Projects Are you easy ?

I love working alone. Every time I find myself working with others I don't like the way they work. If someone else joins in either they're asking too many questions because their greener than spring (and didn't even try to learn about the task at hand) or the work is so rushed there are 2 extra nuts, bolts, springs, or washers.

The last guy I worked with was instructed to pull the e-brake so we could lift the front of his car for brakes. Puts his front-wheel honda into first gear. Car rolled off the jack and damn near onto me.

 

I am an expert carpenter but if you want to help me with my Dodge truck windows stop anytime!

 

I have people that stop by on Saturdays to visit, but usually, it's just me and mama.

 

Hello,

The time has passed for working on anything of value with friends or my brother. He is gone, now, but after our 1940 Willys Coupe with the 671 SBC, he quit being so organized and somewhat of a perfectionist. The Willys was our first build, so he knew his friends were watching closely and when we got to Lions Dragstrip, the pits is an international flavor of people walking by and looking at what you created. So, he was meticulous in his preparation and functioning in the steps to a “no mistake” build.

Working with my friend on his 57 Chevy Bel Air Hardtop was so much fun. He was the only one to strongly pursue building his 57 Chevy to be fast and nice looking. No fake flames or stickers, just pure home installed speed parts to make his Chevy fast and at least come close to staying with my 58 Impala. So, working underneath, on top and all over his driveway and garage was a teenage thing almost every week. One week it was lowering his car. The next was adjusting the stance for a mild So Cal rake. When his good paying after school job came through with a check, it was off to Reath Automotive, the local Chevy dealer, or one of the local speed shops for the next thing he wanted.

We installed the 4:11 rear gears some weekends and on others took out the 4;56 gears from my Impala to put in his Chevy hardtop. Headers and custom straight thorough mufflers were next. He was one of the only guys making a decent wage at his job. What was it? He created Hot Dogs for a major meat company in Long Beach. He took us on a tour and it was hot dog heaven. Remember the string of hot dogs we all saw in comics and old butcher shops? Well, it seemed like he created all of them.

There were rows and rows of those weiners all strung together and hung on several drying racks. He even allowed me to fill the tube with the hot dog gooey stuff, as in a giant squirt and sliding it down the tube. Tying it off and then squirting the next plop for the continuous string of hot dogs. (p.s. NO ONE wants to know what was in that gooey stuff being squirted in the tube…)

This after school job allowed him to drive to a chrome accessory shop and buy 4 chromed reversed wheels for his car on one Saturday morning and the next, some shiny aluminum finned valve covers for his 283. He always liked eating at our local hamburger drive in restaurant. But, he was responsible for me to enjoy one of the best hamburgers in all of So Cal in a walk in restaurant down the street from our hot rod hang out. It was a sit-down diner and those burgers and fries were the best in So Cal, no other place came close to the quality and taste.

We definitely used our Walker 4 ton hydraulic floor jack on all things underneath the 57 Chevy. Traction master bars, adjusting the header pipes and flowing muffler system, and changing the rear axle gears, etc. were made simple job, thanks to the hydraulic jack. The black silver hydraulic jack was a life saver and made our work that much easier. It would fit in the 58 Impala trunk, but the lid would have to be tied down. Even if we took out the rear seat backrest, the jack was just too long.

Jnaki

So, yes, I am easy to work with, but those teenage years did it for me. I was spoiled for future endeavors working with anyone else. Even working with my brother in the later years on his backyard rebuilds of his old family cars was not the most pleasurable place to work. It looked like a junkyard and the parts were not pristine as in our Willys build. They were scrap yard specials that just happened to fit his rebuild. He was good at making an old motor run well, but, that portion of our hot rod years had passed. It was disheartening to see the work we used to do together come to a halt.

If I do any work, which is unlikely these days, it will be by myself and the cool music blasting from my stereo speakers in the garage. The full blown organized, assembly line we once had in our own 1959-62 backyard garage no longer applies as those are memorable days, but, are gone forever. If my high school friend were still around, it still would not be the same after those fun teenage care free days of experimenting and seeing the results of our own hard work at play.

We fit right in with the current “locked in place” isolation well.

 

I like to have someone to talk to. But it has been said that I don't play well with others, I am not sure that is true but it has been said.

 

I primarily work alone, although over the last several years I have a younger co-worker who in his 20’s come by and gives me a hand. I’ve been teaching him some metal work and other car stuff.


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Lots of good comments. Like many I usually work alone, but on occasion have someone who is an expert take a look and provide a little hands on training. Most recently this was on buffing out the paint on a OT 71 that just wrapped up, (The next car will be 1964 or older again)
I also have my grandkids come over to help a bit when they want and teach them how to do things. My oldest grandson is 15 and has learned quite a bit.

 

I like working alone until I do a heavy job like engine pull or install then I ask for help. We all had to learn from somebody and that usually meant being shown how to or helped someone else.

 

I really don’t mind either way. I’ll help someone in need. I usually work alone on my own stuff, call the wife if I need a hand. My son will stop by and help if I need a little more hands on. I can’t stand it when someone watching tells me I should of done it this way or that. After I’m done of course! “Timing“, the difference between advice and criticism.

 

Working alone , I always get it done “my way”.

 

I’m rather anal when working in my shop rather it be a car or other project. I like to do things in a well thought out and logical way which often differs with how others do things. So working alone suits me best. On the other hand I’ll help just about anyone if they need it.