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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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#22,001 ·
Got it far enough to use drill screws so all future fitting will be with the patch in the same place.



No inner wheel house sectioning on this side. Only need to replace the lowest edge for a weld flange.
Looks like the patch lays against the house decent. :) The yellow '71 has minimal rust and the engine looks like a BBC crate ad. If I had snow like that there would be Snow Kong in my yard.
 
#22,002 ·
first week at work I had about 65 hours and on Friday I heard the whispers. The tenured guys weren't happy cause there's only so much work to go around. So one guy already got laid off on Friday and today they said they want me to take his stall and teach the kids body work and metal work as the #2 teacher. In exchange, since #1 teacher will have a huge load off his shoulders, he will get me on some bigger jobs and be there for advice if needed. So now, I will be doing less tear downs and more welding, body work, and helping the kids out. I could have said no but that means they won't be happy about it and that means they cap my work. I can't believe I agreed to it but this shop is so close to my house and is the largest body shop company in the country. so they pay well and will get all my ICAR and welding certificates for steel and aluminum. It's a win win to go along with it. Kind of cool to be able to teach kids while still flagging hours.
Apprentice training, yay! Just messin widya... get those certs on them and use the kids well. Might be a more sensible and mellow setup if theres no big hangups. Less teardown more metal work is good. Just don't let teacher #1 snag all the medium size jobs.
 
#22,004 ·
Good stuff Mr. Junk!

I got out and did a little hunting for my window channels, that was about it. That and sanded and stained a little project I am working on.

Brian
 
#22,005 ·
Good stuff Mr. Junk!

I got out and did a little hunting for my window channels, that was about it. That and sanded and stained a little project I am working on.

Brian
Its general entertainment from "our gang" :D Thank you. Hey I was gonna ask if you need a flash pic of inside a stock 53 door with a tape measure by the channel... or something. And yeah many times I have stood over a fender gap trying to figure out how to show it with the least pics. It can be tough to translate gaps with pics.
 
#22,006 ·
Its general entertainment from "our gang" :D Thank you. Hey I was gonna ask if you need a flash pic of inside a stock 53 door with a tape measure by the channel... or something. And yeah many times I have stood over a fender gap trying to figure out how to show it with the least pics. It can be tough to translate gaps with pics.
I can make that happen from my door. It's just so hard to get in there, but I'll make it happen thanks!

Brian
 
#22,008 ·
as I start my day, I'm still not sure what to think about this new role of teaching the kids. If 3-4 guys are getting 300 hours a month as a team, that's simply not enough, not by any stretch. I alone can do 160-250 hours if the work is given. I think this is their ploy to give me the work and kept it first come first serve but it's in a way so the the tenured guys can't point at the new guy for being at fault for them not getting enough work to fill their plate. You can't point at the team when it's headed by the head journeyman. It blends me in, helps the kids get up to speed with their body work, but will help me in the bigger hits. If I don't go along with it they will make me pay in other ways. So as members of this site portray me in a certain light, I would NEVER be asked about this role if I was not pliable and appreciative and approachable. What I will not accept is being typecasted . I'm too good at metal for that crap. There's not a job I've seen in this shop that I can't do just as efficiently. THIS is what guys deal with in this industry. Companies overstaff and it's a tug of war over work. I'm just happy it's close to the house but unfortunately someone got laid off 5 days after I started. I must be doing something right. Workwise it's there, dealing with the shop bull**** and drama, it's a work in progress. As long as the pay is good my mouth is zipped, and it's good.
 
#22,009 ·
Pontiac excitement at work!:mwink::drool: I can already tell the tunnel part of the floor pan has to be higher though.:rolleyes: Better to find out now than later! A new vision of the floor bracing popped into my head, using what I just made plus part of my original rough guess bracing. It is nice, on these work jobs, when a big unknown like engine and trans position becomes known. Now I can rock on this floor. Trans mount is tacked now, engine mount bars will be shortly. Firewall clearance is OK but hood clearance may be tight. I just couldn't resist posting a pic because I am fired up about the project.:cool:

 

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#22,010 ·
Pontiac excitement at work!:mwink::drool: I can already tell the tunnel part of the floor pan has to be higher though.:rolleyes: Better to find out now than later! A new vision of the floor bracing popped into my head, using what I just made plus part of my original rough guess bracing. It is nice, on these work jobs, when a big unknown like engine and trans position becomes known. Now I can rock on this floor. Trans mount is tacked now, engine mount bars will be shortly. Firewall clearance is OK but hood clearance may be tight. I just couldn't resist posting a pic because I am fired up about the project.:cool:
Looks like somebody's gonna be whistling while they work today.:thumbup:
 
#22,011 ·
Good stuff Matt.

