Aging & Changing Values and Perspectives.

Was wandering through Spring Carlisle the other day and found a nice floor mounted hydraulic strut compressor for cheap. This is a tool I've long wanted.

But I didn't buy it.

The reason I didn't buy it is because I found myself thinking how many more struts am I really going to do? As well, thinking that kf those that I will do, I can do with the same spring compressors I've used for years. In all sincerity, I doubt I have 20 years left of substantial car repairs. In 20 years I'll be in my 70's. Very few 70 year olds are doing the likes of strut work.

Sometimes it's strange looking at things like this.

Years ago I picked up two rolls of oil change stickers for the windshield for a buck or so. That's more stickers than I will use in the rest of my life. It's always felt weird to me to look at those rolls of stickers and know I won't be able to use them all before I'm done or die.

Yea, I know my tools and such will outlive me. Hope someone enjoys them as much as I have, and as much as I've enjoyed using some old tools belonging to some long gone mechanic of yesteryear. That's fine, tools can live on forever.

But when it's a common consumable, like a roll of oil change windshield stickers. That just feels kinda weird to me.

The roll of stickers is something that can be passed on as well, and in 15 years when all electrics are the only thing sold as new, will become a cool klitch relic and in 40 years will be on antique road show. Tools of the trade passed down are always very cool. I have a bunch of yard equipment such as hedge trimmers, shears and a reel mower from my grandfather. It's aniquated stuff that takes a good 30-40% longer to use. But I've found that A) it does a better, more precise, cleaner job and B) I could utilize it longer while working in a reduced physical capacity than I could the modern stuff.

Teaching someone just getting into a hobby, or even who is just in need of repairing something of their own, is rewarding. Showing them how a specialized tool works often helps them understand how the component and system being repaired works as well. All while encouraging them to not be afraid to attempt taking on the job on their own.

Teaching and assisting the next generation to wrench when we're unable to keeps us in the garage watching progress and enjoying the hobby as opposed to sitting on the couch watching paid placement in automotive programming with artificial producer set deadlines while swmbo questions what we plan on doing with ourselves for the day.

How many "Forever" stamps do you own?

I remember reading one of Kurt Vonnegut's later books where he talks about mailing a letter. He took the letter, put on his coat, walked down tot he post office and bought a single envelope and one stamp, and mailed it. Purportedly he did this every time he had a letter to mail. I wonder if it wasn't fear of the same thing- what if my box of envelopes outlasts me?

We are all mortal. How we each deal with that fact is part of who we are.

I lost both parents fairly young, and my dad - who passed first - was completely unexpected. Since that day I've done my best to live each day as though it's my last.

I'm a few years behind you, but have recently gone through a purge phase myself. However, a non-obscure tool, that's cheap and would make my life easier for at least one time...yeah, I'd have bought it. My survivors would have no problem finding someone to buy it along with the rest of my tools.

In reply to captdownshift:

Coincidentally, this was me last night:

In reply to volvoclearinghouse:

Next to a car older than both of you, working with a tool even older than that. Very cool.

When I look at the photo, there is very little in it that would lead me to believe the picture is newer than 1990 or 25 years ago. I think that's cool.

I enjoy wrenching on cars, the older I get the more I invest in specialty tools because they allow me to continue to to jobs that I may not have the strength to do otherwise.

I really never had a life plan past 21 so I don't plan to start now, I want to focus on how I live not how and when I'll die. Sure it's gonna leave a mess for those left behind but y'all will get some great deal on tools from my wife and/or kid :)

In reply to volvoclearinghouse:

Conversely forever stamps have outperformed ever federally issued bond over the past 30 years regarding return and the return on forever stamps isn't taxed. They're the best federally insured investment option available directly through the government.

My father is 76. He was lowering a 396 big block back into the hole of his 70 Chevelle by himself when I popped in for coffee yesterday on a whim. He took it out to clean and refinish the bay over the winter because he is retired and ... that is what he does with his time so my mother does not drive him insane.

You might do a lot more struts if you live long enough to have nothing else to do all day.

