Things you don't enjoy doing on cars

[Steve Shauger]

As we mature, ok age, there are some tasks that seem more difficult. Here are two that I've been working on presently:

Working under the dash removing aftermarket stereo and installing original radio and speakers. Crawling under the dash installing the dash speaker and radio or crawling in the trunk to install the rear speaker.

Carpeting installation with console. It's not difficult but tedious. The rear seat bottom removal is never an easy task for me. I know you need to push the bottom towards the back and lift. If you know of a clever way or have a trick LMK!

[60sStuff]

Under the dash.

Been there …. done that many many times when I was a younger man.
Today at 70 I feel like a brittle pretzel 🥨 when I eventually remove myself.
Plus that 60 year old jute falls down in my eyes. Not fun.

I’ll just sit back, sip some red wine 🍷 and enjoy my Survivors as they are.

[Too Many Projects]

Steve, you need to push the cushion down at the same time as back, as there is a hook in the floor bracket to prevent it from popping out in a crash. Place both palms on the top to front panel seam, inline with the floor bracket, and give a mighty shove down and back at a 45% angle, ONE side at a time. Once the first side has popped up, do the other, no need to try and lift. They usually pop up by themselves, once they are forced out of the floor bracket.
I hear ya on laying under a dash. Last week I spent a few "quality" days building the instrument panel back up and installing it my '66 Chevelle. Still a long way to go to have the whole interior in, but it was a start.

[Steve Shauger]

Steve, you need to push the cushion down at the same time as back, as there is a hook in the floor bracket to prevent it from popping out in a crash. Place both palms on the top to front panel seam, inline with the floor bracket, and give a mighty shove down and back at a 45% angle, ONE side at a time. Once the first side has popped up, do the other, no need to try and lift. They usually pop up by themselves, once they are forced out of the floor bracket.
I hear ya on laying under a dash. Last week I spent a few "quality" days building the instrument panel back up and installing it my '66 Chevelle. Still a long way to go to have the whole interior in, but it was a start.

Thanks Mitch, but I know exactly how they are secured with the bracket. Its never easy, but finally get it out. :beers:

[napa68]

yeah......

[L16pilot]

I don't think there is a trick for the rear bottom seat cushions...just a lot of grunting and grumbling until it releases. As for under the dash, I'll trade ya...try doing work under the instrument panel of a DeHavilland Chipmunk. I think I took the mindset of "become one with the airplane" a little too literal.

[napa68]

I don't think there is a trick for the rear bottom seat cushions...just a lot of grunting and grumbling until it releases. As for under the dash, I'll trade ya...try doing work under the instrument panel of a DeHavilland Chipmunk. I think I took the mindset of "become one with the airplane" a little too literal.

We've got a new winner!!

[olredalert]

----For me, a clutch job on a mid-year Corvette takes the award, although under the dash of a mid-year is a close second. If only the factory had made the trans crossmember removable. At this point in my life I literally can't do the job (torn rotator cuffs on both shoulders and arth). Had to farm it out....Bill S

[TimG]

Cleaning a chassis. I just finished my 1967 Corvette and it got me in the mood to clean the undercoating off the chassis of my 1970 Corvette. I put in 12 hours over the weekend in a hot Texas garage with a 300 degree heat gun in hand. My wife is checking our will as I post this.

[L_e_e]

I hate replacing heater cores, but what I really hate is working on jetskis, anything besides replacing a battery and you have to be a Mechanical Gynecologist.

[66cayne]

Cleaning a chassis. I just finished my 1967 Corvette and it got me in the mood to clean the undercoating off the chassis of my 1970 Corvette. I put in 12 hours over the weekend in a hot Texas garage with a 300 degree heat gun in hand. My wife is checking our will as I post this.
that is without a doubt the toughest job. Ive done it on two cars, a 65 Impala SS and a 66 Biscayne. I hate undercoating so it had to go. Car on jack stands. me on my back with heat gun, scrapers, needle gun, acetone etc., then repainting . Never again! I wish dry ice removal was an option at the time.

