curious on how old people are
 

Just curious on how old people are that are still crawling under their car to do work on it. I have no idea how old is too old, I guess its when the body says it is but at 57 I'm still getting under the car and don't feel too old.

Local mechanic I think is in his 70's or 80's but he has a ramp to lift the cars up.

macafee2

Your only 57 didn't have you a day over 70 my judgement must be off lol

I'm 36 and useless at undoing bolts

I am 60, unfortunately its conditon not age.

I can't do anything too low, under the car would be a no no

I can work all day under the car, it's getting back up that's the problem:duh::D
64 btw;)

I concur, I am 63 in a few weeks, once I'm down I'm okay until I have to get back up again ...

I'm not old. but.

6 months ago I would almost tackle anything car related, ( I'll admit I'm rubbish- with electrics - it's witch craft! )
But after doing my back in, I feel like I've aged about 20 years over night.

It is totally down to what state your body is in. Everyone ages differently, if you've had some for of trauma at some point and you've damaged yourself will have a bearing on how "flexible" you still are and what you can do.

I'm hoping things will improve, but it's been 6 months for me. It's frustrating.

Oh, I'm 45.

Richard

61 and quite happy to pay someone else to do it. I have no mechanical aptitude whatsoever, neither do I want to learn:D

I'm 68 and have replaced front discs and pads, rear upper suspension arms (including stripping rust, priming, painting and rustproofing subframe and all other rear suspension parts), stripped and cleaned rear brakes (including derusting, priming and gloss painting exposed metal parts), full lube service (engine and auto box) and MOT preparation (including cleaning brake pipes and waxing- the car, not me!), this last year! It takes much longer than it used to (but doesn't everything!).:D

Discs, pads, suspension arms, stripping rust, painting exposed parts, full lube job, serviced and waxed at 68. Wow. What about the car?

The last time I actually got under the car I dozed off. At 76 and 6/12 my back has gone, my neck is awol, and my hip is looking at travel sites. Draw a veil over the rest. But I enjoy every minute of every day. If I'd known how long I was going to last I'd have done a lot more really bad things.

About to turn 55 and renew my HGV license as I’m now made redundant. Felt fine until my cancer treatment 2 years ago and now my body aches after 30 minutes under any car. Can’t complain as the outcome could have been worse. Another grandchild soon hopefully.

53 in a couple of weeks and still crawling about underneath these bloomin things!

Circumstances have made me active most of my life "get on with it because the fairies arnt going to do it for you" was the mantra from early years so I have done well but I have difficulty working under cars, as has been said its getting up is the NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-, and also seeing the work- always seem to be too near or far,and no way near as strong, but many are not as well so Im thankful. Seen two Kings and our Queen(God bless her). Chris.S.:}

I've found that modern car Jacks don't seem to lift as high as they used to be :D..


But losing a stone has helped :o..


Big 70 next year :eek:



C

I am 74,mentally i feel fit for my age.fit enough to get under the car,but the tablets i take to slow heart beat and thin the blood, leave me with a lack of energy to do physical things over anything other than a short time. (Yes even that.);)

At 63, I look at the things I did 5 years ago, and think, "Who was that fit young man?" Nothing serious, just increasing aches, pains and stiffness, accompanied by a general loss of condition and stamina that makes jobs that I would tackle and complete in a morning, take all day or longer - so it becomes a vicious circle - the more I lie on a cold garage floor (especially at this time of year), the more I ache, the less I persevere, the more cuppas I drink!

I'm 47. Happy to roll under but I can only really do cleaning, wire brushing, painting etc and very minor jobs as I don't have the knowledge, or sometimes strength.

I’m as old as my tongue but slightly older than my teeth. Arthritis and other health issues prevents me working on the cars, like others I can get Down onto the ground but getting back up is something else.

I’ll be 70 in December.

I'll be 61 in December and still under my old Ford every day scrapping off the underseal and welding (on my back) the moth holes. I hate the idea of reaching the point where I can't do what I used to do at 18.

