May 7, 2012

Return of the handyman

A couple of weeks ago, older boy and his buddies crashed our old Toyota. They ran off the road, hit a traffic sign, and wrecked most things on the passenger side. Fortunately the boys didn't get injured, except older boy cutting his hand when the window broke (he's a freestyle skier, so he has a high tolerance for pain, and didn't even bother to see the doctor).

The car is 12-13 years old, so we had no insurance, except the obligatory liability part. To make it cheap, I went to the junkyard and bought some used auto parts; head light and front and rear doors. I was lucky and even got them in the right color.

Cars don't interest me. I find them totally uninteresting. Therefore, I have never tried to repair a car, never touched anything under the hood.  But I thought, what the Hell,  it can't be that difficult. And I studied in a technical university (only math and theoretical physics).

I removed the wrecked doors, paying attention to how things were put together with bolts and nuts. Same with the electrical wires, and then the headlights. Then I mounted the new used doors and lights. And voila; everything worked right away.

New merits can be added to my handyman record. I hereby proudly announce that I've become an auto mechanic >:)))

(I took some pictures with my phone, to document my merits as a auto mechanic. At this point, I have replaced the rear door, and taken off the front door.)

13 comments:

  1. Wow, you fixed the car yourself? I am totally impressed! Glad the boys weren't hurt.

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    1. Haha, yes, I was impressed myself, when everything worked; the lights and the electronic locks and windows >:)

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  2. Wow- that was an amities undertaking! Wish I could just read a manual or pay attention to what I deconstructed, and fix what needs to be fixed. Are you going to check the chassis, though? I always worry about that for some reason--when it comes to car accidents that is.

    So glad to hear that your son and his buddies are safe. :)

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    1. I haven't tried to drive the car at high speed yet. It remains to see if everything feels OK.

      And don't ask me how many hours I spent on the repair >;)

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    2. HA! But what you learned. Oh, and I meant to say "ambitious" undertaking! Amities undertaking--don't know about that one. Maybe it was! ;)

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    3. I'm learning something new all the time, and always enjoy it >:)

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  3. That come in handy! You could have helped me out about 2 months ago when I wrecked the front bumper. I've to pay the A$600 insurance excess. It's a costly thought right before the traffice light...

    The Spinster’s Vow

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    1. Of course I would helped you, Enid. The only problem is that Australia is on the other side of the world >:)

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  4. Great job! You've definitely got more skills than you give yourself credit for.

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  5. Wow! I'm impressed! I love taking things apart and putting them back together, but I have found it's best to take pictures as I go along.

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    1. Taking pictures to get things back in the right order; that's a good idea >:)

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  6. I'm extremely impressed with your new skills! I'm especially impressed as I belong to the group that switches a car on and hope it starts. And when my car stops without warning, I have to try and remember when last I put petrol in it...!!

    Glad neither of your boys were badly hurt (and I'm also impressed with anyone who has a high tolerance of pain, because in my life a paper cut requires painkillers!)

    Judy, South Africa

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