Working on cars alone VS having a few buddies around....

-
Our off road race team is comprised of 4 or 5 main people and when we work together we GET **** DONE. But there is always a task list and a deadline. We’ve built and rebuilt the truck so many times we all know what to do. And we’ve raced together for so long (and a few of us have to put our lives in each other’s hands occasionally in the truck) that we’ve become very close. So the amount of work done is not relative to the amount of bullshitting that occurs. There’s lots of bullshitting by the way. I said all of that to say this, most of my good friends (not the race team) have no interest at all in working on anything and if they’re around I get nothing done, so they don’t get invited over when it’s “work on **** time”.
13366C18-1E3B-489A-BA5D-C0CC241DB885.jpeg
 
Kern Dog said:
At work, I usually work alone but get help when I have something heavy to move or need to take a long measurement. Most guys don't work as fast or as clean as I do and I get frustrated with sloppy work.
With the cars, it is almost as if the car itself is not as important as being with friends.
Click to expand...

It just means the journey counts as much as the destination.... A common theme amongst car guys...

JW
 
When I was younger I liked going to another friends' garage or having them hanging around my garage. Now I prefer to work on my car alone. I crank some tunes and get at it. It's a type of therapy for me. It helps relieve stress from working for the man too much, lol.
 
I like to work alone, maybe with the cat but no other humans. When I'm wrenching I go into a different mode and I don't like to be asked questions or talked to when I'm in car mode. I also get really picky about where bolts go and what order parts get put together.

The cat joins in but if he starts making too much noise then he's getting the boot.

Most of the time I turn the music up loud while working.
 
Unfortunately I don't have many car guy friends. The car guy friends i do have are chevy guys and don't work on their on stuff they pay to have it done. So I work on my stuff alone just me and my dogs. The kids will help out on some if the weather is good. My oldest and my youngest like to help but middle one don't like getting dirty lol
 
I don't like the music too loud if I am doing something tedious. I like a very narrow "variety" of music and get annoyed when a song I hate comes on...
I cannot stand Joan Jett. I don't like most female musicians though. I hear a Heart or Joan Jett song come on and can't get to the radio knob fast enough.
One time I was driving home from the job....a far away 121 mile one way drive and Bob Segar came on..."Turn the page". That ****** had it rough....strolling from town to town playing music, banging groupies but some locals didn't like him....Boo Hoo, ******. Try waking up at 3:30 and driving 1000 miles a week to a job you don't like.
 
Kern Dog said:
I don't like the music too loud if I am doing something tedious. I like a very narrow "variety" of music and get annoyed when a song I hate comes on...
I cannot stand Joan Jett. I don't like most female musicians though. I hear a Heart or Joan Jett song come on and can't get to the radio knob fast enough.
One time I was driving home from the job....a far away 121 mile one way drive and Bob Segar came on..."Turn the page". That ****** had it rough....strolling from town to town playing music, banging groupies but some locals didn't like him....Boo Hoo, ******. Try waking up at 3:30 and driving 1000 miles a week to a job you don't like.
Click to expand...
What is this radio thing you speak of, sounds like something from the 1940s lol

USB drives Make your music commercial free and only the songs you like.

When I'm doing tedious tasks I like the music loud and it has to be fast songs with a pumping beat or I lose my concentration. Sometimes I put a particular song on "Repeat 1" until I'm done with whatever is tedious.
 
Kern Dog said:
We are considering Tennessee.
Without going political and all, we just want to live where the values we hold are matched by the majority of the citizens. They have no state income tax and the property taxes are a fraction of what we pay here.
Click to expand...
Check out North West Arkansas, very similar to Tennessee.
 
Tennessee is great!! If I didn't live in Georgia, i would be in Tennessee. We live just over an hour to Chattanooga and 30 minutes to the Alabama border.
 
