Seniors: How old are you and how long do you plan on Working On your 911?

[RWebb]

DIY companion thread to the driving one


also, state whether you own a lift or just crawl under the car, lying on the cold, hard concrete as a form of punishment...

[pete3799]

60
Till I can't swing a wrench any more.
No lift (yet)
My floor is warm though (radiant heat)
Was just laying on it this morning (sans creeper) to pull a new fresh air drain hose out the bottom of the 911.

[Tilikum Turbo]

I have had my car since 2000, and it's part of the family. As long as I am physically capable of driving it AND doing the routine maintenance, then I will keep it.
I really don't have to work on it since it's all stock, and I don't beat/abuse the car, and NOTHING ever breaks.

As 2nd owner, the man whom I bought it off was about 5 feet high...and 91 years old. He BOUGHT the car new in 1983(when he was 75). He nearly broke my hand when I shook it.

I asked him why now he was selling it. He response was, "after driving it for the past 17 years, I thought it was time for a change".

[Iciclehead]

I am almost 58, still doing my 6 speed in to an early '89 Carrera, plus backdate, plus removal of sunroof, plus removal of drip rails, plus full repaint, engine build etc etc. I fully expect to be working on it until I am moved out of my house in a pine box.....

If anything, working on the car makes me stretch and limbers me up somewhat...

Dennis

[Jerome74911S]

Originally Posted by pete3799

60
Till I can't swing a wrench any more.
No lift (yet)
My floor is warm though (radiant heat)
Was just laying on it this morning (sans creeper) to pull a new fresh air drain hose out the bottom of the 911.

So you found the right hose, Pete? Where?

I just came into the house - off of my creeper. At 70 getting up and down from the creeper is a pain, but I don't see any reason to stop doing it, unless all I accomplish is to screw up the car. Then I'll quit, but I don't think it's screwed up enough yet.

[74-911]

67 - just completely rebuilt the front suspension and R & R'd air box. No lift, just jackstands and a creeper and cardboard to crawl around on. I will continue to work on it until I am not physically able or just don't want to anymore - whichever occurs first.

It occurred to me I am getting too old for this....

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by RWebb

also, state whether you own a lift or just crawl under the car, lying on the cold, hard concrete as a form of punishment...

I am 57 1/2.

I am just now buying a lift for my sort-of semi retirement business.

I make a modest income and don't see quitting until in my 70's.

I like it and I enjoy it and I still have old man muscle.

Regarding the 911. 18 years now on my back wrenching on it. Lift will have to provide another 15 years, barring the obvious anomalies with getting old.

[weseeeee]

At 51 I only do simple jobs that don't require me to get under the car.

[glennspiegler]

Got my 88 911 in 1993. 250,000 miles. 60 yo, Till death do us part.

[Rodsrsr]

Originally Posted by weseeeee

At 51 I only do simple jobs that don't require me to get under the car.

Dude.........seriously? Get to a gym and fast, and start stretching, your too young to be talking like that. I just turned 50 recently and the sport I'm involved in is a lot harder on your body then crawling under a car. A 50 year old man who stretched every day will generally move around better than a 35 year old that never stretches.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Rodsrsr

Dude.........seriously? Get to a gym and fast, and start stretching, your too young to be talking like that.

Hold on there. I got a life-long pal that's 62 and has six cool cars that I maintain. He told me that once he passed sixty he was able to place in the top two or three in his age class with his stoopid mountain bike racing fetish. He hates getting under the car unless I am there. Just absolutely hates the work.

So context is important. Just saying.

[pete3799]

Originally Posted by Jerome74911S

So you found the right hose, Pete? Where?

I just came into the house - off of my creeper. At 70 getting up and down from the creeper is a pain, but I don't see any reason to stop doing it, unless all I accomplish is to screw up the car. Then I'll quit, but I don't think it's screwed up enough yet.

Aubuchon Hardware.......love that place.
Washing machine drain hose. It's rubber as opposed to the stock plastic that was in the car. One end is flared in two stages the widest being too big.... cut at the next smallest....perfect fit on the fresh air plenum. The other end has a molded U shape to it but you cut it off way before the U part and it fits just right through the exit hole in the bottom.

[zippy_gg]

58 and no lift for the car, but I have one for the bike.
I crawl on the floor and under the car using moving blankets; they are large and padded and do the job. The concrete is hard and coldish (I'm in SOCAL) and the garage is always open when I wrench.
Not planning on stopping wrenching anytime soon.
Yes I should stretch so I would feel better than a 35 YO who doesn't...

[timmy2]

Guess I almost qualify as a senior, AARP keeps sending me crap!
Turning 52 this June, had my left hip resurfaced due to an old hockey injury 4 years ago. (New ball joint)
Yes, the clutch leg!

I bought the car and a mid rise lift 2 1/2 years ago. Dropped the engine & trans twice so far.
Use moving blankets to sit on under the car. (I'm 6'2" so sitting or crouching is the best position to work under the car)
I have worked physically most of my adult life as a power electrician climbing, carrying and wrenching all day long until becoming a foreman off the tools 6 years ago.
I need to do this type of work just to keep what muscle mass has been diminishing since becoming a desk jockey!
Front suspension is next to do followed by a strip, sand and repaint.

I also have my '69 442 ragtop to finish the bodywork on, paint and reassemble completely. It currently has no interior or wiring or engine installed. No wonder my garage seems cluttered...

I can't see stopping for another 25 years unless something unplanned prevents me from doing it.

[MikeD930]

Originally Posted by RWebb

DIY companion thread to the driving one


also, state whether you own a lift or just crawl under the car, lying on the cold, hard concrete as a form of punishment...

If you have to ask then you are too old.

[steve84]

Dude.........seriously? Get to a gym and fast, and start stretching, your too young to be talking like that. I just turned 50 recently and the sport I'm involved in is a lot harder on your body then crawling under a car. A 50 year old man who stretched every day will generally move around better than a 35 year old that never stretches.

+1 on the stretching. I'm 53 and at 48, I started taking kickboxing classes. At the beginning of each class, we do 5 minutes of stretching and 10 minutes at the end. They strongly advocate stretching to combat the aging process. I'm now a green belt, half way to a black belt. In addition to working on my car, I also enjoy sparring with guys 20 to 30 years younger than me. I feel that it keeps me young, which I need with 3 kids (10, 8, & 5).

[Jack Stands]

At 62, I still enjoy working on/ under the car. However, my back and knees have issues with some of my projects, and like to go on strike.

Getting under the car is easy, it's the getting back up that's the hard part!

[mreid]

57, until I am too senile to tell the difference between my 911 and a Prius, no lift (IMO, a lift is a luxury for a 911). Just ordered a Beck 904 both as a receptical for my spare engine and as my casket (couldn't bring myself to bury a vintage 911).

[inaminit]

Almost 70 now. I work on the 2 p-cars for fun and to stretch repair $. I also enjoy reading up on repairs and how things work. I think that without the Pelican forums and classified, this would be out of reach. I bought a used 7000 lb lift about 2 years ago- what a wonderful thing for a senior-I am saving a fortune on ibuprofen. I would like to keep going until it isn't fun or the old body gives out-hoping thats a long time from now.

[skinnerd]

I'm 59 with the same car almost 25 years.
Still crawl underneath it.
Usually put a nice warm old blanket down or large beach towel.
It's not as easy as it used to be when I was 40....but still do the same old things.
Guess it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

btw... I'd love to have a lift one day.
Maybe when I build the new house.