how many guys still have several local car buddies

grumpyvette

grumpyvette

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how many guys still have several local car buddies
just curious , as to how many guys currently have at least two local freinds with a similar interest in cars, that they can call up and reasonably expect to have them show up when they want help working on their car and need that help to do something.
now when I was younger, and single, Id say that was hardly an issue, cars and engine builds and racing were nearly a religion at times, I spent may a day helping build cars in freinds shops and they spent lots of late nights in my shop, but as guys get older and have families and wives, and kids and grand kids, getting the spare time and money to work on cars usually needs to be planed for ahead of time.
Ive still got several 100% gear head buddies, that I depend on and several recent converts to the hobby, but time and disposable cash seem to be limited recently.
now I still have guys wanting me to work on their cars almost daily, and Ive certainly got far more skills, tools,knowledge, etc. but the days of a couple guys just deciding at the moment over a couple beers that they can or will go pull and rebuild an engine, or drive over to the local salvage yards and buy hundreds of dollars worth of parts without needing to discuss it with their wives seem to be a thing of the past.
 
They all slipped away, but luckily I had my brothers. Especially one was a die hard car guy that I could always count on for help. Sure was nice when you had only two things on your mind.........cars and girls!
 
"GRUMPY,I have some local car buddies but it seems not many of them are around when I need them just when they need me."



unfortunately that attitude is far more common than it should be,
Ive always tried to make a point out of helping other guys with their projects, but its only a few guys that will return the effort expended, on their car, when you want some help or only someone to bounce ideas off of on your projects.
Ive build dozens of engines (at my cost, in parts and free labor) for close freinds, and many dozens more at very low profit margins, sometimes just to see the results and power they produced ,sometimes just to see if you can exceed 500 or 600 hp on a limited budget, and sometimes just to see the expression on the cars owners face when a car, that could barely spin the tires can now leave long smokey burn-out at will) but only a couple guys are likely to come over if I were to call up and request help with some project, so just realize that many guys won,t feel obligated to return the time and effort expended on their cars on yours and look at it as a learning experience, to some extent and pick your friends carefully, and you better enjoy working for lunch,beer, and conversation

I will point out that one route is to join several local car clubs, youll usually find that about 60%-70% of the guys in any car club are far more interested in, driving, drinking, eating and attending social functions rather than working on cars but that still usually leaves you easily 30% or more of the guys that are true car nuts that enjoy working on cars and once you weed out the guys that don,t know how too,or care too work on cars finding a few real gear heads should solve your occasional help issues, provided your willing to also help the other guys in exchange, and your bound to learn a few things during the process
its frustrating at times, not being local to some of you guys so that either I can, drop by and help solve, what too me seems to be basic issues, that some experience could easily help cure, or have some of you more skilled and knowledgeable guys, being located locally when I run into issues I'm not really familiar with!
many times Ive wanted to jump in the car and drive over and help some guy who has posted about some problem, or ask some guy if he wants help, or to be very impressed with what a guys done to his car and have a strong desire to go by and see exactly how he managed to do something that impressed you. but obviously if the guys 500-3000miles away thats not going to happen!
now obviously having extensive reference material and the internet helps, but its always helpful to have a local club or two with a few knowledgeable members locally that are willing to help out or guys you can help with their projects and learn new skills while doing so.
sometimes the benefits are not immediately obvious but you might be surprised at how often some guy will know where or how to get something repaired faster or cheaper or where to purchase parts cheaper than you do, or know some place to buy , borrow or rent tools far faster or cheaper
look no one knows even 50% of this car related stuff well enough to breeze thru it with zero problems but its always amazed me that if you get 4-5 of the older more experienced guys together, its almost certain that at least one guys got some experience or skill in any area.
now I build mostly muscle car engines from the 1950s-1990s, but only an idiot would ignore the advice of a more experienced guy if for an example I was rebuilding a transmission that i,d never even open up, so when I get into those circumstances and get in over my head I stop , do extensive research and look around for some local guy with experience in the area of concern.
about the best most of us can do is join at least two local clubs and spend at least some time helping the club members on their projects , hopefully in return for help on your projects so everyone benefits, personally I really enjoy helping out, other guys in their shops or learning new skills, and its not all that rare to welcome having a helping hand in my shop on my projects either.
if any of you guys are located locally let me know, I may be able to help or I may need help, but its a sure bet that several guys can make completing a project more fun and usually get better results


