Hot Rods Once you retire how much time do you spend in the shop??

I do not come from a shop
Retired at 47 after 30years in Banking Industry,had 6 months off and was bored,found job at Airport
and after 25 years there was forced to take a redundancy with 14 weeks pay plus long service,
due to covis was on jobkeeper pay from Govt for 36 weeks before company payout.
business had reduced 65% and they had to reduce staff from 130 to70
my coupe is finished so just maintain it and drive,wife retired and we are financially OK
so drive coupe,maintenance around house and be with wife for outings, 72y/o in March
was doing USA trips yearly but could not come this year but still got my 2020 LARS plate
Noel
hope to do more Rod Runs when they start up again

 

I spend a lot of time in my garage work shop. I may not be working on anything but I have a TV and Sirius satellite radio and that's the place I'd rather be.

 

I retired 11 years ago,my wife almost a year ago and before she retired I spent most days in the shop (I did some remodeling of the house --new kitchen, master bath, moved the laundry upstairs, replaced all of the windows and doors as well as insulate and sheet rock the ceiling in the shop as well as a bunch of landscaping. During that time my wife worked in the shop doing metal sculpture, now, since she is retired to we spend a short day and evening in the shop. her stuff sells at two gallery's, my stuff will sell when I go to room temperature. The last car took about 3 1/2 years as a body off frame redo and I think that will be the last one but I still find a few things to putter with, redoing a Twin Traction differential for the Stude and I need to sell left over parts so she doesn't give them away later

 

I like to spend as much time as the money and weather let's me, it gets a little cold here in SD in the winter so that does damping things with no heat, but I do go out and get somethings done, building a few shop things this year, like a press, trany Jack, revap on the welding table, up grades on the sand blaster. I got my 1961 Chevy Biscayne 2 Dr Sedan up and running this summer but have a few things to redo so want to get them done so I can hit the local runs this next summer, around here the winter weather has a lot to do with things that get done, but I wouldn't live anywhere else. So that's what SD retired guys do, we build fast and hard when the weather is good a do the other thing as weather allows us to do, if I could afford heat I would build all year long, but life here is worth it.

 

The good thing about being retired and working in your own shop is you can take a break whenever you need to and there isn't any boss to worry about. Backaches,tired legs, and a worn out mind make work a much slower process ......
On the plus side, its great to have a nice shop and accumulated tools that let you do most anything you set your mind to. Good luck with your retirement.....

 

I retired 18 months ago after 50 years of mechanical work of one kind or another. Then spent the first year I was off finishing the build on my '40; working 4-6 hours a day, 5 or 6 days a week. I haven't been in the shop much since I got it "finished"; now it's winter and I don't have as much ambition to work in the cold as I used to. However, I expect to get back out there and perhaps start a do-over of my roadster when it warms up.

A couple things I've noticed since I retired are that time seems to go a LOT faster and I'm a LOT more careful about how I spend my money.

I had plans to do some traveling this year but Covid took care of that...

 

I retired 24 years ago, but did not have a shop until I built mine 15 years ago. I still generally spend 5-8 hours a day 6 days a week there, working or not. I don't do a lot of work when it is cold as the city did not let me put in heating. I have a small office that i heat with a portable heater. Now in my mid seventies, I do less work, but do smaller projects at my own pace.

 

Not as much as I should, too many other things happening on the peripheries. Procrastination seems to be my middle name.

 

Retired five years, there are times I don't get to spend as much time as I like in the shop but never more than I want.
Probably average about fifteen or twenty hours a week actually being productive.
This last couple weeks have really shot my average all to heck.

 

I retired in April. Spent a lot of time so far around the house and grounds. Got some of the garage organized, did some work on the Ford off and on. Did some major landscaping and gardening too. Next year will be better to work on the car ane I'll have a better idea on the budget.

 

Ask me May 28th. But I intend on finishing the Willy’s and the Prefect.As Mick says the Day Job gets in the way of the important stuff. Also going to use the 57 as a daily as is. Always wanted one that I can really enjoy with out the concern of it getting used.

