Back many years ago when I started working on automobiles as a profession, I learned from experience and a lot of bloody knuckles that inferior tools caused a lot more pain than was necessary. Besides the physical pain from small scratches and bumps, cheaper tools tend to cause other problems like rounded off bolt heads or stripped out screws.
Once I started purchasing the "better" tools things became easier for me, and in the long run I became more productive since I had less "collateral" problems to deal with.
It became helpful having mechanical knowledge once I branched out into automotive machining. I basically machined / rebuilt and assembled engines and various other automotive components then. On occasion I have built up engines for drag racing and circle track cars.
Now I managed to design and build my very own engine test run stand...
so I can run an engine and make sure that there are no problems before it is installed into a car.
My German Shepherd "helper" Heidi is here in this picture shown above too. Doing what she does... which is hiding. She's very good at sneaking up on people. Her name is a dual purpose name. Heidi is a German girl name and it's what she does very well. She's a great dog and friend.
Here you can see the engine after all of the critical adjustments were made and it's ready for installation. Mabel is the Chocolate Lab in the picture. Mabel is holding her toy rubber duck in her mouth. She was a fetching machine !
We rescued her from the dog pound a day before they were going to put her down. She ended up being a great dog. Sadly she is no longer with us. I had to put her to sleep after she developed cancer. I miss her...
The cool thing about my run stand is that I can use it to install the engine, transmission and front suspension into the car from underneath just like the factory did it on the assembly line.
Once the cross member a K frame are bolted in place, the engine run stand remains on the ground as you raise the car up from it.
Now it's a hobby that I have and I'm always busy doing something. I have restored several Mopar muscle cars and I do the majority of my own work including painting and replacing sheet metal as needed.
When I finish restoration on a car I can guarantee you that it's much better than what it was when it originally rolled off the assembly line.
There was an evolution of sorts as I started going "top end". 🙂
Having a little OCD doesn't hurt here ...
David I hope you don't mind my posting here. I will delete this if you want me to.
Say ... do you need an engine for your "Orca" ?
I know this guy ...