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'm 'fraid most of the time i work alone. Don't really know anyone who shares my interest and would drop by to lend a helping hand. I do have a buddy that I go shooting with that owns a garage and services US vehicles (avalanches, tahoes, etc.) In a pinch he will lend me some tools or lift time if he can spare it. Great guy.
 
well if your willing to pick up and move over here so your home is local to me, Im sure we could spend a good deal of our free time helping each other on each others projects.
Let me give you a bit of hard won wisdom that took me decades to fully understand,... if your ever going to build a well thought thru car & engine combo youll be happy with its takes planing and a consistent effort and sustained budget allocation to completing the project and you need both the tools and a place to work, you need to do the research and NOT change goals every few weeks or buy random BARGAIN parts

yes it may take you several days to read thru the links and many sub links, it will save you hundreds of dollars and months of work so take the time!

(1) decide on exactly what you want when your finished and think thru a reasonable budget and time frame
this means if you really want a big block corvette don,t waste time and money building a 350 sbc in a caprice just because its available and cheap.

(2) have a place to work and get a decent engine stand to work on,you don,t need much more than a small tool selection and space for an engine stand with an engine on it and a plastic tarp , many tools can be rented or borrowed, but you do need to do the required research and buy and correctly assemble the correct matched parts
(you can always sell it when your done if this was a one time project)

(3) have a second transportation vehicle or build your performance engine slowly over time correctly,and separately is by far the better route here!
constant minor changes and parts up grades resulting in miss matched components to the primary transportation vehicle ALWAYS eventually causes you problems

(4) don,t buy parts that don,t match your goal just because you get a SCREAMING DEAL on the parts PRICE,...ESPECIALLY USED PARTS

(5) don,t forget the IMPROVED , BRAKES, DRIVE TRAIN GEARING, SUSPENSION,TIRES AND COOLING SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL AND LUBRICATION UPGRADES THAT WILL BE REQUIRED BEFORE you install the new high performance engine your building


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Chief, if you called me needing a hand, I'd leave tire marks in the driveway on the way over.

Would love to be assistance to you anytime... truth be told there no telling how much I would learn from you just by helping you out.
 
I was reading thru several threads on several sites and the common factor is that I wish Scotty and his transporter from star trek was real, because so many time I see guys who are basically clueless about how to test, isolate or tune or repair cars, guys Id love to drop over and help out!
and occasionally I get stumped on problems I know that would easily be solved if I had several local guys that could be counted on for support. but its unfortunate, but theres few local guys that are as into building and repairing cars and engines as I am.
example, I read about guys who can,t tune a carb or degree a cam, or inspect and verify a valve train geometry and check bearing clearances and I just want to drop over and show them what to look for, how to measure etc.
or guys that obviously really want to do things correctly but they don,t have the tools required or understand the potential problems, again, it would be so nice if they were local, or Scotty,s transporter worked
 
Just yesterday at Lowes I ran into a high school buddy. He only lives about mile from me. I had a 64 Nova with about a 400HP 327cuin motor and he had a 61 Corvette with a 283 cuin motor. We ended up trading cars and I gave him $400. I will have to give him a call later this week and see if we can't get something started again.

If I remember right, the 283 had the 375 hp solid lifter camshaft with hydraulic lifters. Has anyone ever heard of doing this ???
 