I pulled the eng/trans yesterday. Bolted in the trans x-member today. Reinstalled the engine and marked the drill holes for the motor mounts. I also went to my friends house who had my engine stand and borrowed it back.

Tomorrow I should be able to pull the engine back out and finish drilling the motor mount holes and get the engine on the stand.......Cool beans!

John
 

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#22,013 ·
Looks like somebody's gonna be whistling while they work today.:thumbup:
It was a pleasant day :), we have been on a grunge (the music genre) bender of late. Not exactly "Fishing Hole" but tolerable I reckon. When the new floor plan evolved in my mind, I got happy. The braces will support themselves in the new layout, as it should be. This morning I was like Foghorn Leghorn with no head just trying to assist with engine placement without getting in the way. I have a fairly clear picture of from the back seat forward now, but right behind that killer engine and trans purchase we gotta have some wheel and tire action and a gas tank and muffler plan in order to go rearward from the back seat making up floors. Nobody can buy it all at once so this is how it works out.

Good stuff Matt.

I pulled the eng/trans yesterday. Bolted in the trans x-member today. Reinstalled the engine and marked the drill holes for the motor mounts. I also went to my friends house who had my engine stand and borrowed it back.

Tomorrow I should be able to pull the engine back out and finish drilling the motor mount holes and get the engine on the stand.......Cool beans!

John
Work safe, John. Your excitement level must be building speed now too. :cool: Hot diggity!

Here is a pic of now. Bear with me and I 'll spare you from my explanation. Its gonna be plenty simple, sturdy, and have the pan a bit taller down the middle.
 

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#22,014 ·
That's gotta make the pulse a little quicker, just having a Butler engine to look at in person.
I heard the forklift and threw open the door, the Cat saw it swinging on a hook and hissed then rolled back a step. There, there, kitty.... once it was in her lap a mysterious purring sound was heard.:D Seriously, I am curious but don't know if the iron block is new or GM.:rolleyes: but :cool:. Hell yeah.
 
#22,015 ·
I heard the forklift and threw open the door, the Cat saw it swinging on a hook and hissed then rolled back a step. There, there, kitty.... once it was in her lap a mysterious purring sound was heard.:D Seriously, I am curious but don't know if the iron block is new or GM.:rolleyes: but :cool:. Hell yeah.
Nothing wrong with a seasoned, original block. After Butler gets done massaging it, it's new again.

Kind of like my "original" LS5 build in the '66. The block and head castings are the only original pieces left. Everything else is new, and better than original....and 494 cubic inches now...:D
 
#22,016 ·
Nothing wrong with a seasoned, original block. After Butler gets done massaging it, it's new again.

Kind of like my "original" LS5 build in the '66. The block and head castings are the only original pieces left. Everything else is new, and better than original....and 494 cubic inches now...:D
That thing is gonna have some nice thump, so be sure to exercise your ancient castings' bragging rights to anyone who comments on the sound.:thumbup: Do you or did you ever dig the FAST races? Wonder if your car has potential for those. I always thought they might be fun.

The Cat Butler is a 467 and correct me if I'm wrong but thats a tad more than is wise to poke an OE 455 block. So I bet its a new iron block. Mine is +.030 and eons ago I think I checked and that makes a 462.:confused: I ought to look at the reciept or ID #s, just haven't. But don't think this project isn't generating any GP dreams.:D
 
#22,020 ·
The Cat Butler is a 467 and correct me if I'm wrong but thats a tad more than is wise to poke an OE 455 block. So I bet its a new iron block. Mine is +.030 and eons ago I think I checked and that makes a 462.:confused: I ought to look at the reciept or ID #s, just haven't. But don't think this project isn't generating any GP dreams.:D
Probably a 400 block stroker....depending on the build spec's, he spent minimum 10k to 13k+ on that engine alone...but at least 500 hp/550 lb ft, up to 750 each...:eek:

Better add a down force wing on the trunk, cause that cat's gonna fly...:D
 
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