Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT Lodi Motors
- Thread starter fourmotioneer
- Start date
Workspaces between 705 and 1200 squarefeet.
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fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Based on the naive response from Matt at Bel-Metric, I suspect that he had no clue - be it from training or common sense - of the legal implications of his admission. The term “discoverable” applies here, I would imagine. I really could not believe that someone could be clueless enough to admit to a fuel hose (FIRE!) risk in writing. He said that they are meeting with the hose supplier, Cohline.
The good news? The offending hose DID show no stock shortly after I stirred the pot. Prevents future issues.
I can’t even hope for a “fair” resolution like refunds - doubt Bel-Metric could afford that; notifying customers of the risk would really be the right thing to do, and enough for me
RoninB4
Well-known member
-I'd like to retract some of my previous statement concerning Bel-Metric. My first mistake was presuming they were the manufacturer of the hose, nobody public makes much of anything anymore in the wake of outsourcing for the last two decades. My second mistake was not checking the Bel-Metric website, that would have revealed that they were just a supply house. They wouldn't have done any long(er) term testing of the hose, they would only check specs for composition/burst pressure/etc. Matt likely was unaware of the field reports if you were one of the first few reports. Bel-Metric should be given some credit for pulling the product if this was their response.
It has become SOP for so many companies to release sub-standard products and project liability onto the off-shore manufacturer (Well golly, that's convenient) that I made the mistake of doing a knee-jerk reaction without doing the research. I guess I'm a bit shell shocked from the lack of accountability in so many areas of The Global Economy.
That doesn't excuse my willingness to tar-and-feather a company in public without due consideration. I'd like to offer a public apology to the folks at Bel-Metric if they are pulling the product from sales until this potentially dangerous situation is resolved.
Having checked the Cohline website R&D section, the tech oriented CAD models and claim to multi testing are prominently displayed. They have some explaining to do. Failure to do extensive research/testing of product environment is not what I'd expect a German firm to do, especially one with a history like theirs. Problematic fuel formulas in different countries is not a new problem in the automotive world. I hope they get it sorted out, I expect this has already begun.
Kasal
Well-known member
You have an incredible collection of cars, I love Alfas but for me the VW caddy is my favorite.
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fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Alfa 164: Learning to cooperate with people who operate at a different speed
I got an email from someone I really enjoy seeing asking for help putting an Alfa back together after the PO had removed the engine for head gaskets. Within 5 minutes I had already responded "sure, when do you want me to show up?".
Car showed up to my house on a flatbed a couple of weeks later. No engine in sight.
Two weeks later, the engine and trans showed up. I do feel like I'm pretty uncharitable when I consider how much this bothered me, but I think just viewing it rationally, I never signed up to store a car for two weeks.
All of the engine accessories were in the trunk of the car. By some miracle, all of the fasteners and little parts were all there! It was honestly an enjoyable puzzle putting everything back together having not taken it apart myself. I've done everything in the engine bay on these cars, so it was familiar, but there was the added challenge of working on an automatic car. I had never joined an auto trans to an engine, and that was pretty straightforward and somewhat fun. Had to borrow some fuel injector parts from a buddy in town but otherwise everything was present.
I had the engine and tran aaaaalmost installed within 24 hours. Had to sleep on a couple of engine mount challenges and solved them early the next morning.
So then, when I went to fill with coolant, the engine filled at first, and then after a small delay, dumped like half of the coolant from the coolant pump (I believe from the weep hole for the face seal? I should probably know this but can't remember).
Thankfully, I got a new pump from the owner in the mail within a day. Unfortunately, changing water pump with the engine in the car is not that easy due to difficult access to fasteners. Add in the necessity to remove the timing belt, and this was a knuckle busting job but satisfying to knock out.
Filled up again and the car was ready to go. More reports of being too busy to pick up the car or send a tow and I just payed for a U-haul and towed it to him when I realized he wasn't serious about collecting it. Again, I feel like I'm being uncharitable, but I really don't do well with the "I'm busy" response outside of unfortunate circumstances. Then again, I don't think I've ever turned someone down to work on anything at my garage or borrow any tool. I love helping out people when they don't view my driveway as a long-term storage lot, in fact.
Anyway, lesson I learned is that I'm unlikely to suddenly become a highly patient person, so I need to make sure to avoid situations where I resent people leaving things at my house. Or, I need to accept that I'm working with a slow-moving personality if I do engage with those folks, and just forgive it. This wasn't a happy interaction for me. At least the payment was prompt and very fair, and I never said anything to indicate how frustrating this was, since that friction wasn't worth it to me.
I got an email from someone I really enjoy seeing asking for help putting an Alfa back together after the PO had removed the engine for head gaskets. Within 5 minutes I had already responded "sure, when do you want me to show up?".
Car showed up to my house on a flatbed a couple of weeks later. No engine in sight.
