What are you doing today? 2017

idrivejunk · December 15, 2017, 11:19:17 PM

Thats looking good.

Tired n grumpy bodyman missed the mark today. We got an early out, but I have addressed all the other little needs of the horse nose and have set up protection for the rest of the car so its ready to walk up and slice off that flange on the firewall Monday.

kb426 · December 16, 2017, 09:11:35 AM

Tony, that's a really clean boot.

Good to see you're still making progress.

kb426 · December 16, 2017, 07:47:12 PM

I had a little diversion after lunch to install front brakes on my wife's car. It has 77,000 miles on it and the rotors are warped. That's the only car that I have had to do that to. Both of my Dakotas have needed it around 70,000 miles. Took an hour and a half. Because we don't have severe winters, it wasn't bad. Tiny bit of rust.

UGLY OLDS · December 16, 2017, 11:52:50 PM

Tiny bit of rust.

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Oh, you poor thing ......

You know how exhaust pipes are connected together with flange type clamps & bolts :?: :?:

Welcome to Illinois .........The pipes are still good .....The flanges, not so much so.....

Bob...

kb426 · December 17, 2017, 08:18:00 AM

^^^^^^
Where's the vomit emoticon when you need it?

idrivejunk · December 17, 2017, 02:12:12 PM

Quote from: "kb426"^^^^^^
Where's the vomit emoticon when you need it?

Busy. Turns out barfing on stuff prevents rust

:?: :?: :?: :!: :!: :!:

idrivejunk · December 18, 2017, 07:40:16 PM

Made me a good sized mistake today. Cut the flange off the Mustang firewall flush and welded it up but was supposed to leave some of it. Boss says its OK but I know its a failure to follow directions.Thats scary because I have trashed all the other areas of life just trying to keep it together at work, and if I can't do that theres nothing left but a box under the overpass. Time will tell. Resume standard banter pattern please.

kb426 · December 18, 2017, 07:51:46 PM

Matt, when I was young, I worked for a neighbor farmer for a while one summer. While running the combine, a bearing failed. It caused an auger to plug which plugged the whole machine. He thought I was pushing it too hard. We cleaned it out and in just a little bit it plugged again. He said, a man that says his equipment doesn't break down is either a liar or never does anything. I have since adapted that statement to life: a person that never makes a mistake either never does anything or is a liar. You've watched me make mistakes. It didn't take me out. I just keep going. I expect you to do the same. I understand you being upset with yourself. If the pursuit of excellence is what drives you, than all disappointments are tough. If your boss reprimands you, that is his right. I can't imagine anything else will happen. Try to be kinder to your self that I am to myself.

idrivejunk · December 18, 2017, 08:02:49 PM

A genuine thanks. Its all internal. I said it before, for me life is like walking through a dark tunnel with no place to step aside for the train... my only option is to pretend I know that its a kid on a bicycle with a big headlight and train whistle coming around the bend.

chimp koose · December 19, 2017, 12:06:23 AM

Matt , to copy a phrase * happens . Nobody is proud of it but only a liar will tell you it never happens to them .What did I do today ? I went out after night class tonight with a couple friends and had a beer and a shot in memory of Bob Glidden , the best pro stock hero a boy could ever have. Bob died yesterday and it made me sad .

WZ JUNK · December 19, 2017, 01:59:35 PM

Matt, when I first started painting, I made lots of mistakes. A friend of mine owns a body shop and I could always count on him for good free advice. I was amazed that he new the answer to the questions that I had, on the mistakes I had made. One day it occurred to me that the reason he knew the answers is that he had made the same mistakes. These days I spend a lot of my time on redos and changes. Rarely do all the pieces fall into place as they should. I am just glad I have opportunity to go at it again, and try to do better on the next go around.

Today I am welding a 3/16" formed rod down the center of the 54 Chevy hood. It is a slow process. I am trying to avoid warps by welding small sections and skipping areas in between. So far so good.

John

Crosley.In.AZ · December 19, 2017, 09:28:54 PM

Long story, but: I am very hard on myself when something is not right.

Quik eggzample is my 1948 Simca. It needs the sheet metal interior work. I can not afford to pay some one.

My test runs on the sheet metal interior on the Simca have been terrible. So, the car has sit , untouched for quite a while now. I'll get to it , I guess , maybe. I have looked at interior work on the interweb at endless number of websites, videos, yada yada

The 1962 Morris Minor car. After 10+ yrs : It Has become my "tinkerin car" .. I tinker with it. Change stuff on the cage that I screwed up yrs ago. Changed the front & rear suspension twice. I do understand, the car will never be finished by me. perhaps it will be taken apart, Parts sold , scrapped , who knows?

idrivejunk · December 19, 2017, 10:26:36 PM

Guys, I am sure we can all identify with these types of struggles. To make your gosh-honest comments worthwhile I offer you this mess of pics as proof. Its pretty much a whats wrong with this picture exercise in some ways. But a man keeps plugging away at it whether its the thing to do or not. The 390 and trans will be out in the morning so I can get a good shave going. Enjoy these pics, that flange shave was a pain in the spine. Some cars fight and take longer than others to realize the man with the cutoff and welder wins. Thats about as good as I could make it. Did not warp awful but oh my the blow thru was a booger on top. Thanks for lending an ear, gents. This forum has real class.

UGLY OLDS · December 20, 2017, 12:22:09 AM

Let me get this straight ....... :? They expected you to cut off that flange on the firewall, weld it all back together & put it in paint ready primer with all that shiny stuff in place , including the engine & trans , with all that chrome/polished stuff & not have anything get hurt or burnt :?: :?: :?: :?:
Why not put the full interior & all the finished wiring & firewall insulation in there too :?: What could possibly go wrong :?: :?:

Man ..Don't beat yourself up ....Some jobs truly are IMPOSSIBLE......

Bob..

idrivejunk · December 20, 2017, 08:23:14 AM

I swear I didn't find any damage from it. Bob, this is what I mean when I talk about just doing whats in front of me. It has gotten better. Many times floors have been installed with columns and dashes in place, but until painter wants it out of the way, sometimes we gotta work around stuff.