Getting old and home mechanics.
Discussion
Can empathise with most comments on here but I'm older than most too (67).
Over the last 50 years I've restored cars, rebuilt engines and the odd gearbox, changed suspension set ups, painted cars, built a Caterham etc etc but now-
Need my specs on to find the screwdriver but need to take them off to find the slot in the screw. Then need them on as it's a "phillips" head then off to find the screw again etc
Knees and back ache, I can get down to the garage floor but need a lot ofefort to get back up...
When I hit 65 (and relocated) i had a double garage built and was looking forward to some retirement hobbies, a car restoration or two.
Now, partly due to lockdown depression, the current cold and damp weather and a knackered body I find that I'd still love to do a full restore BUT have a nagging doubt that I'd be able to finish it. It's me that needs a full restoration!
Getting old is a real b
h!
Over the last 50 years I've restored cars, rebuilt engines and the odd gearbox, changed suspension set ups, painted cars, built a Caterham etc etc but now-
Need my specs on to find the screwdriver but need to take them off to find the slot in the screw. Then need them on as it's a "phillips" head then off to find the screw again etc
Knees and back ache, I can get down to the garage floor but need a lot ofefort to get back up...
When I hit 65 (and relocated) i had a double garage built and was looking forward to some retirement hobbies, a car restoration or two.
Now, partly due to lockdown depression, the current cold and damp weather and a knackered body I find that I'd still love to do a full restore BUT have a nagging doubt that I'd be able to finish it. It's me that needs a full restoration!
Getting old is a real b
h!
Well the last minute garage booking worked out well. They did a sterling job of the suspension and bushes, the young bloke said it was a pain in the butt. £90 well spent.
Took it to Kwik fit had my new tyres fitted and the geo done and it feels like a different car.
Not totally given up on home fixes. My son managed to snap the drive shaft on his Civic type r so got one from a scrappie (ripped off but I was desperate) . We fitted that at the side of the road at his place. Broken Friday morning fixed tea time.
Took it to Kwik fit had my new tyres fitted and the geo done and it feels like a different car.
Not totally given up on home fixes. My son managed to snap the drive shaft on his Civic type r so got one from a scrappie (ripped off but I was desperate) . We fitted that at the side of the road at his place. Broken Friday morning fixed tea time.
Disclosure: my garage has both a four poster and a hydraulic scissor ramp.
But sometimes you still need to scrabble around on the floor.
A while ago I bought a pair of this type of builder's trousers to muck about in:
Nothing too amazing there, except the knees have pockets in the front into which you slot these protective foam pads. Game changer!
But sometimes you still need to scrabble around on the floor.
A while ago I bought a pair of this type of builder's trousers to muck about in:
Nothing too amazing there, except the knees have pockets in the front into which you slot these protective foam pads. Game changer!
I am 57 and repair and maintain my own cars, don't often do it for others these days. I rebuilt the front callipers on the MX5 the other day. The biggest trick for me is having other cars available so if it starts to get a bit tricky you can just stop and reconsider stuff. The other thing which helps is a double garage and decent workshop, with almost every tool you could need. I really don't want be in the state where you are working outside at midnight trying to get a car back together for work in the morning. These brakes would have cost over £300 to get done down the road at the local garage. I did the job for about £40 and a few hours of my time, and mostly I just enjoy fixing things.
Tyre Smoke said:
Obviously driving a Shogun and needing to weld it, you would do it topless. Or with you shirt open to the navel to show off your medallion.
Nice one Dave!
Nice one Dave!
It's a Shogun, not a Stag.I do most of the work on the MR2 myself, because paying a workshop to restore and fettle a 35 year old car would end up costing more than it's worth / more than I'm prepared to spend.
But it takes longer than it did when I were a lad.
Pulled off all the original brake lines over the weekend and have done the front two, it was actually quite enjoyable.
The part that wasn't enjoyable was shuffling under the car constantly, as there's only about 50cm of space on one side, and about 20cm on the other side. So a bit awkward, but OK, except getting the old brake line brackets apart meant cutting, and as access was crap I was using the dremel.
Still not terrible, except this happened on 3 separate occasions:
Making some progress, break the little cutting wheel.
Deep sigh, remove goggles.
Snail out from under the car, unplug the dremel from the extension and go into the workshop for the little screwdriver and to replace the wheel.
Back to car, plug dremel in and place delicately out of harms way under car.
Fold body in half and snail back under the car, put on goggles.
Pick up dremel, catch the cutting wheel on something as you pick it up, break it in half.
Deep sigh.
The part that wasn't enjoyable was shuffling under the car constantly, as there's only about 50cm of space on one side, and about 20cm on the other side. So a bit awkward, but OK, except getting the old brake line brackets apart meant cutting, and as access was crap I was using the dremel.
