What did you do today that kept you away from your GMC?
- Thread starter pvfjr
- Start date
Paul, I'm still baffled how you can work full time, raise a passel of kids, keep your wife happy, help others with their projects and still have "hobbies." Till I was about fifty I had the body of a God, more energy than the youngsters I worked with, more general knowledge than anyone I knew, more knowledge on how to fix things than anyone else I knew, and I STILL couldn't accomplish all that you do. Carry on my friend, you're another hero of mine that I'll probably never meet. Keep the home fires burning though. We've never been to the Pacific Northwest and we are by no means done with our coach.
Paul is something else. I had a good start resurrecting a friends Karmann ghia. But stalled out when my daughter came back to live at home for a semester just before thanksgiving. It has been cold, so the garage space has been used to keep the kids cars warm. Have not found time to get much done. I am hoping for a more productive February now. I have been helping procure parts for another friend’s gmc project.
The ghia had an engine fire. So replacing wiring harness. And doing all brakes and bearings…. And have an engine to install.
It is not a perfect car, but plan is to make it a good driver and out some miles on it.
The ghia had an engine fire. So replacing wiring harness. And doing all brakes and bearings…. And have an engine to install.
It is not a perfect car, but plan is to make it a good driver and out some miles on it.
Y'all are too kind. Today I put a new coolant reservoir in the wife's TDI Q7. Also helped a bit with an 80's Volvo 240. Nothing much. I also sold the boat that went with the old Glenbrook. Feels good to simplify! Now I can get on marketplace...
Put a new starter in my 91' Honda Civic SI. Wish I had my 3/8 drive right angle motorized impact. (we live in Wisconsin, but presently in Florida) That one lower bolt....it took me about 1/2hr to get it out. 1 and two clicks at a time with my stub ratchet. The new starter, while it did not look like the old one, was smaller, so that bolt was a little easier to access with fingers for the install. That should have been a 45 minute job. Two hrs later and a few naughty words, I finally put the battery terminals on and started the engine. Whewwww.
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Only a few...? I would've had a steady stream of swearing!
Under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer.
- Mark Twain
Larry, why is it that mechanical success is often reduced to two fingers, juggling both a washer and a nut, at full arms reach around multiple obstacles, often covered with multiple layers of dirt, oil and old grease? It's not fair. Sometimes it just makes me want to be an A&P airplane mechanic where the shop is heated, you're not crawling on your belly like a reptile, and your tools stay relatively clean.
On a more positive note, there is actual research that proves that swearing can improve performance and attitude in difficult situations. Just say'in.
On a more positive note, there is actual research that proves that swearing can improve performance and attitude in difficult situations. Just say'in.
So much has kept me from the GMC this winter/spring! Where to start...
We finished getting my friend's aforementioned '69 Nova back on the road! He's been having a blast with it.
We built alog dog cabin for the remaining two canines. It still needs some finishing touches, window openings and a roof in this pic, but they're staying less muddy on wet days and they get to keep their view of the gate and road.
My daughter was ready to process things, and wanted memorialize our fallen Bruno with a headstone. So here's what I cooked up with some cast concrete:
Then I had to do a cake for my son's 9th birthday. It had a lot of orange flavor and citric acid for a kick (I was assured all the boys in attendance at his party loved super sour flavors). It went over pretty well, though I'll have to keep all those smiling faces omitted for privacy I suppose.
I also got a new 3D printer with multi-color capabilities, so we made some trinkets for his teams end-of-season party:
Lots of practice with the Red Ryder whenever we're at home...
I finally fixed the door hinges on the International Loadstar I've had for 7 years. Boy, that was a challenge. Now I know why I procrastinated for so long. It's so nice to have 2 working doors!
I revamped a new-to-me old chainsaw and put it straight to work. We've downed a handful of 100'+ Douglas Firs this spring. Lots of them dying lately. :/ I'm loving the new saw though. It really rips after some attention!
The Loadstar was key to doing yard cleanup. We filled the 8x18' bed three or four times. It's nice to dump it out on the burn pile instead of unloading by hand!
Lots more yard work...