Two weeks later, the engine and trans showed up. I do feel like I'm pretty uncharitable when I consider how much this bothered me, but I think just viewing it rationally, I never signed up to store a car for two weeks.
All of the engine accessories were in the trunk of the car. By some miracle, all of the fasteners and little parts were all there! It was honestly an enjoyable puzzle putting everything back together having not taken it apart myself. I've done everything in the engine bay on these cars, so it was familiar, but there was the added challenge of working on an automatic car. I had never joined an auto trans to an engine, and that was pretty straightforward and somewhat fun. Had to borrow some fuel injector parts from a buddy in town but otherwise everything was present.
I had the engine and tran aaaaalmost installed within 24 hours. Had to sleep on a couple of engine mount challenges and solved them early the next morning.
So then, when I went to fill with coolant, the engine filled at first, and then after a small delay, dumped like half of the coolant from the coolant pump (I believe from the weep hole for the face seal? I should probably know this but can't remember).
Thankfully, I got a new pump from the owner in the mail within a day. Unfortunately, changing water pump with the engine in the car is not that easy due to difficult access to fasteners. Add in the necessity to remove the timing belt, and this was a knuckle busting job but satisfying to knock out.
Filled up again and the car was ready to go. More reports of being too busy to pick up the car or send a tow and I just payed for a U-haul and towed it to him when I realized he wasn't serious about collecting it. Again, I feel like I'm being uncharitable, but I really don't do well with the "I'm busy" response outside of unfortunate circumstances. Then again, I don't think I've ever turned someone down to work on anything at my garage or borrow any tool. I love helping out people when they don't view my driveway as a long-term storage lot, in fact.
Anyway, lesson I learned is that I'm unlikely to suddenly become a highly patient person, so I need to make sure to avoid situations where I resent people leaving things at my house. Or, I need to accept that I'm working with a slow-moving personality if I do engage with those folks, and just forgive it. This wasn't a happy interaction for me. At least the payment was prompt and very fair, and I never said anything to indicate how frustrating this was, since that friction wasn't worth it to me.
Trapps
ALLIANCE MEMBER
You are the Alfa-Whisperer! Nice job, Graham.
Prompt and fair payment takes some of the tarnish off.
In the past 3 years, I've grown grumpy over timing issues. As a highly impatient person, I now look to clearly define those commitments in the beginning. It doesn't always work, but in some cases I'm trying to negotiate rewards/penalties for meeting timing.
Prompt and fair payment takes some of the tarnish off.
In the past 3 years, I've grown grumpy over timing issues. As a highly impatient person, I now look to clearly define those commitments in the beginning. It doesn't always work, but in some cases I'm trying to negotiate rewards/penalties for meeting timing.
isonic
Well-known member
Dang, at least you got paid for the work. I was reading it thinking you were doing all of this work for free. Timeline is frustrating to say the least!
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Thanks! And I appreciate the advice as well.
When working with people off the street, those boundaries are easier to set. With friends? I’ve learned to relax my sense of justice and brush off the shortcomings.
On another note (no longer responding to Trapps), these more involved projects are great ‘workouts’ that I need to keep making time for. The benefit I see from them is that - like a hard running interval workout - they make the lighter work feel that much more comfortable. I have had so much energy and motivation to work through the list of small projects and needs on my VWs lately, and that ability to start and finish a project in an hour or two makes for a nice puzzle / challenge after I get the boys to bed. Headlight relays, broken plastic repair, glass chip repair, instrument cluster bulbs, troubleshooting reverse lights, e-brake adjustment, clutch cable adjustment - all small jobs I’ve been enjoying.
Next up: more on the GTI and the pickup
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fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Finally fixed the euro H4 headlights in the Milano. I bought them with jumpers that were incorrectly wired…in 2015. Oof. Once I identified that mistake, I added relays. The radiator had a nice trough with holes for cable ties.
Nice drive this evening with some glam shots.
nicholam77
Well-known member
Cool pics! Lovin' that sky in #1
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fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Bringing home the "Barn find" GTI
Not much to this, really. Someone made a vague post on VWVortex asking what his "barn find" was worth, and that went as expected. I just messaged the seller and asked for a price, and that price was 1) cheap and 2) more than $0, so not a great starting point for a car that had sat since 2001 or so.
My dad was looking for a project at the time, and my brother had just committed to buying an Audi 200 TQ Avant to replace his old one. My brother flew in from Idaho, and we picked up the GTI in Columbus, OH, then drove clear to Indy to pick up the Audi. Long day, but I rented a Cummins Ram from Enterprise Commercial Rentals, so not too bad.
Once I had the GTI stuffed in my old garage, I asked my dad about his plan to pick the car up, and he didn't seem to excited about it. Buyer's remorse, or something. I ended up just keeping the car since I had paid for it, and my dad bought an 85 Prelude instead.
Not much to this, really. Someone made a vague post on VWVortex asking what his "barn find" was worth, and that went as expected. I just messaged the seller and asked for a price, and that price was 1) cheap and 2) more than $0, so not a great starting point for a car that had sat since 2001 or so.
