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Working on cars alone VS having a buddy over...

There is a time to be alone and get done what needs to be done right with no distractions and then there is times when it takes buddies to help or lend advice or just set in the shop and watch football and drink beer.......all times are equally important to stay mentally healthy and happy. Thats really all life is about, staying healthy and happy! I spend more time in my shop than I do in my house, I'm guessing most of you do the same.....
 
I had car buddies back in high school days and into my 20's - a small group.
When I decided to move all the way down here in '95 though, that was the end of that.
Choosing to live pretty much isolated from all you've known and then losing most
of your family over the years to come means I'm up here on the ridge alone -
and it's of my own doing.

I further that by doing the "Batman" thing here, too - Fred the GTX is pretty well known
around town but very, VERY few people know where the car and I live - by design.

As someone who "ain't from around here" as they like to say, I'm friendly with lots of
locals who do the cruise ins and such - but I'm not allowed to play any reindeer games
with them in the ancient old car club they have (it's like the Masons or something - a
member in good standing has to recommend you to the club and there's a whole initiation
something or other. Hilarious...)
Even the sheriff tells his deputies to make sure to call up here if they ever have need to
come up my ridge - he takes great delight in telling me that when I see him.
Something to do with my target range and all that jazz....

That said, @Beekeeper has been up here before and helped me greatly that time. :)
Now....would I like to have a small group of trusted friends to help once in a while?
Sure - but the tradeoff I've created for security's sake is that isn't likely.
Besides - I have a great wife who willingly helps me on the odd occasion I need
another pair of hands, so I'm good. :thumbsup:
 
I am out in the boonies so I don't get much traffic from my Buds, so , I piddle mostly on my own. Now when I moved the beer fridge outside under the shop front, my visits have picked up. My Harley hoodlum buds, as well as my car buds, now out on a ride will stop by knowing if Im not here, refreshments are still available. I come home sometimes and find empty cans stacked all over the table, chairs , steps and fridge top and know I missed a good visit. I enjoy the guys checking in when they can.
 
I used to work with mates......a few beers and a bit of help with the heavy stuff was always welcome. But now I'm getting old (only 55 mind) I find them more of a distraction and I lose my concentration. My best man was helping me a while back on one of my cars.....few beers and a few laughs whilst working....only after he had gone did I find a bolt from the EGR that could only be fitted BEFORE we fitted the intake manifold back on.....nevermind!
 
I even keep soft drinks and ice cream sandwiches in the garage refrigerator and offer lunch and still can't get guys to come over and watch me wrench. Having a lift has brought a few guys over to use it, but to hang out and wrench it just does not happen.
You had me at ice cream sandwich :thumbsup: I love to work on my Plymouth solo, but I do enjoy company in my shop once and awhile. I love when my grand kids are in the shop with me. When my grand daughter is there with me we end up coloring the floor of shop with side wallk chalk. Right now the oldest grandson is into sports so he hangs out with his dad now, my 4 year old grandson enjoys my shop but is pretty impatient. Most of the time it is the dog and 2 cats working with me. This was Pester Chester( RIP buddy ) he was a great friend, but what a pest.

Pester Chester.jpg
 
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You had me at ice cream sandwich :thumbsup: I love to work on my Plymouth solo, but I do enjoy company in my shop once and awhile. I love when my grand kids are in the shop with me. When my grand daughter is there with me we end up coloring the floor of shop with side wallk chalk. Right now the oldest grandson is into sports so he hangs out with his dad now, my 4 year old grandson enjoys my shop but is pretty impatient. Most of the time it is the dog and 2 cats working with me. This was Pester Chester( RIP buddy ) he was a great friend, but what a pest.

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I bet he helped you more than you know...he probably was out hunting mice in the late night, keeping the cars safe from mice is an important job!
 
I've hung sheet rock, trussed turkeys, dug
potatoes on a commercial scale, owned and
operated a restaurant, raced snowmobiles,
dabbled in deep ocean drilling, and then
spent the next 46 years as a mechanical
engineer. Dear 'ol dad instilled a work
ethic rarely seen today. Every one of
these jobs required working along side
partners or as one of the group or team.
Working alone on the vehicles I've owned
got me away from that atnosphere. It
becomes fun when you can apply what
what you do for a living as also your hobby.
The amazing thing is, I've never stopped
learning, and have added to my knowledge
base, simply by being a member on FBBO.
There are some smart cookies here.
I'm a little apprehensive on the next phase
of my truck build, as it involves finish bodywork
and paint. Ahhhgh....
Hung sheet rock/plaster for 5 yrs. Shoulders are junk, lol
 
My kids aren’t interested in my cars and my best car buddy is a half hour away. So, I work alone except for those rare occasions when I need a second pair of hands.
Say the word. I’m not that far. I could use the wisdom,,,and the sarcasm.
 
Tomorrow I'm having a couple of guys over to work on a '65 Valiant.
I actually sold this thing 16 months ago to a guy that isn't car savvy. His buddy is a guy that I've known since he was born.
IMG_2826.JPG


I am trying to get this car running so they can take it the heck out of here.
Function matters the most for now. Get it running and get it GONE.
The owner didn't like the Valiant front end....he liked the '66 Dart style so I found a front clip for him.

