Curious how hands on FABO is

[skep419]

Hands on here. I'd like to get more experience with metal fabrication and machining though. The stuff I make never turns out as nice as I'd like.

One thing that was conspicuously absent from the list is wiring. Seems like a lot of dudes are afraid of it or just have no clue what they are looking at. With all the electronics getting incorporated into older cars, this may get tougher and tougher to get a handle on. I've rewired a few cars now and am on my second EFI conversion. It's a skill for sure.

Pretty much every old cr will need to be completely rewired at this point if it still retains the OE harnesses.

It was inevitable I miss a few categories.......

Really needs a "broke stuff" category, then I could tell the truth

Feel free to share your failures, I've got a lot on here

 

[Kern Dog]

Everything but paint and automatic transmissions. Both in my option are better left to professionals.

Some do have a natural ability to paint well, some develop the skill, some try and never get it right!

No glass or body work for me.

"A man's got to know his limitations."
Harry Callahan

Glass?

I've done it all except machine work and rebuilding an automatic.

Here is another one that doesn't rebuild transmissions. ^^^^ I do understand.....the inside of an automatic looks intimidating.
I might try some day.
I started out with these cars with limited money and only a few tools. Sometimes I looked at a project where the tools to do the job were a LOT cheaper than paying someone else to do the work. Buying those tools made sense if I could then use the tools on other things or other projects.
I'm a fair body and paint guy...Not fantastic but decent. I wasn't trained but I did learn by watching others, trying things and screwing a lot of stuff up.
I don't have the ability to do machine work or front end alignments so I have to step back and let the professionals do that. Automatic transmissions have been easy enough to find used or to pay for rebuilds but just for fun, I'd like to try rebuilding one. One drawback to that is that if it isn't built right, it might require removal from the car to fix. That isn't so bad if you have a car lift and transmission jack.
Welding....I am still amazed at the enthusiasts that build cars but don't have a welder. The ability to replace floor pans, add subframe connectors, fix broken parts and all of that is impossible without having a MIG welder or knowing someone who has one.
A man needs a bench grinder with a wire wheel for cleaning parts along with a sandblaster. An air compressor is a MUST.
If I were plucked from my home and dropped into another environment, it would take years to replenish the tool supply. So many things get bought over time. Much of what I've bought was with "MAD money" or cash from selling car parts I didn't need.
I've improved my skill with electrical systems but would benefit from classroom instruction on the basics, I can solder and follow a wire diagram but don't know the finer details on electricity and it's limits.

 

[65TerrorCuda]

I broke an ear off the engine trying to pull the trans on with a bolt. You're only 19 once

 

[Kendog 170]

Tranny work? Had a slant six 904 broke reverse band. Had an
old core so I started taking it apart until I got the band out. Then dropped my tranny and replace band (with no manual) .Goggled how to set band tension and never had an issue. Luck ? I dont know.

 

[65TerrorCuda]

I was swapping to a modern 904 from the pushbutton back in the 90's.

Haven't cracked open an auto yet, hope to someday. Awesome you fixed it yourself!

 

[clementine]

My ride is home built. It did come with an engine. It starts. Ill find out how she runs in the spring. Im gettin close.

 

[CFD244]

No paint for this cat.......Afraid of the health ramifications without a proper booth. Everything else I do.......There is a ton of experience here at FABO, and the folks will share their expertise if you ask. I've had guys walk me through stuff on the telephone for Pete's sake. Where else do you find that kind of support! Thanks FABO.

 

[Dartswinger70]

No paint for this cat.......Afraid of the health ramifications without a proper booth. Everything else I do.......There is a ton of experience here at FABO, and the folks will share their expertise if you ask. I've had guys walk me through stuff on the telephone for Pete's sake. Where else do you find that kind of support! Thanks FABO.

No paint for this cat.......Afraid of the health ramifications without a proper booth. Everything else I do.......There is a ton of experience here at FABO, and the folks will share their expertise if you ask. I've had guys walk me through stuff on the telephone for Pete's sake. Where else do you find that kind of support! Thanks FABO.

Ill say I sprayed a few small parts once with urethane paint and said " the hell with the resirator Im not spraying much..." breathing in the solvents gave me a bad nose bleed later that night and I wonder about my lungs to this day...I suppose whn the doc tells me I have lung cancer ,live failure or heart disease Ill be like
welll yup yup... I figured Id be here one day..."

 

[rmchrgr]

It was inevitable I miss a few categories.......

No disrespect meant, just pointing out that it's a valuable skill few take the time to learn properly.

It's surprising that people still think that working on automatic transmissions is some sort of black art. 727s and 904s are really simple. If you can build an engine or a differential you can build a Torqueflite. Sure it requires a few specific tools but for the most part it’s a pretty straightforward proposition. Racers do it in the pits.

And like transmissions, painting is not hard in and of itself. Yes, it also requires some specialized tools and equipment but beyond a compressor, it’s not a huge investment. Successful paint is all in the prep anyway which does not take a lot of specific skill, just elbow grease.

Taught myself how to paint last year. I re-did my trunk, engine bay and the whole undercarriage. Came out good. I didn't do the whole car but prepping and painting uneven surfaces with lots of holes and angles has to be more difficult than painting long, flat surfaces.

Definitely need an appropriate area to paint a car or even part of one. You can make a booth out of pvc pipe or wood framing and plastic sheeting. Stick an exhaust fan in one end and you're ready to paint. I didn't do that when I painted my car and I made a mess with over spray. I was smart enough to wear an appropriate cartridge respirator and face covering whenever I had a paint gun in my hand though.