My dad was looking for a project at the time, and my brother had just committed to buying an Audi 200 TQ Avant to replace his old one. My brother flew in from Idaho, and we picked up the GTI in Columbus, OH, then drove clear to Indy to pick up the Audi. Long day, but I rented a Cummins Ram from Enterprise Commercial Rentals, so not too bad.
Once I had the GTI stuffed in my old garage, I asked my dad about his plan to pick the car up, and he didn't seem to excited about it. Buyer's remorse, or something. I ended up just keeping the car since I had paid for it, and my dad bought an 85 Prelude instead.
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fourmotioneer
Well-known member
GTI refresh:
After moving to the current garage, the GTI sat up until February of 2023 - more than 2 years since I brought it home. I had sort of promised myself to "just get it on the road". I had a failed project - the Alfetta (Spring Veloce technically) - and wasn't looking to make the same mistake of never getting it driving.
So, I took it apart anyway. Nothing serious, but I got the car into hover mode and pulled off the front and rear suspensions. Removed all of the brake lines and fuel lines, fuel tank and fuel injection system too.
When I considered how much time I would burn and dust I would create wire wheeling and painting the parts at home, I started looking around for sand blasting shops. And then powder coating shops.
Started with a shop in a more rural area. They did a good job, but their pricing was opportunistic, and they were slow to get the job done.
Drove 15 minutes from my house to an industrial area and tried out a paint shop. They said that they would do the blasting and would partner with the coaters across the street for me to get powder coating. Both services we priced fairly and done in under a week. I was very happy with the care taken to pack the parts (and told them the didn't need to do that next time!) and went back for another round once I had enough parts ready to go.
Besides the powder coating of all of the reusable suspension components like the strut housings, rear beam, sway bars, brackets, drum brake backing plates, and so on, I refreshed everything. Brakes, brake lines, wheel bearings, CV boots, suspension bushings and ball joints, shocks (Bilstein OEM style) and springs and more were replaced "while I was in there".
After moving to the current garage, the GTI sat up until February of 2023 - more than 2 years since I brought it home. I had sort of promised myself to "just get it on the road". I had a failed project - the Alfetta (Spring Veloce technically) - and wasn't looking to make the same mistake of never getting it driving.
So, I took it apart anyway. Nothing serious, but I got the car into hover mode and pulled off the front and rear suspensions. Removed all of the brake lines and fuel lines, fuel tank and fuel injection system too.
When I considered how much time I would burn and dust I would create wire wheeling and painting the parts at home, I started looking around for sand blasting shops. And then powder coating shops.
Started with a shop in a more rural area. They did a good job, but their pricing was opportunistic, and they were slow to get the job done.
Drove 15 minutes from my house to an industrial area and tried out a paint shop. They said that they would do the blasting and would partner with the coaters across the street for me to get powder coating. Both services we priced fairly and done in under a week. I was very happy with the care taken to pack the parts (and told them the didn't need to do that next time!) and went back for another round once I had enough parts ready to go.
Besides the powder coating of all of the reusable suspension components like the strut housings, rear beam, sway bars, brackets, drum brake backing plates, and so on, I refreshed everything. Brakes, brake lines, wheel bearings, CV boots, suspension bushings and ball joints, shocks (Bilstein OEM style) and springs and more were replaced "while I was in there".
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Getting the GTI running:
Then came the actual task at hand: starting the car after 20+ years. The engine turned over by hand with little effort, which was a good start. Not so good was that it took replacing every single fuel line to get fuel to the...rusted injectors. So with a new fuel tank, filler hose, vent hoses, fuel pump, fuel accumulator, fuel lines to the front of the vehicle, Bosch CIS fuel distributor, control pressure regulator, injector lines, aaaand injectors, I finally had fuel, but the car wouldn't stay running.
Bought a smoke machine to test for vacuum leaks - none. Fuel pressure gauges indicated good control pressure regulator function and fuel pressure / accumulator function. After nearly throwing in the towel, and after checking nearly every test off the list, someone on the Bosch CIS help FB group suggested that I adjust the meter screw, which I understood to be something not to mess with. I followed the simple procedure to adjust, and the car started and ran great.
That was in May. The car is at the alignment shop and ready to come home to really drive for the summer. Sadly, since we decided to keep the MK7 GTI and the Alltrack (adding a minivan while we wait for the ID.Buzz...), I need to make some room. The GTI that I want is white/blue with sunroof and no A/C, like my old one. I put a lot of work into this one because I couldn't help myself. Sort of trying to right the fact that I lost one in my garage fire in 2015. That's what I told myself, but I think I just enjoy cleaning things up.
Architect comes tomorrow to discuss workshops...
