Working on cars alone VS having a few buddies over...

One of the things that I like about construction is that there is often a sense of camaraderie among the guys. It is sort of like a sports team or the military in that you have several men working together toward a common goal.
Many times, I prefer to work on my cars alone. Distractions from others can cloud my thought process and lead to screw-ups.
Other times though, I like having friends around. The jokes, the stories and sometimes pranks make it a lot of fun.
I joined a car club in 2004 for this very reason. I figured that guys that joined a Mopar club might be the type I'd like to do car projects with.
It has not worked out that way. While they are nice people, most of the members never do anything. No car shows, no junkyard crawls, no interest in car movies and IF they have a classic, it never shows any progress.
That is very disappointing.
One friend of mine here has all but lost interest in cars since he sold his Challenger to fund the purchase of property. I've reached out to the car club guys but as stated, most of them are nowhere near as car crazy as I am. I do know of a couple more though.
Sometimes if I commit to the guys coming over, it motivates me to get up and moving. If it is up to me (And it is cloudy or cold) it is easy to just stay inside.
Do you enjoy having the guys over or do you prefer to work and tinker alone?

I generally work alone, unless I have my SIL or my Son over, then we work together. But those are training classes for them so things are slower because I am teaching them and explaining things while we go. I tend to explain how adn why we do things rather than just "this is how it's done" and leave it there.

I mostly don't trust anyone else to work on my stuff, burned too many times over the years.

The purpose of the shop is to get out of the house.

JMHO.

I am a superintendent for a construction company doing commercial and industrial work and I find that I have to deal with a good amount of stupid people so my shop time is
my solace time. The wife has no issue with me spending a lot of time in the shop.

I am usually alone when tinkering on the cars. Once in a great while a friend will stop by, but that is rare. Most have given up having fun and enjoyment.

For years, I've basically worked alone on the fleet, mainly because so few people up here seem qualified or capable, or they're distractions.
But before that, I always worked with friends who knew what they were doing and were equally meticulous.
Sometimes we didn't even need to talk - wrenches or help or whatever would just be handed over.
Those were great times: got a lot done on each others' cars, raced together, busted each others' balls, shared tips/history/insights.
We could - and did - trust each other with our lives, and I miss that; enough so that I'm likely to move near at least one of them later this year.
Many have passed on, but a few of us are in frequent contact.

I like working on cars with my wife or son. Also with a few select friends. BUT, I don't mind working on them alone, either.

At work, I usually work alone but get help when I have something heavy to move or need to take a long measurement. Most guys don't work as fast or as clean as I do and I get frustrated with sloppy work.
With the cars, it is almost as if the car itself is not as important as being with friends.

I always built my project cars by myself. I'm kind of a control freak and I never minded being by myself.

Good for him. He found a new interest/hobby, OR something that will give him a better "return", or satisfaction down the road.

Yeah...now he drinks too much and is in a downward spiral.
GREAT progress that guy has made...

Back in the mid 90's, I had a couple of AST master mechanics that worked in our Buick program - Dave & Bob. I swear - they could do anything. They were as sharp as engineers & totally hands-on - both were real hustlers too. They were the calm & sure type of mechanics - never got in a rage because something went wrong. They'd stick with the task until they got it. I wish I was finishing the interior build of my Cuda back when I worked with them - THEY would have been the guys to have over for pizza & beer & wrenching. They would have been a huge help. The 3 of us have since moved-on - I'm not in touch with them anymore.

I hate change. I want things to stay the way that I like!

It just depends on what I'm working on.
If it's something that I want total control on, I'd rather work alone.

If it's not critical, a guys hangout night working on something is fun.
It's like everyone has their specialty of what they're best at such as body/paint or engine, etc.
Sometimes help is a benefit and it a fun hang out night.

