Build mistakes that make you say Da...

[jimw427]

Well I did all the test fitting, pre-assembly I thought I needed, got it painted and now I'm in the process of the final assembly and came acossed my first big mistake, one that once I saw it all I cound do was stand there staring, scratching my head saying da ??//

Found it when I was putting my wiper arm assemblies on the wiper post. For whatever reason (and I can come up with a dozen excuses or blame to share) I had my wiper post assembled backwards and never came close to catching it until I went to attach the arm assemblies. The rotating attachment point for the arms was set at 45 degress, but was facing the windshiled. I looked at it and thought "how the heck is this going to work"?. Well finally refered to several pictures, and the old stand by directions and admitted to myself, "they're backwards". Oh well, nothing that a little bit of careful work and a days worth of time can't fix.

It was my first issue I came acrossed during my final assembly, that after find it you sit and wonder how the heck did I get that wrong, and why the heck did I never catch it. Sure didn't think I had to prefit the wiper arms, sure thought I could have gotten that right the first time. Oh well, just thought I share this goofy mistake that left me scrathing my head say Daaaa........

Jim

[1ntCobra]

Don't you just love taking it apart to put it back together correctly?

I think Homer Simpson prefers "Doh!". I'm kind of partial to "Duh!" myself.

[Clois Harlan]

That is the only mistake you have found or that you are willing to admit? I believe we all have plenty and find more the longer we keep our cars. Some things just seem so right at the time!

I quit keeping a list of screw ups.

Clois

[Chaplain]

I guess when you look at wipers and they are tilted toward the winshield you would think the mounting hole would be that way as well, not 90 degrees from that. Your post was an "ah ha" moment for me, so thanks.

[ICBomber90]

My mistakes usually cost me skin, lots of blood on the floor of my garage.

How about the drill bit into the thumb I had to reverse the drill to remove! Ya, that was dumb...

How does it go, pain is temporary, victory is forever and chicks dig scars!

Pat, currently building FFR4630RD

[Michael P. Wole]

Mistakes??? I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken,
If you walk in the shop and bolts start undoing themselves, then you have obviosly had that part of more times than needed....I think 4 times on each new assembly is the correct number to plan for. Remember: it is the journey that you will remember.
You will get good at what you are doing with enough practice...anyway, what else is there to do all winter???

[Clois Harlan]

Just 4 times, oh NO! Now I have to replace all those bolts and nuts that I have had off and on more than four times.

By the way, how many of you keep band aids in your garage just so you won't have to go inside and explain what happened? Sometimes you just don't want to admit how certain things happened, either that or once you regain consiousness you can't remember what you were doing before everything went black. OSHA hand book anyone?

[Michael P. Wole]

What is really bad, is when the wrench slips and you hit the back of your hand. At my age and condition what with the aspirin a day and Plavix the bruise is immediate..trying to figure out how to make the bruises look like a snake, tire, carb, anything so I can tell people they at tattooes. Oh and the leg/foot cramps when under the car with 2" of head/body clearance....boy are we having fun or what.

[lineslinger]

Originally Posted by Clois Harlan

Just 4 times, oh NO! Now I have to replace all those bolts and nuts that I have had off and on more than four times.

By the way, how many of you keep band aids in your garage just so you won't have to go inside and explain what happened? Sometimes you just don't want to admit how certain things happened, either that or once you regain consiousness you can't remember what you were doing before everything went black. OSHA hand book anyone?

Band Aids?
Jeez Clois, I keep a $100 First Aid kit front and center on my main work bench, years of experience says thats where it needs to be, and it needs restocking.
Hell, I'm on a first name basis with the local EMT's.
I have a really snappy, high sped technique for getting the garage doors closed before I cut loose with my special "creative language course" while trying to dial in my bell housing or stabbing my wrist with a cheap Phillips or touching the tip of my welding torch to my bare knee.
The neighborhood moms all know where they can find their kids...at the end of my driveway listening for more "special" words to share at show and tell at school.

[fastraxsg]

I don't thnk I have time to list all the "dumb" things I've done, and the "Ah-ha" moments are more than fingers..like changing the oil when I forgot to put the drain plug back in, it must be a repeatable offense, works the same with a radiator...my wife keeps asking me, "are you sure you're having fun?"

Saw a NoFear t-shirt one day..... scars, the tattoos of the brave....

We are are having fun are't we?

