Friday, November 28, 2025

Shade Tree Mechanics

 


21 comments:

  1. You want to orient the concrete block with the channels running vertically, it's much much stronger that way. Also put a piece of 2x8 on top to spread out the weight.

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  2. Just a casual observer, but would it not be also prudent to put a chock block behind at least one of the rear tires?

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  3. I've got that exact bumper jack. Nice unit in it's day. Practically useless with modern plastic cars.

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  4. I remember pulling an engine once from a tree limb

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    1. Pulled my wife's Vega under a big oak tree to pull the engine.

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    2. Double entendres aplenty

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  5. And one other thing, in those days you could actually get up and reach over and down and into - just about anything you needed to wrench on, inside the engine bay - there was that much room to do it :) !

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    1. Just so. My first car was a 63 Chrysler 300. The engine bay had enough room for two men, a boy, and a dog.

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  6. Brother and his Bud once changed an engine in a '36-'37 Ford. No tree-no lift. Jackassed it to the point where necessary clearance was achieved by removing front wheels. "If there ain't a way, make a way!"

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  7. Been there, done that. Hate gravel. Way before sissy gloves. I just crawled out from under a 68 Pontiac GTO, was sitting on the ground, leaning against the door when the concrete block broke apart. The falling car shoved me forward. Glad I wasn't under it when that happened. Now I have 8 jack stands, a 2-post lift and 2 floor jacks.

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  8. Reminds me of my neighbor's son and his crew with their F-250 Superduty diesels. The son is in a welding apprenticeship at the Caterpillar plant. He'll make a lot more money than my way-too-smart grandson no matter what he majors in.

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    1. Most way-too-smart people know it’s not all about the money. As long as they pull their own weight and don’t mooch their way through life, more power to them.

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  9. Dude on the left is levitating.

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  10. bumper jacks like that will get you killed fast. never trusted one and never used one. good old floor jacks and jack stands is the only way to go !
    and a good cherry picker of at least 2 tons helps a lot. some times I made more money on weekends than I did all week at my job. cash money jobs where the best. clutch and tune up for 600 was easy money back then.

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    Replies
    1. My Grandfather gave me his bumper jack 42 years ago.
      Still using it on three of my pre 80's vehicles.
      What is it that I should be looking for?

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  11. The car’s a Chevrolet Chevy II Nova SS, model year 1967 indicated by the horizontal divider across the grille.

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  12. My cousin was given a similar car in blue by my Uncle and wrecked it within the week.

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  13. Used my roomie's brand new Harbor Freight floor jack to squeeze under a van that had a lowered floor to accommodate loading power wheelchairs. After a minute, a seal let loose, which lowered the van's gas tank onto my chest and compressing it. Most terrifying moment of my life. All the onlookers were disabled so they couldn't help. I could. Just. Barely. Breathe. Fear is a powerful motivator allowing one to move in heretofore impossible ways. Once free, the jack went in the dumpster. Never again! Working on my riding mower now: a tested floor jack; two jack stands; wheel chocks; cell phone; torso never under chassis. Hey, stay safe out there!

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