How old is too old?

[Nxcoupe]

Well I'm 60 and still bust *** as a flat rate mechanic 45 hours a week so to me it gets harder and harder to work on my own stuff. I hit a personal goal when I built my Savoy into a ten second street car but now I'm detuning it for a still fast street brawler. I had to finish my father-in-law's 68 Vette after he passed and it was brutal having to go over and work on it in his garage. He had a 49 Merc that he was starting to build but I ended up selling in a basket.
So this time when it's back together I'm not taking apart again so it's easier to sell when I'm gone.

Gus

You work for a cdjr dealer?

 

[Nxcoupe]

I'm 70 and just started another Challenger in October. I was doing very well on progress until a guy ran a red light in a Jeep Gladiator at 35+ mph and t-boned my wife's 4Runner in the passenger's door. Guess where I was sitting. That door got pushed in 4 inches and it totaled out her SUV. I saw it coming and unfortunately braced for it. I now have right knee problems, hip problem and neck problems from whiplash. I'm still working on the Challenger, just at a slower pace while going through physical therapy and chiropractic care.. I still enjoy working on it. I have another 74 Charger waiting for its turn but I'll have to see how things work out.
Terry W.

Speedy recovery. Could have been a lot worse. I'd be that person's worst nightmare.

 

[fourgearsavoy]

You work for a cdjr dealer?

No I work at a Toyota dealer. I've been an import mechanic since 85, much easier to work on than other makes.

 

[bearman]

Thank you all for your input. I'm getting up in age and still wrenching every day. But I won't quit till it's done. You guys give me strength to continue on and for that I thank you all.

 

[WileERobby]

Answer: When they pull the wrench off my cold, dead hands.

 

[moparedtn]

Answer: When they pull the wrench off my cold, dead hands.

 

[Hey-O]

When it no longer brings you joy.

My projects are for my enjoyment, learning new skills, attacking new challenges, testing my abilities. Finishing them is a bonus, but not always the true goal for me, (and are they really ever finished...). Having projects can give life a purpose, a meaning to your day, and can sometimes build a legacy or a collection of memories to pass along to someone when your gone...

I'm trying to work on things that my family might want to keep for themselves or could be easily sold to fund their dreams.

And I'm trying very hard not to leave a big mess for them to have to clean up.

When it no longer bring you joy, I was a furniture maker for years and loved doing it, it brought me to people I still see to this day. I was pretty good at it and people would say, I bet your house is beautiful with all that furniture you build. I would say, the best my paycheck can buy. After all those days on the job and a shop at home to build anything, I have no desire to do anything with furniture, but sit on it or around it. Then came cars, yes I have HAD far to many cars and even when I was young, I have always loved the smell of gas. Playing with cars started with two Darts years ago and I stopped to raise a family. It was my son that brought me full circle and back to cars. With his age and time frame, it brought him to the eighties and they were Chevys. We played hard and he loved to run a car like he stole it. When it came to me, after him, we were at a car show and I found MY car. It wasn't for sale, but my wife bought it for me as a gift anyway. I don't know what screw holds this to that and also fits that or what wiper motor fits what car and as I have said before, as far as Mopar, I'm no value added and I don't aspire to be a book of knowledge on the subject at this point in my life. RussT said it best, I've downsized several times and given away 75 percent of my hobbies and workshop equipment to young people who truly wanted it. I sell NOTHING, I have to much fun finding people with a love of what I have and have spent my life building. As stated, I'm trying to not leave a mess for others to clean up. I have a very small circle of adopted family, so to speak, that will get what is left. I just don't enjoy the thrill of the build anymore. Investing has always been my thrill and takes up little space and everyone loves the color green, not always on a car, but in your pocket. I've never owned a lift, so crawling around on the ground now, is not my forte anymore. You guys bring me pleasure just watching junk come back to life and it was fun for me too, just not now. I'm not sad about it and for me now, wanting things is not the big thrill, the big thrill is saying, I could have that if I wanted it. At this age, for me, that works just fine............. I've always surrounded myself with the best and you guys are it!!............Let The Horses Run, and that I still do!!....................... Great thread!

 

[Nxcoupe]

No I work at a Toyota dealer. I've been an import mechanic since 85, much easier to work on than other makes.

Ah, just wondered if I'd ever met you, but I don't frequent toyota dealers although a good friend is a 20+ year master toyota tech. He loves it.

 

[patrick66]

I have a friend who is 73 and builds one hot rod per year, and we're talking Ridler-quality builds. He'll build a car or truck, drive it for a year or so, then sell it as he gets another car finished up. He's never without a beautiful ride!

Another friend was 93 when he passed. He built and restored Hudsons, and was about 50% done on a 1926 Hudson coupe when he passed; all the while working a side hustle selling fasteners to State and local governments.

I've had to force myself back into the shop lately, as I've spent the last year or so in a pretty fair amount of pain. Got my '69 D300 about ready to hit the road, and I've got a few things to do on the Coronet and the Imperial both to get them where I want them. At aged 62, I feel like a weenie compared to my older hot-rodding buddies. Vehicles don't repair or build themselves, right?

The D300 has been a two-year project that is about three hours away from driving legally.

