Projects Am I the only one that's honest enough to say........

Used to be, I was a news junkie. But my ambition and attitude actually suffered for it. The nonsense pushed by the media pissed me off so bad I had to detach from it. It's poison, I tell ya.
Better to sweat in the August heat fixing rust.

 

I will be 61 this year. Been a heavy equipment/truck mechanic since high school. Also did a part time job for about 25 years at a repair shop. It is getting harder doing this stuff for a living and wanting to do it at home. Been at this place 32 years. Really giving some thought of going next year. But it's a little scary thinking about it.

 

I turned 43 in July and last night I made bumper brackets for my girlfriends suburban... I caught myself wishing I had a lift. Crawling up and kneeling down again for hours and night after night sure made me sleep well, hahahaha
Problem is, my shop is not high enough for a lift...and the suburban is too high to put it on higher stands... I tried to do most things with the body off, but there are always some things left for later...
I'm really glad when I can check this one off...

 

wow! I thought I was the only one feeling this way

 

I am still working on my Car Not as Fast as I use to But
Still Doing it.
I have been working on Cars & Trucks since I was 16.
Now I have been Put All of my family in the Ground, I am the Last
one.
Just the other day I was working on my 50 merc Dash playing
with Speedometer Housing I changed it.

Oh did I Tell you I am 84 & I will be 85 next Month.
So don't complain that you Cant do shit, I still do things
so they take a little Longer at least you can do it.

Just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

I feel the same 74 after market knees,hips,diabetes but I still love old cars dbarlow


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With all the responses to this interesting thread I guess I should write a book on this subject and cash in.

 

I'm gonna be 65 in a couple weeks. It was almost a year to the day when I was helping a friend move his 27 T coupe, and pinched a nerve in my lower back. Was totally out of commission for a couple months, then slowly got back at it.
I have been as heavy as 203 lbs a couple years ago, and was shocked, cause I've never been over 200 in my life. I always ask my friends, when you gonna do something about your weight? When you hit 200, 250, 300, 350 or whatever?
The wife saw the doctor about 5 months ago, and was told to walk 1/2 hr. each day. Doctor said anybody can do 1/2 an hour. Doctor said, don't try to do more, cause it will become monotonous, and you will want to quit. I started walking with her about 6 weeks ago, 1/2 an hour each morning before it gets hot.
Goddammit, I feel 10 years younger because of it. I now look forward to the walk each day. It energizes me, and I'm happy to put my time in out back in the shop. I can now put on pants that I couldn't put on years ago. I'm semi retired and have been for about 5 years now. Don't have any money, but I make do by doing sheet metal work for other guys' (and gals) projects. If I can't work in the shop, I think it might be time to go bungie jumping without the bungie cord.
Get off yer ass and walk a little. It works. There. That just might be the cure. It sure as hell was for me.

 

Age (I'm soon to be 64) plays a role on the aches and pains for sure, physical handicaps undoubtedly plays a major role also for some.
I'm sensing there is another equally, if not more so of a reason, that would be mentally (lack of desire/motivation).
Personally, I'm physically and mentally willing and able to do these projects..so I will continue to do so.
When the time comes (if it ever does) that I no longer enjoy it, I'll get out of this hobby..life is too short to add emotional stress brought on by yourself with any activity.
Life is about choices..make the right choices for yours, and I'm convinced any doubts will disappear.

 

So just so I understand, putting the legs up on the recliner doesn't constitute a workout? Lol

 

Just in case I forget...... Happy Birthday!!!!!

 

that poor car. I give it less than a year and he puts it into a curb... mustang drivers....
~Look at my new pony!!!!...crunch.