I learned a long time ago about working on motors and talking to the customer or anyone else.
Never again

When the guys stop over you may as well stop working. it's time for horse play and telling lies about stuff that happened decades ago. If you really want to keep working then give them something filthy to work on and they will suddenly remember somewhere else they need to be

I work alone 98% of the time.

Most of my projects are done alone... for various reasons stated above. Lol I have the occasional crew show up, but as stated that usually halts productive progress. It does break up the monotonous alone time.

Really depends on the guy. I have one guy who comes over to help me and he works fast. He works so fast that I have to run to keep ahead of him. I have another guy who comes over and he mostly talks and doesn't get much done. Another buddy of mine brings his car over to work in my shop since his garage isn't heated. He is a good mechanic and we work well together. Sometimes I'll help him with his car, other times he'll help me with mine. I like to have someone help me with some projects, others I prefer to do by myself. I also have a gal friend who doesn't know a lot about mechanics but she is a great helper. She grabs tools and cleans parts and keeps up a steady stream of chatter that passes the time.

It's always good having friends over in the garage working on the cars,but usually the beers start flowing and nothing gets done. Back in the day when our regular crew was out screwing around street racing, there was always an engine or transmission to change or some other broken car to fix every weekend. My house was usually where the work took place. Usually Friday night someone would break their car,Saturdays were spent at the junkyard,parts store or speed shop sourcing the parts to get them running again, and Sunday was thrash day to get them running so we could get to our jobs on Monday because they were our means of transportation as well as our hot rods! I didn't have a garage then so engine, transmission and rear axle changes in the driveway or in the street in front of the house were the norm. We used to try to line up the engine swaps so we could all chip in on renting the engine hoist for the weekend and get them all done! Those were the days! Good times, a lot of partying, drinking and girls, as well as driving like maniacs!

That's the thing I miss the most about construction work, I took a job in a chemical plant 26 years ago.

I work alone about 99% of the time as there really aren't that many car guys around here and few are Mopar guys.

Same.

I'll help other people with their cars at their house but I do everything myself on my car including engine and trans installation.

Strange response on a car forum. Old Mopars are supposed to bring satisfaction and joy and aren't about a better "return" if you mean financially.

Same here regarding cars. Too bad because it would be helpful and enjoyable with someone else sometimes. Had a great time a couple of times when Scratchn (Mike) made the long haul from West coast to help me out with stuff on my Power Wagon.

I do prefer to do some things by myself without any distractions. As another member mentioned, bodywork !
I've had car owners want to help on their cars and every time, I have had to go over their work. I'm not an OCD perfectionist but I do try to get the body and paint to look as good as I am capable.
Engine building? Oh yeah. A chatterbox buddy can distract you enough to make a mistake that shows up during break in or miles down the road.
Most of the time when I really appreciate the help is on some junker car where precision isn't a factor.
Lifting hoods with helpers avoids scratches.
Breaking in an engine is another time where extra eyes really helps.
I do get help from the wife for moving cars around the yard, bleeding brakes and some other medium duty tasks. She is strong enough to help lift steel hoods too!
It does come back to the guys working together though. If you've never been in the military, been on a sports team or worked alongside a bunch of like minded guys, you might not understand why I say that I really like the camaraderie. It really is a thing.
Years ago, We'd have marathon sessions doing engine swaps. In the 80s and 90s, lowered cars and mini trucks were the big thing. I was "the guy" in the neighborhood with a floor jack and jackstands so I got tapped to chop coil springs, install lowering blocks, do spring-under jobs, etc.
I rarely drink...same for most of the dudes that I hung out with. When we were focused on a project, if there was a screw up, we only had our own incompetence to blame.

Not really; since there was another posting about "mopars being someone's worst investment".
Well they're "supposed" to be satisfying, UNTIL some realize they're "over their head" wrt the work involved/money needed to finish them.
Shame, not many years ago it was very possible to have a "nice" vintage car to drive/enjoy, without going into deep-debt.
With paint prices today, and finding a good reasonable $$ shop, they've climbed to high on the "elitist ladder" for many, especially for the "younger" crowd wanting to get involved.