All this stuff you learn by doing though. Like all learning these things get easier the more you do them. If I haven't done a particular task, I research the subject, buy what I think I need and go at it. I'm not paying anyone so beyond whatever tools I buy the only cost is my time. Can't imagine how much I would have paid out to have other people do all the stuff I've done on my car.

There's downsides to doing everything yourself though. Mistakes are on you. Things also tend to take way longer when you have to figure out how to do something you've never done before. Your time is worth something and the argument can be made that it's better to pay someone to get things done and finished correctly so you can enjoy the car, not hate it or have to re-do stuff 2-3 times. Doing everything yourself can be a slog sometimes, trust me. I've had my car for almost 12 years and it's been in pieces for eight.

I thought of one thing I'd hand off to someone else - putting in a roll bar or cage. I can weld but not well enough to entrust my own safety to it in a bad crash. Welding takes many years to master. If I did it every day for a living I'd probably give it a try but until then, that's one thing I'm happy to hand off to a pro.

 

[srduster340]

I did everything except build the motor & install the windshield. I plan to disassemble the motor to install new forged pistons, Scat I beam rods, Trick Flow heads & maybe intake.

 

[RogerRamRod]

Interior, body work-(quarters, trunk gutters, drops, trunk floor, rockers, front floors, bottoms of fenders & doors), glass, brakes, & suspension - USCartool stiffening & mostly Hotchkis with some RMS.
I didn't do the engine, except Sniper system.
added fuse/relay box from a modern something, & broke out the wiring to 8 maxi fuses with 13 smaller branched circuits after that. All loads run through relays.
The transmission was done by a shop on the first go-round, after 7 miles & a burned forward clutch pack & a closed trans shop, I'm now learning how to do a O/D Auto with the help of a video that Del posted.

 

[CFD244]

Ill say I sprayed a few small parts once with urethane paint and said " the hell with the resirator Im not spraying much..." breathing in the solvents gave me a bad nose bleed later that night and I wonder about my lungs to this day...I suppose whn the doc tells me I have lung cancer ,live failure or heart disease Ill be like
welll yup yup... I figured Id be here one day..."

A lot of this stuff is cumulative........or so I hope. I was a firefighter for 30 years and utilized my PPE always......But there were the odd occasions where you do get exposed to products of combustion that are not good for you. That's where the "hope" comes in.

 

[65TerrorCuda]

I quit using hardener in paint because it makes me sick, even with a cartridge respirator and ventilation. Paint isn't near as hard without it, but still looks better than primer and bondo

 

[dodgedifferent2]

I started with a very basic knowledge of what I was doing, but I knew how to weld, basics of sheet metal and journeyman machinist.
Google and lots of late nights reading and learning.
Mini tubbed
I widened some 15" dog dish rims
Home made 15 x 10 with 5 on 4 1/2 b.c. and dog dish hubcaps.

Made brackets for rear disc brakes and stock bearings. Previously they were only for green bearings. Now everybody makes them.

Redid the entire interior
Rebuilt the 833 from a dissassembled box of parts.
rebuilt the pig from an 8.75
Narrowed an 8 3/4
Rebuilt and converted a tr6060 to t56 magnum A tranny story (t56)

Added electric power steering from a nissan cube.
Adapted hydroboost from a 2500 ram, but no longer using.
Rebuilt a dana 60
Built a 512 stroker motor
Side project of adapting the serpentine setup from magnum motor to the 340.
Taught myself painting and body work.
Currently taking a 671 blower from a detroit diesel and adapting for street usage. For the model A and early hemi.

Will be tackling a 518 trans

The list will keep growing as I find other things to learn

Yes, the tool box has grown in the last 20 years from a broke college student wage and lots of borrowed tools from my father.
Also lots of learning and scheming with my father to create and challenge myself with other crazy ideas.

 

[Demonracer]

I used to tackle just about all of it, but as I'm getting older, it gets tougher to do. I miss the days of friends getting together to help one another out on projects, maintenance and so forth. Some of my friends have passed on, some of them lost interest, some of them are devoting time to grandchildren (which they should) and others just disappeared. I know that some of our older members feel the pain of trying to campaign a race car with little or no help. I know I feel it everytime I attempt to take the car out.

 

[MMissile]

I've done it all. I also realize that my investments into a build, require that some things I cannot do at my desired level. Mostly like engine machining, trans building, and chassis welding and building. Over the last 50 years, my stuff has gotten better, and requires much more time than I can spend on these cars.
Having as many close friends as I do that are professionals in different aspects of this sickness, I've found it much cheaper to have pros do what they do best. I can buy anything for these cars, but time. Time is worth a buttload more.

 

[72Duster440]

Everything but paint really, but that's only because it didn't need it, I've painted previous vehicles.

 

[Darter6]

this sickness,

MOPARITS !

 

[LocuMob]

I wouldn't have as many cars as I do, if I didn't do most of the work myself. Taking stuff apart and putting it back together is how I learned.

Haven't tackled paint or bodywork, but I don't care if my cars are Scruffy and have primer or fading paint. I only have one or two cars I feel need to get painted. The rest are fun drivers.

Haven't done any transmissions yet, but I hope to once I get my mess cleaned up.

I.oewve windshields to the pros, they are way faster than I'll ever be, so it's worth the money for me.

 

[-Boosted-]

I used to do it all but now I am too old for some of that ****.... lol

 

[Matts440]

I can do it all except body/paint and glass is just windshields and rear glass, sides I'm good with. I have tampered with some body work but sometimes it turns out good and others no so much.

 

[72Duster440]

I was this hands on with my last project.

Did everything myself.