 

I have returned from myself imposed exit now that my 34 is almost back on the good side of things and as such I will comment here on the OP's subject.
As a lot of you HAMB'ers know I'm going on 81, have Diabetes, (under control now), have had (5) TIA's, (mini strokes caused by tiny clots in my brain which I'm told I've had for years and now act up at times) also pretty much under control because of prescription meds , (no events since last Christmas, knock on wood), suffer from extreme center back pain at times with no control methods, and have extreme arthritis in both hands. Left thumb at lower joint by wrist, and index finger, Right thumb at lower joint by wrist, and at lowest joints in fingers in both hands. I also have old age memory problems at times which the Dr. says in normal.
Still I consider myself very lucky. My dad passed at 76 with no interests in his life at all and here I am still able to enjoy my passion,................Hot rods and custom cars and am able to still work on them, and enjoy more than driving or showing them. In fact I was in my shop, tinkering with minor things that need done on the 34, until midnight last night, AND I LOVED IT !!!!!
Yes I've slowed down considerably, find it is hard to get out of bed in the morning, and do suffer all old age syndromes. Still I find much pleasure in working on my rides, and do, including my Chev. Silverado, and wife's Buick Enclave both of which look and drive like new, Chev is 06 54K miles, Enclave is '10 with 113,000 + miles.
Is it hard working with these damned ailments ? In short yes, very hard at times, but damn it I've worked hard all my life making a living which at times I hated with a passion, and I'll be damned if I will give in to my passions, and just give up and coast into oblivion. Oh yeah, my reproduction desire still lives within me also, and does work at about 50% of what it has most of my adult life. Does it ever get used? In short, answer is sadly NO. (Probably should have left that part out, ( that's what she used to say).
Also in short to answer the OP's query, YES I LOVE AND ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF LIVING MY PASSION. Yes it takes longer, is harder to do, I have to take it easy, rest longer and more, but the good Lord evidently is allowing me this opportunity and compared to many my age with issues also because of the ageing, I ain't giving in until the demand is greater than the need.

 

'Watch out now'!!!.......
6sally6

 

The trick is to put one foot in front of the other. Repeat.

 

You have to fight the urge to give up,we are all getting older and little by little it's creeps into our lives between the news,political B S ,sometimes even here I feel like I'm watching the view with everyone complaining .It can wear you down.Try to ignore the (I just have to get this off my chest so you know where I stand )and focus on why we love the hobby.It's still the greatest country we live in and we are still free to follow our passion of old cars,need to get to it while we can.There will be time to reflect on our past ,when that time comes let's not have any regret's about what we should have done.

 

I have my '05 still.. Bought that new also... Never wrecked it!...

 

Your avatar oh your avatar. Makes one wish...........................oh never mind. Got to limp out to shop and get my mind on adjusting the neutral safety switch..............and off of of what once was.

 

Hey I'm 80...things slow down but I keep on wrenching..

 

Hey Dan , no berating here just trying to get ya sum enthusiasm to do something besides whimper about how you hurt. Hell we all hurt. Just spent all morning in the shop pulling the rear bumper & pieces of my sport trac. Hurt like the blazes but I goter dun.

 

i hate to say i think we start to get world weary , ive been a rabid motorcycle fanatic all my life ive ridden for 41 years , this is the first year i didnt get to put my harley on the road , now the seasons gone , and i still dont have the time for it , weird i miss riding but it doesnt seem the end of the world like it used to

 

Yep, My bad, guess I forgot about the mustang part.
Wish we had a rolling 50 or 40 year place to go, as good as here.

 

I didn't realize I was around a bunch of geezers. LOL You guys make me feel almost young again at 67. Exterminator

 

At 74 I am lucky to still have my health and am close to finishing my 55 Sunliner . Looking forward to finishing my 40 sedan project. Getting up every day with plans for the day in the shop keeps me feeling good. I just can’t imagine not being excited to build and drive my hot rods.

 

Amen!

 

Just drove 22 miles in the T to pick up my 9 year old son from a play date. Yep, I'm 68 and have two sons, 9 and 11. They are looking forward to me driving them to their first day of school in the T bucket. They keep me young !

 

Boat [bote] definition: A large hole in the water into which the owner throws money.

 

Went out to the garage around 10 this morning, and quit about 3 in the afternoon. At this rate, I should get the car finished when I reach 100.

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