It is about 50/50 with me whether I get more done on my own or when friends are over. Sometimes we get things done quick and right, sometimes we get drunk and tell too many stories then the night it over and nothing got done! Both are good times though...

To be honest, I prefer to have a buddy over. I have lived with a repaired detached retina most of my life and about 5 years ago a torn one in the other eye. Both were fixed but bad floaters. Basically, my eyesight sucks. I need huge amounts of light to see stuff and it has really affected my confidence. When I walk I now find myself looking down non-stop. Some of that is due to cataract surgery with the near/far thing, but I like my car buddies and they are more knowledgeable than me. They also seem to have a lot more patience which helps me stay calmer also.

One of my buds calls it "Shop Therapy".

Local guys bring their Mopars over to my shop in the winter to work on them since I have heated floors. Beats busting their nuts off in an unheated garage at home. Last year I helped with a RR project, this winter I helped with a Dart project. I like the company and I can usually help move the projects along since I have a big stash of Mopar parts sitting on the shelf.

At the moment a guy has his Buick in my shop since it doesn't fit in the garage at his house. He comes over and works on it once a week. We chat while we work and then usually go grab some lunch.

The 2 people I would welcome their help, have their projects to handle, or are 75 miles round trip away. Hence, since 1978, I have wrenched solo.

For me, it really depends on what we may be doing as the project of the day. Some things I really need to pay undivided attention to, and other projects are more laid back. I suppose the urgency of the project moving forward in the shortest time also plays a big effect on weather I want help or not.

There are a few guys I can work well with, but those guys understand how my mind works. I do not multitask. I'm the one thing at a time guy. If I have to lay out a plan for someone else, and a plan for myself, we would tend to do whatever the other guy's part of the project is, but if they know what they need to do, then we can both get something done. If I need to help them, I tend to teach them things along the way.

My son and I have become pretty good at working together (its taken years to get to this point). He is a great welder, but just can't fully grasp the process of a custom fabrication project. When we work together, I guide him on how to make patterns, and help him lay them out on the metal to cut, then he does the cutting. Then I guide him in the metal bending process, and he will bend the metal, and is getting really good at the final metal fitting and the welding. We are gaining on making stuff pretty. We set up projects as a 2-3 day process because his time is limited, and we usually accomplish the mission in the given time. As he is gaining in experience, we find more time to talk as we work, but that talk time has to be after I have done the part I need to do, and while he does his part. He can multitask pretty well, and he knows I can't.

^^^

My friend Mike who is (was?) on here as "'THESHAKERPROJECT" is major to have come over to help. He's done some extremely nice restoration work and has experience with areas of the car that I don't. He's also a good motivator for pushing through what seems like a never-ending project to get The MoPig running again.

Another friend who I've known for decades has offered to come over to help multiple times. However, my best recollection of how he works on his own cars is he's more of a "slap it on and call it good" type of hot rodder. I know I'm not a fast wrench, but I don't wanna build build junk, either. I've yet to take him up on the offer simply cuz I can imagine a clash of personalities on how things get done.

I know a dude that puts parts on cars that came straight from the junkyard....dirt, grease and whatever else that was still on it, even the yellow marking paint the clerk puts on for warranty returns.

He is a very giving and helpful guy but can be a real sloppy guy at times.

Attention to detail are paramount to me, therefore I work alone most of the time.

I used to love working on my cars, and helping other people work on theirs. I never really had a preference as to what kind of work I wanted to do alone vs. with other people. For me, it was more of a timing thing, like "Today, I'd like to just be in the garage by myself and goof around with the car."

