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One of those Days working on the 'Stang
Couldn't help but notice that I'm not the only person who works all hours on the 'Stang and it's not by choice. I really think there should be a 24 hour autoparts super store. http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/smile.gif
Yesterday, Sunday, I decided to do an "easy" underdrive pulley install. I reviewed the supplied parts and everything seemed fine before I started. The odd thing was that some 3/8" coarse thread hex drive bolts were supplied. I guess I wondered why but wrote it off as just probably easier to tighten or something. I couldn't use them, anyway, since the 351W has a spacer and needs 1 1/2" bolts so I figured I'd just use the old bolts. Big mistake and I felt really stupid. Those bolts were hex drive since the bolt holes put the bolts right next to the rim of the pulley. They'd turn but there was no way to get a wrench on them, and if I was somehow able to get an open end wrench on them, there'd be no way to tighten them sufficiently. It's about 7:45pm at this point. Closest hardware store is Menards, but it closed at 7. Next closest is a Home Depot that opened in Elk River, about 15 minutes away. It closed at 6. Figured it would have weird hours. No problem, though, there's a 24 hr Home Depot in Coon Rapids. Probably 15-20 minutes from the one I'm at. I get there and they have a big sign posting their new hours. Closed at 8. Well, maybe the one in Plymouth is still open 24hrs, it's a wealthier area. That's about 20 minutes from the one I'm at. Get there, and you guessed it, closed, new hours. Now I'm dead in the water and have to wait until Red Rooster opens in the morning. They're right in downtown Rogers and 5 minutes away. They had the bolts and I was back in business. I already had the alternator pulley back on and was able to put the new bolts in for the crank pulley. I used a couple of the bolts to hold the water pump pulley temporarily since I couldn't put the fan back on until I had everything else tightened down. I put the belt back on so I could tighten all the bolts and put the fan back on. I usually put the tools and fasteners I need in my coat pocket. I didn't need the big socket I used for the alternator pulley anymore and a few other tools so I set them down. I removed the two bolts I used to temporarily hold the water pump pulley and then put the fan back on and the two bolts. I reached into my pocket for the other two bolts and they're not there, just a lock washer. They're not on the ground, they're not on my workbench, they're gone. I looked all over in the garage. No luck. I must have dropped them inside. So I looked all over the house. If I dropped them, James, my two year old, would have taken off with them and put them someplace "safe". No luck inside so I go back outside. I look some more and then realized where they were. Yep, in the big socket. This install should have taken 30 minutes and it turned into hours. Anyone else have similar experiences that they're willing to admit to? |
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It's so funny b/c it's so true. I feel your pain jimberg. Lately (the last year or so) I've been so busy that I become more and more absent minded. The list of examples extend far beyond the allowed space for a reply to a post. It just seems like every time I set my tools, guitar pics, etc, anywhere, they just walk off. So nowadays, I make myself be more observant rather than waste 30 min to an hour searching for crap (Man that pisses me off http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/mad.gif, as does parts stores closing so early on Sundays). One small example, not car related but comes to mind quickly: twice, not once, while at university, I'm looking for my book bag for close to a minute. And guess where it was. On my ******* back (i'm not pulling your leg). You're not alone. http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/smile.gif ------------------------------- '79 Mustang Coup 4" Cowl Weld wheels (15x6;15x8) Stock 5.8L C4 w/ shift kit 1 5/8" MAC shorty headers Holley 750 CFM Edelbrock Performer RPM intake 2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters 8.8" Rear end w/ 3.55 gears (Now that's more like it!!) http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/biggrin.gif Front: 225/60/15 Rear: 255/60/15 Eagle GT II 14 x 4” K&N air filter (getting the Xtreme setup soon) http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/cool.gif "Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body |
Hehe, sorry man, looks like you drove past my house at least 3 times!
Too bad it wasn't a weekday, later hours for sure! Yeah, I'm wishin WAL MART carried all that junk, hehe, that's the ultimate late night bail out store. |
I once dropped a bolt down the one of the lower intake ports...ended up that the intake valve was in the closed position (whew!) and pulled it out with one of those "grabber" thingy-ma-bobs. But I lived and learned I guess because now I always put a couple pieces of masking tape on the lower intake.
Gotta love modding the Stangs! E ------------------ 1991 5.0 LX Coupe - 38,000 miles 13.17 @ 106.14 mph w/ 2.138 60' |
I didn't mention the fact that I stopped at Wal-Mart. http://www.mustangworks.com/msgboard/smile.gif I thought I'd give it a shot but figured we needed milk anyway.
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I have that problem with exhaust and trannies. I always think, driveshaft, 4 bolts, H-pipe, 8 bolts, tranny 4 bolts, crossmember and mount, 4, and tranny, 4. About 40 minutes total, right? Wrong. About 3 hours into it I'm wishing I were amish (lot faster fixing bicycles).
Then every time I tried to fix the stupid exhaust on my '95, I would break bolts, or would have to spend twenty minutes getting it to seal. I hate that. ------------------ 95 GT Pulleys, headers, off road, 3.55's, Tremec 3550, Cobra Clutch 14.4's @ 96mph before exhaust Beats auto LS1's after Visit my homepage |
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