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.