I think working in the collision repair side of my industry for so long, being in shops all day every day, dealing with repair problem and after repair problem, really took the fun out of the hobby for me over time. I don't really have any interest in working on cars anymore. I enjoy looking at them, and am considering buying another old car or new Challenger or Camaro, but I'm not sure I will. I miss the enjoyment the hobby used to bring me, but that hasn't proven to be enough to get me back into it like I was 10 years ago. We sold my wife's 64, my Trans Am, all of the extra parts, etc. I still have my 82 F250, but that's just a work truck, and I'm likely selling that in the spring anyway.

I'm grateful the hobby still exists, and I hope it does for a long time.

Sometimes having help in the garage becomes help drinking beer and nothing gets done. And sometimes that's OK. BUT there is no way I could have built the Filthy '56 without the help my friends offered. It waw as much fun as driving the car when done.
Here's one of my favorite build pics in the garage, My comedian "Chevy Guy" brother's Bowtie mock-up of the motor mount and the finished project. It was a blast figuring out the challenges with this gang

I'm inherently lazy. So, if I'm going to spend time doing something.... I do it once - correctly. If possible, I'll even try to future proof it if possible to prevent subsequent failure. I missed my calling as an Engineer.
I don't know what it is.... maybe because I don't have BEER at my place, people rarely come around to help. Thing is, I prefer a slight distraction be it somebody to talk to or listening to music. Occasionally, a spare set of hands is very welcome.

However, to the flip side of that.... a LOT of people call upon me to come help with their projects. I've helped one friend build 1.5 Willys trucks.... helped another friend completely disassemble a Gremlin and harvest it for parts (former V8 Gremlin but far, far too rusty to even consider any kind of restoration).

You are the only other person I have ever heard say that.

A friend many years ago lost an $$$ 429 Ford on start up due to an errant 1/2" bolt in a cylinder. Quite a few "Friends?" were helping/watching the assy.
But generally speaking if they are well known they are either trusted to help or the work slows way down /stops. My Limit is typically 1, 2 or more things can happen so the BS starts until I can concentrate

I am in the same boat. My problem is I still have 3 basically done 60's cars that just need a little love to get moving again. I think a couple of them need the fuel tanks flushed or replaced as I've let them sit long enough for the fuel to go bad. I keep thinking I should sell them off but I lack the motivation to revive them. That and selling off classics looks like a nightmare. I have a flipper friend that is always hitting on me to sell to him but I would rather sell to someone that actually wants the cars. I don't know what to do so they continue to sit.

The flip side is also I don't have the money to be doing things twice. It's either do it once properly or don't do it at all.

I think I'm in the running for the Guiness Book of Records for World's Longest engine rebuild.
I got the engine in 2005. I had the machine work done in 2012. It's still a bare block on my engine stand.

70% work alone, 30% work with one of two brothers, both highly experienced.

As I have gotten older,
when working alone I now often think about
“worst case” having hand/arm/leg trapped or bleeding heavily with no way to respond.

Curious: do you have a stretching routine to lessen aches/pains, either before or after?

Do you have a favorite rub on pain cream?

Do you get in an extra hot shower afterwards?

I moved from an area where a 1/2 dozen of us drag raced. We’d work on our cars at a friends farm shop and it was a lot of fun times. Plenty of beer and we actually got a lot of stuff done….. but then we moved. For the last 25 years it’s been me myself and I. No real car guy or racing friends. Despite working on cars all day I still seem to get things done on the car when needed. Hard to get motivated at times, but once I’m at it there’s been plenty of “oh crap it’s 2am and I gotta work tomorrow” moments.

I have a select few friends that I will work on stuff with. We manage to make it fun regardless of the project. I have recently jammed a couple of Conquests together into one functioning unit, it has been fun break from the norm of hot rod stuff.

If the separation distance isn't a lot, you can use a baby monitor with the transmitter in the garage and the speaker in your house.

Basic but effective.