[jimw427]

Well, most cuts and bleeding are stopped with what ever shop rag I can find within reach and wrap and hold tightly until the bleeding slows enough that I can get back to work without leaving a trail of blood drops.

Only drilled my hand once, had to lie down until I felt good enough to get in the car and go to the hospital, but once there I re-thought it and went back home and let Dr. Mom (wife) take care of it for me.

While working under the dash once with the windshiled post, wiring and duct work, I had to work my hand in some goofy angle, upsidedown, and backwards to get my finger tips on a bolt, and for a brief moment with a little bit of sweat and anxiety building up discovered my hand was stuck. With my mind racing on what to do, and how to get it out, whether or not to call for help (not sure what they would do) or just set there until someone came looking for me, but then suddenly I untwisted just right and it slid back out. Of course I had to slide it back in to finish tightening the nut.

Of course we are having fun.......its just all depends on how you define fun.

Jim

[Snakebit]

How about installing the engine and then having to install the Lakewood bell housing with 20 or so bolts. Wrestling with a 95 pound 5 speed trans for 15 minutes to figure out why it is a 1/4 inch shy of sliding all the way in. Only to discover 2 small nuts sticking out the back of the belhousing holding the clutch fork bracket are not clearing the face of the trans. You mean I have to remove all those bolts and remove the bell housing to drill and tap the holes so those 2 small bolts are flush???? AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

[Clois Harlan]

Jim I was so there last night trying to re-install my dash without taking the body off. I finally did get it back in but as you would guess I had to take the darn thing back out because I forgot to attach something I couldn't get to. Upside down with your legs in the air like some cheep HO with you hand up in some dark place that no matter where you point the flashlight you're not going to see anything. I have put so many things back together by feel and suprisingly most things stay fastened.

But then there those times when everything you touch turns to crap that you just turn off the lights and close the door. Last night was one of those nights, I just walked past the wife and didn't say a word turned on the TV to see if I could manage to get that right...I did.

Clois

[Clois Harlan]

I am so glad that I am not the only one that has these problems (Snake I am looking forward to re-installing my tranny on Saturday).

[David Kirkham]

I was once working really late to get a Mustang GT convertible to an auction. We were behind and we were all extremely tired. I put the passenger window in the DRIVER'S door, hooked it up and rolled the window up and down! Don't ask me how I ever got everything hooked up! I didn't catch it until I tried to close the convertible top and wondered why the glass was pointing OUT of the car!

David

[Bill Bess]

Ah Yes! I have done everything wrong at one time or another, things like:

Drilling through my finger, burning my hands, legs, face and various other parts of my body while welding, picking up hot metal parts, spraying fluids in my eyes, getting metal and other debris in my eyes (required going to the hospital). Numerous cuts, stabs and of course ..electric shocks. Tripping over everything by the car and blaming it on my own stupidity and yelling millions of dirty vulgar words.

Now, this sounds like I'm an unsafe operator, but you must know its over a period of 50 years, so if you divide it by the number of days (17600 days)...its not so bad.

Now my best advice is to be prepared. Be ready for these emergencies ...... have plenty of duct tape, clean rags and a refrig. full of cold beer in the shop. Next, never let your wife hear you scream or cry......just calm down and fix it.

Last, drink a few beers and sit back and ponder how wonderful your Cobra is and how much fun your having.

Old Fool, Bill

[HI Cobra]

Clois,

A few years ago (and I have been around for a while) I too finally learned that
when no matter what you try, it just doesn't work, you drop wrenches at the worst possible time, like when you are upside down buried under the dash,
the nut won't stay on your fingers when you try to start it -etc., then it is time
to get away from it all. I have gone back the next day to finish some impossible task that wasn't working one day and have everything work the
next day. Some times I think it is just the timing. Sure saves on the cuts.

[Tugboat]

Guys,

I thought I was getting by without my wife knowing a thing and thinking I was having fun UNTILL! The day I walked into the kitchen and heard my young son telling my wife that daddy was upset and "Using golf course language on the car." I had some splaining to do then.

My battle scar is a finger nail that will never look the same because I was drilling with a 1/2" drill and it hung up and threw that finger into the frame "OUCH". Lots of blood and that is the only time I asked my wife for help. Then it was just to get the blood off the seatbelts before it set in.

Yea, were having some fun now!!!!!

Larry Boatner