The Imperial runs and drives great, and it's things not affecting the running and enjoyment of the convertible, just getting the air conditioning flushed and charged back up; the antenna replacement, and fixing the quarter window motor...once again, stuck in the "down" position.

The Coronet needs to have the brake booster overhauled to drive; plus I'm going through the instrument cluster to replace and restore the speedometer, replace the speaker grilles in the rear shelf to a pair of period-correct Sixties metal ones, finishing the console restoration, and detailing the grille. Got the time and the ability/parts/money for all of that.

Oh, yeah, and my Chevy Squarebody truck, which needs a bit of work. That's going to be my very first complete solo at-home paint job. Thankfully, the body is in fantastic, 98% rust-free and very straight. It's a matter of me staying focused on one task until it's done. I tend to have what I call "garage ADD". I'll stop in the middle of something to go work on something else, and neither gets done. The "Ooooh, shiny object!" syndrome. That's on me, of course!

How old is "too old"??? When you no longer have the ability, and/or when it quits being enjoyable.

 

[68BabyBlue]

My wife has served as a test mule of sorts for me in this arena. She has an extremely high level of mental energy and motivation. In her 50s, physical issues in the form of arthritis and neuropathy started closing in, and she started a back and forth swing between taking it easy, then beating the daylights out of herself when she felt better. At 70, she is still trying to find a balance, still maintaining a high activity level, and still feeling physically miserable a good part of the time. She has a high pain threshold, a product of a lifetime of dealing with migraines.

We all get dealt a different hand with this stuff. I skated into my 60s with no issues affecting my wrenching abilities other than bifocals. Folks who knew me through work thought I would go forever. It didn't turn out that way. Stuff started creeping out of the woodwork when I hit 66. I did not want to end up in my wife's rut. Retired three years later, downsized to one completely restored car.

The advice to quit when it ceases being enjoyable is sound. You will know when it is your time.

 

[Richard Davis]

I see Gene Winfield on Full Custom Garage and Ian's YouTube channel. He is like 93 and still painting cars.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I see Gene Winfield on Full Custom Garage and Ian's YouTube channel. He is like 93 and still painting cars.

My dad had a long run. He was hail and hearty at 89. At 90 he needed someone to change his diapers. Not pretty, but reality.

 

[Budnicks]

I see Gene Winfield on Full Custom Garage and Ian's YouTube channel. He is like 93 and still painting cars.

He said he still does several chops (roofs) or sectioning a year too

 

[Bold & Old]

@ 78 I need a tune-up daily.........!

 

[1STMP]

After this one is done-


I'm moving on to my jewelry hobby.

I've amassed all the equipment I'll
need. Casting machine, 2 kilns, jewlers
bench with all necessary tools, silver
sheets of different gages, silver wire,
and a good supply of stones, a 6 wheel
grinding station, and a two wheel buffer station.
Spent a 47 year career designing
transit busses and military vehicles.
Loved every minute of it.
Restored three vehicles and have yet
to finish the truck. It's very close to
being done.
Cold concrete and greasy hands have
diminished in their appeal.

 

[Geoff 2]

I had to remove a damaged ring gear last year & did it on my garage floor [ no hoist! ]. I will be 76 in two weeks.

 

[70 sublime]

I think being old and working on cars has as much to do with keeping your brain working and thinking about stuff
If and when you can not play with the cars there will be a big empty spot in your life to fill with what ??
Always need something to do

 

[Nxcoupe]

I think being old and working on cars has as much to do with keeping your brain working and thinking about stuff
If and when you can not play with the cars there will be a big empty spot in your life to fill with what ??
Always need something to do

Hit the Nail on the proverbial head.

 

[68BabyBlue]

Investing has always been my thrill and takes up little space and everyone loves the color green, not always on a car, but in your pocket. ............Let The Horses Run, and that I still do!!....................... Great thread!

Keeps the mental juices flowing, and a lot easier on the body. I bought the last three cars with the fruits of the tree.

 

[demonram]

I'm 70 and just started another Challenger in October. I was doing very well on progress until a guy ran a red light in a Jeep Gladiator at 35+ mph and t-boned my wife's 4Runner in the passenger's door. Guess where I was sitting. That door got pushed in 4 inches and it totaled out her SUV. I saw it coming and unfortunately braced for it. I now have right knee problems, hip problem and neck problems from whiplash. I'm still working on the Challenger, just at a slower pace while going through physical therapy and chiropractic care.. I still enjoy working on it. I have another 74 Charger waiting for its turn but I'll have to see how things work out.
Terry W.

Sir, I hope all goes well! Just take it easy and let the healing process take its course. I had a fall 4 years ago. Taken by ambulance to the ER. I remember nothing of the initial fall or the ride. I was awake the whole time according to my wife. I just remember about 15 minutes before we left the hospital. They wanted me to stay to check my heart. There was nothing wrong with my heart. I didn’t stay. They never checked for whiplash or concussion? Vertigo was severe the next day and I lost my sense of smell and taste and of course my neck was stiff as hell. Went to Mayo, they found the problems. Couldn’t work for a month because of the vertigo. Still don’t have full taste or smell, neck still isn’t 100% (had numerous past injuries) but I’m hitting it hard everyday. I stopped therapy 3 years ago. Take care, be good to yourself, and ease back into it.