What did you do to your car today?

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We built an addition on the back of the garage to accomodate the pool table Mel bought me 3 years ago that was used as a work bench during the Chevelle project so this weekend I wired it up and since the refrigerator is being moved in there In figured I better make the access a little easier while working on the Stang! :p

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Yeah, I figured since 1991 (when I first got here), the Auto Hobby Shop has saved me more than $35,000 on repairs, customization, and whatever else I've done to my vehicles. I've done everything from simple maintenance (oil changes, brakes, fuel filters, various seals & gaskets and car washes) to window tint, major stereo installations, alarm systems, transmission rebuilds, engine rebuilds, custom bed cover, suspension and body lift installations, installed nerf bars (4 sets on 3 different vehicles), tires, axle rebuilds and gear swaps, custom paint, and even hand fabricated some custom computer chassis. Love that place... well - used to, anyway. Or at least, when the management stays the f00k out of there.

Speaking of: Today, I got the new shock mount 'pockets' tacked up in there. Still gotta tweak the original bracket a little for better final welds (there are some gaps between the original cross member and the new pieces on either side of the center brace that I need to address with a BFH and a drift through the access holes up top).

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Otherwise, not going badly at all I think. Still glad I took Scott's advice - this is going to be much better than the Redneck Engineered idea I came up with.
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Nice progress Eric. Keep it going. :) Mike

 
Nice progress Eric. Keep it going. :) Mike
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Thanks! I worked things out to where I can take off from work on Thursday & Friday to work on it some more. I'm hoping to maybe have some of all that new sheet metal stuck down (finally).

Oh yeah - I finally decoded the DSO (never took a picture of the door sticker), and it turns out mine went to Lansing, MI from the factory. This makes sense to me as to why there's so much rust on the car. But also since there's a 'Sheppard AFB' sticker on the bumper, because there used to be an Air Force base kinda close to Lansing years ago (Wurtsmith AFB - closed in 1990) as well as Selfridge ANGB (still active).

So, I'm thinking, "Air Force guy bought the car (either new or used), then PCSd to Sheppard AFB, TX and retired or got out... then parked the car after it started falling apart from the rust and abuse. Maybe drove it on a farm or ranch or something (which could explain the R.E. parts).

 
I picked up the radiator that I've had converted from 2 rows to 3 rows from the radiator shop. It will replace the new (2 years) Summit aluminum radiator that stared leaking after only a year.

When I got home, the package with the new heater core was waiting for me, so I guess I have no excuse not to get busy.

(Although I got a package with a guitar related gizmo that needs to be tested, soooo...) :)

 
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I picked up the radiator that I've had converted from 2 rows to 3 rows from the radiator shop. It will replace the new (2 years) Summit aluminum radiator that stared leaking after only a year.

When I got home, the package with the new heater core was waiting for me, so I guess I have no excuse not to get busy.

(Although I got a package with a guitar related gizmo that needs to be tested, soooo...) :)
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Uh-oh, thanks for sharing on the Summit radiator... I've used them for several items on "another" vehicle...

 
You guys are making great progress! Can't wait to get back to my sheet metal Friday.
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Then stop shooting pool and get with it:p
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LOL :D Haven't even touched a cue stick yet. Went from cleaning that room after the wiring and went strait to the garage to move the A/C and wiring for the new door. Then had to install a new window for the garage A/C. and finally address the poor wiring in the garage half. Finished that tonight.

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Swung by the shop this evening after work and the management has slid to yet another new level. Sunday, before I took off for the evening (the other guys split to catch the Superbowl, leaving me there by myself - which is fine, but I wasn't comfortable welding without someone else there just in case something bad happened), I cleaned up all the loose stuff around my stall, threw out all the old scraps of cowl and other trash, swept and mopped the whole shop, took out the trash, and put away a sh!t-ton of tools that everybody else left out. The management @sshol3s came through today and complained about how 'trashed' the shop was and asked why my car (and Jim's '63.5 Galaxie 500 XL) were still there. Then complained that the shop's not making enough money and asked if I was paying for my stall time and storage fees. WTF?!

First of all, we need to sign in using an Air Force Auto Hobby Shop form to record our time there. The shop policy is that you pay your bill when you're done. My car rolled in sometime in August 2010, and Jim has been cutting me a MAJOR deal on my fees because of all the time I spend helping others in the shop and doing things FOR the shop and the other guys (basically - when needed, I run the lifts, sign people in and out, inspect their stalls before they leave, show them how to change oil, offer advice to the four wheelers and Jeep guys, help with the tire machines, get tools, looks things up on All-Data, answer the phones, etc... Geez - I do exactly the same things as the employees do without getting paid for it except run the register and do state vehicle inspections... not to mention all of that takes me away from getting my own stuff done). I even helped prep and paint the epoxy on the floors before they re-opened after renovating the building and adding 6 more stalls - on my own time. The management has even recognized me with 'Volunteer of the Month' and 'Volunteer of the Year' awards. Jim decided that I basically don't need to pay anything for my time there since I'm not taking anything away from anybody needing to use anything, and I help out so much. I felt bad not having to pay anything, so I basically bring breakfast in for all the guys (I'm feeding 4 people) when I come in on the weekends.