Never thought I'd one day resonate with this song........

The Oldest Swinger In Town

When you score with
a chick in a disco bar
take her home in
your hairy little car
Then you find you
went to school with
her Ma and PA
you're the oldest
swinger in town

When you won't
look in a mirror
in the light of day
swear you dyed it
when your hair turns grey
When you zip up
your Wranglers and
your belly's in the way
you're the oldest
swinger in town

Here you come
and there you go
wire wheel-spokes
and a stereo
But the engine's clapped
and the driver also
is the oldest
swinger in town

When your barber takes
a little less time each week
the kids don't understand
a word you speak
When you walk into a disco
and they offer you a seat
you're the oldest
swinger in town

You prefer a pint of mild
to Bacardi and coke
the sounds are too loud
and there's too much smoke
You'd like another dance
but you're scared
you'll have a stroke
you're the oldest
swinger in town

Here you come
with your chest all bare
a little gold ingot
and a lot of gold hair
Like the disco king
meets Yogi bear
you're the oldest
swinger in town

When you're feeling as
stiff as a skinhead's boot
rub on Vick where
you used to splash brut
And the latest punk
fashion is your wedding suit
you're the oldest
swinger in town

When you have
to go shopping
for your sex appeal
Travolta shades
and nine-inch heels
You say a man is just as
old as the woman he feels
you're the oldest
swinger in town

Here you come with
your lips closed tight
you never smile
you know it
wouldn't look right
'Cause your dentures glow
in ultra-violet light
you're the oldest
swinger in town
oldest swinger in town

And you look so mean
'cause your pants
are too tight
you're the oldest
swinger in town

And it takes you all night
to do what you used
to do all night
you're the oldest
swinger in town...

49 for me , but after the heart attack I struggle with things I didn't think twice about doing before.
Very very slowly getting my confidence back with cars

Stan

Just had my 46th birthday a couple of weeks ago.

A mere whipper snapper compared to some of you. Gives me optimism that I have plenty of years spannering left in me yet!

With a Rover Coupe turbo and a 75 it is probably just as well.

I ache a bit more and feel stiff next day if I am on the floor for any time but otherwise ok.

no sheet sherlock, oh god how I know about you and bolts:D
Your never going to live that one down. Exhaust is back on by the way:D


macafee2

Hi Im 56 yrs nearly 57 yrs still going under the car to do jobs,Last major job was clutch on my rover 75 Diesel in winter while snowing outside on my own using primative methods of lifting and lowering gearbox with wood and rope lol.

Never to old to learn but keep forgetting how old i am sometimes and end up feeling it a few days later.

when did you have your HA? Mine was about 4 years ago. For a few months I walked as slow as a snail but my way of thinking was
( I wont use exact words as although not intended may cause offence)
think like an "ill person" be an "ill person" and I anit going to be "ill"
I can walk 13 miles and I got to jogging 3 miles, never in my life could I have done that before, not even as a child or teenager

macafee2

glad that there are other old farts, slip of the fingers, I mean older gentlemen getting under the car, gives me confidence I will still be able to do it in a few years time.
I put carpet on the floor of the garage to lay on, warmer and softer then the concrete floor. I hope my body allows me to carry on as right now I don't want to give it up.
Digging, now that is something that does my back in.

macafee2

61 in a couple of weeks. Used to be a keen runner but arthritic knees put and end to that. Put paid to my karate as well :mad:. I still hit the gym 6 days a week though, and can manage 70 press ups at a time so a bit of life left in the old dog yet :}

In terms of car work, I leave that to folk who know what they're doing, but I'm happy to get the wheels off once a month or so for cleaning the arches, wheel backs etc.

I find the biggest draw back of ageing is that niggling injuries are easier to pick up and take longer to heal.

Cliff

Been crawling about under quite a variety of car all my life and can't seem to stop. I am a bit suspicious of garage mechanics after having watched some of them at work.