My best friend owns a dealership with a well equipped service dept. and a love for things mechanical/electrical. So we both love to work on them and we work at his shop. We're doing the restoration/LT1/4L60E /ac conversion on his '57 210 now. We did my Formula and '67 Impala SS as well as his daily driver Bravada LT1 swaps there over the last 10-11 years and my, now his '02 Silverado LS1 swap.
When I get finished with my new house and garage which I plan to install a lift, we'll still probably do it all at his shop! :mrgreen:
 
Randy_W said:
When I get finished with my new house and garage which I plan to install a lift, we'll still probably do it all at his shop! :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
It's just more fun when there is someone else around!
 
Indycars said:
Randy_W said:
When I get finished with my new house and garage which I plan to install a lift, we'll still probably do it all at his shop! :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
It's just more fun when there is someone else around!
Click to expand...

you also tend to get more done because you have less tendency to run into things you can,t lift easily, move and hold in place or work where someone holding a light would help a great deal,or run into not having a bolt line up while prying something to line up, so there less tendency to say (SCREW IT, ITS MILLER TIME)plus a conversation and a second experienced set of hands and eyes on a problem can frequently find a way to do things a single person won,t have thought off.
plus theres a bit less tendency for the wife to try dragging you off on some meaningless shopping trip because she understands your
"OUT PLAYING WITH YOUR ENGINES, CARS & BUDDIES IN THE SHOP, DOING THOSE GUY THINGS, WHERE YOU GET OIL ALL OVER YOUR SHIRT " as my wife likes to say
 
I also have less tendency to cuss and throw stuff, which also keeps my wife away. :mrgreen:
 
darn I wish some of you gentlemen were local!
not only would it be a great deal of fun to chase someone elses problems in their cars, its also far more fun to have several experienced guys help on your personal projects and add insight to finding and isolating and correcting problems
I've got several projects that I want to do, and it is just a whole lot easier if your friends are there to both help occasionally, drink coffee, keep the conversation going, add a few ideas and to keep you concentrating on the goal rather than having every distraction imaginable seem to line up to take turns at preventing you from doing what you know you should be doing.
if I've got friends over wither I work on their cars or my own, things just normally seem to go a bit smoother, but when Im working on personal projects its just way to easy to get distracted, or have to make a run for parts and have the wife add an endless list of
(HONEY DO YOU MIND WHILE YOUR OUT COULD YOU.........) type projects that seem designed solely to use up time and prevent me from accomplishing the project I started with.
I have a bad habit of getting to a point in projects where I need to buy parts, or tools or supplies and I just stop, and say, hey, Im going to go to the store later for the wife I'll just save gas and get all that stuff on the same trip, and even if that does work but I get back and its a 50%/50% deal as to if I go back into the shop to complete the work, or just sit down and relax, while If I have a friend and a set project its far easier to remain focused on completing that project

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/back-in-the-past-vs-today.15043/
 
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I grew up with my weekends in the garage with my dad and brothers. I always looked forward to seeing what was going to be going on this weekend. Later in my late 20s and 30s I spend most nights working until 9 pm working on the race car. Then for the last 15 years all I did was the needed repairs on the family cars.

Now I'm back in the garage most every day and loving it, but there just one thing missing, someone to share it with !
 
Indycars said:
I grew up with my weekends in the garage with my dad and brothers. I always looked forward to seeing what was going to be going on this weekend. Later in my late 20s and 30s I spend most nights working until 9 pm working on the race car. Then for the last 15 years all I did was the needed repairs on the family cars.

Now I'm back in the garage most every day and loving it, but there just one thing missing, someone to share it with !
Click to expand...

Yeah i also grew up helping mechanics neighbord and family very young.
I had experience of working with local guys, its good memories wish it happened more often.
I guess am used to work alone now, i can't say it suck but ohh well its just different. Sometime there is my dad that stop by to help with some beer hehe. Other people that come see me have no clue about what am doing, so i just take a brake to talk with them while opening a beer.
 
