How many of you do your own work?

[leon bee]

I like a long match with that starter spray.

[Chris Haynes]

I will remove/replace parts but leave the rebuilding to someone who actually knows what they are doing.

[Chuck Kuntz]

I used to do everything myself including babbit work, but no longer do headliner installation or cylinder boring (sold my Van Norman machine).

[Ziggster]

Try to do whatever I can myself including some simple welding (MIG), some simple machining on my small lathe. On my speedster build I built the frame, assembled the flathead from a short block, rebuilt the carb, distributor, fuel pump, oil pump, coolant piping, exhaust, etc. Plan on doing the body from scratch.

[big job]

I use to do it all, but when I grew up, my oldest does it all & the rebuilds & fab call it Job shop I stick to the machine shop I dont get dirty no more my youngest is the man for all this injection & ecu"s and metric nonsense...the photo is machining a bushing for a Ford F7 axle to a GMC spinle (for disk brakes)

[petehoovie]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by big job

I use to do it all, but when I grew up, my oldest does it all & the rebuilds & fab call it Job shop I stick to the machine shop I dont get dirty no more my youngest is the man for all this injection & ecu"s and metric nonsense...the photo is machining a bushing for a Ford F7 axle to a GMC spinle (for disk brakes)

[solidaxle]

Around my shop I usually have to fix something to fix something. So yes, I do most of my own work.
If you want to have it done right you need to do it yourself and if you break something, it needed replacing anyways.

[leon bee]

^^ Well said!

[solidaxle]

I purchased a 10 inch metal lathe and a small mill machine last year. I have no idea what I'm doing, but willing to give it a try. What's the worst that can happen?? Ha Ha.

[The Art Doctor]

Just watch where you put your hands. All the machinists where my dad worked in the factory in the 70's and 80's were missing at least one digit. That was a freaky thing to a 8 year old and I never forgot it. My dad later got his hand caught in a pipe bender partially severing two, but they were able to save them. I still have all ten.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by The Art Doctor

Just watch where you put your hands. All the machinists where my dad worked in the factory in the 70's and 80's were missing at least one digit. That was a freaky thing to a 8 year old and I never forgot it. My dad later got his hand caught in a pipe bender partially severing two, but they were able to save them. I still have all ten.

My father used to tell of his co-worker who came back to the machine shop while his hand was bandaged with missing fingers, just to say hello. He was asked how he did it, so he demonstrated with his other hand and returned to the ER with more missing fingers.

[aussie merc]

well i do mine where i can cant see the sense in giving money to someone else to do what i can and i dont care if its quicker because I DID IT just got to be smart enough to relize im not 20 any more [i would settle for 40]and that these days i cant wrestle what i use to and besides that the arguments ive had as a shop foreman with some of these so called wizz kids and their laptops [they cant diagnose shit computer says there's nothing wrong] but you can hear the miss

[Seth Swoboda]

Michael,


I do the work myself. Although on occasion I come to you for a rear end rebuild party. You probably already know all of this.

[35fordtn]

I asked the question on this post as it is curious to me. For example I work on my own cars modern and old, do my own plumbing and electrical in my home but wont do certain things like roofing, flooring. I dont think It to be an embarrassing thing to sub out work. No reason for this post other than curiosity.

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by 35fordtn

I asked the question on this post as it is curious to me. For example I work on my own cars modern and old, do my own plumbing and electrical in my home but wont do certain things like roofing, flooring. I dont think It to be an embarrassing thing to sub out work. No reason for this post other than curiosity.

Michael
Like you, I try and do ALL my own work, car related OR otherwise. Being in just about ALL facets of the Industrial supply business over the better part of 40sih years, I have formed great relationships with many of my customers - HVAC, Plumbing, Electricians, Machinist, Mechanical Contractors etc etc SO IF I need ANY advice, guidance OR even the use of a "specialized" tool, my contacts have always been eager to help....and when I cannot do it for "permitting" sake, they are always there to help as well. AS for the car side. I have started doing a lot more of my "modern" car work, fixing to invest in a "TRUE" bi-directional multi graphing scanner and move beyond the "generic" code reader status SO I can learn more about the modern computer control vehicles and better refine the diagnosis of a problem over the general overview of a code reader...... MORE because I'm not gonna let these pencil necked geek techies beat me!!!! I am fortunate in this area to have a good friend, who just closed his shop of 45 years, that is willing to "teach" me some of what he has learned of these modern systems and the electrical side of sensors.

[glennpm]

Originally Posted by rockfla

AS for the car side. I have started doing a lot more of my "modern" car work, fixing to invest in a "TRUE" bi-directional multi graphing scanner and move beyond the "generic" code reader status SO I can learn more about the modern computer control vehicles and better refine the diagnosis of a problem over the general overview of a code reader...... MORE because I'm not gonna let these pencil necked geek techies beat me!!!! I am fortunate in this area to have a good friend, who just closed his shop of 45 years, that is willing to "teach" me some of what he has learned of these modern systems and the electrical side of sensors.

I'll be very interested in following you through this process Robert.

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by glennpm

I'll be very interested in following you through this process Robert.

Thanks Glenn, the problem I am finding early on IS there is no ONE scanner to work on these modern vehicles......I took our delivery truck around to the shop that handles our service needs the other day and was talking to the owner about scanners and he has somewhere around 13 scanners he uses for various car brands AND or certain issues AS one is better at one area of diag and maybe not as much in another area of diag.

[planeman182]

Hello,
I do all I can short of machine work on my current project - frame off resto of '52 F1

For sure, I dislike body & paint work.

Other vehicles are modern including trucks, cars, tractor, motorcyle, and RV travel trailer.

It really helps having a 2 post lift even though I've done a lot of work on the floor on my back.

Other projects included remodeling a winter home in FL built in 1962 using carpentry, electrical, and plumbing skills.

Here wishes Everyone a Happy New Year!

[Veeder]

I’m in the same category as the majority here.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I do or did everything for stuff like machine shop work. I am not equipped for that. I have built my own flatheads, T5’s, banjo rears, most all my fabricated parts, interiors, even paint. I do not build stock vehicles like most of you fellas but I am more to the “dsrk side” as Kube and others put it. Presently I unfortunately have to farm out everything now save for most regular maintenance now but I am fortunate to have a very good source to do what needs doing now since I am taking care of my almost 102 year old Dad. I do miss it a lot and do some small things when time prevails but it’s just my life right now. The way it’s going now I probably will not every go back to what I did before as age is creeping up on me ….. time flys when you are having fun and I enjoyed everyone of my 7-8 builds, 3 of them from the ground up.

Pictured is my latest and last build ….