Val 34.jpg


Toad 6.jpg


Toad 1.jpg


Before Christmas we set the 318, then ran into some troubles. I got Covid, recovered and then the other guys got busy with other stuff. The sooner I get this car out of here, the sooner I get to finish THIS car:

JJ 3.JPG
JJ 7.JPG
 
Great thread and I can relate to a ton of these situations and stories....

When I lived in suburbia I lucked out and had car guy neighbours move in on both sides of me. I became great friends with one of them...Bill and I would work together on cars, houses, yards etc. If one of our garage doors was open we would be drawn to that and probably waste more time just chatting then getting things done, but it was great to have someone like that close by. We still message and chat and I try and get back to the area once a year if I can to visit in person.

After I moved north to get away from the hustle and rat race I was very sad to leave my friend, and now I live out in rural area on acreage and in 6 years I have met exactly one of my neighbours, and don't really have any car friends I can call on for help, but mostly like to work by myself. I haven't joined any car clubs yet, but plan to once Covid calms down and things start to get back to a semblance of a new normal and hope to find someone locally I can start up a new friendship with.
 
I am, by nature, a very solitary person. It could be argued that I am a social misfit. I was very team oriented while in the military, but I prefer my solitude now.
All of my previous car rebuilds/rejuvinations/resurrections, I have done completely alone. Not so this time around. If it wasn't for Don Frelier, I would be way father behind. Don has come over to help with the stuff that I cannot do alone. He has come over to assist me when I was having some issues that I was confused about. Don will always answer texts, probably because it is good for a laugh ! I am lucky to have Don to help !
 
Man, reading some of these posts makes me appreciate all my car buddies more. We get together quite often mostly at my shop I enjoy the company. Two of the guys are chevy guys, today I'm helping one with a 70's Nova first start and break in a 383 stroker. The other chevy guy has a c3 vette next week we install a fresh 383 stroker in that. I've been busy with my mopar friends in my own shop on a 71 Charger SE with a REAL 383 I'm almost certain we will be lined up on the blacktop this spring....chevy 383 stroker-v-383 mopar big block. They been scratching their heads and fighting balancing problems and **** like the rod bolts hitting the cam and grinding **** to fit and I'm just throwing in a cam and intake and I'm good to go, hard to beat that mopar BB torque. Either way it's all fun with friends giving eachother crap.
 
I like working alone. No distractions. I'm glad i don't have any neighbor(s) coming over the second my garage door goes up.
 
I work alone and prefer it that way. If I need an extra hand or I am working on something that could be dangerous (e.g., suspension springs), then my wife or daughter will help me, or be standing by to call 911.

You know, in 50 years of working on cars, I've only had one friend that helped me when I really needed help. I guess you would call him a true friend. R.I.P. Chuck and your '67 Camaros were a sight to behold. A car guy through and through; and he had an extensive collection of Lionel trains.
 
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I miss having buddies around.
I do better work when I'm alone but I have more fun with people to chat with.
 
I like help when removing or installing hoods. Bleeding brakes is nice to have help, but I have learned the tricks to be able to do it alone. I can usually do most everything else myself. I only have a couple of friends that come to my garage occasionally. And usually when they need my help and tools on their problem. However, it was nice that they were also willing to help me a couple times when I was sick or injured. I had to have my right shoulder repaired after an accident at work, so was one handed for a few weeks. I found that, try as I might, I was simply not able to replace the water pump on my Dodge 4x4 pickup's 360 by myself with only one hand. The help was much appreciated that time. But, I usually work alone....
 
I miss having buddies around.
I do better work when I'm alone but I have more fun with people to chat with.
Don’t worry we’re here to give you crap! :lol: .

But really, having a friend or a few makes things so much better. I don’t take things seriously, we only have 1 trip on this earth, why not have fun! So it’s always great having people around to joke with.
 
One of the things that I like about construction is that there is often a sense of camaraderie among the guys. It is sort of like a sports team or the military in that you have several men working together toward a common goal.
Many times, I prefer to work on my cars alone. Distractions from others can cloud my thought process and lead to screw-ups.
Other times though, I like having friends around. The jokes, the stories and sometimes pranks make it a lot of fun.
I joined a car club in 2004 for this very reason. I figured that guys that joined a Mopar club might be the type I'd like to do car projects with.
It has not worked out that way. While they are nice people, most of the members never do anything. No car shows, no junkyard crawls, no interest in car movies and IF they have a classic, it never shows any progress.
That is very disappointing.
One friend of mine here has all but lost interest in cars since he sold his Challenger to fund the purchase of property. I've reached out to the car club guys but as stated, most of them are nowhere near as car crazy as I am. I do know of a couple more though.
Sometimes if I commit to the guys coming over, it motivates me to get up and moving. If it is up to me (And it is cloudy or cold) it is easy to just stay inside.
Do you enjoy having the guys over or do you prefer to work and tinker alone?
I get more done when I've got my friend helping me out. If he's not available, then I just hit it on my own. I find myself in a similar situation as you, there are very few guys that are as into this car hobby as I am. It kind of alienates me in a way, but I still really enjoy it.
 
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