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I gotta say, I did front springs on a 70 cutlass today and did not enjoy one bit of it. These things fought me the whole way. Probably didn't help it was just a bare frame with no weight of anything to help?
Probably one of the jobs I hate most....and Ive done a lot of jobs. Glad its over. What do you guys dread doing?
Sandblasting .
You have to dress up in a long sleeve shirt in 90 degree weather . Put on a hood with a small window to see out of . ( and it's always fogged )
It's dirty , boring , and seems like it takes forever .
But , it does clean the metal thoroughly .
Been there, done that but it is rewarding when that rust is gone. Dirty, messy, hard to see, sand in everything and unless you have a pro set up, blast time is short and gotta fill pressure pot or wait for compressor to catch up. Id still rather do that than front springs.
Any more I hate working an anything other than a complete restoration. If I had to pick one thing, I think it would be the heater core on an A/C car but that is no big deal on a complete restoration. A little off from what you are looking for but the worst thing about a complete restoration is cleaning and bead blasting parts.
Any more I hate working an anything other than a complete restoration. If I had to pick one thing, I think it would be the heater core on an A/C car but that is no big deal on a complete restoration. A little off from what you are looking for but the worst thing about a complete restoration is cleaning and bead blasting parts.
Yes the cleaning and blasting is like death by a thousand cuts. The heater core is no fun either in fact my 71 convertible has a leaky one going on three yrs now. Not looking forward to that.
I remember guys changing oil pans without removing motor and that was a pain too.
Impatience and no help will wreck the paint on those doors edges too, kinda like trying to put a front bumper on alone.
Last edited by scrappie; October 10th, 2019 at 04:36 AM.
Setting the dwell on a '68 w/ the low hood angle. No wait, replacing the brake booster on a '68, which requires climbing onto the engine w/ the low hood angle.
Any more I hate working an anything other than a complete restoration. If I had to pick one thing, I think it would be the heater core on an A/C car but that is no big deal on a complete restoration. A little off from what you are looking for but the worst thing about a complete restoration is cleaning and bead blasting parts.
During a resto, here's the ones I don't look forward to at all:
Removing/installing front springs
Straightening radiator and condenser fins
Reinstalling the gas tank (however, long "starting" bolts help)
Realigning side glasses after complete removal - especially on convertibles
Anything having to do withe the belt line trim on 68-69's
Installing new front fender well splash sheilds (A frame flaps)
For me, it was replacing the front springs, followed closely with installing a new gas tank with new straps. I wish I would have thought of costpenn's starting bolts!. I used my floor jack and a piece of board to spread the load, to raise the tank. When I came out from under the car, I realized I had lifted the car completely off the rear jack stands by about an inch. and the bolts were still an inch shy of the nuts . I wound up using a C-clamp to close the gap. I'm dreading the eventual heater core replacement
I like exhaust work least, brakes just before that. What I really hate is rushed jobs; I'll put up with most anything if I can stop when tired and get back to it later.
During a resto, here's the ones I don't look forward to at all:
Removing/installing front springs
Straightening radiator and condenser fins
Reinstalling the gas tank (however, long "starting" bolts help)
Realigning side glasses after complete removal - especially on convertibles
Anything having to do withe the belt line trim on 68-69's
Installing new front fender well splash sheilds (A frame flaps)
Wasn't thinking about the side glass. Yes, that is for sure the worst. Not sure how bad that will be on the 62 but I almost think it is going to be easier on it than the 70 was.
I like exhaust work least, brakes just before that. What I really hate is rushed jobs; I'll put up with most anything if I can stop when tired and get back to it later.
I quit doing exhaust work. I did on the W-30 but that was a full restoration and they have those pipes down pretty good. I will not be doing it on my Jetfire or any future car again
Anything I have to do over again, cause I screwed something up.
^^^x2. Also, I wouldn't say I "hate" doing anything to my '72 Supreme, because I absolutely enjoy tinkering on it. For me, it's more like what's the most "frustrating" thing, and if I had to pick one, I would say removing the back seat and the rear interior panels to do any work inside the quarter panels.
I like exhaust work least, brakes just before that. What I really hate is rushed jobs; I'll put up with most anything if I can stop when tired and get back to it later.