In reply to volvoclearinghouse:

In her mind - she is on the deck of a pirate ship.

captdownshift wrote: In reply to volvoclearinghouse: Conversely forever stamps have outperformed ever federally issued bond over the past 30 years regarding return and the return on forever stamps isn't taxed. They're the best federally insured investment option available directly through the government.

Only if they are used.

Just like your home as an "investment".

Great concept, but unless you sell or use it, the idea doesn't work. I'm not planning to sell my home, so it's no longer an investment that I will get money out of. It's just home.

Conversely, I could have gotten 1000 forever stamps, at $300, saving me $300 if I use them all. Or costing me a bunch of money if I don't.

At what point does having a forever roll of oil change stickers become cool and vintage or when does it become hoarding with the idea of coolness.

Reminds me that I need to clean out my garage. Still too much worthless Alfa stuff.

I'm still using 37¢ holiday stamps from 1998 or so that I found in with my mother's unsent Christmas when she died in 2007.

Sold off the old projects and cleaning out the garage for a teardown and rebuild, the way it's going it might be done for retirement. Not dragging any new projects home although there have been some damn good ones out there, holding off on equipment too.

Get two vehicles serviced at the dealer or local shop, still wrench on the S197 tho. Thing is I don't miss it at all, I have more time for R&R w/ family and friends than ever, they're way more important anyway. I'll get back in it someday but it's gotta be something special of a project.

alfadriver said: Reminds me that I need to clean out my garage. Still too much worthless Alfa stuff.

Have I told you about my free Alfa stuff removal service?

My bf just picked up a new strut compressor and we're the same age as you. I say live your life - 15 or 20 or 30 years is a long time to spend waiting to grow old.

I have tools...therefor I am.

My grandpa loves telling the story of how the roofing sales guy tried to get him to buy the 30 year shingles. "Great" he says, "I'll be 115!" "Give me the cheap ones"

Joey

I'm not old enough to really comment much, but I noticed a similar change. I'd still buy all the tools, but I look at cars differently. I no longer judge every car based on its potential to be made into a race car, but practicality is important. I even want a minivan now! (Who doesn't?)

Mazda 5 with a stick, but I don't want to race the thing. well, maybe some autox.

Damn, guess I haven't changed at all!

I will do my own wrenching and continue to race until the day I wake up dead of old age at 100+ years of age

I was saving Datsun Z parts in my basement in my large crawlspace - at one point I decided a "reasonably" priced Z is not in the works and I need liquidate some parts to make my wife's life easier should I fall over dead.

I imagine somebody having to carry out a used 5-speed tranny from my basement wondering why I had a transmission in my basement? Part of this comes from just cleaning out my dad's three floor house of "stuff" after living there for 45 years.

I stopped using stickers, and just write on the windshield with a Sharpie.

I'm too crotchety to want to have to find the darned stickers. Get off my lawn!

Huckleberry wrote: My father is 76. He was lowering a 396 big block back into the hole of his 70 Chevelle by himself when I popped in for coffee yesterday on a whim. He took it out to clean and refinish the bay over the winter because he is retired and ... that is what he does with his time so my mother does not drive him insane. You might do a lot more struts if you live long enough to have nothing else to do all day.

My uncle has a 70 chevelle with a 396, awesome cars.

My changes are not about tools- I gave up caring about them a long time ago. Besides, I have 3 or 4 of just about everything (had to supply employees with tools, and no longer have employees, but still have the tools).

My changes are about business dreams I may have to give up on, and shifting perspectives in personal relationships (the girls I used to find attractive are nothing more than silly to me now, and that feels weird). These are hard- like grieving over a lost child.

But I am also enjoying getting older. I don't care about proving myself to anyone, I am confident, and I like who I am. I like what I see when I look in the mirror- didn't always.

As I get older (53 years old) I do consider getting rid of my house (and high $8,400 Illinois property taxes) and getting something smaller where I can travel more of the USA and work less at making money to support this monster I have created. I love gardening and the fruits of my labor but I can easily enjoy the tomatoes I purchase at one of the local Saturday morning farmers markets in the area.

I still have a vision of me in a house half the size of our current one and a garage twice the size, with HEAT. What I do notice at my age (64) though is that it's becoming harder to overcome inertia. I dream more,do less.