A garage near us had a promo on selling and fitting brake shoes. On the rear of my wife's car.
When I got home there were some odd noises from the brake drums so I took it back to the garage. The shoes had been wrongly fitted and I had to explain to the mechanic how to fit them ---:eek::eek::eek:

At the moment I have to put the under tray back on my R75.

Recently I find I can get a headache if I stay under the car too long. Apart from that I have no problem even at my age of EIGHTY TWO.-------------( 82. )

That gave me a laugh Wraymond ... in particular the painting of exposed parts. :D

86 in November, worked full time from age 15 to 73 a lot of it shiftwork.
I think I deserve a break and let someone better qualified service my car.
Oh and don't forget the new hip and the pacemaker. (NHS are Brilliant) :D:D

Pace maker ???

My wife had one fitted earlier this year.

Tried to get them to tune it up but they wouldn't wear it.---:D:D:D

You're a month older than my mother..........mind you she doesn't drive the 75 tourer as fast as you do your car :eek:

Me, mentally I'm ten, but I received a 50 New Pence coin for my first birthday ;)

Brian :D

Well I am 73 (74 in January) and have just swapped the engine in my 75 and still do all the jobs needed on the car:shrug:;)

I turn 63 in a couple of weeks and have some of the ailments the others mentioned; Arthritis, bad knees, bad back and I have had a pacemaker since 2002. A couple of years ago I was upgraded to an implanted defibrillator. No issues with that yet and I do most of my own work on my cars.
Last visit with my cardiologist she ran the diagnostics (with a T4 sort of computer) and told me I had had an arrhythmia episode on March 8th. Curious as to what I did that day I checked the dates on the pictures in my phone and what did I see...Pictures of my changing the gearbox on my MGF!
So, last month I changed the clutch on my ZT190 but for the first time ever I paid someone else to do it for me. No sense taking chances! :D
I am still doing everything that doesn't involve heavy lifting though.
(Also, no welding :eek: )

It was last November 5th , and happened whilst doing some work on the wife's car.
Fitness wise I'm not too bad , still overweight but can go for a decent walk.
Just get nervous anytime I have to crawl under a car

Stan

that's an impressive age, some don't even live to see that age

macafee2

after my heart attack I was a bit nervous of the speed of heart beat when jogging. At first I was not allowed to take it more then 120 bpm but then Doc's said it's not a problem, it did go up a bit after the all clear. There was talk of me being given an implanted defibrillator and that would have meant the end of motorcycling for me. I cried with relief when they said it was not needed. Love waiting for the lorry in front to clear and winding the throttle open, lower head, bend forward and hang on tight:D
Pocket rockets!

macafee2

I am 73 in a few days and still tackle jobs that present themselves, car and elsewhere albeit I am cautious about tackling any real heavy work (don't want another hernia thanks).
Also cautious about jobs under the car where its difficult to work e.g. got garage to change front susp arm bushes. Not ready to hang tools up yet.

I'm 57 and still get underneath the car (in the summer at least as I haven't got a garage). I spend the rest of the day picking gravel out of my bum though.

One thing about tools is you get attached to them. Not accidently, although that’s happened too, but they become so familiar they and you become friends.

I started my first real job in 1959 as an apprentice Instrument Artificer with ICI. In the very early days at the training centre in Widnes we had to make our own selection of hand tools. Calipers, T and try squares, pointer lifters, G clamps, a hand vice with all screwcutting, machining and knurling done on a lathe.

All cut from a raw steel billet then sawn, filed and machined. Some of them required blind riveting and a measure of the standard was that you must not be able to see the rivet head after hammering flat into the countersink. See pic for some of mine, still using them today. The strip glass cutter, front on the left, is more recent and made in my last venture into the world of capitalism as a stained glass artist/teacher/contractor/installer/distributor for a major importer.

