commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Anyone ever raise their car on their lift and forget to close the hood first. 
So... What did I learn today?
- Thread starter Big_John
- Start date
Haven't done that one... Yet...Anyone ever raise their car on their lift and forget to close the hood first.
Why do you think some shops with low ceilings have big foam rubber pads on the ceiling above their hoists? Lol...
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
Wouldn't have helped in my case.
Hood went through the ceiling.
Had to remove hood, replace the spring/hinge/bracket thingamabob, and reinstall the hood.
By myself.
In the snow uphill both ways.
I'm reminded of an old friend's brand new Chevy shop truck. This was in the late 70's.
His speed shop was across from an Olds/Buick dealership and they did some business with him so he sent his new truck over for its first oil change. I guess they weren't used to having trucks and the guy changing oil put the truck right into the ceiling. Crushed the cab down so bad they had to replace it.
I remember seeing small holes in the ceiling above some lifts in commercial shops. Antenna holes!
His speed shop was across from an Olds/Buick dealership and they did some business with him so he sent his new truck over for its first oil change. I guess they weren't used to having trucks and the guy changing oil put the truck right into the ceiling. Crushed the cab down so bad they had to replace it.
I remember seeing small holes in the ceiling above some lifts in commercial shops. Antenna holes!
LOL!! I can see AND hear that experience!
68PK21 440.6bbl
Old Man with a Hat
ahhhh the bane of these new above ground lifts... heh heh.Anyone ever raise their car on their lift and forget to close the hood first.
Two of the best garages I did work in all had 20ft 30ft(?) ceilings plus like a old time shop from the early 20th Century had walls of windows to let plenty of natural light in, ala:
I did my 440 6bbl swap into my 2nd 1968 PK21 in a early 1920's garage that had a illegal 'Grease Pit' you know the kind that only has one point of egress. Nice garage 3 large garage doors into a wide open (no posts) floor space that you could easily park 7 large vehicles in. I take it that it was a 4 garage door shop but at one time someone closed off the right side door to make a entranceway. Had a very large all glass enclosed wash down bay out on the right side of the building, almost like a greenhouse. Workbenches all around the perimeter walls with the windows just like in the picture above except for one section that was a toolroom.
Only thing lacking was a overhead chain fall.
The John Deere dealership I worked in had a electric 20 ton chain fall that could reach just about everywhere in the shop, NICE!
The Truck lift mod shop I worked in was 'Old Century' style, may have been a very small car dealership way back in the day. Even had a small showroom. My single post inground lift was right out front with a huge (watch me work) plate glass window, same deal with walls of windows around the back on the north & east sides minus the work benches. The place could hold well over a dozen pickups in it minus the single car size showroom.
I had a opportunity to get into the place when the Truck mod selling guy went belly up as I had a good rapport with the owner of the fairly large body shop next door and at one time when I stopped by to stare into the window to see what was going on, he was giving me the nudge nudge... but I figured I'd be obligated to do all his mechanical work that his body guys couldn't figure out and I already said no to that one with my cousin's husbands body shop. Plus also there was a contractor that was just using the place to store his vintage dump truck collection and I didn't want to get into the family politics(?) 'bout them. I had enough of a time with "Have you seen him around lately? He owes us MONEY!" when I make a appearance at many of my local parts suppliers.
I wanted to keep my longtime friendship with him as just that.
The only close mishap I had at the Truck Mod shop with the single post lift was when I almost pitched a brand new Jeep off it as it reached the top. The lift was old and had a fluid leak and would get air into the cylinder so at times it would get a little 'bouncy' if you raised it too fast. I complained to the shop owner and he had some service company come by to fix it but I take it they just filled it up with fluid and bleed the air out as it was good for awhile but came back to it's bouncy state within a few months time. It was at my final days of this big wheel truck lift kit foolishness as if I remember I had already done the full 'Monty' on the Jeep only to see it in front of my bay door one morning arriving at the shop. "What's this back for?" I asked the shop owner, "Tires rub, we got to lift the body", o'tay where's the kit? We don't got one... WTF it doing here then? Nobody makes a kit yet... go to the hardware store and get longer bolts, then the sporting goods store and get a shitload of hockey pucks...
I had already been through lengthening the sway bar links as the serious spring lift ****** that all up and the shop owner just said "leave the sway bar off it then" ARE YOU F'IN INSANE! It's a CJ5 FFS!.
Soooo... I wasn't to thrilled about seeing this one back, and I can't remember but I think I got as far as getting all the bolts & hockey pucks and when I lifted the Jeep up and in the mood I was in I forgot all about the bouncy lift and in the final stage it went POP with the Jeep taking a hop and shifting on the pads. Luckily I don't remember it leaning or it did any undercarriage damage and I put it right back down. I think I got as far as trying to drill out the bolt holes in the pucks and remember how drilling through rubber sucks and I walked on the whole deal.
Then everywhere else was like working in a cave.
Dream shop (never going to happen)
.
Another lift story... Probably told this before.
I was in my buddy Dave's shop. They pulled a 2nd gen Firebird in and the guy working for him set the pads on one side while he did the other... Big mistake. There were probably 6 guys standing there at the time. Dave put the car up and when it was all the way, it started teetering.... Everyone ran out, scared the car was coming down. Everyone except Dave and I. Dave pushed up on the car (Dave was a strong guy) and I squatted down to work the lift.... It was an old two post lift with the 3 handles built into the floor. One handle did the front, one did the rear and one did both. You had to be a little patient with it and really watch what you are doing... We got the car down and Dave yelled at everyone except me.
I miss Dave... One of those guys that didn't need the big fancy toolbox, but he could fix anything. He died way too young. I still see his son fairly regularly.