 

Hello,

Our active hot rod building/driving days were over when our family grew, more responsibilities came along and the times were changing for us. Since we got involved in hot rodding, cruising and drag racing, our garage was just a place to put our tools, parts and in foul weather, a nice place to work amongst the “stuff.”

In looking at these modern car shows on streaming channels, sure it would have been nice to have a lift, a machine shop like our Auto Shop/Metal Shop from high school and we would have been in business. What we couldn’t buy, we could make with the added machinery.

But, that is/was not realistic. Our workplace would have to be an industrial building next to those places like Joe Mailliard’s Shop, Clay Smith Cams Building, Mickey Thompson’s shop and even, Speed Engineering, a shop owned for a couple of years by Ronnie LeGrand and Tom McEwen near our house in the Westside of Long Beach. Those places were the ultimate garage-shop for building anything from hot rods to competition coupes.

So, that was not going to work. At the time, we were satisfied as backyard mechanics and used what we had. A newly reconstructed back yard recreation room converted to a small one car garage with a lift up door. That was as grand as we were going to get. At least it was a dedicated space for working on hot rods and building motors, etc. the small space was large enough for working on motors and other build parts. It had plenty of room for a nice chair and table, workbench, and a corner that held most of our spare parts, large and small.

The workbench was built with the idea that we were going to start building more motors and other parts for hot rods/drag racers. We did have access to the high school auto/metal shops’ machinery for creating things. But, that was not the major thing. At the time, we were assemblers and the small garage had enough space to get the work done at the dedicated areas. If we needed more room, then a large canvas tarp added to the open garage door created a larger covered space, just steps away from the major building areas. It allowed us to move any car into place, take it apart and still have a workspace workbench and tools inside of the converted garage space.

Jnaki

Then along comes retirement and that in its self, give more time to clean up and organize. Spending time in a cluttered garage is not our cup of tea. So, organization and new heavy duty cabinet/floor finishing set up was called for. The third garage was all ready for a hot rod build, but being a family doing together things was necessary after many years of individual activity on both accounts. But, now the time was there to do just about anything possible. We never thought about retirement, but along comes a cute little bundle of joy and that set us off on a different track. Everything had to be neat and clean.

So, a separate, dedicated work space that does not bother the daily garage use of the cars in the family would be the best situation. Since those active hot rod/drag race days, we have had several places that we expanded for a third car or build. But, for us, a together activity took over and we were continually happy with the results. So, what we had done to the garage was make it a nice clean workspace with everything hidden away in drawers and cabinets. When a necessary repair was called for, then the tools were brought out of the cabinets and drawers to work on the car(s).

Our garage was always a rough shod 2x4 build workbench and some nice, but funky cabinets. So, for the last two houses, we have made our garage pristine, like a new addition to our house. Insulated walls, drywall paneling, epoxy floors, insulated doors, and cabinets with shelves that do not bend with containers on top. Most of the crappy big box stores have white cabinets, but be careful of the interior shelving. They are so thin that any paint can left in the middle tends to make the shelf sag and bend. Despite the bracing added, it still was not the best for everyday garage storage and accessibility.

The garage is now, another part of our house, even with two small cars inside. When they are outside, the garage looks like a showroom clean display room with great counters, a bright opening window and enough plugs to use just about any electrical tool or appliance. Now, my wife likes going into the garage to do something. When arriving home in her station wagon, she looks around and it feels like pulling into a nice showroom for new cars. It is still a workplace, but a necessary place for the both of us to do our projects.

Time in the shop? EVERYDAY…as it is now part of our daily regime’s workplace for all projects, not just for cars. Together, we all get along quite well and we know where everything is in the drawers and cabinets. Sections such as dog stuff, home stuff, garden/yard stuff, projects, and yes, automotive stuff + tools. All hidden away until the next activity is ready to be put in place.

For us, there is no reason to have stuff laying around all over the place. We have been called "neat freaks" many times over by friends and family. But, it is what we like to do in the house and garage. Sure, if the project goes more than one day, it is left on the counter or floor to finish. But, most of the time, it is nice and clean for the next project to come along.

