Very frustrating not to be able to work on my truck

[mikey531]

I am in New Hampshire and have several things that I need to get working, I have some health issues that just started and all my plans for this winter are on hold. I have an aftermarket tilt wheel with all new wiring throughout the truck. I am hoping someone knows of a reputable company that could help. The issues are,
Neutral safety switch,
Horn button
back up lights
directional flash fast and don't cancel
Column shift linkage
transmission seal leaks
Fuel Gauge
Temp Gauge
AC ducting
carpet and insulation
valve cover gaskets
Drum brake wheel cylinders
I have to rebuild the rear end, ran without any grease, my fault.
This is very frustrating to have to do this, Thanks for any suggestions.

[CUSTOM/10]

I feel your pain, I'm currently home recuperating from arm surgery, last year it was back surgery, a a couple yrs prior I had a small stroke. I've always just put my project on the back burner until I was well enough to get back to it.

I'm going to post a link to a place near me ( I'm in Sandown NH, not too far from Exeter ) There in Hampstead NH on Rte 121 just off of Rte 111. I have never done business with them, but I see classic cars & trucks there all the time, and classics are what they specialize in ! ( Once again I have no 1st hand experience with them )

Maybe call them and see what you think ! Good luck and get well !!!
Gary

Their called "Phillips" .
https://www.phillipsautonh.com/

[mikey531]

Originally Posted by CUSTOM/10

I feel your pain, I'm currently home recuperating from arm surgery, last year it was back surgery, a a couple yrs prior I had a small stroke. I've always just put my project on the back burner until I was well enough to get back to it.

I'm going to post a link to a place near me ( I'm in Sandown NH, not too far from Exeter ) There in Hampstead NH on Rte 121 just off of Rte 111. I have never done business with them, but I see classic cars & trucks there all the time, and classics are what they specialize in ! ( Once again I have no 1st hand experience with them )

Maybe call them and see what you think ! Good luck and get well !!!
Gary

Their called "Phillips" .
https://www.phillipsautonh.com/

Thank you Maybe when I get better I can give you some help. Thanks again.

[CUSTOM/10]

Check out their website, they do list troubleshooting electrical issues

Let me know how you make out, and what you think of them if you contact them.

Gary

[dmjlambert]

If that local shop does not work out for you, or want more options, I have these ideas.

My local new car dealership has a chief mechanic who is a classic car enthusiast. He does work on evenings and weekends for extra money, and is a super duper expert. I take my truck to him when I need bailed out of a situation I can't handle, and he's done amazing (at least to me amazing and way beyond my mechanical ability) stuff for very low cost. The telltale sign is old Novas, Mustangs, and 442s and stuff like that in the parking lot with primer on them. If you see interesting cars in the employee parking area toward the back of the lot at one of your local dealerships (including Kia, Nissan, Toyota, etc.) go in and ask around who is the classic car enthusiast.

Second idea is if you have nextdoor.com available to your neighborhood, sign up for membership there and make posts asking if people know of shade tree mechanics who like to work on old cars. That is how I met another fantastic guy, he is a retired Chevy dealership senior mechanic with great expertise, and I am very glad to know him. If you are not familiar with nextdoor.com, it is a social network site where people go by their real names and are all close-by and the site has a much better vibe and less useless BS than other social networking such as Facebook.

[mikey531]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

If that local shop does not work out for you, or want more options, I have these ideas.

My local new car dealership has a chief mechanic who is a classic car enthusiast. He does work on evenings and weekends for extra money, and is a super duper expert. I take my truck to him when I need bailed out of a situation I can't handle, and he's done amazing (at least to me amazing and way beyond my mechanical ability) stuff for very low cost. The telltale sign is old Novas, Mustangs, and 442s and stuff like that in the parking lot with primer on them. If you see interesting cars in the employee parking area toward the back of the lot at one of your local dealerships (including Kia, Nissan, Toyota, etc.) go in and ask around who is the classic car enthusiast.

Second idea is if you have nextdoor.com available to your neighborhood, sign up for membership there and make posts asking if people know of shade tree mechanics who like to work on old cars. That is how I met another fantastic guy, he is a retired Chevy dealership senior mechanic with great expertise, and I am very glad to know him. If you are not familiar with nextdoor.com, it is a social network site where people go by their real names and are all close-by and the site has a much better vibe and less useless BS than other social networking such as Facebook.

I didn't think about that, I may check craigslist too. I will try the website thanks !!!!

[ohboy321]

Boy can I relate to this thread. Last spring I took some of my motor apart to clean up, paint, and update all bolt on parts with shiny new ones.

Was hit with diverticulitis soon after, had surgery in September that failed soon after, and here I am sitting in a rehab hospital going on 71 days.

These are great suggestions for getting the work done, and I hope you can find someone to help. I also live in NH, and although I plan on continuing with my project once I get healthy, I will be interested to hear about area shops or mechanics that help with our older trucks.

Hope you get well soon!!
-Steve

[mr.precision]

A difficult topic to post and even more difficult to resolve.
I have been restoring vintage cars, motorcycles and tractors for 40 years. 2-1/2 years ago I got clobbered with a very rare form of autoimmune disorder (referred to as polymyositus), which put the kabosh on my projects. One project was the completion of my '67 C10 shortbed stepper.
I have learned to pace myself and accept the fact that I can do about 1/3 the work I used to. I sold my vintage tractor collection (14 of them) as I could no longer drive them around on the property and occasionally brush-hog the 12 acres I had, which I considered one of life's finest simple pleasures. I then sold the property since I couldn't take care of it anymore. I still have several cars and bikes, some of which are done and some of which need further attention.

Enlisting the help of friends, knowing when to STOP work, physical therapy and frequent breaks are tools we can all use as we age and health related problems make themselves evident.