I was in my buddy Dave's shop. They pulled a 2nd gen Firebird in and the guy working for him set the pads on one side while he did the other... Big mistake. There were probably 6 guys standing there at the time. Dave put the car up and when it was all the way, it started teetering.... Everyone ran out, scared the car was coming down. Everyone except Dave and I. Dave pushed up on the car (Dave was a strong guy) and I squatted down to work the lift.... It was an old two post lift with the 3 handles built into the floor. One handle did the front, one did the rear and one did both. You had to be a little patient with it and really watch what you are doing... We got the car down and Dave yelled at everyone except me.
I miss Dave... One of those guys that didn't need the big fancy toolbox, but he could fix anything. He died way too young. I still see his son fairly regularly.
New stool.
It is identical to my old NAPA stool except the foam seat is a little thicker and the vinyl looks a little less robust. Works nice and rolls well, so I'm good.
A little added bling.
It is identical to my old NAPA stool except the foam seat is a little thicker and the vinyl looks a little less robust. Works nice and rolls well, so I'm good.
A little added bling.
commando1
Old Man with a Hat
And room for one trash can.. SMH
Those shiny floors are a deathtrap when anything is spilled on them. Nice looking, but just sayin'...
I see three trash bins in that pic... zoom in. But I'm so neat when I work, I wouldn't need one anyhow...
...yeah, right!
I see three trash bins in that pic... zoom in. But I'm so neat when I work, I wouldn't need one anyhow...
...yeah, right!
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rags
Senior Member
a clean shop is not making money.
Those shiny floors are a deathtrap when anything is spilled on them. Nice looking, but just sayin'...
I see three trash bins in that pic... zoom in. But I'm so neat when I work, I wouldn't need one anyhow...
I see one used rag container, and two trash cans.
300rag
It's Not Going to Shift Itself
That is never, ever going to look like that again once the first car comes through the door.Dream shop (never going to happen)
.
Fair enough! Lol!I see one used rag container, and two trash cans.
68PK21 440.6bbl
Old Man with a Hat
68PK21 440.6bbl
Old Man with a Hat
Welcome to the new Super Auto Malls. I was thinking about where that dream garage photo was or if it was a cgi creation. The 1st photo I found looking for in ground lifts lead back to the Rotary Lifts (Made in USA) site in Indiana but didn't lead me to believe it was an actual building so I chucked the photo into Google Image search with limited luck as many suppliers ie Tool cabinets/work benches manufacturer, Floor coatings, etc use that image to highlight there products. But a little more scrolling and came up with a Constructors website with a gallery highlighting their projects which shows some similar facilities.
Team Toyota Body & Service Center
Langhorne, Pennsylvania - 142,250 Square Feet
McLean-Shortall, Architects
I'm sure there are other Mega facilities for service around the country (or world), Fedex/UPS comes to mind.
.
Team Toyota Body & Service Center
Langhorne, Pennsylvania - 142,250 Square Feet
McLean-Shortall, Architects
I'm sure there are other Mega facilities for service around the country (or world), Fedex/UPS comes to mind.
.
You know what I see when I look at those squeaky clean garages with everything set up just the same... Same tool boxes etc.
I see another attack on the trades. This means "your tools aren't good enough" and "we can pay you less because you don't have to provide tools". Then when they quit those jobs, they have a lot of specific car line training, but no general experience and no tools that you would need to work at Joe's Garage.
I saw this in factories... Management was going out of their way to eliminate personal tools of the trade. The explanation was always that "then they use good, calibrated tools that we have control over". Again... Keeping the trades down to the level where they can hire anyone.
Believe me... It's all part of being able to pay less and not give two shits and a popsicle about experience or ability.
Rant/off
I see another attack on the trades. This means "your tools aren't good enough" and "we can pay you less because you don't have to provide tools". Then when they quit those jobs, they have a lot of specific car line training, but no general experience and no tools that you would need to work at Joe's Garage.
I saw this in factories... Management was going out of their way to eliminate personal tools of the trade. The explanation was always that "then they use good, calibrated tools that we have control over". Again... Keeping the trades down to the level where they can hire anyone.
Believe me... It's all part of being able to pay less and not give two shits and a popsicle about experience or ability.
Rant/off
70bigblockdodge
Old Man with a Hat
This ^^^^^^^
I gotta say that being a auto "tech" these days just looks like the worst job one could have. Basically become a parts changer, parts that a computer has told them is bad. Now I know that's not how it works, but to the outside world that is how it seems. Then the customer, who does not want to be there in the first place, is frustrated with why you can't fix their car since the computer told you what is wrong.
Then throw in warranty work and comebacks from the other idiots you work with. Ahhhhhhggg miserable. You're right Big John, dumbing it down to lowest possible wages, by making human robots.
I gotta say that being a auto "tech" these days just looks like the worst job one could have. Basically become a parts changer, parts that a computer has told them is bad. Now I know that's not how it works, but to the outside world that is how it seems. Then the customer, who does not want to be there in the first place, is frustrated with why you can't fix their car since the computer told you what is wrong.
Then throw in warranty work and comebacks from the other idiots you work with. Ahhhhhhggg miserable. You're right Big John, dumbing it down to lowest possible wages, by making human robots.
3175375
Senior Member
I recently watched a YouTube video that entailed using an R1234 xx refrigerant recovery/charging station and the ‘we know what’s best for you’ attitude is all over that equipment. If it determines that there’s a leak during charging (it checks pressures often during charging), it stops.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it alerts the air resources board for frequent leak issues.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it alerts the air resources board for frequent leak issues.
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