 

One of the best things about being retired is that there is no required schedule. I spend time in the shop as the spirit moves me. From an hour here and there to 6-7 straight for a week straight. I do not pressure myself to meet some "deadline" as that would be too much like what I left in '06.

 

I'll let you know at the end March this year

 

So I left my gov't job of 25 plus years (Jan 20, 2023) and I have been working 3 days a week at my original part time job at the local Home Depot...

I get out in the garage almost everyday now...sometimes it is just for 20-30 minutes and sometimes it is 6-8 hours at a wack...

I enjoy my garage time a lot more now that I get 4 days off a week...way better now than is was...


This ole heap keeps me busy right now...

I know this is an old thread but I thought I would update it with this post...

 

I work for a software company and luckily I work from home anymore so I've got a desk set up in my main shop so when things are occasionally quiet during my nine to five workday, I can work on whatever projects that I have going. I heat and cool my office and can open the garage door when it's nice out too. I'm 61 years old and I don't want to retire any time soon (or ever) but I plan to pretty much keep working in my shop five or six days a week and as many hours a day as I want. I work at least 30 or more hours a week on weeknights and weekends in the shop too so I don't think I'll have to change that as long as I feel up to it.

 

I retired 9 years ago. Two years before retirement (and loss of a substantial part of income), I had a discussion with my wife (my best friend) about building a shop next to our house that I could use to work on my cars, etc. and she fully supported that. We built a 3,200 sq ft steel building about 100 ft from our house that I designed the layout. I then spent the first couple of years (while I was still working) finishing the building out and moving all of my projects and parts stash from the house garage into the shop. I currently have a new (to me) '33 Ford Roadster that I am going through and cleaning up several mechanical and electrical issues; another '33 Ford Roadster project that I started several years ago; a '66 Ford Mustang fastback that I broke in 1996 and is awaiting my attention; plus my long-standing and running 1934 Plymouth coupe. All of that, plus the shop still needs some finishing (I have a 20' x 20' "office/mancave" in one corner of the shop that is unfinished). I have a 2-post lift in the shop, 120/240V service, plus water & compressed air, but no HVAC.
To answer the original question - since I have fully retired from my lifetime work, I spend about 40 hours per 7-day week in my shop working, organizing, cleaning related to my various car projects. I don't work on other people's cars (although I get frequent requests) nor do I let other people use my lift or tools. Call me stingy, but my experience with other people using my stuff or my time has not been good. In the summer here in central Texas, I can only work until about noon with the fans turned on. It currently gets to about 103 degrees by 1 - 2 PM in July/August, which is too much for this 75-year old, even with the fans. Wintertime may also be cut back, but I will work in the shop when it is 40 degrees or above. Having retired from the manufacturing world, I have found that working with my hands in my shop and actually making something is wonderful therapy. My wife is totally supportive and she knows that I am only a few hundred feet away if she needs me. The only downside to being retired is that, although I now have more time to work on my project cars, my funds are much more limited than when I was working.
Although it may sound hokey, all things considered, this is truly my "Happy Place".

 

When you finish the mancave put a mini split in it, 20 x 20 would not need that much and would give you a place to
cool off or warm up.

 

I ran my ass off for 30 years working flat rate, then I went into management and really found out about deadlines.
I go in my shop nearly every day. I sometimes work all day and don't come in for dinner until 7 or later. I sometimes go out there in the evening for an hour, drink a beer, and relax. Retired = no set schedule, no deadlines, no stress.

 

all day when i retired 25 years ago. Now 3 or 4 hours and my body cant take it, especially getting off the floor

 

What ever it is….is too much.

 

I’ve been retired 5 years now. I’m out there just about every day for at least 4 hours or so. Multiple projects in play, some OT. I’m slowing down that’s for sure, but still fun and I stay busy.

 

Since I retired in fall of 2010, I've built 3 cars for myself, plus a number for other friends. So time in the shop has varied from 10-12 hr. days seven days a week, to maybe just a day or two between builds. But I'm always out there as much as possible.

 

Retired 15 Years And Live In My Shop And Always Have A Project...Or 4 ...