For the most part I work by myself because I'm a little OCD and things need to be done MY WAY. I have been involved in a few members projects over the years that have gone pretty well. This is a classic Moparts gang project https://board.moparts.org/ubbthread...onversion-in-an-afternoon.html#Post34299

Gus

Good grief, a fat pic of me from back in the day.

My buddies know better... I'm an over meticulous control freak with a system for doing everything, and a pet peeve of anyone getting in my way or in my space.

Used to be different long ago. The guys I learned from were all hard workers, no one drank, and either knew their stuff and were good at teaching younger ones, or they were the younger ones (like me almost 30 years ago) and knew enough to know where they could help and when they needed to learn. Sometimes four or five of us would meet at someones garage and knock out a bug project to get someones car back on the road or ready for a show. I miss those days sometimes, but I haven't come across people like that in a long time. Most people now either think they know everything, don't want to help others, or don't know anything and just throw money at their car instead of elbow grease and knowledge.

The ones I used to hang with... We got older and more responsibilities, went separate ways and the cars and car people just weren't as important as they were there for a while.

I think they cars themselves got less exciting too, compared to the rapid increases in horsepower that even less "muscular" cars started coming with from the factory. These old muscle cars used to be kings of the streets, now just about anything with a six speed and turbocharger can keep up off the showroom floor.

Damn...getting a little misty eyed so I'll shut up now.

Tomorrow I'm having a couple of guys over to work on a '65 Valiant.
I actually sold this thing 16 months ago to a guy that isn't car savvy. His buddy is a guy that I've known since he was born.


I am trying to get this car running so they can take it the heck out of here.
Function matters the most for now. Get it running and get it GONE.
The owner didn't like the Valiant front end....he liked the '66 Dart style so I found a front clip for him.

Me and Tim working on the red Valiant in my shop. He and I have worked together on a bunch of projects over the past 20 years. We crank out a lot of work when we're together.

I like having friends over to help when I need help. My friends occasionally will bring their cars over because I have a lift. Mostly repairs or upgrades. No real "builds" anymore. Always got beer on hand but it really doesn't stop progress. Gets harder to make connections with new people as you get older and some of your friends lives change over time and there doesn't seem that you can do much about it except enjoy what you have.

How many have my problem
that I seem to be able to muster more energy to buy a new tool/project/building/land
than USE new tool/building/land ?

Assbackwardness

Cart before horse, etc.

Normally work alone but have a couple of friends that are very skilled and helpful. Plus sometimes 1 person isn't enough. Built the entire frame wheel to wheel alone but when it came time to install body I needed help.

Yeah Mike you don't even look like the same guy. Fran wants to do the same deal with his wagon so we might have another get together some day.


Gus

There were a few "full figured" guys in those pictures....That seems to be the norm these days.

Yep too bad everyone isn't perfect like you

Just me and Fluffy , I believe. I'm about 150 lbs. lighter than I was in those pics.

Relax, Lipshitz...As a society, many of us are bigger than we used to be. I'm a steady 200 but do look better and get around easier at 175.

Interesting topic, never really thought about it but I suppose I have almost always worked alone, it’s odd to think about but I suppose in my head I have a plan, how it want it carried out and at my own pace. I wire wheel nuts, bolts, washers and anything else that needs it and they get primed and painted as necessary, a Chevy driving friend of mine stopped by the other day while I was glass beading some parts that the wire wheel wouldn’t touch and told me I was nuts, my point is most of the people I know don’t do the things I do, I see their own builds and they have Ace hardware nuts and bolts all over the place and it drives me nuts. The only people I like helping me are the ones who don’t have to be told what to do, don’t get a me wrong, I like occasional visitors, but if they are just here to hang out and bs I just grab a stool and stop work to enjoy the bs, I can’t work and bs at the same time, too distracting…

Used to only work by myself. NowI pretty much work with friends.

This last year I did the bodywork on a friends barracuda and he did all the welding I needed on my Plaza and D100 it works out good.