Then came the actual task at hand: starting the car after 20+ years. The engine turned over by hand with little effort, which was a good start. Not so good was that it took replacing every single fuel line to get fuel to the...rusted injectors. So with a new fuel tank, filler hose, vent hoses, fuel pump, fuel accumulator, fuel lines to the front of the vehicle, Bosch CIS fuel distributor, control pressure regulator, injector lines, aaaand injectors, I finally had fuel, but the car wouldn't stay running.
Bought a smoke machine to test for vacuum leaks - none. Fuel pressure gauges indicated good control pressure regulator function and fuel pressure / accumulator function. After nearly throwing in the towel, and after checking nearly every test off the list, someone on the Bosch CIS help FB group suggested that I adjust the meter screw, which I understood to be something not to mess with. I followed the simple procedure to adjust, and the car started and ran great.
That was in May. The car is at the alignment shop and ready to come home to really drive for the summer. Sadly, since we decided to keep the MK7 GTI and the Alltrack (adding a minivan while we wait for the ID.Buzz...), I need to make some room. The GTI that I want is white/blue with sunroof and no A/C, like my old one. I put a lot of work into this one because I couldn't help myself. Sort of trying to right the fact that I lost one in my garage fire in 2015. That's what I told myself, but I think I just enjoy cleaning things up.
Architect comes tomorrow to discuss workshops...
nicholam77
Well-known member
Awesome work on the GTI!
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Listed the GTI on FB marketplace yesterday
Trapps
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Awesome work, Graham. A buddy had a cream colored GTI when I was in high school; it was a great car!
How did the discussion with the architect go?
How did the discussion with the architect go?
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fourmotioneer
Well-known member
@Trapps My first car was a cashmere white 84 GTI with a sunroof. Still sort of looking for one.
Architect was ok. Pricing for concept work and build support all looks worth it. He working on one of the real farm houses 3/8 mile down the road, which is cool. Couldn’t get cost estimates for the actual build out of him, which I totally understand…but I still need those! So I might have to draw up the shop with the architect and send out for bids. Reasonable, but not fast or cheap.
Now I have to decide how much my car hobby is worth to me. Does it make sense to treat my two classic but cheap (say $20k total for the pickup and the Alfa) cars to a shop that costs 5x that to have built? Beyond affordability is just the question of how much value I place on the shop. I’ll have to think about that.
Architect was ok. Pricing for concept work and build support all looks worth it. He working on one of the real farm houses 3/8 mile down the road, which is cool. Couldn’t get cost estimates for the actual build out of him, which I totally understand…but I still need those! So I might have to draw up the shop with the architect and send out for bids. Reasonable, but not fast or cheap.
Now I have to decide how much my car hobby is worth to me. Does it make sense to treat my two classic but cheap (say $20k total for the pickup and the Alfa) cars to a shop that costs 5x that to have built? Beyond affordability is just the question of how much value I place on the shop. I’ll have to think about that.
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fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Some minor updates: love the Rabbit pickup. Next wave of optimism/stupidity will lead to me ordering parts to start on my 2.0L “bubble block” bottom end build. Easy route is to swap in a different 2.0L found in like every VW from the 90s, but the bubble block looks more stock and requires fewer mods. Sadly it is sourced from a very uncommon (rare feels like the wrong word haha) Audi, the Audi 80 with fwd. So, parts are not as common
Got the headliner into the GTI. Shouldn’t have put this off as it was pretty easy. Car is on BaT and auction ends tomorrow. Will be nice to have the space back. Fun car though, would really miss it if I didn’t have the pickup, which is a lot more fun to drive
And, this thing has been great. Pacifica (plug-in) hybrid. No range anxiety, and yet we never burn gas in it. Helps that we have solar to get pretty cheap (free? I’m not sure how to do the math) fuel into it. On pre-school days we drive 14mi twice a day and can have a full charge between those trips. 32mi total range if needed. Grocery store and pretty much anything else is all on battery. Also, so much space!
Got the headliner into the GTI. Shouldn’t have put this off as it was pretty easy. Car is on BaT and auction ends tomorrow. Will be nice to have the space back. Fun car though, would really miss it if I didn’t have the pickup, which is a lot more fun to drive
And, this thing has been great. Pacifica (plug-in) hybrid. No range anxiety, and yet we never burn gas in it. Helps that we have solar to get pretty cheap (free? I’m not sure how to do the math) fuel into it. On pre-school days we drive 14mi twice a day and can have a full charge between those trips. 32mi total range if needed. Grocery store and pretty much anything else is all on battery. Also, so much space!
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fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Sold the only car that fit on the lift without smacking the garage door when opened. I think I’ll be moving some shelves around, because I don’t feel like dropping the cash to get the garage door tracks lifted / springs changed if I don’t have to
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fourmotioneer
Well-known member
The pickup and the Alfa are in storage mode and we took the kids to my parents in the minivan for Christmas, so the green cars got a rare stay in the garage while we were away.
