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The "What Did You Work On Today" thread

3M views 36K replies 388 participants last post by  cerial 
#1 ·
4 hour work day for me at the shop. Used the time to do a valve body swap on a '01 Jetta 1.8t auto .... I successfully installed a transbrake on the car .... that however wasn't my intention.

Its in 2 gears at once in park, all other gears (R/N/D/2/1) are forward gears.... they all seam to be first gear.

I have it torn back down most of the way. Tuesday I'll actually get the VB back out and see whats up.... but part of me wants to take it out for a test drive the way it is just for the fun of it.
 
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#2,682 ·
I know you guys don't mean any harm but you don't understand how those joke hurt me for him. This man is in a power wheelchair, we aren't talking about a young kid with the deep neg camber Quickie chair doing stunts here like the guys who have no leg use but their upper body is fine. We are talking about a man with CP (click here) it's degenerative and at 57 years old he is getting very bad. He can't hardly grab a glass of water 12" in front of him on the table. His feet are twisted towards one an other viciously almost twisted backwards with the right foots toes over the left ones toes. His ankles are about 6 inches in diameter. About a year ago he went up to Seattle to visit his mom (she passed away a few months later expectantly) while there he got an infection in his leg because of the poor blood circulation he has that put him into the ICU for three weeks! He is plagued with infections like this, a tiny cut which he often gets because he has to drag his body into and out of his wheel chair. His family came home and had to leave him there. He came home after about a month, only to go into a Convalescent hospital for about three months. He was in this hospital getting therapy to get him to be able to "transfer" from his bed to his chair and back again. It took THREE MONTHS for him to be able to do this again! He has what he jokingly calls his "Stripper pole" that goes from the floor to the ceiling next to his bed, that and a cable with a handle on it that is attached to the other side of the bed that he uses to get into and out of bed from his chair. He has a shower with a seat in it. This seat was only 6" from the wall I couldn't believe he could even fit in there! I shortened the tubing on the seat back and modified the legs so it could be moved back about three inches, you can't believe how grateful he was for this. This was about a month after he had gotten out of the hospital and he said he hadn't taken a shower because he couldn't get in there!

He had been a full time greeter at Walmart for about 15 years and was proud of it, he was a productive member of society, he had to quit after his hospitalization, his working days were over at 56. He would work a late shift getting home at midnight. One day he told me about how he was going out to his van at Walmart to come home (we are talking midnight here folks) and the battery went dead. He sat there in the parking lot for fifteen minutes and then gave it another try and it moved 20 feet or so, he let is set, tried again, another 20 feet or so. He finally got into his van and left. When he got home to his apartment the chair got out of the back of the van and that was it, done, wouldn't move. He climbed out and put it in neutral and laying on the ground pulling himself with his hands dragging his 230 lb 6 foot body and the chair! He had to do this about 100 feet to his door. He unlocked the door and didn't know how he was going to get the chair in, so he climbed back up on it and it had enough battery to get it in the door!
He told me this story the next day, not complaining that he is handicapped, but beaching just like you or I may because we had to change at flat tire on the way home.

Honestly guys, this man has it VERY bad, he won't see old age I am sure, if he does he will be confined to a bed, he is a great man who has done everything right, he has taken everything given to him and made it work. Sorry to be so long winded but like I said, seeing jokes hurts me. I know you don't mean to do that nor if you fully understood my friends life you wouldn't joke about it. Now the funny part is WITH him as a friend you can joke about stuff like that. I could do it, though I NEVER do, you know what I mean?

Sorry to be such a party pooper.

