Projects I am I the only person who enjoys working (doing maintenance) on their car?

I see threads about hydraulic cams, electronic ignition, disc brakes etc...and one of the frist comments is "I did it for ease of maintenance".

My frist thought went I read these is "Don't people enjoy working on their cars?" I enjoy working on my car, adjusting the valves, checking the points, adjusting the brakes, as much as building or driving a car.

I guess it comes from my family background in oval track racing. Having an oval track car is like having a second job you pay to have. Not only is there the regular maintenance just to keep the car on the track, but also making improvement and trying to find an advantage

That's the way I view working on my 53 Chevy. I am always looking to improve things. Weather it's better performance, fuel economy, looks etc...

I am I the only one who feels this way?

 

I was totally nerding out the other day greasing the chassis on my model A and oiling stuff. Very satisfying. The car loves when I do that.

 

I hate doing maintenance like changing oil, putting on winter tires and such. I like making stuff, adapting parts, and such. Don't like getting greasy.

 

Day to day maintenance… not so much.
My excitement starts when I am making a change… either, for esthetics or improvements in power, braking, handling or safety.
While on this subject. Everyone, please check your shocks. I notice some front end cupping on my expensive bias-plys.
They will eat your tires up.

 

Yes. I enjoy burning my arm hair off. It provides me with a sense of achievement.

Phil

 

No, you're not the only one that feels that way. I've always done my own maintenance and seem to enjoy it....however, there's usually a cold tasty beverage involved. Gotta lubricate the mechanic as well!

 

It's a seasonal and as required thing with me. My cars usually get a good going over at least once a year if I'm driving them. I don't mind but it's not as much fun as building or changing them. I usually try to improve/change something every year, especially if the car has been out in public a lot.

 

Call me a cheap-ass, but I hate paying somebody for stuff I can do myself, so mundane maintenance is part of the program, but I agree, building/restoring/modifying is more fun.

 

People who know I drive my rod a LOT, always ask, "aren't you afraid you will break down?"

Well, yes. But that's why I am pretty continuously doing maintenance when I'm at home.

 

I maintain class 8 trucks for a living, so that would be a negatory.

 

For me......it goes with the hobby!

 

Like a couple others, I love building but hate maintaining.

 

I enjoy working on my toys building or maintaining - I hate working on my daily drivers

 

I dont love doing maintenance but I dont trust anyone else to work on my cars except the alignment tech I use. Therefore, I do everything on my cars.

 

I do love working on my cars, not so much the maintenance side of things but fixing or changing things more to my liking. That sort of thing. I spent nearly 50 years maintaining other peoples cars so it's not the work I prefer to do anymore. I still do it, but I'm glad when I'm done. Each car gets a good going over every year but I'd rather be working on a project or doing something I consider more meaningful.

 

On Christmas Eve, you may be the only one

 

I didn't put any of that modern stuff on my car. Partially because that makes extra work.

Do I like adjusting and fixing everything? No. I like it when it's all adjusted and fixed.

 

I pretty much enjoy doing things to my old cars more than driving them. Don't do anything to my daily driver though.

 

I loved it all,tell I got about 75,now going on 80 in 2022 ,,things get harder and take longer,plus more $=That cuts out some of what felt like fun before. Asking for help from others I did help some time ago,some times works,an some times they get biz with things ,or just forget.
Things that are small are still fun,but changing out a engine not so much now days.
I'm still young in side thinking about something,but try to do it,the real world can kick my ass. So what,keep trying !!

 

I love your attitude Dana. Good for you and a Merry Christmas to ya.

 

Love it as long as the time is available. Hadn't driven my Willys for most of a year and wanted to take a cruise. Started it up and everything worked except no brake lights. Had to trouble shoot instead of cruise. Had power to the master cylinder. Had power to the outlet terminal on the switch when pedal pushed. Had power to connector in dash heading to turn signal switch. Took the switch apart and the copper contacts evidently relaxed so I bent them. Put it all back together and it worked. Didn't get to cruise.

I love looking at plugs from the hemi, checking Hydro tranny fluid level thru the hole in the floor, etc. Love my vintage parts.

 

All depends on the task, the situation and the weather.
Planned maintenance in the right conditions can be very relaxing.

 

I like building and fabricating things. Like electrical work, but maintenance….not so much.I guess it come from doing maintenance on things all my life! From D-9 caterpillars to clocks. I guess it just got old for me…..and I got old! It takes me all day now to do something I could accomplish in a few hours, just a few years ago! Lol




Bones

 

That's way I like doing regular maintenance, it allows me a chance to study and change things.

For example, when I am changing oil, greasing the chassis I look at brackets/mounts and try to figure out if I can build it stronger, better, or lighter. Or if I see multiple brackets holding individual parts in a small area, I will study and try to build a single bracket to do multiple things.

 

@Robert J. Palmer, you probably like inspecting your tools when you clean them before you put them away in their proper place too!! Hahahaha!!!
Seriously though, I enjoy the maintenance part on all of my stuff. I try to knock out all the chores in a day including the 57, the 29, her daily, the mower/blower, even the chainsaw!

 

The shop is a disaster right now, it's been ground zero for Christmas wraping, trying to build the car and other projects.

Speaking of other projects-
The best part of being a fabricator is the ability to build useful things from junk! The rear weight for my tractor. I have a grand total of $11.00 invested in the pins for the 3-point hitch. All the steel came from the dumpster at work, and it's filled with the expelled grit from the sand blast booth.

 

Because I was raised in a Gulf gasoline station, I dig tending to the needs of my cars. Nothing like the feeling of a smooth uneventful ride knowing the reason is my efforts.
Consider the mountain of cars I primped. Sometimes a test drive would be involved. Mostly not.
Tackling my stuff is pleasure.

 

I love working on my hot rods! But I never get any time for myself or my cars. Always in a rush, working on everybody else's stuff

 

As I’ve gotten older I consider maintenance a necessity, and not enjoyable. I still get pleasure when I get a chance to make progress on projects though. That’s kind of therapeutic.