For Old Guys Only

[Buzzard]

The new electronic plastic nightmares they sell today don't impress me too much. As for the car repairs I think a lot of people lease their cars now and don't even have to open the hood for three years and who in their right mind would finance a car for 60 months?
I drive a 95 Nissan 4x4 pickup, stick shift, V6, just at 100,000 miles. I do most of my own work. I did take it in for an exhaust replacement, from header pipes, muffler, catalytic converter, hangers and tail pipe...it was less than $400. I think it was a pretty good deal. LadyG thinks I'll have to be buried in it.
buzzard

 

[maniac57]

I once dated a girl who needed a starter on her 80something skyhawk. She took it to the local Ford dealer and he charged her $750 for replacing it.
Now this particular car has the starter mounted right under the front bumper, with two simple, easily accessible bolts and it literally takes two minutes and a socket. No jack needed.
So I went down to the showroom on a sunday afternoon when LOTS of people were shopping and immediately began throwing a truly EPIC verbal ass whooping on the dealers, the mechanics, the dealers parents, the shop dog etc.
Needless to say, they were highly motivated to satisfy me quickly and I made the best of it.
She got the entire cost refunded, a complete brake job, oil change and chassis lube (performed with me slowly simmering nearby) and free oil changes for life.
Had I not thrown a fit, they would have profited nicely charging $750 for a $150 job.
NEVER be afraid to act the fool if you suspect buggery.
I've personally seen with my own eyes a transmission shop (AMMCO) in Elgin Ill. charged a buddy $1300 for a rebuilt trans. They were unaware I had sealed and marked all the bolts and mounts before dropping the car off.
When he picked it up, it had a shiny new looking trans.
Dropping it revealed while they HAD removed the unit, they never even took the pan off. Just pressure washed it, spray painted it and re-installed it.
They were very shocked when we returned with all the photo documentation and the bill....
He got a new factory rebuilt transmission installed free.
NEVER be afraid to act the fool if you suspect buggery.

 

[2door]

I went to a dealership and raised heck one time too. They had charged my wife $40.00 labor to replace the air filter on her Pontiac Turbo Sunbird. I went to the service manager demanding a refund or, an explanation. They asked me if I'd ever changed an air filter on a Turbocharged Sunbird. "No", I said, "but how hard can it be?"

They showed me. The air filter canister was hidden behind the right headlight. You had to remove the headlight and bucket, loosen the front half of the inner fender well and bend it down (it was plastic) to reach the filter canister. Replace the filter then put everything back together and re-aim the right headlight.
$40.00 sounded cheap after that.

The same car required a special, GM, wrench to get the alternator off. I made my own by heating and bending a 15mm box end wrench into a pretzel.


Tom

 

[Greg58]

Tom that sounds like the dodge intrepid my son had, that thing was bad. You had to remove the right front wheel and half the inner wheel well to change the battery. It also had an internal water pump driven by the timing chain, how crazy it that? If that water pump starts leaking where do you think the water goes, in the oil pan.

 

[2door]

LOL, reminds me of the 50s 'Y' block Fords. The early ones, 54, 55, had a dual action fuel pump. It pumped fuel but was also a vacuum pump for the windshield wipers. The diaphram would go bad and the gasoline would dump into the crankcase. It would fill the oil pan. Sure cleaned things up though. Drain the pan and replace the pump and you had a clean engine...........if the bearings were still there

That same engine was notorious for clogged oil passages to the rocker arms. You had a choice of rebuilding the engine, boiling out the passages, or installing external oilers. Man, were they ugly. 1/4" copper tubing, 'T' fittings, holes in the valve covers.....hahaha. But it worked. I had a 55 Fairlane with a 272 'Y' block. Someone had put those oilers on it. I put a 312 in the car and junked the smaller engine. Too bad, they're collector items today.

Tom

 

[xseler]

I had a '62 Ford pickup with the 292 V8. It was so clogged up that the previous owner had removed the valve covers and stuffed oil soaked burlap in the top of the covers. Worked OK as long as you remembered to ocassionally oil the burlap.

I only used this thing as my 'hunting buggy'....it was scary worn out, all over!! Never did change the oil --- just kept adding a quart every 100 miles.