Maybe I'm expecting too much here But I doubt it!
well I have to go out and do some work on the wifes car, typical maintenance that should take under 2 hours, replacing a ball joint and front brake pads, I called several "FREINDS" that are always eager for me to help them tune or tweak their cars and usually drop what their doing If I offer to help THEM, tune or do maintenance on their cars, I called several guys, because this is likely to take a great deal longer with just me than if I have some semi skilled or even unskilled help simply because there a good deal of the process where it simply takes two people to do some of the testing, you just cant be pushing brake petals or bleeding brakes or holding drop lights where it takes three hands or being in dual locations with one person. amazingly everyone's just too darn busy to help out. well Ill manage but it sure would be nice if I could convince a couple of your guys who really are serious about cars and engines , too buy houses locally, because many of the guys around here only seem to be interested in cars or working on cars if getting nearly free skilled help is part of the deal. maybe IM old school or slightly crazy, but I enjoy working on cars and its not at all critical that its my car either, in fact I doubt I spend 10% of my total shop time working on my cars , and Ive rarely charged anyone more that the cost too cover the supplies being used in the process and the cost of lunch occasionally ,for the work Ive done, simply because I enjoy working on engines and cars, its frequently a great way to relax and solving problems, or increasing performance can be really satisfying, I lost count of the cars Ive worked on or engines Ive built or helped build decades ago, for several years I was building a couple muscle car or stock car engines a month, and had an excellent reputation for the resulting engines produced. so much so that I had and still have a constant and rather extensive waiting list of older guys wanting me to build their muscle car, car engines

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There is not doubt in my mind if we all lived within a few miles of each other, we would
all be divorced with 6 months. We would always be over at the others house.
 
and the down side would be????


well just sort of kidding obviously, as Ive been married 42 years now, and at least my wifes very unlikely to care as long as, the times spent in my shop or a neighbors garage,if its only a few nights a week or weekends,a month.....she just puts it down to (ITS A GUY THING LIKE LOOKING THRU PLAYBOY OR HAVING TO STOP AND LOOK AT TOOLS IN TOOL STORES OR VISIT CAR SHOWS,)but honestly if the wifes know exactly where you are and what your doing and it only involves cars, they could do far worse, than to let their husbands out on a few week nights and week ends to enjoy a hobby and some male bonding with a few beers and scrapped knuckles and greasy shirts...as my wife grudgingly admits it beats looking thru all the local topless bar , and motel parking lots to locate a husband.
after all the wifes expect us to take them to WEDDINGs , PARTYS and ENDLESS SOCIAL FUNCTIONS THEY THINK ARE IMPORTANT, WE COULD NOT CARE LESS ABOUT
 
today was a P.I.T.A. I was all set to go work on my car and a friend called and canceled due to major personal issues , so I said to myself , no big deal , I can use the time to go work on my car, but the wife , on hearing that my friend was not showing, decided that she had some minor projects that will only take you 45 minutes-to-and hour....well needless to say 3 hours later I get that done and now feel like crap, my blood pressure must be up as Im getting a headache, so I lay down, ...3 more hours pass and IM starting to feel a bit better but most of the days shot.
seem like this happens occasionally when your married and older, I don,t remember crap like this when I was 20-40 years old happening, maybe its just me aging and getting grumpy
yeah its unfortunately a fact that this hobby is a FINANCIAL, BOTTOMLESS pit ,
for parts and tools required, and every time without fail, if you even begin to think
that you have something working correctly , something either breaks ,
on your car or expensive tools, or you see some vastly better,
stronger or more tech advanced component advertised,
or you find out you could do some job far faster ,
and to much improved specs if you purchased some tools you don,t yet own.

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Ahh, i stopped my work today because of some back pain in the shoulder.
So now am taking a few day relax.

At least am almost done, just need some grinding on the weld and some sealer and surface finish no a small area, then am ready to re-assemble the interior then get the door and fender aligned correctly and then i will be ready for the summer(if there is no surprise).
I may put my headlignt on relays before to take her out.
 
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