Celia did the worst thing she could have done by misplacing the G clamp once. ‘Borrowed’ it to stop the tumble dryer from vibrating and fixed it between the casing and the wall, at the back so it wouldn’t be seen. I kid you not. I was looking for that blessed thing everywhere for ages. I won’t repeat the outcome on here, I know how tender your ears are.




https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...c3fede718b.jpg

Well, yes. I understand that 'Heritage' firm Farrow and Ball do an attractive range for the specific purpose. It ranges from Blushing Pink to Purple Bloom. Quite fetching too. Sadly, you have to draw the curtains.

I started as an apprentice tool maker in 1954. Seems like we had very similar starts and yes I've still got several of those tools I had to make.

Really, so you still ride a bike ???

What is it ??


The pic below is me on my current bike. Done 30,000 miles in the last ten years.

https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/a...4&d=1509824674

67 in January, changed the front wheels to winter tyres this lunch time, took me 30 mins on my drive, wrenched my back because I can't kneel down, so loaded the other two wheels into the boot and took them to my local tyre centre. Took them 10 mins to turn one tyre round (noticed both tyres were for the nearside) re-balance and swap them over. They even put the summer tyres and wheels in the boot for me, only charged me £10. Bargain and much easier for me.

I'm 78 & still get under the car. Mind you getting up from it is becoming a problem!

Try clenching your cheeks to prevent gravel ingress. :getmecoat:

Wow, i passed the selection test for an apprenticeship in the ICI in Runcorn with the intention of following in my fathers footsteps. Hanging in his shed was a home made G clamp from those days also.

I didnt accept the apprenticeship in the end, because i wanted to be an electrician but they wouldn’t guarantee this at the start. They said first year would be general skills and depending on how I did i might end up as a Brick layer or a welder. Kind of wish I’d done that welding now.

I still have one or two tools from when I was a trainee apprentice 40 years ago. My scribe is often used but my go no go gauge has long gone. Skills I was taught then I still use.
Something I learnt, never used but never forgotten

bye bye Rossie off you go Bristol via Great Western.
know what it is? :)


macafee2

I have to clench when I get from under the car but not to stop ingress ... :eek:

Well it's a long story but I'll cut a few corners. My father had worked in the factory since the war and it was every Dad's ambition for his lad to get into the Instrument Shop. I did the entrance exam at a trot but hated what the job turned out to be. I was the first apprentice in the yard to have his indentures cancelled (!) and Dad was not pleased. It even made the Runcorn Weekly News. I was into Skiffle, Rock 'n Roll and Blues and earned a bit doing that. Happy days!

You didn't get caught putting yourself about in the typists pool did you ???-:eek:

Back problems are blummin awful - two degenerated discs squashed my sciatic nerve a few years ago then my right knee gave up and, as you say, it aged me overnight. A lifetime of riding motorbikes and flippin gardening does the damage :¬(
Having said that I find being under the car fine, it bending for jobs under the bonnet or in the footwell that gets tricky. Most of all I miss Squash & Badminton & chucking the grandkids about.

Well at least you got a G-clamp out of it.

I beg your very pardon! I've never put myself about anywhere. I am a shrinking violet.

There has been the odd occasion when I would have preferred, nay needed, the pointer lifter.

Having this back problem is probably the worst thing I've ever had.
I've broken bones that haven't hurt this much.
I've had surgery, the healing from that hasn't hurt this much.
My sciatic nerve is trapped on my left leg, but my right leg keeps dropping out from under me.
Really weird.
I have a doctors appointment tomorrow to discuss my MRI scan results.
Lets hope surgery isn't high on the list!

Actual age is 38.

Physical age is about 83. :(

Yes, I do ... even though the version I was taught was less PC to put it mildly. :eek: :getmecoat:

Me too :D

For those who are wondering, it's resistor colour banding ;)

Brian :cool:

it is indeed:D

macafee2

I've seen the doctor today.
Not the best news. I'm being referred to a spinal specialist, the doctor thinks there is a good chance I need an operation on my lower back.

The wait time before I see the specialist? Approx 2 months!

I've had better days.