Author Topic: The joys of automotive repair ...  (Read 481 times)

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Dr Mabuse

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The joys of automotive repair ...
« on: November 22, 2022, 11:15:42 AM »
- circa 1970 - on my back, in the dirt, between the sidewalk and curb, concrete blocks for jack stands, a bumper jack to lift the front end, bench pressing a Ford 4 speed into my '62 Sunliner - oh, the joys of being young and not even owning a tool box - and that damn X frame didn't make it easy!

BattlestarGalactic

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Re: The joys of automotive repair ...
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2022, 02:51:57 PM »
16 yrs old, laying in gravel drive putting 3 clutches in 3 months in my 72 International pickup.  Transmission was almost as big as me at that time.  Took two of us to wrestle it in.  That is when I bought my first 200 pc Craftsman set.

Clutch failure was not my doing.  Faulty parts, constantly breaking levers off.  It was a Ram clutch back when they were local to me(they moved to SC at some point).  I quit using them for like 30 yrs, until I started using them in wagon...and after a few years quit using them again.
Larry

Falcon67

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Re: The joys of automotive repair ...
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2022, 05:21:02 PM »
Ah, Sunday afternoon clutch service, 1975

« Last Edit: November 28, 2022, 05:23:03 PM by Falcon67 »

pbf777

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Re: The joys of automotive repair ...
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2022, 08:13:06 PM »
     Speaking of having fun, "back-in-the-day" ('78/'79):  Try the R & R of the C6 automatic w/ the married 205 transfer case in your driveway at home; that with a cheap floorjack ("Crapsman-Special", not even rated for anything near this heavy  :o) and proves particularly challenging as that it doesn't reach high enough but with blocks of wood, because even with the wheels removed and the truck lowered down to the rotors & drums the "jacked-up-four-wheel-drive" is still to tall!  The jack went under the C6 as it had a better chance of staying in place there, and I would end up under the transfer case as its' shape wasn't very compatible with anything but say the human hands grasping it!  :o

      Surprisingly, I actually did this several times (slow learner!  ::)), and I managed not to get hurt beyond the expected scrapes and bruises.  ::)

      Scott.

Stangman

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Re: The joys of automotive repair ...
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2022, 09:43:59 PM »
Ha 4 days ago 56 years old Thanksgiving morning install tranny in subaru outback on my back with jack stands that would only go up 15 inches and im 14 inches thick at the chest.
Not to mention it was 35 degrees this was for my daughters boyfriend. Two months ago although warmer I did a rear main seal and oil pan on his 95 Bronco also in the street that one sucked.
They sucked on a lift.

fairlaniac

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Re: The joys of automotive repair ...
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2022, 07:41:22 AM »
January 1986 in Ephrata, PA. The Saturday before the Super Bowl. "My" Dolphins and 49er's to play. I drove my '82 Mustang GT from my apartment in Spring Grove, PA to my parents house in Ephrata. I knew my clutch was iffy but hoping for another month or two. With snow on the ground and very cold conditions the clutch just didn't hold up. So that Saturday I picked up a clutch kit at J.F. Wilde Motorcraft Parts store. With no garage, just a shoveled driveway at my parents I began to change out the clutch by myself. Outside temps in the low 20's. All went fairly well except the part where I dropped the trans on my face. Pulling the SROD "Toploader" out, my hands cold and covered in gear oil I lost feeling in the fingers and when benching the trans out it slipped in my hands and fell to my face. How a trans directly above my chest wound up in my face is still a mystery? I had left the trans mount on the trans and the damage to my face was caused by one of the trans mount studs piercing my upper lip. As I lifted the trans off my face it was pulling my lip upward with it. Soon it broke free. I quickly went inside to assess the damage. I took a q-tip and alcohol, ran it through the "hole" to clean it out. Soon it was warmed and the blood started to flow. A 2" wide piece of gray duct tape over my lip and mouth sealed it up. back out to finish the job. On the way through the kitchen my mother had that look that she'd just seen something horrific. I said all was good. She knew it was useless to follow up.

To top the weekend off, the niners blew away the Dolphins. I was never so happy to get back to work on Monday.
Doug Bender
1966 Fairlane 427+/5 Spd TKX
1964 Comet Pro Street 427+ (in progress)

Stangman

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Re: The joys of automotive repair ...
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2022, 09:50:32 AM »
Tough one with the lip that explains a lot. HA HA ::). I remember the game well. I thought there would be many more.

bulletpruf

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Re: The joys of automotive repair ...
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2022, 10:14:55 AM »
Man, this thread brings back memories.

A recent one was installing a transfer case that I had just rebuilt into my 1999 Yukon.  I was doing this in the parking lot of our housing complex on base in Yongsan, South Korea.  There was an automotive hobby shop on base, but it closed a few months prior (still mad about that).  Anyway, it was fall, and it was freezing rain, I was halfway under the truck, trying to bench press the transfer case into place.  Got it done, but that was a miserable experience.

Growing up, I can remember wrenching (term used loosely) on my project first gen Camaros in our pole shed with a dirt floor.  Tool set was pathetic - small set of Craftsman sockets (3/8 only), Crescent wrench, vise grips, pliers, and a few screwdrivers.  Man, I have come a long way!
Please check out my YouTube channel for vintage car and truck rescues, builds, and shenanigans!  https://www.youtube.com/c/THEBULLETPROOFGARAGE/videos