Got the brush hog going that was gifted to me several years ago. It had an extremely stuck, rusted PTO shaft. Dry as a bone and locked up solid. I LOVE this IR air chisel though.
I did a ton of work on the '48 Pontiac as well. Got the original wheels cleaned up, painted, added new tires and Port-a-Walls.
I also 3D printed a new rim for the steering wheel. It still needs a little finish work, but I'm pleased to have a functional wheel now that looks correct-ish.
The wife was quite pleased she got to take the Pontiac to the Cascade HS car show on Saturday, then to church for Mother's Day.
After Mother's Day, I had four days to dewinterize the GMC and make a few improvements before our first camping trip. No rest for the weary!
Life may be busy, but it's also very blessed. We have so much to be thankful for on this Memorial Day.
We finished getting my friend's aforementioned '69 Nova back on the road! He's been having a blast with it.
We built a
My daughter was ready to process things, and wanted memorialize our fallen Bruno with a headstone. So here's what I cooked up with some cast concrete:
Then I had to do a cake for my son's 9th birthday. It had a lot of orange flavor and citric acid for a kick (I was assured all the boys in attendance at his party loved super sour flavors). It went over pretty well, though I'll have to keep all those smiling faces omitted for privacy I suppose.
I also got a new 3D printer with multi-color capabilities, so we made some trinkets for his teams end-of-season party:
Lots of practice with the Red Ryder whenever we're at home...
I finally fixed the door hinges on the International Loadstar I've had for 7 years. Boy, that was a challenge. Now I know why I procrastinated for so long. It's so nice to have 2 working doors!
I revamped a new-to-me old chainsaw and put it straight to work. We've downed a handful of 100'+ Douglas Firs this spring. Lots of them dying lately. :/ I'm loving the new saw though. It really rips after some attention!
The Loadstar was key to doing yard cleanup. We filled the 8x18' bed three or four times. It's nice to dump it out on the burn pile instead of unloading by hand!
Lots more yard work...
Got the brush hog going that was gifted to me several years ago. It had an extremely stuck, rusted PTO shaft. Dry as a bone and locked up solid. I LOVE this IR air chisel though.
I did a ton of work on the '48 Pontiac as well. Got the original wheels cleaned up, painted, added new tires and Port-a-Walls.
I also 3D printed a new rim for the steering wheel. It still needs a little finish work, but I'm pleased to have a functional wheel now that looks correct-ish.
The wife was quite pleased she got to take the Pontiac to the Cascade HS car show on Saturday, then to church for Mother's Day.
After Mother's Day, I had four days to dewinterize the GMC and make a few improvements before our first camping trip. No rest for the weary!
Life may be busy, but it's also very blessed. We have so much to be thankful for on this Memorial Day.
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Good post, beautiful spread, and is that snow on the truck?
I notice that all of the photos are taken in the daylight hours. That leaves 8-10 hours to work on the GMC! Headlamps, LEDs and lots of caffeine, baby!
Thanks! The winters seem long, wet, moldy and dark since we're on a north slope with 75" of annual rainfall, but the summers are amazing (you know, when we're gone all the time...). I look forward to enjoying it more in my older years if things slow down. If only we can keep the blackberries from taking over!
Thanks, and yes, we had an unexpected late skiff of snow a few weeks back. All the trees and limbs were cut in t-shirt weather, then it all changed again.
Point taken! I actually do have piles of headlamps and empty Diet Mtn Dew cans (coffee doesn't work for me).I notice that all of the photos are taken in the daylight hours. That leaves 8-10 hours to work on the GMC! Headlamps, LEDs and lots of caffeine, baby!
I used to live up north in Itasca county MN ("1000 Lakes"). THOSE mosquitos in the summer were REALLY annoying.... The deer flies were no fun too....
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there's a reason the those old trappers wore leather year round!I used to live up north in Itasca county MN ("1000 Lakes"). THOSE mosquitos in the summer were REALLY annoying.... The deer flies were no fun too....
Proud dad distraction from the GMC; our oldest graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy NY. After she took a year off to battle hodgkins lymphoma. It was quite the journey for all of us. After graduation we moved her home to start her new job on June 1st. 