Last year I also lost a good friend who helped me with my barracuda and roadrunner. We were going to build my super bee and now I might be selling the project. But he had about five projects he was working with friends. We are pretty lost now as he had a shop you could build a car from scratch. He was one of those guys who took way to much information to the grave. He would always let you try it your way letting you struggle then come in at the end and say this is how you should do it. We drank a lot of beer and had fun building cars.

I like to work alone as I tend to forget stuff and I can`t concentrate if I am BSing. As far as my car friends, most just go to car shows to BS. Few are willing to lift a wrench or in some cases don`t even know how to use one. The others that have skills are so burn`t out from doing car repairs most of their life and want nothing to do with it anymore.

I generally work alone. There are only two other people I will do work with but not at the same time. It always seems once you get 3 or more people around it turns into social hours and nothing gets done.

Yeah, but isn't that still important to you? You are spending time with friends and that cannot be replaced.

Most of my friends want me to work on their car for them, not with them.

Yeah but usually we can find some other excuse to get together. Oddly it's the same two friends that are most likely to actually make time to get together. Sadly seems like life has gotten in the way for a lot of us and the pandemic didn't help any.

You and I are brothers from different mothers.

Oh this is a great point! I have a lot of those now but none close by that can help me with the more advanced stuff but I have the clueless ones that want help with simple hose replacements, water pump, alternator, and that simpler stuff.

I don't mine lending out my tools and instructions on how to use them to others, but try not to get into doing work on anyone else's cars myself.

My brother has gotten into trading work for work with some friends in the past. Works ok with some people, and others it does not. Some are eager to get work on their car done, and real slow to return the favor if they do at all.

It's a mixed bag for me.
I am fine working alone and when I work on my stuff I tend to be alone and since i am meticulous it works out well.

Most of the time I do work alone but almost half of the time others help or hang out.

Sometimes I do not get motivated like I should. If somebody shows up and says hey lets do this then I jump in both feet. So that is a plus.

I have mentored many a neighborhood kid who needed help. Many of them showed up in my driveway with busted bikes at about 5 or 6. They helped me and learned how to work on cars and I helped them through 4 wheelers and dirt bikes and then into cars of their own. Several of them are mechanics now at dealerships and repair shops. That part has been very rewarding.

Sometimes little kids show up because their older sibling is in the driveway and the older kids would help look out for them. Even been a girl or two want to learn about cars and one even went junkyarding with me to get parts for her car.

It has not been uncommon that I had my project going in the driveway and a kid would be working on his car next to mine. In the two neighboring driveways kids would be tearing into their cars also and I would hop from car to car giving pointers when needed. Really fun times.

Most adults are less interested in cars and just want to drop it off and pick it up later but not all of them. Walt on this website and a friend of his insist on working on their cars with me. If it is a one man job they still stick around and work with me. That type of attitude is nice and I enjoy working together with them.

I can truly say I can go either way and still have a good time. Alone I veg out and the world melts away. With somebody else and it is nice to have the comradery.

It is nice to have someone else there if they are helpful.
I joined the car club to make friends and to engage with other car guys but most are just not as driven as I am.
I agree that sometimes if a buddy is committed to come over, it does help me get over some momentary laziness.

there is only one person around here that he and i can work on something as a team. both of us has trust in each other the job will get done correctly. if it matters, we are both machinists as well.
as to loaning tools, the above person is the only one i will lend something of value to, and vice-versa.
anyone else wanting to "borrow" something, i have, shall we say, items that have no value, or i don't "have one of those".
lots of guys come around wanting stuff repaired, or invite me over to fix things at their house. some of those jobs can certainly keep a guy on his toes, wondering just HOW did THIS happen ?

The same people I'd work on cars with are the main people I'd let borrow something. There are a few others but not many. It also depends on what they want to borrow, how much it's worth if it's easily damaged or can wear out etc.

I need friends help as I have no idea what I’m doing with stuff when working on my mopars.