Brian
 
#2,684 ·
I know you guys don't mean any harm but you don't understand how those joke hurt me for him. This man is in a power wheelchair, we aren't talking about a young kid with the deep neg camber Quickie chair doing stunts here like the guys who have no leg use but their upper body is fine. We are talking about a man with CP (click here) it's degenerative and at 57 years old he is getting very bad. He can't hardly grab a glass of water 12" in front of him on the table. His feet are twisted towards one an other viciously almost twisted backwards with the right foots toes over the left ones toes. His ankles are about 6 inches in diameter. About a year ago he went up to Seattle to visit his mom (she passed away a few months later expectantly) while there he got an infection in his leg because of the poor blood circulation he has that put him into the ICU for three weeks! He is plagued with infections like this, a tiny cut which he often gets because he has to drag his body into and out of his wheel chair. His family came home and had to leave him there. He came home after about a month, only to go into a Convalescent hospital for about three months. He was in this hospital getting therapy to get him to be able to "transfer" from his bed to his chair and back again. It took THREE MONTHS for him to be able to do this again! He has what he jokingly calls his "Stripper pole" that goes from the floor to the ceiling next to his bed, that and a cable with a handle on it that is attached to the other side of the bed that he uses to get into and out of bed from his chair. He has a shower with a seat in it. This seat was only 6" from the wall I couldn't believe he could even fit in there! I shortened the tubing on the seat back and modified the legs so it could be moved back about three inches, you can't believe how grateful he was for this. This was about a month after he had gotten out of the hospital and he said he hadn't taken a shower because he couldn't get in there!

He had been a full time greeter at Walmart for about 15 years and was proud of it, he was a productive member of society, he had to quit after his hospitalization, his working days were over at 56. He would work a late shift getting home at midnight. One day he told me about how he was going out to his van at Walmart to come home (we are talking midnight here folks) and the battery went dead. He sat there in the parking lot for fifteen minutes and then gave it another try and it moved 20 feet or so, he let is set, tried again, another 20 feet or so. He finally got into his van and left. When he got home to his apartment the chair got out of the back of the van and that was it, done, wouldn't move. He climbed out and put it in neutral and laying on the ground pulling himself with his hands dragging his 230 lb 6 foot body and the chair! He had to do this about 100 feet to his door. He unlocked the door and didn't know how he was going to get the chair in, so he climbed back up on it and it had enough battery to get it in the door!
He told me this story the next day, not complaining that he is handicapped, but beaching just like you or I may because we had to change at flat tire on the way home.

Honestly guys, this man has it VERY bad, he won't see old age I am sure, if he does he will be confined to a bed, he is a great man who has done everything right, he has taken everything given to him and made it work. Sorry to be so long winded but like I said, seeing jokes hurts me. I know you don't mean to do that nor if you fully understood my friends life you wouldn't joke about it. Now the funny part is WITH him as a friend you can joke about stuff like that. I could do it, though I NEVER do, you know what I mean?

Sorry to be such a party pooper.

Brian
Brian, I am so glad that you posted that story. I remember you posting about Steve having CP several months ago or maybe longer. I also have a friend with CP, though not as severe as Steve's, but nontheless I understand your feeling hurt. I am proud of you for all that you do for your friend....... Allan
 
#2,685 ·
true friend. Anyhow, the many days in a row of blocking are over and now I start a fresh project. It's a 68 Cougar and it's a Friday so I'm glad I get to do a little R&I and panel alignment. Wish I had that "twisty" wrench right about now but the shop guru has a snap on one so I'll borrow his. The 55 Chrysler 300 is ready for paint and am pretty proud of the work. I was a little bitter cause we primed all the panels twice and had that planned from the start but it was decided to only go one round of primer for the body and I wasn't so sure about it as I was blocking, and I didn't gear up my work for that from the start, but there was enough primer and I blocked and blocked and blocked in planes and now I feel pretty confident that it will turn out like I expect. The decklid should be really straight with no swallows or nothing. I'll post pics when it's out of the booth.
 
#2,686 ·
I am thankful that, unlike Mike, Henry and others, I am doing this for a hobby and not a profession. If I want to spend 3 weeks on 2 doors that is my business and no one else's. I finished blocking them today with 320 wet and and hope to seal them tomorrow with 2 coats of reduced epoxy. They blocked out very well. With a little luck, they should be painted, color sanded and buffed by next weekend. In Brian's words. . WaaHoooo!! :thumbup:

John L

Momma just brought me a Toddy for the Body. Good way to end the day. :):)
 
#2,688 ·
57 3100 V8 truck

today i pressure washed the whole truck 4 hours . probly 56 years of dirt and grime ! i found a tag the engine was rebuilt 10-10 on crank and cyl bore 20 even did the inside of cab seat and gas tank out ! even drove it around a little haha three on the tree using a wheel for a seat not sure what gear i was in i think 2nd though what a blast gotta get the brakes working ! :mwink:
 
#2,692 ·
Ok, I am thinking, you can break it down into many WOOO HOOO's. So after priming or after blocking, yes John, I am thinking you can go WOOOO HOOOO!