I sold the GTI snow tires/wheels that I bought in 2017. The tires had worn out but the wheels were somewhat but not terribly valuable being MKVI Golf R wheels. Thought about another set of snow tires and dedicated snows and concluded that 1) I don’t drive it in snow much, and if I do it’s just to town to go for a run with my run group and 2) I hardly if ever drive around anything resembling a fun corner here in Michigan. SO, I decided to find out for myself what a set of 3PMSF rated Vredestein Quatrac Pro tires would be like. So far, wet traction in the cold is impressive, and the ride/noise are great.
Installed VW accessory splash guards too.
I sold the GTI snow tires/wheels that I bought in 2017. The tires had worn out but the wheels were somewhat but not terribly valuable being MKVI Golf R wheels. Thought about another set of snow tires and dedicated snows and concluded that 1) I don’t drive it in snow much, and if I do it’s just to town to go for a run with my run group and 2) I hardly if ever drive around anything resembling a fun corner here in Michigan. SO, I decided to find out for myself what a set of 3PMSF rated Vredestein Quatrac Pro tires would be like. So far, wet traction in the cold is impressive, and the ride/noise are great.
Installed VW accessory splash guards too.
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Getting around to the lift summary. In the spring I got quotes for turning the 2 car garage into a 3 car by shifting the door layout to three 9’ wide singles. The work to install the headers was like $15k and the doors/installation another $15k. So, $30k to have the ability to pull another car in. In my head, having the ability to pull another ($5-10k 80s euro…) car into the garage isn’t worth $30k to me. Just doesn’t seem efficient.
But, for $2500 I found a used Backyard Buddy, and getting an extra parking space plus some extra utility for servicing cars for $2500 (with the ability to resell down the road) was appealing.
Went with my usual method of getting to the front of the line by offering asking price with immediate pickup - that got me ahead of the 50 or so tire kickers. Guy selling the lift was a younger guy who had bought his first home from a former hot rodder and wanted the garage space to install a golf setup or something. He was a large dude, so with an engine hoist and some heavy lifting on our end we got the lift torn down and loaded into the U-Haul I brought over in about an hour.
Had a buddy meet me at my house to set up the lift and adjust the cables. After taking it apart and setting it back up again I think I made the right move vs. having a flat bed come and move it. I’m sure it’s fine to move it that way, but this was a 2 hour trip, so I was looking at about $6-800 to hire someone to move it.
As I’ve mentioned before, I do need to have the garage door raised to be able to open the garage door while the pickup is on the lift, but I can live with that while I decide on how to proceed with the garage door. If I’m going to spend money, I would like to tear the roof off and install attic trusses to get a studio up there since it’s a nice 12x12 on a 26’ span. At that point new garage door openings would be trivial I think.
But, for $2500 I found a used Backyard Buddy, and getting an extra parking space plus some extra utility for servicing cars for $2500 (with the ability to resell down the road) was appealing.
Went with my usual method of getting to the front of the line by offering asking price with immediate pickup - that got me ahead of the 50 or so tire kickers. Guy selling the lift was a younger guy who had bought his first home from a former hot rodder and wanted the garage space to install a golf setup or something. He was a large dude, so with an engine hoist and some heavy lifting on our end we got the lift torn down and loaded into the U-Haul I brought over in about an hour.
Had a buddy meet me at my house to set up the lift and adjust the cables. After taking it apart and setting it back up again I think I made the right move vs. having a flat bed come and move it. I’m sure it’s fine to move it that way, but this was a 2 hour trip, so I was looking at about $6-800 to hire someone to move it.
As I’ve mentioned before, I do need to have the garage door raised to be able to open the garage door while the pickup is on the lift, but I can live with that while I decide on how to proceed with the garage door. If I’m going to spend money, I would like to tear the roof off and install attic trusses to get a studio up there since it’s a nice 12x12 on a 26’ span. At that point new garage door openings would be trivial I think.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
Doesn’t look like you need new openings just a high lift track and a jackshaft opener.
Cris B
Well-known member
Lovely looking setup. Can I ask, what is your ceiling height?
I have thought a little about getting a lift, but am not sure I will have the necessary clearance
I have thought a little about getting a lift, but am not sure I will have the necessary clearance
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Thanks - it’s about 13’ (12’ 10”)
Yeah agreed the opening topic is independent from the clearance topic. Just only have one opening and I’d prefer three
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Spring update: getting burned
A buddy that I really enjoy running with once a week bought an Alfa Romeo Milano while he was drunk and scrolling FB marketplace. Clean car, nice color, no rust…and waaaay behind on maintenance.
Flew out with him to drive it back 12hrs on 4 out of 6 cylinders. With Alfas, you can wait to have the Alfa shop fix it (will months), you can pay an independent shop to give up on it, or you can get help from Alfa owners.
So, another Alfa friend handled the engine issues and got the car running right. Owner was slow to pay, slow to pick up the car that was repaired as a favor.