I miss that camaraderie too. I was big into cars my senior year of high school. Id honestly rather be with my friends in their garage drinking beer and wrenching than on some no where date. Fast forward 35 years and I lost contact with 2 of the last gearheads I know around here. Raj reached out to me a few days ago and remonded me when we swapped slants in his Dartallac with the Barracuds Owners group of So. Cal. That was like 7 years ago? That was about the last time I shot the **** with some car guys over a few Mopars. Im solo now for better or for worse. you know its alot easier to sit here on FABO with a coffee than go into the garage and stare at a project that has grown root out there. Easier clean up too.
 
I get both sides of this discussion. Working on the cars is very much therapy for me - music on, doors closed and locked, and getting to work. However, I'd be happy to have some kind of wrenching friend with whom to trade labor when it's needed. Pulling engines, trannys, hoods, and so forth is a royal PITA done alone. I've floated the labor-swap idea a number of times with no results. Who knows why the offers have gotten zero response. Maybe everyone else is just too busy. I dunno. Meanwhile, I continue to slog along solo but one way or another, I will get these cars on the road.
 
halfafish said:
I get both sides of this discussion. Working on the cars is very much therapy for me - music on, doors closed and locked, and getting to work. However, I'd be happy to have some kind of wrenching friend with whom to trade labor when it's needed. Pulling engines, trannys, hoods, and so forth is a royal PITA done alone. I've floated the labor-swap idea a number of times with no results. Who knows why the offers have gotten zero response. Maybe everyone else is just too busy. I dunno. Meanwhile, I continue to slog along solo but one way or another, I will get these cars on the road.
Click to expand...
I used to do that when I was younger, me and a buddy would help each other working on our cars all the time, but now he just wants to drink and watch tv after work, goes on motorcycle rides on the weekends in the summer and barhops, that's not for me. I rode years back too, him and I did a lot of **** together before he got married, and even the first few years after. Can't fault him, he does his thing and I do mine. I'm fine working alone, that way I don't have to answer questions or explain things.
 
turns out Raj may be getting a garage within my local service area so lunch under a lift could be a thing in my future. It would only be on working saturdays as he still lives 20 miles down the freeway and has a regular 7-3 job teaching.
 
When it comes to working on my stuff, I prefer to work alone most of the time. That's mainly because I'm so particular about a lot of things. That and it usually takes me twice as long to do most things on my cars. However, there are times when I wish I had a buddy nearby to help. My fiance is great at giving me some added muscle, another hand, ear, or set of eyes, etc. when I need it though. She's been helping my push my 66 Dart back in the garage when I push it out to work on it.

Shoot, a couple weeks ago, I had my best friend come up from Escalon because I was firing up my 66 Dart. It was fun having him up here shooting the **** if nothing else. He doesn't know much about cars, but having him around was fun. He helped make sure nothing was leaking, making weird sounds, or catching on fire.
 
halfafish said:
I get both sides of this discussion. Working on the cars is very much therapy for me - music on, doors closed and locked, and getting to work. However, I'd be happy to have some kind of wrenching friend with whom to trade labor when it's needed. Pulling engines, trannys, hoods, and so forth is a royal PITA done alone. I've floated the labor-swap idea a number of times with no results. Who knows why the offers have gotten zero response. Maybe everyone else is just too busy. I dunno. Meanwhile, I continue to slog along solo but one way or another, I will get these cars on the road.
Click to expand...
The geography that divides us is a pisser. I think that we'd get along well working on stuff together. Afterwards, we'd have some spicy meal with some of that great salsa that you sent my way. Holy crap, that was some good stuff!
 
Kern Dog said:
I don't like the music too loud if I am doing something tedious. I like a very narrow "variety" of music and get annoyed when a song I hate comes on...
I cannot stand Joan Jett. I don't like most female musicians though. I hear a Heart or Joan Jett song come on and can't get to the radio knob fast enough.
One time I was driving home from the job....a far away 121 mile one way drive and Bob Segar came on..."Turn the page". That ****** had it rough....strolling from town to town playing music, banging groupies but some locals didn't like him....Boo Hoo, ******. Try waking up at 3:30 and driving 1000 miles a week to a job you don't like.
Click to expand...
Adele is one that kills a good vibe and just takes the air out of a tank quick.
 
