Stuff you've learned the hard way

I know it's aways better to just do something right the first time, but I can't think of any better way than F'ing something up royally to really learn a lesson. Often these lessons come when you're completely ignorant to the fact that you did something wrong. Let's hear some stories, I'll start.

Yesterday I found out that a GM starter bolt is different than a regular 3/8-16 bolt. I'd never really looked at one before aside from acknowledging what it's length and thread was. I'd installed the starter on my SBC with 1 real starter bolt, and one generic 3/8 bolt. After a few months of no issues, I went out to start it the other morning, and got a horrific grinding noise. I looked under the truck and found half of the starter's snout on the ground. Turns out, the starter pivoted slightly with the narrower bolt and had cocked itself at a slight angle to the flywheel. The result? It jammed the starter gear in the flexplate and busted off the end of the starter. Price of that lesson? $50 for a new starter and correct bolt and 30 minutes of time.

 

#1 Never buy Shitty tools.
#2 See above.
#3 Never loan out books, that you really want back.
#4 Never loan out tools, that you really want back.

 

dont watch films like hot rod or ag or animal house it could ruin a good life

ahh fuck it
to late

 

Blowen BBC are big boy toys (NOT Cheap) I could of built a car for what I have in my motor .

 

3 good lug nuts is not a good idea long term ..
duct tape wont fix everything..
they make antifreeze for a reason..

 

1-dont build a car from parts
2- building a nice hot rod cheap is more or less hot rod magazine fiction

 

It's less expensive to buy a finished car than build one.

It's more fun to build one than buy a finished one.

If you're trying to turn over a stuck engine, NEVER get a very large breaker bar and push down unless you want to slam your nose into the radiator support. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

hahaha good laugh here I keep saying this to myself about it being cheaper to buy one done but I have yet to say its fun to build one

 

Before starting a motor, sit down and make a checklist of everything you need to tighten, attach, or otherwise line up.

And then triple check that list and don't do it by memory.

 

dont let your buddys come by your house and "force" you to drink beers when putting together an engine...........trust me the rear main seal on a 327 only works if facing the right direction , on the bright side it took me two weeks to put it in and fire it up and only 1 day to pull it , open it up , replace the seal the right way , put it back in , and fire it up ......funny how feeling like a dumb-ass can motivate you !

FINK

 

Don't waste money on cheap tools just because you can't afford the real thing at the time.

 

Don't eat stuff off of the sidewalk......no mater how good it looks!!!

 

When changing the oil remember to put the drain plug back in.

 

I had a buddy who always had extra parts when he finished fixing his car including break jobs. I would never let him touch any of my cars.

 

When porting and polishing a flathead block, keep your hair away from the grinding stone....

 

Aways use the correct bolt when tightenening up a pack of spring leaves, and when you decide it needs one more turn, dont have your face directly over the top of it..... it can give you two black eyes and fill your eyes with broken glass from your smashed glasses..... or so I've heard.....

 

Harbor Freight Brakes Break! HRP

 

Jack Stands and Wheel Chocks are your Best Friend...

 

Took some wooden nickels one time.....wish I still had them.

 

Know your wifes limitations and try not to treat her like a pack mule.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238749

She is healing well. They replaced her ACL in may and she "Should be out of the ACL brace in the next couple of weeks

 

Guys that say "All ya gotta do is..." are 9 times out of 10 absolute morons and have no idea what it takes to "do" what they are describing.

 

When buying new rims,know the size of your hub. Don't assume just because the bolt pattern is the same they'll fit. Thankfully I have more than one car needing supremes

 

i usually don't get it right the first time. I've had to do several things twice on my car but if you don't know any better you got to learn some how

 

Regardless of the magazine article or ad there is no such thing as a "bolt on kit". Most require at least a fully equipt machine shop, Industrial supply house and the purchase of about $100 dollars of tools for the person who thought he owned every tool devised by man.

Frank

 

If you're using a hand-held grinder to rough out an I-beam axle that's held in a Bridgeport vise, before you accidentally brush the grinding wheel against the hardwood soft jaws you're using to protect the axle, sending a hardwood toothpick toward your eye at lightning speed, put on your safety glasses.

Other than that, I haven't learned much that really matters.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

Sorry, but I had to correct the spelling and punctuation you didn't get right the first time:

I usually don't get it right the first time. I've had to do several things twice on my car, but if you don't know any better, you've got to learn somehow.

 

..ran when parked..

 

never wear a loose shirt with a rip in it while using a big ass hand held grinder. almost lost a nipple with that one. got a cool scar out of it to impress the chicks with though.

metal shavings will stick in your eyebrow and fall into your eye while sleeping

always check to be sure the rubber gasket did not stick to the block when changing your oil filter. lucky for me I always start the car and check for leaks rather than driving off.

use antiseize on your spark plugs if you have aluminum heads. took 25 years and countless plug changes to learn this.

if you break a spark plug while removing it the peice left in the block will fall into the cylinder (see above)

 

deep dish astro supremes DO NOT fit on the rear of a 61 Dodge

 

if you are done with your dent repair and start drinking do not go back to that dent that "just needs a few more taps" to be perfect.

...unless you like purple finger nails.

..and pain.