Agreed. I love working on cars. I LOATHE working on cars I have to drive the next day. Being able to walk away when frustrated or something doesn't go quite right makes all the difference in the world.
Most jobs on older cars are tolerable. Time constraints on vehicles are a huge dread, but the biggest factor in my world is doing maintenance in 100+ degree heat. Constantly wiping stinging sweat from your eyes, wet clothing, sweat contamination on plated surfaces. Just overall discomfort. It can drive you to temporarily lower your quality of work standards for the sake of comfort. I generally save detail work for fair weather. It finally cooled off around here so I’ve been working on building up the dash on our wagon this weekend.
I’m doing my heater core now. Took about 2-1/2 hours to get it out, I’m hoping the reverse will go about the same. Definitely not as bad as I expected but definitely not a lot of fun.
I gotta say, I did front springs on a 70 cutlass today and did not enjoy one bit of it. These things fought me the whole way. Probably didn't help it was just a bare frame with no weight of anything to help?
Probably one of the jobs I hate most....and Ive done a lot of jobs. Glad its over. What do you guys dread doing?
next time you need to replace springs weight, either use a spring compressor, or use the MacGuyver method. Hook one end of a chain to you floor jack, go up over the frame, then hook the other end to the other side of the Jack. Now when you try to raise the control arm with no weight, the chain will keep the chassis from lifting instead of the control arm.
Anything that requires the work being done by feel. I have big hands, they don’t fit into cramped places easily. I hate not being able to see what I’m doing. I’d I’d like to know who the ******* is that put all the razor blades inside doors!! I swear, anytime I do anything inside a door my hands are shredded!
This doesn't really compare to a lot of the nasty jobs mentioned above but the hardest thing I did on my 63 Starfire was changing the rear engine / trans mounts with everything in the car. Got 'er done but ached for a week!
Changing the dash pad on a 70 to 72 Cutlass and changing the headlight switch with the courtesy light over the switch all with the dash pad in place. Miserable work.
Rust !. I hate working on rusty cars that's about it. Repairing it is a different story but diving into a car and trying to work around rust sucks. Compared to some of the stuff i do day to day . working on old cars is a breeze for the most part.
Anything where I have to work under the car on a creeper (I don't have a lift). At 73 and a few pounds (I wish it was only a few) overweight, it is a pain to get on and off the creeper. Plus it is the dirtiest part of the car.
Changing the dash pad on a 70 to 72 Cutlass and changing the headlight switch with the courtesy light over the switch all with the dash pad in place. Miserable work.
Rust !. I hate working on rusty cars that's about it. Repairing it is a different story but diving into a car and trying to work around rust sucks. Compared to some of the stuff i do day to day . working on old cars is a breeze for the most part.
Rust is miserable but those pictures make me feel ashamed to complain..........
Front springs are easy when you have the correct tool and follow the CSM process. Burroughs Tool BT-6505.
The jobs I hate (besides rust repair) are reinstalling the front cover after doing a timing chain in the car, and exhaust work when you are under the car and rust is continually falling in your face. Oh, and dropping the gas tank.
Joe I had a welding shop make me a 1 inch steel puck to compress the spring on the control arm with the conventional spring compressor. i use the puck under the control arm like in the illustration .
25 Years ago doing my body off , I had the frame at my neighbors garage and the body 2 doors up at my house, I was assembling the front end with my neighbor and with him sitting on the frame and me pushing down on a bare frame and a jack under the a arm, I could not get the ball joint enough thru the spindle to get it started, then my neighbors wife pulls in and he says come here a minute, has her sit on the front frame rail and I can start the bolt,and then did the other side, he was probably 225, and she was much bigger, I said thanks and she walked away, this was the times that Spandex was popular, neon colors, green and orange and yellow, and not just pants but tops and bottoms, and this day she had on the yellow, I'll never forget him turning to me and saying I'm in trouble when I get in the house!, He later ran off with his 20 something sons girlfriend, I still see him at cruises and he tells this story to all my friends
October 9th, 2019, 06:28 PM
and the bolts were still an inch shy of the nuts 
. I wound up using a C-clamp to close the gap. I'm dreading the eventual heater core replacement 
