Times' catching up with me

[1STMP]

Almost 60 years with a love of all things
mechanical. I tore apart a 390 from a
'62 'Bird at 13. She ran great when I
rebuild it, then reinstalled. Even my
hard assed ol' man was impressed.
(lucky for me he financed my ambitions).
It's getting to the point where what I'm
working on leaves some sign of my
efforts to complete.
I am no longer able to crawl around in the
dirt with the incessant red ants, cold hard
concrete, freezing temps.
With my sciatica, limited mobility from
a paralyzed braceal plexus, (paralized
left arm and shoulder), skin maladies,
and broken bones, I still have the desire
to see the project done.
Get 'er done while yer young.....
I tease the better half, that if I wind up
missing, don't report I suffer from
dementia. Look under the car.....

 

[451Mopar]

I hear you. I'm paying for my mis-spent youth also.
I should have used sun screen more often, have had to have several spots of skin cancer removed the last few years.
My body (arthritis) is a pretty accurate barometer too.

 

[1STMP]

I hear you. I'm paying for my mis-spent youth also.
I should have used sun screen more often, have had to have several spots of skin cancer removed the last few years.
My body (arthritis) is a pretty accurate barometer too.

No skin cancer to report as of yet. But every
little bump or scrape leaves the purple patch.
I've bought a set of mechanic gloves to see
if they will hold the discoloration to a
minimum. Many years in an open top Jeep.
Used to think a deep dark tan was cool.
Best keep those melanomas in check.
Lost my father in law to his bout.

 

[moparedtn]

"Basal cell carcinoma" is no stranger to this fair-skinned redhead either.
Constant battle...

 

[Richard Cranium]

I am no longer able to crawl around in the
dirt with the incessant red ants, cold hard
concrete, freezing temps.
With my sciatica, limited mobility from
a paralyzed braceal plexus, (paralized
left arm and shoulder), skin maladies,
and broken bones, I still have the desire
to see the project done.
Get 'er done while yer young.....

If you have the space & ceiling height, a lift makes working on the car that much easier.

 

[1STMP]

If you have the space & ceiling height, a lift makes working on the car that much easier.

No space or ceiling height, as I have a
conventional garage. Jackstands
however, are my best friend.

 

[Big Bad Dad]

When I was young, I did a whole lot of working on my Mopars on a dirt and gravel floor in my Dad's barn shed. Crawled around in the dirt and swapped engines with a chainfall or come-a-long from the support beam. Now, I am retired and have a nice garage with a concrete floor and every tool I need. I get a lot less done, and take a lot longer to do it!
I once was starting an engine swap in my sister's 70 Charger. (Probably in 1980 or so) I drove it into the shed and was working by myself. I pulled the 440/727 out, had it hanging from the support beam, and dragged the car back out of the shed with my pickup. All in 2 hours time. NOW, that would probably be a two day process! LOL

 

[Snook]

No space or ceiling height, as I have a
conventional garage. Jackstands
however, are my best friend.

I got a MAXJAX for my conventional garage, works great but you still have to get on the ground to set the arms. Do yourself a favor, I hear you. I'm too old to lay under a car safely. The MAXJAX is a great tool but to be honest, the fittings it comes with are not the best (easily replaceable with good parts though) and is prone to leaks at the fittings and you have to be car5eful walking past where the hoses come out at a weird angle - I have busted my *** on more than one occasion when I wasn't watching where I'm going.

I'm going to carve a hole out of my ceiling and install a 4 post this year I think.

Chuck (snook)

 

[PlymCrazy]

A wise man once told me "Nick, youth is wasted on the young". If I would have known when I was younger all the damage that would incur from the way I abused my body, I think I would have done many things differently. I was handing dad tools and he was hollering at me because I wasn't holding the treble light correctly and shining the light in his face under the cars when I was 6 years old. And around then began 40+ years of wrenching. Going on 23 years in the trades now. 9 years ago had to go under the knife and get my back repaired but still in the game thankfully. My passion for working on anything mechanical hasn't waned and my wife and I foresee me doing it until I'm dead, if life permits. A couple years ago we built an outbuilding and put a lift in. Definite game changer and I feel a bit spoiled compared to a lot of fellas who don't have the space or resources to do so. I try to give back by helping others with it whenever I can. Ain't all about me. In fact, I love putting a smile on someone's face when I can keep them off their back when doing a car repair.

 

[Hey-O]

You guys are better than me, this is the last engine I ever installed, about ten years ago. I've tore my body up on my way to retirement and I'm paying for it now. I was about 56 when I installed this. My shoulders, knees and elbows are shot. I'm not dying, but my mind says get up and run, my body says, no need to rush..

 

[Dave6T4]

I turned 75 this summer. I have some arthritis in my back, and two knee replacements, but still do as much as I can. No hoist for me either, but I have hot water heat in garage floor, so it is comfy in the winter. I have the engine apart in my '67 R/T, but hope to get it back together this week. I don't remember those heads being so heavy 35 years ago!

