Are you a mostly a weekend driver, do minor maintenance or drop an engine/transmission on a minutes notice?

 

While I am not a garage beast, I do more than oil changes. Stripped my E and did bodywork at friend's restoration shop. He did all the paint application, I saved big bucks. Replaced the brake booster, brake light switch, replaced heater box core and refinished heater box, Removed and replaced exhaust manifolds after Jet Hot coating, stripped the interior and replaced it. Added relays to allow upgrade to halogen headlights. Replaced fuel pumps and alternators. I've had him for 36 years, so I've probably forgotten some things. I don't do engine or trans rebuilds as I consider that a highly specialized skill and I have the utmost respect for those who do that level of work.
I also cared for 6 other vintage cars, doing brake jobs, minor electrical, interior replacements, water pump replacements, a power steering cylinder on the Corvette and a new interior.
What I felt I could handle, I did. I think most forum members do as well.

 

What Valerie said. +1.
I am not a professional mechanic, but I do vive into projects that are more than an oil change. I am in the process of doing a complete nut and bolt restoration of my 68 FHC. I did farm out the bodywork and paint, and the engine rebuild, I am doing re-assembly, full new harness, restoring the suspension and brakes, and everything else. But I am vacillating on doing the complete interior install my self.

 

I am basically just a bolt and unbolt shade tree mechanic and have replaced just about everything on my 1966 XKE since 1984. Paint is my weak point so I used the old acrylic lacquer, it isn't hard to work with but a professional job would be a major improvement. I had to get a professional weld in my new floors and rocker panels both inner and outer.. I rebuilt the short block but sent the cylinder head to Terry's Jagure many years ago. Welsh Jaguar in Ohio and SNG has been my go to parts guys. This is my Sunday driver that car show aficionados would gag at but I love the car and there is no better driving experience. Since I retired, I can't get parts delivered to the office but now my wife has a fit when she sees how much parts cost are and thinks it's a waste of good money. but you can't take it with you. .

 

My car came in boxes. I disassembled everything that wasn't already off the car, catalogued, stripped and repainted/replated all the parts and pices. I have done body and paint on other cars but this one had too much rust for my capabilities. The drive train was rebuilt by specialists. I do not have a lift so I worked with a mechanic to reinstall the drive train.. With some help from friends I rebuilt and reinstalled carbs, exhaust, suspension, brakes, cooling system, electronics, steering, wiring, and everything else needed for it to run and drive. I'm about to retrim the interior and install the hood..

Herb

 

How does the Radiohead song go.?..... "I am a freak, I don't belong here". My skills are more akin to Butcher than Mechanic, as I am lacking in both skill and patience. I have terrorized many members here who have tried to coach me through basic procedures like brake bleeding, restoring power to my instruments (CoolCat), rebuilding my tach and clock (Mike Eck) and basic direction and encouragement (Valerie Stabenow). However, my shortcomings have not deterred me. I have replaced floor pans in two cars after which I needed to learn how to flare the brake line I cut in the process. I removed and reinstalled most all the chrome bits for new paint and refurbished the top frame. A complete interior kit (Lakewell) install including replacing seat foam and diaphragms. adding my own custom cringe worthy custom embellishments for style (and to hide goofs) I often lament that I did not buy a professionally restored example for probably less than what I have currently invested. OTOH, I am free from worry; I can park this car at the mall with the top down with little concern and the uneducated still oooh and ahhh. Mission accomplished!

 

So far this appears to be a very adventurous group but very few answers compared to the number of “views” for various posts. I also do most of my own work in all areas except painting. Back during the hay day of acrylic enamels I painted pretty well but the modern paints are above my skill level. Right now I have a leaky exhaust joint between the front exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe. Just snugging up the four studs and nuts at this joint is too simple. The threads on 2 studs are stripped and the nuts only tighten by finger then spin. New parts on order and should arrive after the current Winter storm. Three nights with low 20F temperatures. I worked in the barn to start taking things apart but then became too cold and trying to lay under the car to get to some nuts became too much for this 72 year old currently under chemotherapy! 😀
Some of my current rebuilds…..

 

Currently 4 years into a 2 year total 70 OTS ground up restoration with 2 more to likely to completion. . Not a mechanic but willing to try almost anything at least ONCE! Not my first rodeo but definitely the most complex, costly and time consuming. Constantly pushing my skill level. Have done many car, jeep , and trucks over the years. Each project I get a little more into it , learn some new skills, gain more confidence and challenge myself more. Living in the mid west I have become pretty proficient replacing or repairing rusted out steel floors, etc and assorted panels. Also have learned to hate rusty projects. I like to try to do most of my projects myself. I disassemble engines and power train components and will reassemble long blocks depending on the complexity but on this engine I let an experts rebuilt it. Due to the level of rust repair on this one my welding skills , while still far from expert, have also improved dramatically. I always do all my body work myself. My filling and blocking skills are almost approaching my drywall sanding skills . Two layers on , 3 sanded off, repeat . Once I get a vehicle epoxy primed I always turn it over to a real paint shop. Currently my tub is sitting on a rotisserie I built and is mostly complete and epoxy primed. My engine is complete and after the weather improves I will complete an ongoing rebuild of the rear end and IRS which are on the bench. . After that I expect/hope this summer to make a lot of progress.