 

Posted on this thread in Dec of 2020. Since then I've pulled the plug and built my last customer chassis in Feb of 2022. I still do the T5 kits and 409 pump kits for Flatheads plus a few other parts. I spend probably about 5 hours in the shop a day. My routine is the same every day. Every morning I take my deuce pickup for a 20+ mile drive around town, check out how much Power Ball and Mega Millions are up to and drive by both mortuaries to check the board to see if they've saved me a spot then back home. get on the computer and clean that up plus respond to any messages then to the shop. 2 hour lunch then a couple more hours in the shop and into the house to make dinner for my wife. Cars don't seem to take up as much of my time as they used to but that's ok. 50+ years of hot rods has been quite a trip.

 

For me not enough time spent working on my projects. No real shop is probably my biggest issue, Hard to get much done when it is 100 in the summer or below 32 in the winter.

 

This is my twentieth year of being retired from my full-time job. I still taught firefighter classes for the state part time until about 3 years ago. I learned early on to say no, as everybody thought you had plenty of time to help them since you were "retired". Now the mind is plenty motivated, but the body not so much, so I average about 2-3 hours a day in the shop.

 

NEVER!!

Ben

 

I posted this in Dec 2020. Its time for an update!

The 49 Dodge truck got road worthy after about 2200 hours, It got plated on June 2021, the actual build time was 11 months. Then I drove it a year correcting the small details that go with every build (at least for me). Then I spent a long summer (at least it felt like one) doing body work, the truck got paint in Aug, 2022. These days, I'm enjoying it as much as I can, just over 10,000 miles so far.

After the 49 was complete, the next project was a garage clean up. I've lived at this location for more then 20 years and this oversized 2 car garage was where I ran my welding shop. The winter of 2022/2023 was the first winter since I've lived here we could park 2 cars in our oversized 2 car garage. With the tools and welding equipment, there was only one work stall, if it wasn't occupied, my wife parked her car in it. Her car sat outside through the entire 49 build process. The truck occupied that space.

Since the completion of the 49 and the 1st round of shop clean up, any work in the garage/shop has been very limited. I would guess that if I spend 8 hours in a week in the shop, that would be pretty surprising, really. The 49 was my "last project" and to be honest, I don't have much desire to do another one. I can park my 49 and my wife's car in the garage, so I'm not feeling much motivation to move forward on cleaning the shop, though I could spend a few months getting it actually really clean. Sometime before winter sets in, I might take a swing at gaining a bit more space around the car and the truck sitting in the shop. Maybe then I might muster up the ambition to complete the task, but probably not.

Today is a fine example of my days. Its suppose to be in the mid 80s, partly sunny, low humidity and an 8-10 mph wind. We slept in, with no alarm set, we got up at around 7:30. We were in the porch swing by 9. A bit after 10 I mowed the yard (an hour on my zero turn 48" cut mower) then cleaned up the grass clippings. Then my wife and I had lunch. After lunch I has to order something online for my mother, that was around 1 pm. Its about 3:30, I'm still on the computer, posting this on the HAMB. Going to be supper time soon, then there is the thing we wanted to watch about a hour long on TV to night. By then the swing will be out of the sun, and we may spend another hour or so on it before I come back on my computer.

It is a wonderful day, and we will enjoy it. I did get the lawn mowed, it looks great. Shop time? I did walk through it a couple times. Maybe tomorrow, but its suppose to get hot again, so after the swing time, we may be in the house sucking up the AC again, so maybe Thursday, if it cools down...

After 53 years of working for a living, working long hours on anything doesn't have much appeal these days. Puttering around if the feeling arises and just enjoying the fruits of all those years of work have much more appeal then I thought it would have had on me. Then having the ability to take on a task that might be time consuming, but sounds like something I might like to try, without having to work it into some sort of schedule has a pretty high appeal as well.

If you would have told me 5 years before I retired that after 5 years of retirement, my retirement would look like this, I would have never believed you. Maybe this is a product of being self employed and being able to do pretty much what you loved to do while you were making a living causes.
I'm not even going to try to guess what the next 5 years is going to look like, but I intend to enjoy as much of it as I can.

 

That's the ticket.
Me too.