Technical Look out for the "Mickey Mouse" repairs of Previous Owners....

I don't disagree with any of that. I just feel like we should hold people to higher standards in this hobby. Buyers AND sellers.

 

Good luck with that , idealism rarely nets anything useful . You can't be taken advantage of unless you let them , ignorance is no excuse !

 

Yep, idealism and a quarter will get you a cup of coffee.
Before the internet, we could spread word of mouth around about bum deals and shoddy builders. That's why places like the HAMB are good for making people aware of scam artists and the like. I've looked at cars for guys and told them what I saw good and bad. Someone has to teach them, though I'm certainly no expert. I hate the idea of someone getting burned on their first old car purchase, but like you said, ultimately it's on them. Doesn't make me any less sick.
A buddy of mine works in a higher-end fab shop locally. They get Barret Jackson buys in there sometimes for service and whatnot. He said some of those cars are slapped together junk and so full of bondo the bodies must weigh twice as much as they should. They look pretty on the surface, but are junk underneath. Not all or even most, but enough of them that it makes you laugh. Tells me all I need to know about that world.

 

What was the old saying about the upper crust , Buncha crumbs held together by dough !?

 

It's not just 'somebody' that is that stupid. There's hoards of them out there, HRP. It is scary and sobering to think that you walk amongst them every day..........

As far as I am concerned, people need to know what they are buying. It is the purchaser's responsibility to make sure it is what you want and expect. If you see dodgy stuff, either walk away from the sale, or point it out and use it as a bargaining tool.

 

I bought a 67 Camaro one time and the guy stuffed rags behind the bondo. Of all the stupid shit to use he used something that would hold water.

 

Holy shit the bed does this pick a scab. I'm in the business, I can be banned for excessive bandwidth if I shared all the examples of the cobble fuck work I've been over. My most hated is of course loose fasteners. Said it too many times and the reasons heard make feel as stupid when I repeat em. How about hot tub hose for fuel line? Yup, on a 6 figure Packard to boot. Wiring? "Well, electric stuff scares me so..." so what, make it worse? Silicone sealant. Great, the best product when used properly. But let's get the ugliest color and if some is good more is better, especially that clear shit cuz it worked so well on my shower door! Welds? "DROP THE MIG GUN AND STEP AWAY NOW!" I'm not even scratching the surface. What I usually get too is some reaction or reference to being a smug snob elitist piece of shit because I bring it up, document it for the client and they in turn go back to the offending licknob in question, usually against my advice not to. I don't care. Is it overstating to say lives are at stake? I won't bother with the drag race cars I used to encounter.

Good topic kids. Be careful, get a pro if you don't know and offer accordingly or walk away. The life you save may be your own.

 

The stupidest I've ever seen is when a Honda got towed in for a no start and someone installed a battery without removing the plastic caps. It was like "it can't be this easy nobody is that stupid" but the car fired right up when I installed the cables right.

 

About 20% of us population lives in rural areas , us "hicks in the stix" no how to work on stuff ,the other 80% not so much ..
The last century , if you lived rural & you needed something fixed , you figured out how , very few went to a mechanic ,called a carpenter ,electrician , plumber ,you went to the doctor or dentist when you were literally dying ,whole different world . You were taught " life skills" , you learned how to make do , there was little money & you guarded what you had , it was not easy for someone to take advantage of you . I'll shut up now

 

This guy did remove the plastic caps but,,,,,,,,

 

"look-out-for-the-mickey-mouse-repairs-of-previous-owners"..... if you ever ponder to buy a car from me

 

In theory, a rising tide lifts all boats. So the best and smartest should carry everyone to bigger and better. In reality, the dipshits hold the rest of us back.

 

I've seen a pic of that same thing. Searched for it online, can't find it...

 

That's the best comment I have seen so far this week.
I guess stupid is heavier than water...............

 

Stripped down last project as front subframe swap just did no seem right. First day welding and they used a Bolt as a filler. Hidden as filler

 

^^^^^ Poster child for my contention that ALL welders should be available for purchase with a prescription from a welding instructor ONLY!!! "Gee, two weeks ago I cudn't evun spel weldr, I went to fleat farm and bot a mig setup, and now I are wun"

 

It's been said that the meek shall inherit the Earth. Sorry, the stupid beat em to it. Good thing we be here to shepard the stupid now n then

 

Another interesting problem solution.

 

That will never work! you're supposed to use a Hardwood, not pine!

 

at least he had a hard head.....id do it to get home , drive real slow and feather the brakes.....

 

Those welds are actually a lot better than most of the welds shown on this thread.

 

One of my favorites !

 

I just keep finding more and more mickey mouse repairs the longer I own this car. If I known all the things wrong I never got his car.

 

After we have done all we can to build a safe and reliable car, the scary part is to look at what's aimed at us.

 

Sometimes when selling a vehicle you attempt to repair something that you have been living with for some time. I had a 62 Chevy Impala which all of rod bushings for the column shifter were worn out. Every once in awhile the shifter would jam up and I would stop the car, get under the hood with a long screwdriver and free up the rods. So it came time to sell the car. Look pretty good, black lacquer paint, chrome wheels, red interior (bench seat), 283 3 speed. My only real issue was the shifter rod bushings. I had a old 3 speed Hurst shifter for only God would know would fit. Went ahead and installed it. I found that when you pull it down to catch the 3rd gear it would hit the seat, unless the seat was all the way back. So I heated up the handle and move it forward. Well the solve the issue of hitting the seat so I put away the tools and went inside for supper. A guy came over that night to take a look at the car. Going for the test drive, I wanted to show him, how great the car would "get up and go"--nothing radical. Bang it into second and my fist made contact with the dash. I think that cost me 50 dollars as a final price and I could almost hear the guy singing: M I C K E Y M O U S E, MICKEY MOUSE, MICKEY MOUSE, and so on and on and on.

 

I knew that was coming right after you said “put the tools away and went inside”.

 

I always try to view before laying out the cash. Sometimes I just laugh at some of the shit I see, but I do make sure seller ‘sees’ the muck-ups so my offers are not too insulting.