How many of you do your own work?

[WarbirdPhotog]

Doing everything myself, including the upholstery (from scratch!) on my 1940 Ford Deluxe Fordor.

[Bwk]

This is a great thread!
If you have an older car that you do drive a fair amount in
I believe you must do your own work or go broke.
Same with an RV, as if a fuse blows, a dealer will need it 30 to replace the fuse.

[oldbugger]

I love old cars and enjoy driving them. I have done 95% of the work myself. when i look at some of the things that i did i have to shake my head and say, why. but those same things make my cars special to me. Like electric sunroof in the 35 coupe, no cutting of the stock metal so some day if someone needs to make it original they can. 255 merc engine bored decked and runs good with the Rochester carb and chevy distributor. also 58 bug with some odd parts and 64 bird convert with some unique changes, but all great drivers. I know the purist will be disappointed but that's the way i work, use what i have laying around or can get cheap.

[1stford]

There are somethings I don't know how to do but wish I did. I try to ask as many questions and learn as much as I can so I am able to do it myself. You will never find a person, no matter how good they are at working on cars, that cares as much about your car as you do. At a shop when someone is working on it my car is a job, when I am working on my car it is my passion.

[leon bee]

I do spend an awful lot of time looking for my tools. And band-aids.

[rockfla]

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Originally Posted by leon bee

I do spend an awful lot of time looking for my tools. And band-aids.

cas3, FlatFord8


As for the "looking for tools", I embarked on a "get organized" journey a few months back on getting ALL my tools organized, STILL a work in progress. I am NOT sure that its been worth it or not, NOW, so far, I do know I am missing a tool a lot easier.....Still doesn't help finding where I put it down - ALONG with my eye glasses

[fredM]

I do whatever l’m able to do. And I do stuff for people, neighbors, etc, without any charge.

[34fordy]

Originally Posted by rockfla

cas3, FlatFord8


As for the "looking for tools", I embarked on a "get organized" journey a few months back on getting ALL my tools organized, STILL a work in progress. I am NOT sure that its been worth it or not, NOW, so far, I do know I am missing a tool a lot easier.....Still doesn't help finding where I put it down - ALONG with my eye glasses

I found that I had to mark my drawers but preferred things hanging on the walls. However, after a chat with GB Sisson I decided to look for a home made kingpin hone that I fashioned after the one he made from his wife's wooden spatula that he had stolen. . I looked everywhere to no avail and finally gave up. Yesterday I was turning something on my lathe and low and behold there it was, hanging at eye level behind the gearbox of the lathe. Do you folks think I need to seek help yet?

[Mart]

I fitted some brand new tubeless tyres to some wider rims yesterday. Got them on but couldn't inflate them. I took them to a tyre place and they used every trick in the book to get them on. They had to resort to one of those air blast cylinders to pop them out to the rims. No way I could have done that. I asked them to balance them while I was there and was happy to pay them for what they did. I have a narrower pair to do and I think I can do that myself. I'll take them to be balanced after. Tyres are 13" for my ford Thames 300E van. (!00E van)

[Bill's Auto Works]

Yes, I do all my own work with a few minor exceptions I.E. :

Block work like Boring, Line Honing, Decking, Etc.

Interior work that requires a commercial sewing machine.

Some things that I have the ability & knowledge to do I farm out to some good friends (being on the road transporting everybody's classics limits my time). One is a rear end expert & one has been a diesel mechanic for more than 30 years. They have been friends for 25-40 years & trust that when I drop something off before I head out on the road, it will be done right the 1st time when I get back!

God Bless & Merry Christmas
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...closed.614419/

[wickcopland]

I can loose anything faster than you can say where did it go! Of course I attribute my forgetfulness to the amount of times I hit my head!!!!

[tubman]

Originally Posted by Mart

I fitted some brand new tubeless tyres to some wider rims yesterday. Got them on but couldn't inflate them. I took them to a tyre place and they used every trick in the book to get them on. They had to resort to one of those air blast cylinders to pop them out to the rims. No way I could have done that. I asked them to balance them while I was there and was happy to pay them for what they did. I have a narrower pair to do and I think I can do that myself. I'll take them to be balanced after. Tyres are 13" for my ford Thames 300E van. (!00E van)

A can of starting fluid and a match will solve that problem.

I've also found that a tire will inflate if held in a vertical position rather than flat on the floor.

[cas3]

I made one on those tire blasters from an air tank off a big truck. Every growing boy should have one. Tire cannon we call them. Starting fluid is good too.

[tom1948]

I do most of the mechanical, I can't do any welding anymore (pacemaker). I did do almost everything and after 18 pain procedures on my back I'm really limited, but it's my own fault. I'm glad you're only young and stupid once.

[leon bee]

I like a long match with that starter spray.

[Chris Haynes]

I will remove/replace parts but leave the rebuilding to someone who actually knows what they are doing.

[glennpm]

Originally Posted by Mart

I fitted some brand new tubeless tyres to some wider rims yesterday. Got them on but couldn't inflate them. I took them to a tyre place and they used every trick in the book to get them on. They had to resort to one of those air blast cylinders to pop them out to the rims. No way I could have done that. I asked them to balance them while I was there and was happy to pay them for what they did. I have a narrower pair to do and I think I can do that myself. I'll take them to be balanced after. Tyres are 13" for my ford Thames 300E van. (!00E van)

Try a ratchet strap around the circumference. It has worked for me for most tires (tyres) on cars and motorcycles. I had one that had to be inflated with a repurposed 20# propane tank, blaster at a local shop though.

Happy Holidays Mart

[Chuck Kuntz]

I used to do everything myself including babbit work, but no longer do headliner installation or cylinder boring (sold my Van Norman machine).

[Ziggster]

Try to do whatever I can myself including some simple welding (MIG), some simple machining on my small lathe. On my speedster build I built the frame, assembled the flathead from a short block, rebuilt the carb, distributor, fuel pump, oil pump, coolant piping, exhaust, etc. Plan on doing the body from scratch.

[big job]

I use to do it all, but when I grew up, my oldest does it all & the rebuilds & fab call it Job shop I stick to the machine shop I dont get dirty no more my youngest is the man for all this injection & ecu"s and metric nonsense...the photo is machining a bushing for a Ford F7 axle to a GMC spinle (for disk brakes)