I offered up a couple nights on my lift to fix the driveshaft and exhaust. Quickly became my problem. Spent 20 hours over 2 weeks making repairs with this guy’s car on my lift. Guy is late to pay for parts, completely lost on him that I have 2 kids and a newborn and want to park my cars inside…
Anyway, got some more practice working on my favorite cars. Services the driveshaft, which had two torn giubos and a bad center support bearing. Left the good center giubo and bearing support in, as we always try to keep good parts out of the trash. Replaced the cracked exhaust manifolds with good units from owner’s stash acquired with car. Studs were too rough to install new stainless exhaust, and I didn’t want to deal with installing new studs so I put the factory exhaust back on.
Got the car running the night before cars and coffee and texted the owner - drunk and hanging around a fire - to let him know car was ready for his cars and coffee. Not a serious man; will not be helping him out in the future.
A buddy that I really enjoy running with once a week bought an Alfa Romeo Milano while he was drunk and scrolling FB marketplace. Clean car, nice color, no rust…and waaaay behind on maintenance.
Flew out with him to drive it back 12hrs on 4 out of 6 cylinders. With Alfas, you can wait to have the Alfa shop fix it (will months), you can pay an independent shop to give up on it, or you can get help from Alfa owners.
So, another Alfa friend handled the engine issues and got the car running right. Owner was slow to pay, slow to pick up the car that was repaired as a favor.
I offered up a couple nights on my lift to fix the driveshaft and exhaust. Quickly became my problem. Spent 20 hours over 2 weeks making repairs with this guy’s car on my lift. Guy is late to pay for parts, completely lost on him that I have 2 kids and a newborn and want to park my cars inside…
Anyway, got some more practice working on my favorite cars. Services the driveshaft, which had two torn giubos and a bad center support bearing. Left the good center giubo and bearing support in, as we always try to keep good parts out of the trash. Replaced the cracked exhaust manifolds with good units from owner’s stash acquired with car. Studs were too rough to install new stainless exhaust, and I didn’t want to deal with installing new studs so I put the factory exhaust back on.
Got the car running the night before cars and coffee and texted the owner - drunk and hanging around a fire - to let him know car was ready for his cars and coffee. Not a serious man; will not be helping him out in the future.
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Spring update: mower maintenance, new kid
On a lighter note
Got the new guy home from the hospital and we are all doing well. Up to 3 sons in 43 months! The hospital uses a valet service for standard parking, and hoping that history would repeat itself, we brought my (stickshift) GTI instead of the minivan, hoping to get parking out front when the valet kids couldn’t drive stick. It worked again, just like in 2022!
Realized that the zero turn that came with the house is a 2001 model year when I took the model number in to get some parts at the mower shop. 1,800hrs too.
No complaints with it and wanting it to continue to run nicely, I picked up some hydro oil, hydro filter, engine oil and filter, grease, blades, and blade hardware.
Blades were passed around the shop for a chuckle when I brought them in to sharpen, hence the replacements haha. Went with OEM hardware since that had never been replaced, and the hardware set me back more than the blades did.
Still need to level the deck, but mower is running nice and I’ve got the mow time down to 58 minutes if I get out there when grass is around 5.5”. Have been mowing down to 3.5”
In other news, the washing machine basket bearing needed to replaced, but I made a critical error while removing the basket and destroyed it in the process. Resorted to the money hammer and brought home a new one. Couldn’t justify that much time spent messing with a washer once I needed the new basket
And finally, nice evening shot of the house with my favorite black bunny that hangs around the house. Plenty of dandelions for this guy to munch on. Have been weeding front beds and using the pickup to shuttle them to the yard waste pile
On a lighter note
Got the new guy home from the hospital and we are all doing well. Up to 3 sons in 43 months! The hospital uses a valet service for standard parking, and hoping that history would repeat itself, we brought my (stickshift) GTI instead of the minivan, hoping to get parking out front when the valet kids couldn’t drive stick. It worked again, just like in 2022!
Realized that the zero turn that came with the house is a 2001 model year when I took the model number in to get some parts at the mower shop. 1,800hrs too.
No complaints with it and wanting it to continue to run nicely, I picked up some hydro oil, hydro filter, engine oil and filter, grease, blades, and blade hardware.
Blades were passed around the shop for a chuckle when I brought them in to sharpen, hence the replacements haha. Went with OEM hardware since that had never been replaced, and the hardware set me back more than the blades did.
Still need to level the deck, but mower is running nice and I’ve got the mow time down to 58 minutes if I get out there when grass is around 5.5”. Have been mowing down to 3.5”
In other news, the washing machine basket bearing needed to replaced, but I made a critical error while removing the basket and destroyed it in the process. Resorted to the money hammer and brought home a new one. Couldn’t justify that much time spent messing with a washer once I needed the new basket
And finally, nice evening shot of the house with my favorite black bunny that hangs around the house. Plenty of dandelions for this guy to munch on. Have been weeding front beds and using the pickup to shuttle them to the yard waste pile
Nolift911
Well-known member
Awesome cars and thread!!!
nicholam77
Well-known member
Lol, nice bunny you've got there.
