Art & Inspiration What’s your 1 pain in the butt working on your rides ?

Well, in a way its kind of nice to know I'm not the only guy that has these many struggles. On the other hand, its a bit scary to think I may not have had a few of those problems, YET. Its a bit troubling to assume they too may be coming my way.

I have a health issue then causes my strength to vary constantly. When I think a bolt may be tight, I really have no concept of how tight it really is. I'm a big guy, I can pretty easily break a 3/8" bolt off if I'm at full strength, but without knowing my strength level with each bolt I tighten, it sort of takes the fun out of wrenching. To really know if a bolt is tight, I have to put a torque wrench on every single bolt I tighten. All the critical bolts get torqued. If anyone is around I know, I have them check the all the bolts for tightness. My son usually checks everything I tighten. Its something I've been dealing with for thirty years. That was one of the things that caused me to become a welder, and its one of the reasons I will lean over your fender that tell you how to do something.

 

Take a deep breath, hold it while counting to 5, release. Repeat at least 5 times and ignore those whose advice is contrary to your questions. There, don't you feel better ? You can owe me the $5 for the advice .

 

Okay Lucy, but it's only 5 cents...

 

adjusted for inflation

 

The worst is absolutely not having a lift (before I had one or one isn’t available where I’m working)

I buildat ride height. But not on the ground.
By body can’t handle the floor for long.
I’m spoiled at work with a drive on 4 post with jacks on each end. Best building platform ever.

 

Time and space!

 

Temperature.

In Texas, this heat ain't messing around. My garage doors face west, so from peak mid day summer temps until sunset, my uninsulated garage is an oven. After suffering from 2 different heat stress incidents, my body can't handle the heat like it did 20+ years ago. I have to pick and choose my battles to get any work done on my 3 trucks by planning out what I can get done in the allotted time. The proper clothing, lots of fans for air circulation, water etc. I cram as much work into the milder temperatures as I can, but I'm also tied up between hunting season, ranch work, and of course car shows and drag racing. Summer almost feels like automotive hibernation for me. Planning to build a shop soon and will certainly have HVAC inside!

 

1. Time
2. Space
3. Ability
4.Health stuff the last 5 years. Basically OK now, but tired too often.
The desire never leaves, but after a very long day at work, the recliner, the tv, and the laptop beats the garage too many nights.

 

Hello,

We were in excellent shape. Surfing everyday or at least 5 days a week for several hours each day. On those great consistent surf days with fairly large waves, it was not the waves that were tiring, but afterwards. Once the wave was ridden as far as it could, then kicking out and setting sights for the take off point was the next step in the procession. It was usually a long paddle back outside. If the waves were consistent, rolling under each 5-6 foot tall white water wall coming at you was the killer thing on your body and mind.

The consistent rolling over or dunking under the wall of white water was tiring, but also the aspect of climbing back on the board to paddle out again. It was hectic and tiresome. But, worth every second of the experience. As a teen, those heavy longboards were tough to hang on to when rolling under. As a 20-30 something the boards were now shorter and lighter weight, so handling them was easier, but an iron grip was necessary as they could easily get ripped out of your hands if a slight timing mistake happened.

We owned an El Camino and a 327 powered 40 Ford Sedan Delivery during our 20-30 something days. They were very reliable, but surfing all morning and then trying to do some maintenance work was a tiring job. Being in good shape helped, but leaning over the red fender of the El Camino and reaching into the motor compartment put a strain on an already overworked back. Surfing is not the best thing for back pain or strain.

The reverse curve position of a lay down paddling session with the head up to see where you are going and what is coming at you is not the best thing for the spine. Researchers over time have argued that the reverse curve does damage, although others say it strengthens the whole body. The research and arguments still prevail. The best thing is/was to stretch before and after a session to keep the body in good shape and flexible.

Jnaki

So, working on wide, smooth rounded fenders like a 40 Ford Sedan Delivery was not done on “after surfing” days. Since I did not surf on the weekends, that was set aside to do maintenance work on any of the cars we owned at the time. At least my lower back got a good nap for recovery and then was ready for a couple of hours of leaning over the fender or under a chassis position.

One thing learned from surfing, any work out needs pre-activity stretching of the whole body. It seems odd to stretch the body, to get it ready for the strain one puts on it during a repair, car maintenance or just piddling around in the garage doing clean up or organizing. Static stretch, for 8-10 sec per action... not bouncing around or bending the knee joint sideways.

Sit ups or crunches helps keep a strong stomach area and that helps support the lower back when you have to use it to reach or stretch over a fender or two. One side of the body helps balance the other in all activity…YRMV

 

#1 PITA ? My age (77). Just can't keep at it for 8-hours straight anymore, especially in the 90+ degree heat.

 

Trying to get the right section of my trifocals focused in when working in tight places. May have to buy a couple of pairs of reading glasses with different focal lengths.

 

RAIN !!!!!!!!! 2 days of the bull crap

 

I have a kwiklift

Which makes working under the car on a creeper a breeze. I've been known to nap that way too.

 

Analysis paralysis

 

winnebago uses all yellow on the two i have had

 

My big gripe is lack of insulation in my garage. My son and I put a giant exhaust fan up high on the outside wall but it doesn't really work very well. Although when my wife burns something on the stove, I open the door from the garage into the house and it sucks the smoke out really fast.
Garage is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Maybe this fall I'll insulate the hell out of it.

 

Absolutely agree working under the dash is a pain. Working under the dash of a ‘49 Cad is one of the worst. Designed by people who apparently did not work on them. Like pull gauge cluster to replace the dash lights or headlight switch for example, per the shop manual.

 

My biggest PIA? Keeping shop clean. I try to get as much work done as I can when in the shop on my car project so the shop ends up neglected.

I work on cars all day long for a living, no A/C at work or my shop so by the time I get home at night and hit the A/C in the house finding the will to go out and work in my hot shop is nil.

And when I do I look at my car and all the work left to do that the shop takes a back seat.

It's either an hour or so working on the car or an hour or so cleaning the shop... the car wins and the shop gets messier....

Think I could find a maid for the shop? Nah couldn't afford her anyway...

.

 

Lack of time, finds, and space.

 

Couldn't agree more with this. I hadn't thought about it, but this is probably one of my biggest problems. As an engineer, I tend to overthink things WAY too much, which leads to lost time and countless delays in my build.

 

But it's not raining in your garage!

 

Walking around with a part in my hand…looking for the ideal spot to put it

 

it’s more of a workspace , the car don’t fit . Well it does ….. kinda but then I don’t fit . It sucks big time !!

 

Not only American cars. It's one of a number of reasons I like the way some, mainly coachbuilt, European cars of the late '20s and early '30s had the rear hood cut line a good way aft of the firewall, so that when you open the hood you could look into the footwell. It makes it possible to get at both sides of the firewall and the back of the dash, all from the top.

On a 1929 Riley:


MG J2:


Four-cylinder Bugatti:

 

That is the same lift that I bought used this spring. 600 bucks. Works good also makes a good adjustable work bench with a piece of plywood on it!