 

[Greg58]

The 272,292,312 were kinda unique engines, what really stood out the first time I reworked a set of those in the machine shop was the intake runners were not side by side like a SB Chevy they were stacked on top of each other. Other than the oiling problem they were pretty good engines. I remember one Saturday afternoon hearing a very bad knocking while a truck was running at the neighbors house next door, since he and I grew up together I went to see what was going on. He had just bought a 1960 3/4 ton ford with a 292 the night before after a few to many drinks. The first thing he said was he got took because the engine was knocking, knowing the oiling problems I suggested pulling the valve covers and checking the rockers. Two push rods had worn through the rocker arm causing the knock. We replaced all the worn parts and ran engine flush through the engine till it oiled again and it ran great. He then drove that truck to work at south wire in Carrolton from Newnan for 8 to 10 years. Tom knows the road I'm talking about up and down hiiiy terrain and it ran flawless. Not bad for a $200 truck.

 

[xseler]

In the time since I posted last, I heard a soft, high pitched noise that I finally tracked down to my AC condenser unit outside. The fan motor had 'frozen up' and wasn't turning. I pulled the cut-off outside, pulled the motor, and was able to get it going again using a little ingenuity, WD-40, and 3 in 1 oil. Granted, I'll get another motor ASAP, but there's no telling how many people would've called a tech. The tech (when they showed up a few days later) would've told 'em that the entire condenser unit needed to be replaced ----- at least $2000!! I can pick up another fan motor for $65.

I really pity those that can't fend for themselves.

 

[Mike B]

Hehe, yeah, I've been DIY'n the house ever since I moved in. Plumbing (sinks, toilets, garbage grinders, and water heaters) HVAC (compresser fan motor and run cap) Electrical (outlets, switches, outside lights)

Saved a lot of dough.

I replaced the whole HVAC during the "big rebate" time and that was really cool.

I love it when the government takes $2700 off the bill -

 

[xseler]

One of the last dealings I had with PG&E, they were replacing power poles in my condo neighborhood (Fresno, CA)............they actually dropped a power pole across the bed of my Chevy Silverado!! I must give 'em credit, they paid well, and paid fast........caused about $3500 damage to my truck.

 

[Greg58]

I know what you mean Mike, I've been diy since 1984. I cut down the trees in march, built the house and moved in September 1. I worked 2nd shift and worked every day except Sunday on the house, I had help from friends and family but did way too much by my self.
P.S. I don't ever plan to do shingle again. ( I paid someone to do the next roof)

 

[xseler]

I really don't know how the roofing crews handle the summer heat here. Last time I was on the roof, I forgot my gloves and actually burned the palms of my hands (whoever decided that dryers should vent out the roof was a masochist!).

 

[Mike B]

It is a job for the young. If I have to go up there I do it in the morning.

Which is another thing on the list. Gonna put an antenna up and get TV for free -

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

I once dated a girl who needed a starter on her 80something skyhawk. She took it to the local Ford dealer and he charged her $750 for replacing it.
Now this particular car has the starter mounted right under the front bumper, with two simple, easily accessible bolts and it literally takes two minutes and a socket. No jack needed.
So I went down to the showroom on a sunday afternoon when LOTS of people were shopping and immediately began throwing a truly EPIC verbal ass whooping on the dealers, the mechanics, the dealers parents, the shop dog etc.
Needless to say, they were highly motivated to satisfy me quickly and I made the best of it.
She got the entire cost refunded, a complete brake job, oil change and chassis lube (performed with me slowly simmering nearby) and free oil changes for life.
Had I not thrown a fit, they would have profited nicely charging $750 for a $150 job.
NEVER be afraid to act the fool if you suspect buggery.
I've personally seen with my own eyes a transmission shop (AMMCO) in Elgin Ill. charged a buddy $1300 for a rebuilt trans. They were unaware I had sealed and marked all the bolts and mounts before dropping the car off.
When he picked it up, it had a shiny new looking trans.
Dropping it revealed while they HAD removed the unit, they never even took the pan off. Just pressure washed it, spray painted it and re-installed it.
They were very shocked when we returned with all the photo documentation and the bill....
He got a new factory rebuilt transmission installed free.
NEVER be afraid to act the fool if you suspect buggery.

==============


Not nearly as good, but my 84 Chevette had a bad starter and I let a shop fix it. Originally it had weak cranking.

The rebuilt had good field and rotor coils and also the solenoid. The problem was that the bendix drive that is inside the starter housing that has to make a 180 degree change of direction to transfer the cranking to the flywheel when the solenoid is activated. It was I found that under high heat when the engine ran a while restarting it would get stuck.

The housing was a bit too small in the rebuilt. The expansion of the metal under heat had it get stuck.

