with it, asked what it was and promised myself I would own one one day. That was back in about 1981.
My wife and I have no children and are both in jobs we enjoy, I make more than enough money, and Ronda's job has great benefits attached to it.
Having no kids has certainly afforded us the chance to "live like Children" and I never intend to grow up, I will just grow old.

[dhs.buckley]

I looked at having the money sitting in the bank @ 2.5% of bugger all, may aswell put it into somthing that i can enjoy (that wont depreciate like a lead ballon) but i made the sacrifice of selling my other toys first, an SS and a speed boat, so the wife felt that she got her way.
also had been saving for about 7 years as a childhood dream that i may own a cobra one day.
Must admit that i think i am pretty blessed to own one at the age of 35 ( getting sick of everyone asking if its my fathers car)

[Z-linkCobra]

Tony,

It has taken me 6 yrs to get to the point where I am at with my cobra. There have been plenty of times where it sat and collected dust because of priorities. Bills come first in my household, then play.

I have a good job that pays my bills and just about every penny I have spent on the cobra has come from a second source income. My brother does garage doors for a living. I have spent many a weekend hanging garage doors with him to make cobra money. I have spent many a weekend hauling scrap iron(which pays pretty good now days) to make cobra money. I have a shop behind my house and on weekends and after work I work on other peoples hotrods and frankly whatever again...to make cobra money. There are all sorts of things one can do when motivated enough.

I also am lucky enough to have the skills and certain machinery or access to machinery that afforded me the chance to make a lot of my own stuff for the cobra.

With that being said I did have a wife that I don't have anymore...lol. She was leaving anyway...she just didn't know it...lol. I also have kids and we spent a lot of time racing go karts and doing some circle track racing(priorities...lol).

Long story short, don't be ashamed to take a second job or mow grass or haul scrap iron. Nothing wrong with a hard days labor. One pc of advice...don't let it consume you. If your married and have children don't risk them for the cobra...aint worth it.

Sorry for the long post guys.

Gene

[boxhead]

Agree 100% on second job.
When I bought my shed, I got a job stacking shelves at night to pay for it.

[Towmaster]

I sold my SS and bought my kit after my best mate died of cancer, he was 25.... I had just turned 30. Life's too short.

[Towmaster]

Originally Posted by Towmaster

I sold my SS and bought my kit after my best mate died of cancer, he was 25.... I had just turned 30. Life's too short.

Well I may as well add how I got to where I am.
We lived on a property so my first paid job out of school was shooting pigs and Roos for money. We took them into town where they were all put into a refrigerated semi trailer and we were paid by the kilo. Sold as game meat in Europe... The farm is where I learnt how to drive / ride. Used to drive our semi when I was 14.... Moved to the Sunshine Coast and had a number of jobs before moving to Brisbane after a courier company I had bought into went bust. Worked for the City Council for 12 years before the old boy asked me to come & learn the business.
I now run the family business, we make covers for spotlights usually found on trucks and 4x4's. They are sold all around the world, we also make the wind wings and sunvisors as sold by snake bite and AP.
As a farmer my father taught me to be a 'jack of all trades', you have to do that when you live so far from everything.

[Jaydee]

Mechanic by trade. Helped a guy home deliver drinks, got hit by a car, broke my leg. Pumped petrol, then did my apprenticeship on Volvos and Honda. Travelled around Australia getting jobs easily. Bought a home dog food delivery franchise. Travelled around Asia for 7 years, did well in real estate. Built ski boats. RAA road service for 7 years. Became a Mr Mum last year. Now back contracting for RAA road service. Cars are easier then Babies.
JD

[Krait]

I've put manager as Technical Manager is my current job title. Started work as an apprentice electrical fitter in Sydney where I was lucky enough to be exposed to a variety of work mostly of the troubleshooting type. I could be diagnosing an issue with the one of the Sydney Morning Herald printing presses in the morning and then sorting out a drama on a bauxite carrier ship in the afternoon.

I fell into Facilities Management and then Hotel Engineering. Hotels took my wife and I overseas 19 years ago and we're still going albeit my current role is non hotel.

Saw my first Cobra bodyshell at about age 17, it was a NZ kit exhibited at the Sydney Motorshow. Tried it out for size but ergonomically it was awful with the transmission tunnel in serious conflict with my left leg and the experience turned me off for quite some time. Wasn't until I dropped into Warwick's factory one day that I realised I could fit.

I bought a uncompleted Harrison kit in 2008 and Warwick put it together to my spec while I was in Saudi Arabia. The rest is history.