Well, im debating on how deep to take my first bite at doing my own work / installs / repairs on the car.

Figure kwiklift, air compressor, air tools, hand tools sets etc.. specialty tools.. $26-2800 total to get the garage tool ready. Its already wired for 110 and 220. Though storage space and shelving may be a little bit of an isue too.. shrugs.

What needs done.. Need to fix the rattles from the exhaust, need to install new lca's, electric cutout, fan switch, line locks, torque arm, ls7 clutch, rebuild my t56, find and eliminate an oil leak from my valvetrain.

A well as eventually put in a new rear end, add in new heads, rockers lifters and fuel injectors etc.

Previous car experience involves rear shocks and spring, and phr, stb, sway bar installations hehe oh yea and intake and headlight and stereo installations etc,

I guess I am a bit nervous and wondering if I am biting off more than I can chew, or once I start getting a taste for it will I want to do more and more.

Anyone else got real nervous before hey tackled work on their car? I prolly wouldnt be as worried, but since I cant really drive the car till I rebuild the tranny, which just so happens to seem like one helluva daunting and intimidating task.

If I coulda started off simply be removing the exhaust and angle grinding off places it rubbed or bent the exhaust away fromt he body etc or mrely put n a tubular k member if it needed it.. perhaps I wouldnt be as nervous.

Sorry just had to whine

What my local mechanics are like: Never seen or heard of an adjustable phr and didnt know how to re-center my rear axle, said they couldnt change my spark plugs cause they woul have to remove too much of the engine, local pontiac dealership parts manager didnt know what a ls7 clutch was and said that stuff off the new vette wont work or fit on my car. One of the same pontiac dealership mechanic guys asked me if I had a hemi in my car.

Sigh. So you see, they may have more experience doing stuff, but they obviously dont know that much and prolly dont have experience doing the work the right way and definitely no experience with working on our cars.

very frustrating

 

I'd say go for it...but the amount of tools you will need/want will keep adding and adding. Good start on the "specialized" tools. Wish I had a 220 welder!!

Buying your own tools and installing stuff yourself will save money in the long run...and you'd know that it was installed right if you do it yourself. Heck, you could probably make a little money if you did a little work outta your garage.

 

there is no better feeling of doin ur own work, instead of payin someone to do it. but then again it would suck to buy all those tools and only use them once. if u r gonna use the tools more than once, i would say hell yea do it. but if ur only gonna use it once, i would say do it, but rent the tools instead. good luck with any decision u go with.

 

The kwiklift will make it much easier and safer working under the car. Be sure to pick up the cross bridge so you can raise the rear or front while up on the lift. I've removed the tranny while updating the hydraulics, but didn't tackle the clutch yet. As long as you have a daily driver/beater, I say go for it. Some of my tasks took longer than planned, but I took my time and didn't feel rushed.

 

Id say go for it. I love working on my car myself. If those are the sort of "knowledgeable" people around you then i would definitely prefer to work on the car myself. Most of this stuff is just nuts and bots, get good instructions and take youre time

 

Do it. Obviously, you have already outclassed the local dealership in terms of what you are capable of. Why not have the same tools??

 

Yea thanks for the encouragement. I catch on quick, just a little nervous doing and seeing them for the first time. I guess you know how it goes, you make a model or do a project and you end up with a spare bolt or two haha. I imagine that's a serious no no on the cars

Im starting to save threads and installation writeups and photos so I will have a good guide and picture diagram etc to get my knowledge from. Also I guess I am going to need to figure out what to drain and when to fill it up etc hehe..

Guess Im going to need more than just an oil drip container.. or does it matter when you drain it to just stick all the fluids together? ie tranny rear end oil cooling etc.

Yea I also have a Jeep Ive been usingsincemy 5th gear synchro decided to take a swan dive. I just miss driving the car hehe.. seeing it sitting inthe driveway begging to be driven heh.

Cant use the garage yet cause they are finishing the upstairs in the house. sigh. might be another month.

 

You don't technically need all the air tools, just makes it easier. Once you get a few easy jobs under your belt, you'll start reverse engineering the car in your driveway trying to figure out what to take off/bolt on/modify to make it better and never trust anyone else to work on it again!
Good luck!

 

Thanks.

Yea I plan on doing some of the cheesy jobs first just to get acquainted with it. Puttng in the fan witch, electric cutout and changing the lca'. Then I might do the rattle search for the exhaust. Then tackle the clutch and tranny.

Haha appreciate the words of encouragement! Now I am just nxious to get started.

So if I delay on the air tools... and get hand tools.. are most 300 pc. tool sets gonna have me covered except for the specialty tools?

 

I don't have any air tools anymore, just good sockets and wrenches with all the extensions, swivels, etc. I would like to get air tools now that I'm hotrodding again, but they're a luxury not necessity. Plus I do everything on ramps and/or jackstands. If you have money/space for a lift that would kickass!
The better the tools/facility you have the easier it is to work on it but you can getrdone on the basics it you want to bad enough.

 

I have to admit it seems fundamentally wrong to use metric sizes on everything now while my trusty old 1/2 and 9/16 just lay there.