In the queue are a few more details on the C10, some resto work on a '65 Corvette roadster, and a full resto on a vintage Harley dresser.

No violins on this post.... I am grateful for what I can do and know several gearheads my age who can't do much of anything. Those are the guys that really deserve a little sympathy.

[mikey531]

I hope that my post didn't come across as me looking for sympathy, that wasn't my intent, I found out on Oct 9th that I have a cancerous tumor in my neck. I am starting treatments on 12/4 for 7 weeks. I am hoping for a good outcome. I also hope that I will be able to get my strength back to do more work on my truck, and other projects. I also realized that at 68 years old I can't do everything my head says I can ! I have a couple of good leads and will let everyone know how I do. Thank you for all the comments and suggestions. Mike

[Smitty]

Do to age related issues, I am unable to do things I used to. I found my mechanic by noticing that he always had a classic parked near the shop. And we all know finding a good one is as hard as finding a god doctor. Another benefit is that he has been able to recommend other trade people who are equally qualified, an dependable.

[old51sedan]

Boy, I can relate to all of you guys, this getting older isn't for sisseys. As we get older and our bodies get older we have a tendency to slow up an awful lot, even though our mind sometime tells us different. As we get older also, gravity is no longer our friend. I'm noticing that when I get down on the ground to work on my truck, it's harder and harder to get back up. At 76, I'm thankful for everyday I can get up and do things. I was in the hospital 7 years ago, had diverticulitis, they removed most of my colon, now have only 2 feet, but is doing me well. I have a friend who painted my truck and another who has helped change the drive train, if it weren't for them I'd be lost. All we can do is hang in there day by day. Told my wife yesterday that I have already outlived both of my grandfathers, scary.

[Happy_dan]

Join NH Musclecars and check the vendors. They have some great classic car vendors and I am sure can help.

https://www.nhmusclecars.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/nhmusclecars/

[Happy_dan]

Also, I am no expert, but I have two good hands and if I can help in any way, I would be happy to come over on a weekend day and lend a hand. We need each other in this hobby!!

[LockDoc]

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I am now going through the same problems as some of you guys. I had Carpel Tunnel surgery two weeks ago and right after the surgery my left hip started hurting. It finally got to hurting bad enough that I went to the Dr with it. He sent me to a specialist and he said I had a pinched nerve but that wasn't the real problem, he diagnosed the actual problem as "Severe lumbar degenerative disk disease" . I start physical therapy tomorrow afternoon but I don't hold much hope for that. If that doesn't work it's MRI and possible shots or surgery.

I am working on one old car, two trucks, and a JD tractor at this time, so they are all on hold for a while. I feel really lucky because I am 76 and this is the first major problem I have had health wise.

Y'all take care and get well so we can work on our trucks again...

Pic1: '71 Chevy c20
Pic2: '70 Short Bed
Pic3 '70 Short Bed, inside cab

LockDoc

[mr.precision]

God bless you, LockDoc.
Since joining this forum, I have particularly enjoyed your posts and guidance. I hope the CT surgery worked out, so you can keep up the entries and replies.
You've got some real challenges there with incomplete projects. I hope you have some friends that can assist, and that your health improves.
As a close friend said..... getting old ain't for pussies. We just do the best we can and dream of the projects we want to complete. It will just take longer, that's all.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by mr.precision

God bless you, LockDoc.
Since joining this forum, I have particularly enjoyed your posts and guidance. I hope the CT surgery worked out, so you can keep up the entries and replies.
You've got some real challenges there with incomplete projects. I hope you have some friends that can assist, and that your health improves.
As a close friend said..... getting old ain't for pussies. We just do the best we can and dream of the projects we want to complete. It will just take longer, that's all.

Thanks. I am still a lot better off than some on here that are fighting cancer and other serious illnesses. CT surgery worked out good. I plan on posting until my fingers, or brain don't work any more...... Not much pain sitting in a chair in front of the computer.

LockDoc

[mikey531]

Update: I have partially recovered from my cancer. I beat the cancer but not without a lot of issues. I had a doc appointment at the hospital on Jan. 30th at 10:30. I can remember staring to sit down and went to the floor. My wife said they took her out of the office and called for a code blue, I don't remember anything until I woke up in the ICU at 5:30 that night. but they did tell my wife I actually died. They got me back with CPR. I read the report and it said no pulse, no respiratory, no response. For some reason I got a second chance in life. Now back to my truck. I found a mobile mechanic who used to work at a restoration shop for 20 years and decided to go out on his own. He has been working on my truck to take all the little gremlins that kept popping up. It is almost finished and I will be driving it again next month ! It has been a long journey but the end is in site finally !!!

[Boog]

That's good that you made it back.

[67C10Step]

That is fantastic on both fronts. Good to hear you came through the cancer and all the medical. That is scary stuff.

Also good to hear you are getting your truck sorted. Gotta be making you happy.

Keep on truckin as they say.

[Blue GMC]

Man glad to see everything is getting back to halfway normal and it looks like you have a great jump on your second life. I can't imagine how bad of a scare that must have been. Reminds us all to live life for every minute

[dmjlambert]

Good news mikey531. I'm glad you are back with us. I think it is really neat you found that mobile mechanic.

[LockDoc]

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Wow, you got hit from all sides. Good deal that you are getting better and able to do a few things. We are a pretty tough bunch of old birds and it's hard to keep us down...

LockDoc

[davischevy]

Sounds like good news all around. Glad your back.

[gmc684x4]

Do what you can limit time working on your projects
Last two years i broke one leg then before xmass i shattered my other leg
I work what i can somedays it may be an hour others many hours try to stop before you over due it

[Steeveedee]

Wow, what a story! I'm happy that you made it, and that you're getting the truck fixed up, to boot!