Working on cars in the Winter without a Garage..#$%^*! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Carrameow · #1 11-26-2004, 09:20 AM

I am not complaining, just wishing...Man I dont have a 2 car garage. I have to work on my cars Outside! The worst thing is the darkness, which can be very unpleasant. The sun is coming down at 5:30 PM and the wind kicks up here in New Jersey. so the hour or two I get before dinner time is done with a Work Lamp and in a chill.
That makes you feel conspicuous, everyone else is inside and makes you feel a bit lonely. here you are out in the dark and your wife is 15 feet away in the kitchen and your daughter is watching TV and there is no worse time to be a Certifies Tinkerer.
The next thing is vital repairs assume Stalingard proportions and you got to break out the 1000W Halogen lights. Fingers bruise easily and cuts come easily. Bolts get dropped and wrenches go flying..all the excitement is gone and all your adrenalin is consumes in just staying warm.
Short trips into the garage to get tools turn into a long ones as you warm yourself in front of the kerosene heater or pop your head into the kitchen..
What i would do for a Garage...

Hatterasguy · #2 11-26-2004, 09:24 AM

I know I have to do must repairs outside and it sucks! I am hoping to get all the pressing issues done in the next couple of weeks while we get 40-50 degree days. I will just cross my fingers and hope not to much breaks in Jan, Feb, and early March. (yeah right

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pmari · #3 11-26-2004, 09:59 AM

Yep, gotta crawl under the beast myself today(while the sun is out) and try spraying down the bendix shaft on my starter, that began to sound like it's still spinning after the motor is running, now that it's cold out and replace my heater cord. I fear this is just the begining

JDmills · #4 11-26-2004, 10:02 AM

It keeps me motovated to get the stuff done in the summer. snow on the ground, car on jackstands. Why are my FEET cold? Ha good excuse to go inside and have more coffee!

kamil · #5 11-26-2004, 10:25 AM

I understand. I live north of you in jersey and I'm doing the tranny conversion

tomm9298 · #6 11-26-2004, 01:03 PM

Oh yes, working outside in the cold is such fun!!! It hurts so much worse when you hit your knuckles when it is cold. But, the worst part is laying in my gravel driveway with sharp granite chunks digging into my back. It could be worse, I could have to work on her in the street.

Mango · #7 11-26-2004, 01:10 PM

I was under my truck in the mud last week. As soon as my starter arrives I'll be back under, hopefully the ground will be frozen and a piece of cardboard can be used as insulation.

rwthomas1 · #8 11-26-2004, 01:25 PM

A Cover-it instant garage http://coverit.com/residential/res_1car.html. They go up easily and don't qualify as a "permanent structure" so no taxes. Get a Carhartt insulated overall or coverall. I wear these everyday in winter for outdoor work. Keeps you toasty and tough as nails. Mechanix http://www.mechanix.com/ gloves are perfect for winter. Allow almost bare-hand dexterity without cuts, bruises and frostbite. I hate winter but I have to deal with it as I am often working outside all day in arctic conditions. Learn how to dress for it and it becomes a nuisance more than a hardship. RT

bullwinkle · #9 11-26-2004, 01:33 PM

Thank God for torpedo/salamander heaters(running on winterized diesel fuel of course)-the worst one I ever did was a rear end swap on a old '79 Dodge Aspen, in the snow and cold, in my mom's driveway(fortunately I was a lot younger then-you get to 40 years old, it gets a lot harder to stay warm

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Hatterasguy · #10 11-26-2004, 09:00 PM

When I'm 40 if my car breaks in the winter I will let someone else fix it. This winter stuff is only because I am young and poor.

JimmyL · #11 11-26-2004, 09:27 PM

Just wait till you're old and poor. You still have to find a way to stay warm...

Carrameow · #12 11-26-2004, 10:33 PM

the Volvo is up and running faster than ever after fuel pressure/O2/AMASSproblems after it suffered the plugged Cat, the 87 300D is getting the vandalized door lock fixed and the 85 300D is ready as the primary winter vehicle...after Christmas I dont want to touch a car until the Spring Thaw...boy I need my Sleep, I was outside day finishing the wiring harness on my Volvo and the door lock on the 87 and the stereo on the 85 and my wife got a new dog and I am the designated walker, so after my daily two mile run, I do another 2 miles of walking, I am going to sleep until Monday.....

#13 11-26-2004, 10:52 PM

We have a garage that can house 3, maybe 4 cars..
but As it stands, there is no space in there...except to maybe pull the nose in and do some work...
I do most of it in the driveway

Sometimes it sucks being in a "do it yourself" family...no space to share with all the other stuff/tools/house parts/car parts/car parts/car parts/dune buggies/books/ etc etc etc...