so...you like fixing cars?

I spent the last week working on my car. And as anyone who knows me knows, I have a car that needs to have work done to it. I currently own an 85 Volvo 245. I say that as if I've owned a lot of cars, but I've owned 3.

So anyways, I spent the better part of the last week fixing my car. I've had an oil leak since I got the car, but it got worse over time (that seems to the case, as I doubt they magically just get better on their own...although how cool would that be? A car that heals itself...anyways..). So I changed 3 engine seals and replaced the timing belt. And of course, because I changed the timing belt, I had to adjust the timing. That was a bundle of fun, but now that I'm done I could do it again in less time.

It took me 9 days to do it this time, whereas the next time I could probably shave a day off the time.

I'm hoping that my oil leaking stops, or at least slows down. It wasn't a TON, but it was enough.

I got help from my brother Jay, and my friend Dylan. Each made a big difference.

Word to the wise: It pays to be nice the elderly people, as my dad is proof. Not that I'm talking about being nice to him, but he was always helpful and nice to his neighbor. He died about a year ago, and his wife is moving to another state. So she's getting rid of a bunch of tools that she has no use for (nor do her kids or grandkids....wtf? If my grandfather died and I had a chance to get his tools and wrenches etc, I'd jump on it). She has given him (and he and I and my brother have bought) a roto-tiller (my brother bought), a radial arm saw (my dad bought) and a drill press (I bought).

And two full tool-kits with a MOTHER load of sockets and wrenches. And screw drivers. And files. And drill-bits (and drill-bits...and drill-bits...) and allen wrenches. And an electric blower, a gas blower motor, a propane cooking grill, a belt sander, a corded drill, a cordless drill, an electric chainsaw, a skill-saw and I got a nice floor-jack. And taps (to re-thread stripped bolts, etc), calipers and tape measures.

And today my dad got (and by-proxy my brother and I also, and maybe our older sister) another full tool kit with a socket set, hammers, screw drivers, at least 3 complete socket sets, open ended wrenches (several dozen), HUGE wrenches (like ones you can use to loosen a 1 7/8 inch big bolt), several breaker bars, hammers, and a rolling tool-kit. So my dad (et all) have probably quadrupled his socket collection, and tool collection.

All because my dad had been friends with his neighbor for 20 years, and was helpful when needed.

I took pictures of todays bounty and sent them to my brother. He was flabbergasted at the amount that our dad got (just today). My dad could filter out what he wants, I could filter out what I want, and my brother could filter out what I want...and our sister could probably get what she wants and our dad would probably STILL have tons leftover to sell.

As I said, it pays to be nice to neighbors.