60th Birthday
I got my TR6 as a 50th birthday present to myself
and here we are 10 years later.......both of us still going strong.
There are certain advantages to hitting the Big
Six O.............the primary one being alive to enjoy it! It sure beats the
alternative. And then there's the "special" presents that one deserves at such
an advanced age. This winter I'll be undertaking (that's bad word choice.....too
close to undertaker) a few major projects that will require stripping the car
down of many components.
I'll be removing the: Hood, Radiator, Interior,
Exhaust, Drive Shaft, Engine, Transmission and Differential among other things.
I'll be rebuilding the brakes including: Rebuilt
Calipers, Kevlar Pads, all new Rear Components, Morgan Rear M/C, Kevlar Shoes,
S/S Brake Hose and Rebuilt Servo.
While the engine is out I'm going to chase down
and hopefully fix a few leaks and.....oh yea...... attach a Toyota 5 speed to it
prior to putting it back in the car. The rear end gets a Nissan differential,
Goodparts upgrade kit, Nylatron bushings and Adjustable Trailing Arm Kit.
So to make all this work as easy on my body and
bad back as possible, I asked for a few convenience items..... these are some
things I've "coveted" for a while but could never justify the cost.
The first item I found at Costco for $89 which is
a great price considering that the cheapest I've ever seen it online was $190! I
was tempted to buy 3 of them and sell two on eBay.
The Kreepster
Stool.......smooth rolling and real comfy |
|
Six Wheels for easy
gliding and lots of storage bins for tools and parts. |
|
|
So now that I have a good place to sit, I needed a
comparable place to lay down so what better creeper than the one made by
Kreepster. After dropping a few dozen hints along with emailed links to the
places with the best price, I'm glad to say that my wife got the "hint". The
hardest part about this gift was that it arrived via Fed Ex two weeks before my
birthday and I was home to accept delivery. But my wife wouldn't let me open it
for almost two weeks. That's sooooo wrong.
Very low
slung and with six wheels, two of which have brakes. |
|
|
Nice Headrest |
Side Storage Bins |
|
|
Fully
Adjustable Headrest..... what a difference this makes.....no sore
neck now |
|
|
The best things about the Kreepster products are
their construction quality, lightweight and big wheels for easy rolling.
My old stool and creeper would get stuck if it hit an "oil dry" pebble! What you
can't see very well in the pictures is that you lay very very low with your butt
about an inch off the ground. Yes they are pricey but...........you only hit 60
once.
The last item I came across at the local Pep Boys
which is closing shortly. It was marked down from $150 to $70 and may even come
down more over the next few weeks, but I have a need for it now as I prep the
Toyota 5 speed and the Nissan differential for installation. Heck, it'll even
support the engine which at about 450 pounds puts it well under the 600 pound
limit. So what is it....................a hydraulic work table.
So 50 got me a car, 60 got me some cool toys to
make working on the car easier..............I wonder what 70 will bring :-)
|