The house looks great and so does the garage! Congrats on the new kid!
The house looks great and so does the garage! Congrats on the new kid!
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Drywall and paint make me the plumber I ain’t:
I replaced a toilet fill valve and didn’t do something right back in February. Come June, I smelled mold in that bathroom. Pulled up the MDF baseboards (highly recommend for bathrooms lol…) and one of them had been slowly soaking up water from a tiny leak at the fill valve location.
Mold remediation guy was great and he highly recommended against his services based on the minor nature of the mold, but I wanted some peace of mind. I cut out the drywall way above where the mold was, cut some holes in the ceiling beneath the bathroom, and had the remediation guys run their filters and driers to get the floor moisture down. It wasn’t that wet to begin with thankfully.
Anyway, all sorted now thanks to a hired drywall installer. New supply line has a nice rubber washer and passed leak tests.
I replaced a toilet fill valve and didn’t do something right back in February. Come June, I smelled mold in that bathroom. Pulled up the MDF baseboards (highly recommend for bathrooms lol…) and one of them had been slowly soaking up water from a tiny leak at the fill valve location.
Mold remediation guy was great and he highly recommended against his services based on the minor nature of the mold, but I wanted some peace of mind. I cut out the drywall way above where the mold was, cut some holes in the ceiling beneath the bathroom, and had the remediation guys run their filters and driers to get the floor moisture down. It wasn’t that wet to begin with thankfully.
Anyway, all sorted now thanks to a hired drywall installer. New supply line has a nice rubber washer and passed leak tests.
nadogail
Well-known member
May you enjoy your new home in Happiness and Good Health for Many Years.Hi all! In September of 2021, my family moved outside of Ann Arbor, MI to a home that we hope to stay in for a long time. The search for a home was casual, and the list of requirements was really just: 1) decent public schools 2) a home with an updated interior and somewhat classic (debatable!) style 3) some space for visitors. We ended up finding something that we didn't really expect to like - something adjacent to a 'modern farmhouse' with open concept interior. I'm very open to the criticism of this style, but when evaluating the market in the Detroit area, this was the best home for our needs. No plans to indulge in the 'modern farmhouse' cliches beyond what the exterior conveys. So with that defensive intro, here's the new house:
The specs:
- 40x26 double but with an 8' section on the right that is only 20' deep or so
- 2.5 acre lot with gravel horseshoe drive
- Concrete pad outside the garage
And here is the subject of the thread, the garage:
Zoom and enhance:
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Weeding:
Front bed is pretty big - 120-150ft and 10ft deep. I let some thistle get out of hand this year and finally got around to weeding it. I did a pretty thorough job of removing roots over the course of three different sessions so far this summer, then mulched after that.
I need to research thistle killers and figure out what to use this fall. I don’t have a problem with chemicals but want to choose something without long-term health effects (yes, dosage matters…). Can’t do this next year.
During:
Red wheelbarrow:
Weed pile:
Finished:
Front bed is pretty big - 120-150ft and 10ft deep. I let some thistle get out of hand this year and finally got around to weeding it. I did a pretty thorough job of removing roots over the course of three different sessions so far this summer, then mulched after that.
I need to research thistle killers and figure out what to use this fall. I don’t have a problem with chemicals but want to choose something without long-term health effects (yes, dosage matters…). Can’t do this next year.
During:
Red wheelbarrow:
Weed pile:
Finished:
nadogail
Well-known member
Sometimes the lessons we learn don't come cheaply.Drywall and paint make me the plumber I ain’t:
I replaced a toilet fill valve and didn’t do something right back in February. Come June, I smelled mold in that bathroom. Pulled up the MDF baseboards (highly recommend for bathrooms lol…) and one of them had been slowly soaking up water from a tiny leak at the fill valve location.
Mold remediation guy was great and he highly recommended against his services based on the minor nature of the mold, but I wanted some peace of mind. I cut out the drywall way above where the mold was, cut some holes in the ceiling beneath the bathroom, and had the remediation guys run their filters and driers to get the floor moisture down. It wasn’t that wet to begin with thankfully.
Anyway, all sorted now thanks to a hired drywall installer. New supply line has a nice rubber washer and passed leak tests.
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Playset:
Wish I had put this together the weekend it arrived. Waited a couple of weeks and it ended up being pretty easy and enjoyable. Cedar structure my wife found online. Arrived in 5 or so heavy boxes. Order the pieces on the floor, arrange fasteners by part number, then assemble. Coated with Ready Seal after it went up. Kids love it
Wish I had put this together the weekend it arrived. Waited a couple of weeks and it ended up being pretty easy and enjoyable. Cedar structure my wife found online. Arrived in 5 or so heavy boxes. Order the pieces on the floor, arrange fasteners by part number, then assemble. Coated with Ready Seal after it went up. Kids love it
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Summer car stuff:
Sadly, a local Alfa shop had their inventory of parts cars shipped to the salvage yard. It was a long time coming, but unfortunate nonetheless. I have curbed my personal “fear of missing out” and as nice as picking the cars apart and pulling all of the engines would have been…I think I’m past my part hoarding phase. Already have a full spare car on the shelf at this point.