[cruiserofland]

Steve, I’ve used a trick suggested on TC to put a plastic mallet between front seat and rear, then lean on the front seat to help pop the rear seat bottom back and up to release it from each hook :beers:

I too hate any long jobs under a dash…

[Steve Shauger]

Steve, I’ve used a trick suggested on TC to put a plastic mallet between front seat and rear, then lean on the front seat to help pop the rear seat bottom back and up to release it from each hook :beers: I already removed the front seat in preparation to install new carpeting. Now I will try this next time...

I too hate any long jobs under a dash…
I like that idea! Getting tired of 30 minutes struggling and spewing every adjective .:grin:

[danachevroletfor1967]

For me it's anything I have to do that requires me to bend over or get on my back, whether it's doing anything under the car or under the dash.

[Rumbleguts396]

I rate the difficulty of a job by the amount of Advil needed afterwards. I.E., that’s At least a 4 Advil job. Rob

[Crush]

All the under dash stuff is brutal. On the last truck I did work on I took the seats out so I could stretch out!
On a slightly different but body pain related, I helped a friend recently lay 15 pallets of sod! I couldn’t believe how sore I was!

Just remember, pain is weakness leaving the body….lol!

[Formula455SD]

Not a fan installing carpet. Everytime I look at it I see every mistake. Too expensive.. and too big of a job to rip it out and start over. BTW... I need a 4 speed console for my '72 T/A to hide a big mistake... The original was MIA when I bought the car..

[R68GTO]

under dash is definitely a PITA. The most frustrating for me is tracking down an electrical gremlin in the system.

[67since67]

An old drag racing friend once stated "If it was easy everyone would be doing it"
We all share the same world it seems! For me, on muscle era cars, it's A/C equipped under dashes (C3 BB Corvette heater core :eek2:) and chassis cleaning.

Edit: I'm not particularly fond of steering columns either...

[ACR]

I don't mind any job on my cars. Some I like more than others but I find the tinkering cathartic no matter how frustrating at a surface level. However, undoing hack job work and the butchery of others is the worst thing for me IMO... wiring, bad bodywork, etc etc - plenty of that to undo on my current 66 Nova build.

[L_e_e]

Not a fan installing carpet. Everytime I look at it I see every mistake. Too expensive.. and too big of a job to rip it out and start over. BTW... I need a 4 speed console for my '72 T/A to hide a big mistake... The original was MIA when I bought the car..

I have a nice black 4-spd console w/power window cut out, has a nice original console lid as well.

[Formula455SD]

I have a nice black 4-spd console w/power window cut out, has a nice original console lid as well.

Thanks. My car has crank windows. :(

[Rsconv68]

Anyone who has replaced the glove box on a 67 or 68 Camaro can appreciate why things cost so much to restore.

[396 SS/RS]

My dad taught me years ago how to remove the rear bottom seat... Move the front seats fully forward, climb into the back floorboard and straddle the tunnel, using your feet against the back of the front seats and your knees against the lower frame on the front of the back seat push against the back seat to move the seat rearward while lifting up on the seat to get it out of the retainer.

He taught me this better than 50 years ago and I used this same method recently removing the back seat from my sons '69 Camaro. Naturally, climbing in and out of the car now takes a little more time than it was when I was 12-14 years old.

[x77-69z28]

Getting. Under the dash has to be the worst! I got it done, but it still hurts!
Buddy

[Billohio]

My 70 Z has a MSD box under the dash. The car would shut off after it would get warm last year but start up after sitting a couple minutes. I narrowed it down to the box. I did not install it and the guy did a nice job but had a month of chiropractor after that.

[Mr70]

Removing,installing & aligning 4 cranking roll down glass windows is no picnic.And even worse if they're power windows and need to rebuild each motor and check wiring for faults..

[Formula455SD]

Adjusting door glass on a 2nd gen F-body can be frustrating if you forgot how to do it...

[67since67]

I had forgotten this one...

Building back the convertible top and side glass from scratch when it all, including top bows, had been blown apart for ten years, adjusting the top bows and side glass to work together, and Then installing a zero wrinkle top.

Oh, and it's a power top too...

NEVER again!

[Steve Shauger]

I think the end result satisfaction keeps us all motivated. Even if these tasks are a PIA:)

[JRC99]

Honestly, with my lack of experience, everything but drive it. Too bad I can't afford to have stuff done.