When they restructured, dumped the 'permanent positions,' and sent Jim down to the Motor Pool, that left Tony in charge (a kid who basically really doesn't give a sh!t about the place and is just waiting until March before his 401K is fully vested before he quits). They're being turdy to Jim because when he was there, he ran the shop how it was supposed to be run and didn't pander to their crap - they pretty much saw the re-org as a chance to 'get rid of Jim,' and seemed to have made it personal as well. So now, Tony's in charge, and they dump on him all the time as well. Well... yeah - he's not doing his job, so they give him crap about it - which I don't have a problem with. Whenever he tells me the crap they say, I ALWAYS ask him if he wants me to pay for my stall time and how much... he tells me not to worry about it, and that he appreciates the things I keep doing to help him... so I keep buying breakfast and have no problem continuing to volunteer.

And now they have the effin nerve to insinuate that I don't pay my bills?! I really... really, REALLY wish my trunk area was squared away because I would just give them the finger and take the Rustang home.

I am, however, considering filing a harassment complaint against the management through the Wing Inspector General. I'm a freakin 'customer' (for all intents and purposes), and all this petty sh!t they have with Jim is somehow transferring to me because he's one of my best friends. This is total horse sh!t!

Sorry for the rant. I'm just pissed... and very disappointed.

I'm also taking tomorrow and Friday off to take a big swing at the trunk area to get it done ASAP, so I can take it home to get away from all this petty Mickey Mouse bullsh!t.

 
Rule #1 Never do anything that draws attention to only yourself unless positive

Rule #2 A-holes only use the good people to get ahead for themselves

Rule #3 Always remember you didn't use rule #2

 
I installed the new heater core and put the plenum back into the car. I did remove the plastic floor vent, broke all the clips but I screwed it back on after the plenum was in place. Took me five minutes to get it back in. So I guess removing the floor vent is the way to go. Unfortunately I don't think you can remove the vent with the plenum in place, so getting it out is the hardest part.

I was astonished to see how fast it went back in without the vent.

I also put the center console back in its place which this time was pretty easy as it had left a deep imprint on the carpet, so positioning it the way it was and finding the screw holes was no big deal.

Put the dash back together so at least the interior looks halfway decent again.

 
am, however, considering filing a harassment complaint against the management through the Wing Inspector General. I'm a freakin 'customer' (for all intents and purposes), and all this petty sh!t they have with Jim is somehow transferring to me because he's one of my best friends. This is total horse sh!t!

I would file a complaint with the IG thats what they are for, they may be unaware of whats really going on there. Use the system and if that doesn't work give me a call and we will show them some redneck southern hospotality:p

 
Thanks for the support, guys... and sorry for the rant. It's just infuriating when I think of how much time I've spent there (since January 1991) learning and doing just about anything and everything to my vehicles, and helping others do the same - while saving money at the same time. This is how they reward me - insult me and question my integrity. Unbelievable.

Oh well - off to the shop. I got the plasma cutter working again last weekend, so I won't have to spend as much time with the cut-off wheels, at least. :D

 
Thanks for the support, guys... and sorry for the rant. It's just infuriating when I think of how much time I've spent there (since January 1991) learning and doing just about anything and everything to my vehicles, and helping others do the same - while saving money at the same time. This is how they reward me - insult me and question my integrity. Unbelievable.

Oh well - off to the shop. I got the plasma cutter working again last weekend, so I won't have to spend as much time with the cut-off wheels, at least. :D
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ERIC ERIC ERIC ERIC. :D

 
Sorry to hear about the troubles, Eric. Twenty years of your time dedicated to the shop and they treat you like crap. Good plan to take a couple days off and try to get the rear finished enough to take her home and not worry about those jerks anymore. Let me know if you and Roy decide to crack some heads - I've got your back. :D

Doc

 
am, however, considering filing a harassment complaint against the management through the Wing Inspector General. I'm a freakin 'customer' (for all intents and purposes), and all this petty sh!t they have with Jim is somehow transferring to me because he's one of my best friends. This is total horse sh!t!

I would file a complaint with the IG thats what they are for, they may be unaware of whats really going on there. Use the system and if that doesn't work give me a call and we will show them some redneck southern hospotality:p
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Swing by and pick me up. I love helping get a point across!:p

 

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