On arrival in MI from purchase in Jacksonville Fl.


Underside

Topside..

 

Other than the exhaust parts you have on order... do be sure to get the right 'donut' to go between the downpipe and the manifold. LONG ago, when I did mine, I thought I could reuse the donut.. thought it was like a washer.. HAH!

Also be sure to check alignment of the fresh air intake opening that fits over the blower motor opening. Often that is off by a half inch or more. You can 'push' the fiberglass intake towards the windshield using some gasket material between it and the hood/bonnet. Then take some household adhesive backed foam insulating strip to fill in whatever vertical gap there may be. This adjustment goes a long way to keeping engine bay and exhaust fumes out of the cabin area.

I would hazard a guess that the lack of answers is because most of us would fall between your 2 and 3 rating.. MUCH more than oil changers, but not quite 'garage beasts'. I for one would like to have another car to work on, but current garage space and no longer having a lift really preclude that. So, makes it fun to go to my car club's shop and help out there.

Our thoughts are with you on your treatment. Your work looks beautiful and you have obviously extended the life of many vehicles and made a difference for them.

 

A very impressive collection; where's the Jag? I'm so jealous of your space...and skills. I too find it increasingly challenging to squeeze into tight places and I don't have to deal with 20 degree weather, or chemo. I wish you the best of luck with that.

 

Your car came from my hometown! Yours looked better before you started than mine will when I'm finished! If you decide to be absolutely period correct and change out the winged knockoffs, I would be a buyer since I long ago passed the threshold of originality and am going for "coffee & cars cool".

 

 

That is looking great at this point. Hopefully closer to the finish!

 

Thank you for the tips. I need all the help I can get!😀

 

Very nice, you are in good company with a woman of impeccable taste!

 

I wish I could weld better. I have used an old stick welder here on the place mostly on rusty farm implements but have never tried a wire feed welder for more delicate welds. Maybe someday!😀

 

I saved up for quite some time to have the 30x60 metallic building constructed with 3- 10x10 doors to work on my cars. Since it gets so hot here in Summer I had additional out of doors porches added this Summer. No more washing cars in the sunlight. As most of you know when taking a vehicle apart one needs a lot more space to spread out parts. In some of my previous pictures you can see the commercial shelving I have left over from Home Depot to get many things off of the floor. I learned years ago when you have 20+ screwdrivers and cannot even find one something needs to change.

 

I purchased a welder but thought better of it; the surrounding metal was so thin and maintaining a lip all around was critical. I feared a welder would melt it away. So I used panel bond instead. I didn't view the floor pans as structural nor aesthetic. Of course it is visible from the underside, though I have since painted it.though no doubt it will cost me a few points at Amelia.

"Ventilated" original floor pans

Angle Grinder

Surgically removed

Flintstone mobile

Had to modify pans provided by the P.O. but available in sections from the usuals

drop in and secure with panel bond

Seal the seams

Paint and undercoat???

 

I bought my '72 as a basket case in 1987 and did a major restoration but left the paint/bodywork to a shop. Car had 23,000 miles when I was fortunate enough to buy it - I've put 10,000 miles on it since, so I haven't driven it regularly. When I rebuilt the engine, I did not replace the timing chain tensioner and was getting nervous about that item letting go while driving, so pulled the engine/transmission awhile back.

Rebuilt the transmission - and no matter what they tell you, the new bearings ARE NOT the same OD as the originals (which are still available from Hoffman in England for the tidy sum of $1000 for all 3 including shipping). The ORIGINAL bearings are a very light interference fit to the case and all three vendors I tried were a half-thou oversize to the original. To get by, I used the shadetree trick of shaving them down on the belt sander, holding them at a 45-degree angle so they'd spin whilest losing circumference. Make no misteak, you can get them into the case as they come from these vendors - but you'll not get the transmission back together properly, nor will you get it back apart once you drive these bearings in. But I digress. The layshaft was surprisingly worn, so I would say that should always be an item to expect to be replaced in these transmissions.

Current task is rebuilding the front suspension with new bushings as the ones from '72 have seen better days. Then it's back to the engine.

A public shout-out to Dick Maury for his invaluable guidance regards the bearings.

 

Curious ..did you try Martin Robey for the trans bearings?