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Aug 11, 2022
2,225
17,508
Cedar Rapids, IA
I used to be a lot more into it, when I was a bachelor. Air-cooled VWs were my jam. One time, driving home from work, I felt the throttle cable snap and the pedal went to the floor. This would cause terror in most people, but I was able to signal and coast to the side, where I grabbed the spare out of the glove compartment and changed it so I could drive the rest of the way home. ;)
 

canucklehead

Lifer
Aug 1, 2018
2,863
15,323
Alberta
I do the basic maintenance like oil changes, windshield wipers, summer to winter tire swaps, lightbulbs, batteries, etc, but anything past that I try to avoid, not that I can't do it, it's just that the older I get the less I like doing any of that, especially in inclement weather.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I do admire people who bought old cars in high school and learned to work on them to keep them running, or who grew up on farms where they had to learn mechanics to keep the tractors and other equipment running.

I drove the family cars as a teenager, and I always liked to drive, around town or on road trips. In a family emergency, I drove my mom and younger sister back from Pennsylvania to Chicago when my dad flew home to the emergency.

But I didn't own my own car until i was 27 years old, living without one in college, in the Navy, and in grad school. It never seemed a good financial move, though it was a drag on my social life. When I first owned a car, I walked to work anyway, just out of habit.

I too had one of those VW bugs that dropped its throttle cable, and I did mange to fix that out of necessity.
 

doug535

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 28, 2019
270
1,307
57
Independence, MO.
I try to do all my own work. I restored a 72 Mach 1 in high school and a few years ago restored/rebuilt an 80 vette with my son. Today it was a rear brake job. Had to torch the old rotors to get em off.

View attachment 215054
View attachment 215055
38yrs Professionally. Tip for next time, the 2 holes that aren't for the hold-down screws are threaded so you can run bolts into them, to release the rotor from the hub.
 

alsatmem

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 7, 2019
115
163
I have been in the profession for over 40 years. I used to enjoy putting huge engines in ridiculous cars. 454‘s in beetles, once shoved a 455 Olds v8 into the back of a Corvair. Went the opposite way for my 72 Chevelle, 327 I designed to turn 9k rpm.
Will always be my favorite.
I have lost most of the passion from 50+ hours a week doing the job. And so much has changed in my career. Many problems are now resolved with just a laptop. My hammers are lonely!
As an aside I offer a bit of guidance. While torch work is often rewarding, the 2 threaded holes in your rotors, and many drums, are meant for bolts to be inserted and tightened evenly to facilitate easy removal of the discs. Basically a built-in press.
Wheel bearings and hubs are not engineered for much heat resistance.
 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
11,071
Maryland
postimg.cc
I have been in the profession for over 40 years. I used to enjoy putting huge engines in ridiculous cars. 454‘s in beetles, once shoved a 455 Olds v8 into the back of a Corvair. Went the opposite way for my 72 Chevelle, 327 I designed to turn 9k rpm.
Will always be my favorite.
I have lost most of the passion from 50+ hours a week doing the job. And so much has changed in my career. Many problems are now resolved with just a laptop. My hammers are lonely!
As an aside I offer a bit of guidance. While torch work is often rewarding, the 2 threaded holes in your rotors, and many drums, are meant for bolts to be inserted and tightened evenly to facilitate easy removal of the discs. Basically a built-in press.
Wheel bearings and hubs are not engineered for much heat resistance.
Good advice on that rotor removal!

I do all of my own work, on vintage or my daily modern drivers. You definitely need a laptop and scan tool for modern work!

Today, I'll change the oil and rotate the tires on my '79 MGB, check all the other fluids, etc, to get her ready for another summer in the sun. I'm the only person who has worked on this car in the past decade (rebuilt motor/transmission, new top, new interior, upgraded to twin SU carbs, headwork, high-compression pistons, rebuilt the front/rear suspension). No major work planned, I just hope nothing breaks this year (it gets driven about 3,000 miles each season.

 

carlomarx

Can't Leave
Oct 29, 2011
416
601
State College,PA
I do the basic maintenance like oil changes, windshield wipers, summer to winter tire swaps, lightbulbs, batteries, etc, but anything past that I try to avoid, not that I can't do it, it's just that the older I get the less I like doing any of that, especially in inclement weather.
I hear ya! I used to enjoy working on my Jeeps, it was kind of a zen thing, but lately when under a car when it is cold and I get a face full of dirt while trying to bust loose a nut, the magic is gone. But I still do what I can,I just avoid the big stuff and the the weather has to suit my 72 year old body.
 

carlomarx

Can't Leave
Oct 29, 2011
416
601
State College,PA
Good advice on that rotor removal!

I do all of my own work, on vintage or my daily modern drivers. You definitely need a laptop and scan tool for modern work!

Today, I'll change the oil and rotate the tires on my '79 MGB, check all the other fluids, etc, to get her ready for another summer in the sun. I'm the only person who has worked on this car in the past decade (rebuilt motor/transmission, new top, new interior, upgraded to twin SU carbs, headwork, high-compression pistons, rebuilt the front/rear suspension). No major work planned, I just hope nothing breaks this year (it gets driven about 3,000 miles each season.

Beautiful! Gotta love the Brits.
 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,894
31,613
34
Burlington WI
I hear ya! I used to enjoy working on my Jeeps, it was kind of a zen thing, but lately when under a car when it is cold and I get a face full of dirt while trying to bust loose a nut, the magic is gone. But I still do what I can,I just avoid the big stuff and the the weather has to suit my 72 year old body.
I do all own work, that I'm physically able to. My first jeep was a 05 grand Cherokee, then we got my wife an 07 Liberty, and now I own a 98 jeep Cherokee. My dream vehicle. Hunk of junk. But I absolutely love it. I've been working on replacing the exhaust for a year now lol. It has custom exhaust on it, so it wasn't an easy swap out. We have 3 vehicles now, so I haven't been in any rush. Hahaha.
 
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carlomarx

Can't Leave
Oct 29, 2011
416
601
State College,PA
I do all own work, that I'm physically able to. My first jeep was a 05 grand Cherokee, then we got my wife an 07 Liberty, and now I own a 98 jeep Cherokee. My dream vehicle. Hunk of junk. But I absolutely love it. I've been working on replacing the exhaust for a year now lol. It has custom exhaust on it, so it wasn't an easy swap out. We have 3 vehicles now, so I haven't been in any rush. Hahaha.
I dearly miss my 76 CJ-5. So easy to work on,no power anything, just basic kick the tire and light the fire.Gotta love the 258 6 cyl I put 258K miles on her and it never burned a drop of oil. I wasn't afraid to tackle anything on it but the new stuff, way over my head.
My second favorite was my 97 Jeep Cherokee XJ, same 258 engine. Odometer stopped working at 200K+ miles Frame rust killed it but its still going strong as a snow plow on a friends farm.
 
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