I like classic rock but the Pandora stations are not so good for what I like.
Of course, I like the EDM stuff. That annoys 97% of the people that I know so I try to only listen to it when I am alone.
(Not alone and naked)
 
Kern Dog said:
One of the reasons that I started this thread is that I really miss having friends over here. It used to be more common to have people over to do engine swaps, transmission replacement, body and paint, sometimes scrapping a car. Sometimes the work was on my car, sometimes theirs.
I'm considering a move out of state and know that it will take awhile to meet and befriend new car guys.....meaning that I'll be doing the stuff alone awhile.
Click to expand...
I have 1 Brother that knows, and builds Old School Fords ( when I did my 66 Sat, he was finishing his 66 Galaxie) we have been Friends for over 30 years. It's always a Blessing to have a Hand and spend time with a True Brother!!!!!!! There are times when I physically Cain't do some things alone.. Transmission swaps, Engine R@R, alignment of a rear axle..
 
Kern Dog said:
The geography that divides us is a pisser. I think that we'd get along well working on stuff together. Afterwards, we'd have some spicy meal with some of that great salsa that you sent my way. Holy crap, that was some good stuff!
Click to expand...
Hey, where are Y'all at? I can make some killer salsa! Lol. And BBQ
 
Kern Dog said:
I don't like the music too loud if I am doing something tedious. I like a very narrow "variety" of music and get annoyed when a song I hate comes on...
I cannot stand Joan Jett. I don't like most female musicians though. I hear a Heart or Joan Jett song come on and can't get to the radio knob fast enough.
One time I was driving home from the job....a far away 121 mile one way drive and Bob Segar came on..."Turn the page". That ****** had it rough....strolling from town to town playing music, banging groupies but some locals didn't like him....Boo Hoo, ******. Try waking up at 3:30 and driving 1000 miles a week to a job you don't like.
Click to expand...
CHK-CHK- KABOOM!!!!!! AGREE 100%! I am actually bothered by Loud tunes at work. If I have to yell, and you caint hear me, I'm gonna have an issue....w/ yer radio!
 
Kern Dog said:
The geography that divides us is a pisser. I think that we'd get along well working on stuff together. Afterwards, we'd have some spicy meal with some of that great salsa that you sent my way. Holy crap, that was some good stuff!
Click to expand...

Agreed on all counts sir, but I don't see a way around the 900 miles separating us. Sometimes you just can't get the planets to align no matter how hard you try.

Ironracer said:
Hey, where are Y'all at? I can make some killer salsa! Lol. And BBQ
Click to expand...

I'm in SW Washington, KD's in the Sacramento area. You're in FL so we have now triangulated the USA. Distance is a joy killer.
 
And Yes, The New Rock/ country is the Same way. Some rich *** punk w/ a record contract whining like a ***** about how hard life is... how Bout This, Fag? Quit Whining! Most of us work our Collective Asses off, at any given time of day, have WAY more problems than you could ever imagine, and don't really give a rats *** bout yer pansy ***! Carry On
 
Last edited:
halfafish said:
Agreed on all counts sir, but I don't see a way around the 900 miles separating us. Sometimes you just can't get the planets to align no matter how hard you try.



I'm in SW Washington, KD's in the Sacramento area. You're in FL so we have now triangulated the USA. Distance is a joy killer.
Click to expand...
Yessir, If Y'all EVER come down this way, You, and Anyone Else will be treated with the Utmost Respect and Kindness
 
Princess Valiant said:
I like to work alone, maybe with the cat but no other humans. When I'm wrenching I go into a different mode and I don't like to be asked questions or talked to when I'm in car mode. I also get really picky about where bolts go and what order parts get put together.

The cat joins in but if he starts making too much noise then he's getting the boot.

Most of the time I turn the music up loud while working.
Click to expand...
I enjoy doing some things alone; tweaking things, fine tuning, I don't want a know -it - all neighbor that thinks that have a bowtie degree to give me their thoughts... I had one guy come up and tell me I have the wrong pushrods, cause they weren't Hollow
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top