Brian:thumbup:
I don't want to get mushy here but that is good. When I get it buffed I can Woo Hoo again, only louder. :thumbup::D:)

John (40 grit) Long
Just slightly abrasive........

Wow. this 2nd drink my wife made sure is good. :thumbup:
 
#2,693 ·
I don't want to get mushy here but that is good. When I get it buffed I can Woo Hoo again, only louder. :thumbup::D:)

John (40 grit) Long
Just slightly abrasive........

Wow. this 2nd drink my wife made sure is good. :thumbup:
Just don't be drinking and blocking, that can be self defeating.

Brian
 
#2,695 ·
I got out to the garage and put some work into transfer seat. Here is the frame and the seat with the middle cut out of them.





So then I am talking to a friend and he comes up with the idea that I should simply remove the seat from the car and get rotating seat from a van that will simply bolt in there for when I am going to be taking him. It only happens a couple of times a year for the Goodguys. I can swap a seat in minutes! I am going to go over to the wrecking yard and see what they have there in the vans.

Brian
 
#2,696 ·
I got out to the garage and put some work into transfer seat. Here is the frame and the seat with the middle cut out of them.





So then I am talking to a friend and he comes up with the idea that I should simply remove the seat from the car and get rotating seat from a van that will simply bolt in there for when I am going to be taking him. It only happens a couple of times a year for the Goodguys. I can swap a seat in minutes! I am going to go over to the wrecking yard and see what they have there in the vans.

Brian
Martin ,im sure you know ,but i thought i would remind you 73-77 monte carlo and chevelle lagunas had swivel seats offered as well ,i boubht a new 73 monte with swibel seats on both sides ,then you could use your seats with swivel brackets it would look original and serve the purpose your freind needs also , also earlier thunderbirds had these and some 63-64 galaxies ,hope this might help you.:D:thumbup:If i ever need help i hope there is someone like you around A True Freind ,if i were closer to you i would help with your project,if you wanted any. Goog luck with find.
 
#2,697 ·
I am thankful that, unlike Mike, Henry and others, I am doing this for a hobby and not a profession. If I want to spend 3 weeks on 2 doors that is my business and no one else's. I finished blocking them today with 320 wet and and hope to seal them tomorrow with 2 coats of reduced epoxy. They blocked out very well. With a little luck, they should be painted, color sanded and buffed by next weekend. In Brian's words. . WaaHoooo!! :thumbup:

John L

Momma just brought me a Toddy for the Body. Good way to end the day. :):)
I cant think of a more enjoyable hobby john ..There nothing worse than getting burned out ,doing this for a living and hating it.
Once I left the rat race behind everything changed,I started working on the rods and learning metalwork at my own pace and found it much more enjoyable..especially when you have all the time you want to get everything just right...
 
#2,700 ·
I am thankful that, unlike Mike, Henry and others, I am doing this for a hobby and not a profession. If I want to spend 3 weeks on 2 doors that is my business and no one else's. I finished blocking them today with 320 wet and and hope to seal them tomorrow with 2 coats of reduced epoxy. They blocked out very well. With a little luck, they should be painted, color sanded and buffed by next weekend. In Brian's words. . WaaHoooo!! :thumbup:

John L

Momma just brought me a Toddy for the Body. Good way to end the day. :):)
I admire that but am not envious cause the flip side is that repetition makes you sharp as a knife. Of course I fall in love with every car I do and get crap for trying to do too much but the practice will help me later when I'm in my garage getting two doors done in a couple days, cause if I didn't have that goal in dream of doing my own I'd go crazy fighting the boss on repairs. So in a way I'm envious of the fact you get to take your time but at the same time I'm taking a step that will help me be more efficient when I'm working on MY time. When you are in the rat race as DB says(and he's right!) you have to blur your vision and picture yourself on a cherry boat with pin up models and all the beer you can drink.
 
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