I found that eventually I used the core, I had them save my old parts. The rotor I kept the rebuilt, but the outer winding of the old case had the original manufacturer housing and it fixed the problem. The outer windings although old and worn, but in combination with a new rotor winding was what eventually worked.

I seem to think now that maybe they damaged the case of the starter motor as the dumb mechanic had pried on the side of my steering shaft to try to get it to be installed where starter was near. They eventually actually told me that they had to remove the steering shaft and then reinstall it again to get the starter installed.

They were idiots as then the end play on my steering was so stiff it stayed where you put the wheel and they said the tow truck that brought it to them did that. Not so.... bunch of &(*.

I had to take it to another shop and have them fix it while I watch. I took time off of work. I was not going to let the second shop try anything like the first one did. Stopping payment of the check for the first shop, I deducted the cost of the second shop and rewrote a check for the difference. Never heard back from the first shop idiots.

Just remember old parts and rebuilt parts might be good when they arrive at a shop, but there afterwards they can be damaged and you can be taken by the unscrupulous place like I was .

Note that when I was fixing the starter motor which I just mixed and matched old part and rebuilt part to get it running right, I had a much better way to get the starter installed.

I would unbolt the master brake cylinder from the firewall and with enough length of the semi-rigid tube connecting I move it sideways about 4 inches. Underneath the vehicle I got and lifted it into place. I reinstalled the master brake cylinder and did not use a $Y& pry bar against anything.

MT

 

[xseler]

I think that the Lucky Charms cereal folks could make a fortune if they just sold a bag of their "Magically Delicious Marshmallows".......maybe even finding the pot o'gold at the end of the rainbow!!

 

[KCvale]

Nothing odd about it at all. The dealer is the highest cost service station you will ever see. They also have the highest overhead. But they are licensed and insured.

You take your chances.

I got a $20,000 roof installed for $7,000. By a professional roofer. I bought the materials and he and some guys he knew ripped off the old shingles and put on the new. I rented the dumpster. It all went very well, the roof still looks great 10 years later.

If one of those guys fell off the roof and hurt himself bad I would have been financially liable and things could have gotten real ugly real fast. But it didn't and all is well. By the way, it wasn't some guy that dropped by and said your roof needs fixing, it was the neighbor down the street who did a few houses on the block and I approached him -

My Pop's had a big roofing company when I was growing up and he put me to work as a boy.

In my high school years I worked all summer break roofing in Phoenix!
In short that is how I know what real work is.

I didn't like roofing regardless of the pay much past high school and went into computers, but I know the job and a skilled roofer is worth every cent he wants for his time.
How you know if he's a good one is the hard part.

On a related note...

My 'wrench turner' in the bike shop is best friend since high school that got into roofing and he ended up having his own roofing business for those same decades.

Now we both just have fun here at my place, talk old times, stream oldies music, and both glad neither of us are on the roof again ;-}

 

[KCvale]

I think that the Lucky Charms cereal folks could make a fortune if they just sold a bag of their "Magically Delicious Marshmallows".......maybe even finding the pot o'gold at the end of the rainbow!!

My wife works for general mills and the magic isn't in the marshmallows ;-}

 

[Mike B]

Yup, it's a job for the young. Hot, physical stoop work.

My guy worked for a roofing Co full time. These were "side jobs" he did. He had all his own tools, nailers, compressors, shingle removers. Wifey was a bit skeptical "how do we know he does good work"? Just go outside and look at the roofs -

So yeah, you pay straight rate (no mark up) on all the materials he specs, I just wrote a check made out to the supply Co. And then straight labor (no mark up on that either to cover all the benes) He offered to use his truck to dump the old shingles in, but I thought renting a dumpster would be better. He liked that too, didn't need to drive to the landfill and pay and then move it all out by hand. Wasn't expensive, a 20 yard dumpster cost ~$300 for the week. I threw the old fence into it too. It was full when they picked it up.

Yup, go to school and get a good education. So you won't have to be a roofer -

 

[allen standley]

Only problem is plan on paying off student loans till your 50.

 

[xseler]

Only problem is plan on paying off student loans till your 50.

I'm proud to say that when I graduated college, I had zero debt. Combination of scholarships, a small grant, living frugally, and working 40 hours a week did the trick. Got a degree in economics. I honestly don't know if I would've went if I would've owed tons of money when I graduated.

Coming out of high school, the Navy really pressured me into going into their nuclear program. At the time, I resisted with every ounce of energy. Looking back, maybe I should've done it. I would now be retired with a healthy stipend every month. One always wonders, "What if......."