 

[PlymCrazy]

Almost 60 years with a love of all things
mechanical. I tore apart a 390 from a
'62 'Bird at 13. She ran great when I
rebuild it, then reinstalled. Even my
hard assed ol' man was impressed.
(lucky for me he financed my ambitions).
It's getting to the point where what I'm
working on leaves some sign of my
efforts to complete.
I am no longer able to crawl around in the
dirt with the incessant red ants, cold hard
concrete, freezing temps.
With my sciatica, limited mobility from
a paralyzed braceal plexus, (paralized
left arm and shoulder), skin maladies,
and broken bones, I still have the desire
to see the project done.
Get 'er done while yer young.....
I tease the better half, that if I wind up
missing, don't report I suffer from
dementia. Look under the car.....
View attachment 1342025View attachment 1342026

When I was young, I did a whole lot of working on my Mopars on a dirt and gravel floor in my Dad's barn shed. Crawled around in the dirt and swapped engines with a chainfall or come-a-long from the support beam. Now, I am retired and have a nice garage with a concrete floor and every tool I need. I get a lot less done, and take a lot longer to do it!
I once was starting an engine swap in my sister's 70 Charger. (Probably in 1980 or so) I drove it into the shed and was working by myself. I pulled the 440/727 out, had it hanging from the support beam, and dragged the car back out of the shed with my pickup. All in 2 hours time. NOW, that would probably be a two day process! LOL

I got a MAXJAX for my conventional garage, works great but you still have to get on the ground to set the arms. Do yourself a favor, I hear you. I'm too old to lay under a car safely. The MAXJAX is a great tool but to be honest, the fittings it comes with are not the best (easily replaceable with good parts though) and is prone to leaks at the fittings and you have to be car5eful walking past where the hoses come out at a weird angle - I have busted my *** on more than one occasion when I wasn't watching where I'm going.

I'm going to carve a hole out of my ceiling and install a 4 post this year I think.

Chuck (snook)

You guys are better than me, this is the last engine I ever installed, about ten years ago. I've tore my body up on my way to retirement and I'm paying for it now. I was about 56 when I installed this. My shoulders, knees and elbows are shot. I'm not dying, but my mind says get up and run, my body says, no need to rush..
View attachment 1342053

I turned 75 this summer. I have some arthritis in my back, and two knee replacements, but still do as much as I can. No hoist for me either, but I have hot water heat in garage floor, so it is comfy in the winter. I have the engine apart in my '67 R/T, but hope to get it back together this week. I don't remember those heads being so heavy 35 years ago!

View attachment 1342071

View attachment 1342072

You guys all inspire me to keep going and never give up. God bless you all for keeping at it

 

[Richard Cranium]

You guys are better than me, this is the last engine I ever installed, about ten years ago. I've tore my body up on my way to retirement and I'm paying for it now. I was about 56 when I installed this. My shoulders, knees and elbows are shot. I'm not dying, but my mind says get up and run, my body says, no need to rush..
View attachment 1342053

That doesn't look like a Chrysler product.

 

[Hey-O]

It's a 383, does that count.........

 

[Ron H]

Enjoy the physical ability and agility and don’t take it for granted. I’ve had surgeries starting when I was 45, partial neck fusion, few years later laminectomy, then hernia surgery. Bounced back fine; but last March I forgot my age and did a final thrust injuring my hands and C5 area of my spine. Both were conditions I had from abuse and aging; but wasn’t that debilitating yet. Bilateral CTS with the C5 on deck yet. Past 6 months have been miserable regaining ability and strength. Long recovery and keep doing stuff that aggravates the hands cuz I just can’t sit doing nothing for too long w/o going bonkers. Better than a couple months ago. Up to 30lbs hand strength; 2 months ago it was under 15lbs. Never appreciated how much hand strength I had until losing it. And yep, I know my ills don’t compare at all to what I’ve read some of you have been through..

 

[patrick66]

My knees and legs are weak as hell. Once upon a time, I could press 400#; sure as hell can't these days! I'd be lucky to press a gallon of milk now! The past two years have felt like twenty, so far as my body goes. Getting under a car anymore is just plain painful. I have to hold on to something to get up off the floor. I play a lot of "now what the hell was I looking for?" in the shop. My Dad and grandpa both were alert and active up to the end...both made it to 81. I hope I'm that blessed.

 

[Ghostrider 67]

64 and still in pretty good shape body wise. The brain damage gives me problems and the loss of fine motor skills, like my brain telling me I have ahold of something, but I don't. Drop a lot of dishes and glasses. Have all of the aches and pains accumulated from a long time in the service. Not looking forward to what that will be like in 10 or 15 years.

 

[PlymCrazy]

64 and still in pretty good shape body wise. The brain damage gives me problems and the loss of fine motor skills, like my brain telling me I have ahold of something, but I don't. Drop a lot of dishes and glasses. Have all of the aches and pains accumulated from a long time in the service. Not looking forward to what that will be like in 10 or 15 years.

Thank you for your service. Hope the next 10-15 give you more than expected.

 

[patrick66]

I have to wonder how much of my current ills are directly related to my military service? It's like everything has cascaded from "great health" to "feeling like ****" all the time. My Dad and Grandpa were both in fantastic shape at the age I am right now.

 

[Ghostrider 67]

30 years in combat aviation and a combat tour in Iraq are most def going to come back to haunt me as I age.