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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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#16,961 ·
I think you can just get a Pokemon license now, off a cereal box. :D Now who is this Ed, will he drive me around? I wonder if there are Uber drivers out there carting folks around in aluminum body pickups. Seriously I heard you can get a "hardship license" (say if mom is on meth for example), at 12 years of age here. They are out there with you and the semis and such, holy crap. I can see why some kids now do not want to learn to drive. They know the other kids! Its like being thrown to the lions out there. Says the guy who has been 180 lbs since he grew up.

There was a NICE color laid down today up at work. :thumbup: I bumped hood dents and sanded a lot. My wrecked hand hurts even from using the new HF composite DA. Had a nightmare about that airbag encounter just last night, probably on account of that cut-me-off-lady. No close calls today.
Ditto on love the blue, my second favorite color. Says the guy who never say 200 lbs until 1999. Used to be a mechanic who worked his butt off. Became a supervisor in 1999. Hmmm, some correlation there ?
 
#16,962 ·
LOL. I used to hit the gym (it was free, I was doing their ad design as partial barter), but backed off when I got too close to 200 for my liking. Really the trouble there was I'd work out, THEN eat supper. All her fault of course, but I did return to normal soon. I figured that if a guy works physically hard and eats decent, he can avoid needing to pay a fee to stay comfortably fit. So I try that. Being kinda broke helps too. A desk job might just kill me.

I'll know that blue color tomorrow. It looks extra good on that car, a little unusual I guess.
 
#16,963 ·
You know what's cool, having a parts store here in town where I walk in after work today and buy a dimmer switch for my 59 Rambler and walk out. LOL I drove her tonight out on my hobby of tearing down scum ball advertisements in town and I am reminded once again how I love to drive that car! I haven't since Nick's Falcon has been down, it is so much fun to drive that funky old car.

Brian
 
#16,964 ·
I bet that is a relief having them all back up and driving. Many times I've wondered why I keep my old one, but all it takes is a short drive to remind myself.

BTW, color on that Mustang is GM WA-388A "Blew Me Away". I can dig it:cool:

Welding up rollbar holes on the ricester today. Theres 24. :rolleyes:
 
#16,966 ·
Replaced the rubber weather seals and corner seals on my Car today,took 3,1/2 hours on the first on and 35 minutes on the second one,but I have to take the drivers side back off as doors wont lock and security alarm will not set:mad::mad::mad: ,a job for Monday

This is before picture note just forward of center on rubber,
Doing any job over the second time just stinks. Good luck.

John
 
#16,968 ·
Today was not real exciting but I did make a dolly for my Versaille rear end. It was a muggy 96 out and I decided I could rastle it onto it another day. :(

John



I also took my plasma cutter and whittled out a T -bar to use as a spring compressor. I was pretty much able to get the angles where it would sit level on the spring coils.

This is the waste I cut off.



Here it is inserted into the spring and compressed to the point the spring is about 1/2 inch off it's seat.

 
#16,972 ·
LOL, That is a fair trade. Look at all those hot Chevies with Ford rear ends under them. :)

John
The 9" rears are to keep the Ford hot rod owners with the hot Chev engines from feeling bad ...:p

I pulled most of the damage out of the 06 Malibu today. If I put the bumper cover back on, he COULD drive it as is but I'm going to replace a couple parts behind the impact bar that crushed, as they are designed to do. I was surprised they were set up for the bar to go under like it did, but that is the way looks like it was designed to absorb impact...:confused:

The trunk catch was 4" ahead of the latch. between the forklift frame puller, port-a-power and hammer and 2x4, I got it straight enough to close and latch the lid. I have a nice replacement trunk lid in color but it has some rust in the bottom skin seam that I will clean up before bolting it on.













 
#16,973 ·
Gotta love it, GM paint on a FoMoCo
I reckon thats one way to better one's odds of having a unique build because you're right... usually folks would reach for the new Ford color palette. Maybe theres an interesting story behind that. Its a one-family car, I think. Thats the car which had an entire gallon of catalyzed bodyfiller just dumped and spread into the LR floor. All fixed now. But the kicker is...

its a six banger stick car! ;):rolleyes::drool::D With cool slot wheels. :cool:

The rest of the parts were being readied for blue today, and the white '70 got primer so maybe it will get shooted tomorrow. Heck I tried to slip my 'lady hood in the booth for epoxy today but got the "shoo- no room at the inn" response. The guys are hard at it crankin em through. That blue is all sanded for buffing already. I parked myself under a good A/C spot and made a bunch of little metal dot patches and smoke while hiding behind the rotisserie lol.
 
#16,974 ·
I was surprised they were set up for the bar to go under like it did, but that is the way looks like it was designed to absorb impact...:confused:
Nice fix, Mitch :thumbup: Its perfect for what you need.

The brackets are supposed to crush then the bar kinks. What you have looks to have been a hit from a high-profile vehicle that skated right over the bar... and stopped just in time to create a gravy total for you! How nice of them!:cool:
 
#16,975 ·
Nice fix, Mitch :thumbup: Its perfect for what you need.

The brackets are supposed to crush then the bar kinks. What you have looks to have been a hit from a high-profile vehicle that skated right over the bar... and stopped just in time to create a gravy total for you! How nice of them!:cool:
As a 10 year old car, it didn't take much to total it. If it was a late model, I'm certain it would've been repaired. As it is, to do it "right" it needs the tail panel and inner brace too, but it's straight enough for a college kid...;)
 
#16,977 ·
Mitch, Was it pretty much what you expected or were you surprized when you got it home and got into it?

John
With the bumper cover appearing to be in place, I was surprised to discover the impact bar being bent completely under. That didn't show in their website pics. The damage is deeper and more extensive than I thought/hoped. I don't have the time to get into a full, correct, repair this year. Once I replace the bar braces and get the cover back on, it will serve him well for the winter. He is living in Duluth, which has many steep hills. I HOPE it survives the winter and then I'll look at doing a more extensive repair next year.

It does have 4 wheel, anti-lock, disc brakes and I'm looking for a set of good used snow tires right now...:thumbup:
 
#16,978 ·
With the bumper cover appearing to be in place, I was surprised to discover the impact bar being bent completely under. That didn't show in their website pics. The damage is deeper and more extensive than I thought/hoped. I don't have the time to get into a full, correct, repair this year. Once I replace the bar braces and get the cover back on, it will serve him well for the winter. He is living in Duluth, which has many steep hills. I HOPE it survives the winter and then I'll look at doing a more extensive repair next year.

It does have 4 wheel, anti-lock, disc brakes and I'm looking for a set of good used snow tires right now...:thumbup:
Sounds good. I hope it gives him good service.

John
 
#16,980 ·
Lookin good, John. :) :cool:

I don't know what you guys will think about this or how I handled it, but if you have input I can take it.

Looking at the bottom of the driver's side front unibody rail (it has a full frame also) on a rotisserie. '67 Datsun 2000. The toe board is bottom left. Theres a gusset not shown :rolleyes: (it was getting epoxy) that formerly was welded to flanges at the three points shown. For starter access per customer request, I converted the brace to a bolt-in.

My objective was to damage the rail as little as possible while keeping the strength of the original resistance welds. My thought process landed on this solution, with all things considered. That I could think of. Three holes, nut plate, four plug welds. Simple task, but its insight as to how I do stuff. Good or bad!





 

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