Still not terrible, except this happened on 3 separate occasions:
Making some progress, break the little cutting wheel.
Deep sigh, remove goggles.
Snail out from under the car, unplug the dremel from the extension and go into the workshop for the little screwdriver and to replace the wheel.
Back to car, plug dremel in and place delicately out of harms way under car.
Fold body in half and snail back under the car, put on goggles.
Pick up dremel, catch the cutting wheel on something as you pick it up, break it in half.
Deep sigh.
Standard Dremel discs aren't robust enough for automotive applications and changing them is a PIA.
You need the Dremel EZ Speedclic set. The discs are very robust and you change them without tools.
At £20, the starter set is bit pricey to , but it's we'll worth the money
https://youtu.be/yWPXnIfThOg
You need the Dremel EZ Speedclic set. The discs are very robust and you change them without tools.
At £20, the starter set is bit pricey to , but it's we'll worth the money
https://youtu.be/yWPXnIfThOg
I’m 46 in April…
I still love working on cars but as I don’t have a garage all work is either on the drive (slopes a bit so can’t jack a car up on there) or at the side of the road. Which has a fair bit of camber so you can only safely jack one corner of a car up at a time.
Brakes and suspension I’ll still do. Sealed wheel bearing units not a problem. Engine work, ditto. But I’ll now take my/my missus’s car to a trusted local indie garage for anything particularly difficult/PITA and/or filthy (repacking bearings with grease or messing around with propshafts on a RWD car… that sort of thing).
As my only car is a classic (1969/70 Volvo Amazon) and I’ve done all the mechanical restoration myself it’s a matter of pride that I don’t throw the towel in, but when you’re working outside it always seems to be too hot or cold or it’s raining, it’s been raining or it’s about to rain.
Top tip: don’t go on click mechanic site and add up all the work you’ve done on your partners car and tell her that she owes you 5 grand. They get upset! In the last 3 years on her 1999 V70 I’ve replaced both front struts, all suspension arms, rear delta arm bushes (hell of a job) wheel bearings, handbrake cables, heater matrix, PCV system, replaced the radiator and done all routine servicing on brakes, oil, ignition components and god knows what else.
I'd echo the Dremel EZ click cutting discs recommendation. I've spent FAR too long wrestling with rusty bolts/nuts. If a bit of duck oil and heat doesn't shift it easily I now just reach for the Dremel or angle grinder to save time. I always use new fastenings when working on cars so no issues there.
I still love working on cars but as I don’t have a garage all work is either on the drive (slopes a bit so can’t jack a car up on there) or at the side of the road. Which has a fair bit of camber so you can only safely jack one corner of a car up at a time.
Brakes and suspension I’ll still do. Sealed wheel bearing units not a problem. Engine work, ditto. But I’ll now take my/my missus’s car to a trusted local indie garage for anything particularly difficult/PITA and/or filthy (repacking bearings with grease or messing around with propshafts on a RWD car… that sort of thing).
As my only car is a classic (1969/70 Volvo Amazon) and I’ve done all the mechanical restoration myself it’s a matter of pride that I don’t throw the towel in, but when you’re working outside it always seems to be too hot or cold or it’s raining, it’s been raining or it’s about to rain.
Top tip: don’t go on click mechanic site and add up all the work you’ve done on your partners car and tell her that she owes you 5 grand. They get upset! In the last 3 years on her 1999 V70 I’ve replaced both front struts, all suspension arms, rear delta arm bushes (hell of a job) wheel bearings, handbrake cables, heater matrix, PCV system, replaced the radiator and done all routine servicing on brakes, oil, ignition components and god knows what else.
I'd echo the Dremel EZ click cutting discs recommendation. I've spent FAR too long wrestling with rusty bolts/nuts. If a bit of duck oil and heat doesn't shift it easily I now just reach for the Dremel or angle grinder to save time. I always use new fastenings when working on cars so no issues there.
Cold said:
Disclosure: my garage has both a four poster and a hydraulic scissor ramp.
But sometimes you still need to scrabble around on the floor.
A while ago I bought a pair of this type of builder's trousers to muck about in:
Nothing too amazing there, except the knees have pockets in the front into which you slot these protective foam pads. Game changer!
Making yourself more comfortable is really important. Do you have a link to those?But sometimes you still need to scrabble around on the floor.
A while ago I bought a pair of this type of builder's trousers to muck about in:
Nothing too amazing there, except the knees have pockets in the front into which you slot these protective foam pads. Game changer!
Pistom said:
Making yourself more comfortable is really important. Do you have a link to those?
They look like scruffs, they sell them in screwfix, I wear them every day for work, https://www.screwfix.com/p/scruffs-trade-stretch-w... currently on offer.Gassing Station | Home Mechanics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff