For those of us who do work on our own vehicles, the facilities we have available can make a huge difference in turnaround time and general pain and expense.

I'm curious as to what others on this forum have to work with and any adaptations to their specific circumstances they've had to make.

I would enjoy hearing both successes and horror stories too.
What was the most enjoyable and productive vs the "worst day ever"?

 

we could make this into a poll with choices for working locations -- i don't believe you can add free text unless maybe in a subsequent post. I'll play around with it.

Janmar, pls pm me the list of choices for the work locations so I can set it up


Fun Fun Fun

 

Right now I have a gravel driveway that's mostly level in one area about the size of a car. The rest is all slopes. The only permanent lighting is a solar powered motion light. Drop cords and flashlights if I have to work at night. Tarps and drop cloths if it raining but I only do that when it absolutely has to be done right then. I spent way too much time in my youth working in gravel or mud at night in the rain or snow and I just don't have the patience or stamina for it anymore.

Before I moved to my current location I was spoiled by my neighbor who let me use his air conditioned shop just about anytime I wanted to.

The best day ever that I spent working on a vehicle though was in the back yard at my parents place on a mild, clear fall day. Beautiful scenery all around with the leaves all different colors and that bright blue sky you only get in the fall. I was working on my brother's 1969 Camaro and was relishing the simplicity and unclutteredness of that engine compartment. It had the 230cid straight six and it was clean (no leaks) and easy to work on.

One of the worst was when I was replacing the engine in a friends' early 80's F250 4X4. In the gravel driveway, at night, in the middle of winter with frost forming on my tools as I worked. Trying to push a cherry picker with a Ford 300cid six hanging on it through the frozen gravel is something I'd rather not have to repeat. What made it extra special was that after I got it all together and started it up the replacement knocked just as bad as the original. Out it came again and in with a second replacement. Out it came too when we found out it too had issues. Finally my buddy had mercy on me and sent it to a shop to have the original rebuilt.

 

For the past 20 years, I also had to work in a gravel driveway pretty much the way Jamnar does. BUT now, I have a two car garage with a concrete driveway. When I get caught up on the unpacking, both vehicles will go inside the garage and when I need to work on one or the other, I can back one out and use the garage! No more worrying about the frigging cold, heat, snow or rain. Well, heat is still a factor but I have a good idea on what to do with that one when and if the time comes. My kids bought me a creeper for Fathers Day and I love it. Haven't had a chance or need to use it yet, but I like having one. Got the first phone call from our first store today about the pretzels. It's a Marathon gas station/convience market. We told him we launch the first of August and now we're really getting pumped up about it. 24 more locations to make contact with as corporate lets us know where they are.

 

90% of the time I work in our gravel driveway.
I do have a carport, but that is where the tool boxes/patio table/motorcycles are.
If I move the bikes and table, I can fit my car under there. Most of the time I just don't feel like it though.

 

I work on cars wherever I can... A neighbor has a grease rack that I can drive on(barely scrapes my FMHE though) and do oil changes, etc... For most other things I work in my driveway...

Best experience so far was changing the brake caliper on my Redline... No issues whatsoever, and everything was within easy reach...

Worst so far was last week, changing the starter in my moms Taurus, in a Pizza Hut parking lot, in what felt like a monsoon... I friggin hate getting rained on while working on a car...

 

Ah yes, working in pouring rain. I got to do that 6 times in one trip home. That darn Plymouth I have will throw the serpentine belt in heavy rain. Nothing like lying in the gutter on the side of the road with a freezing river running around you while scraping knuckles trying to get that stupid belt back on.

 

Not trying to brag, but my dad and I finished building our new shop 2 years ago. 32x40, 2 bays, one with a 9000 lb lift, the other open. 2. 12x12 garage doors, concrete floor, overhead air and electric reels, and r16 insulation in the walls, and r19 in the ceiling, which is 16ft high. Electric furnace for heat. We did everything except set the trusses and pour the floor.

Before the shop, I've done my fair share of work on my back. I clutched a Freightliner FLD120 out in a corn field once on a sheet of plywood. That was total crap.

 

Is that a Voyager, Jamnar? If not, what body style and engine is it. Dayco makes a kit for that and it's had good reports from the folks that have purchased and installed it on various Mopars. If you're interested, I can steer you to a great forum for Mopars. I've been a member there for over 15 years.

 

Rube: yeah, it's a Plymouth Grand Voyager SE w/ 3.3 v6.
I've heard about a kit from Dorman but no one stocks it locally and when I've tried to look it up online it says it's for the 3.8 not the 3.3. Also I've heard about a kit, which I assume is the Dayco, to convert to a double sided belt (grooves on both sides) but it's beyond my budget at this time.
If you can steer me to a better source of info that would be great because we love that van but hate not being able to drive it in the rain.