With all of that said, I did help a buddy pull an LSD transaxle out of one of the cars. Nice to nurture someone else’s part hoarding brain worms vs invigorating my own.
Parked my pickup next to my buddy’s work Silverado at the yard:
Same buddy came by for some Alfa repairs - namely driveshaft center support and clutch housing bearings. Clutch is in the rear of the car and the magnesium alloy clutch housing supports a rear flywheel and shaft with two bearings. Replaced driveshaft donuts aka giubos as well.
I got to do most of the work (preferred to helping) due to some parts shortages that were solved by sending the owner out in my pickup while I worked on my own.
Brother and his family moved to town from Idaho Falls. Many cars to move, but the first was his dry Vanagon camper
Finally, ordered another Pacifica Hybrid lease for the year. We really liked the first one, putting like 8,000 of 15,000 miles on it so far in electric mode.
Saw the new ID.Buzz recently. We have a deposit on one, but it will be tough to beat the Pacifica lease deal through work.
Sadly, a local Alfa shop had their inventory of parts cars shipped to the salvage yard. It was a long time coming, but unfortunate nonetheless. I have curbed my personal “fear of missing out” and as nice as picking the cars apart and pulling all of the engines would have been…I think I’m past my part hoarding phase. Already have a full spare car on the shelf at this point.
With all of that said, I did help a buddy pull an LSD transaxle out of one of the cars. Nice to nurture someone else’s part hoarding brain worms vs invigorating my own.
Parked my pickup next to my buddy’s work Silverado at the yard:
Same buddy came by for some Alfa repairs - namely driveshaft center support and clutch housing bearings. Clutch is in the rear of the car and the magnesium alloy clutch housing supports a rear flywheel and shaft with two bearings. Replaced driveshaft donuts aka giubos as well.
I got to do most of the work (preferred to helping) due to some parts shortages that were solved by sending the owner out in my pickup while I worked on my own.
Brother and his family moved to town from Idaho Falls. Many cars to move, but the first was his dry Vanagon camper
Finally, ordered another Pacifica Hybrid lease for the year. We really liked the first one, putting like 8,000 of 15,000 miles on it so far in electric mode.
Saw the new ID.Buzz recently. We have a deposit on one, but it will be tough to beat the Pacifica lease deal through work.
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Drywall and paint make me the plumber I ain’t:
I replaced a toilet fill valve and didn’t do something right back in February. Come June, I smelled mold in that bathroom. Pulled up the MDF baseboards (highly recommend for bathrooms lol…) and one of them had been slowly soaking up water from a tiny leak at the fill valve location.
Mold remediation guy was great and he highly recommended against his services based on the minor nature of the mold, but I wanted some peace of mind. I cut out the drywall way above where the mold was, cut some holes in the ceiling beneath the bathroom, and had the remediation guys run their filters and driers to get the floor moisture down. It wasn’t that wet to begin with thankfully.
Anyway, all sorted now thanks to a hired drywall installer. New supply line has a nice rubber washer and passed leak tests.
Finally got this project closed out
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
Got the Milano out last evening. First Sheetz in Michigan too. Who knew that the best way to get 7 people an hour or so apart to meet up was to make plans to meet at a PA gas station chain at 9PM on a weeknight?
Saw some mileage accumulation vehicles on the way home…
New minivan arrived. Kind of like last year’s color better but this one isn’t bad. Still charging off of solar on the level 1 charger at home and hardly burning fuel. No issues on the last one aside from a bad 12V battery and some occasional buggy software.
Saw some mileage accumulation vehicles on the way home…
New minivan arrived. Kind of like last year’s color better but this one isn’t bad. Still charging off of solar on the level 1 charger at home and hardly burning fuel. No issues on the last one aside from a bad 12V battery and some occasional buggy software.
OP
fourmotioneer
Well-known member
If I were to build a lot of garage:
Working backwards from largest garage I could reasonably fit on my lot - 32x60' with 10' covered porch on three sides. Started by pulling my lot survey into fusion 360 and marking up the setbacks (see top view).
No architecture was harmed in this concept, but some notes:
Working backwards from largest garage I could reasonably fit on my lot - 32x60' with 10' covered porch on three sides. Started by pulling my lot survey into fusion 360 and marking up the setbacks (see top view).
No architecture was harmed in this concept, but some notes:
- Attempted to match the scale of the house window placements
- Skipped dormers - which would be nice for upstairs space - to tone down the look and allow it to play 2nd fiddle better
- Could always drop the porch if it seems like it's just too much for the small lot
- Didn't draw driveway but I do like the idea of facing the garage doors toward neighbor's trees instead of my house
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