Getting older kinda sucks

autox19

True Classic
Yes there is Fiat content here, so bear with me. I am 51. what I have learned through life is I dont like pain. I found that I am no longer as gutsy in fear of said pain. I used to fling my body strapped to a snowboard off of some pretty high jumps and drops. no worries about if I crashed. Now I find as I am looking down the high walls of a half pipe, or down a pretty steep drop, "if I crash it will hurt, maybe I should go an easier route".
Fiat Part. I have had an X19 in my possession pretty much since 1986. with some of that time being a daily driver. I drove it rain, snow, didnt matter. I would put on a different carb on a weekend without thinking of not making it to work. I Drove it with an adjustable wrench, 10, 13 and 15 mm sockets, duct tape and zip ties in case something went wrong. And yeah, things went wrong. no biggy, I just fixed it ant life went on. I once spun bearings, replaced with a combo of a 128 engine and the X engine and drove it to work 4 hours later without a thought things could go bad.
Spin ahead to today. I have the B16 X. Has it had issues getting to this point? yes. With only the last test drive to work being bad. I now think I have the issues fixed but am having issues getting myself to "trust" it. The 2 issues that came up last time. Overheating and shift linkage unbolting rendering shifting useless. How did I fix them? I redid how the cooling is configured (see another thread on that from a few weeks ago) Cooling fan power plug came undone so I electrical taped the junction together figuring it I needed to unplug it, undoing tape isnt hard. ran it in my drive for at least 20-30 min, many cycles of the cooling fan. no issues, no air in the coolant lines, unlike before. Shift linkage, I did double nuts to tighten to each other, as well as this time using loctite 721. I also am carrying extra nuts and a wrench, just in case. Now everytime I think about taking it out for a test, I back down and either take my van or find an excuse in my head on why I shouldn't take the X this time.
See? I am getting older, the "fear factor" is creeping in. even though I have the tow dolly still attached on the X and my best friend has the truck we have towed it many times back and forth between his house and mine during this project, I cant get my self to pull the trigger again. Afraid of getting stranded? maybe, afraid of another failure? possibly, who knows.

ok, I know this might be a little deep for this forum, but at the same time, you guys (guys in my mind is NOT a boy/girl thing, it is people in general) are my friends. You guys understand the crazy passion for theses things. I also wanted to let people know where my X project stands.

Thanks for the Ear

Odie
 
You young guys do not understand the pain of getting older yet. 51? you are still in your prime. I am turning 62 this year and I still drive my X1/9 anywhere and believe it will always work. The problem now is the pain of working on the car even on a lift. My body does not bend like it use to.(yes Carl, I know I am younger than you).
 
You young guys do not understand the pain of getting older yet. 51? you are still in your prime. I am turning 62 this year and I still drive my X1/9 anywhere and believe it will always work. The problem now is the pain of working on the car even on a lift. My body does not bend like it use to.(yes Carl, I know I am younger than you).
Oh the thoughts of doing the master brake or clutch come into mind. talking about bending body...


Odie
 
51, you guys are just youngsters. Quit your whining and get off my lawn!! :D

Odie, keep at it. I think we can all empathize with your situation. I have a 78X sitting in the corner for 6 years now. It is 90% complete, but I always find an excuse, some are even legitimate, not to finish it. If I finish it, I have to try to start it and see if I f'd it up. As it is, it is pure potential. :)
 
You better take it around the block at least once before you drive it down to the open house in a couple weeks. :D
That is actually one of my concerns. I may end up trailering it. If I can get it on the trailer. a 4 hour trip is a bit far for AAA towing ;) we could also flat tow it. the other reason why I dont want to drive it there is I might have an order to pick up while I am there and dont want to be space limited.

Odie
 
Odie,

I almost always tow to MWB these days. I used to drive, but I got caught in a couple big storms that were not fun in a tiny X on the interstate. Towing eliminates many concerns, but introduces a couple too. Getting the car on and off is one concern, the other is Brayden laughing at me when he has to park my trailer for me. Seriously Brayden, I would have gotten it straightened out in another 30 minutes or so. :eek::confused::rolleyes:o_O:D
 
Odie, I can relate to this also. Following a serious spinal injury I find that many things I used to enjoy doing now cause more pain than they are worth. And I'm older than you so there are those usual issues at play as well. But for some reason I continue to start new projects regularly. Many that make no sense; like race prepped motorcycles that I'll likely never ride on a track. Not that any of them get finished, but I guess it is more about the idea of it than the process or outcome now.
 
My 2 cents worth... I am nearly 60, hitting there in August. I just replaced the master cylinders, hoses, and did the whole pedal box thing. What was most helpful was removing the drivers seat, and laying some closed-cell foam exercise pads on the floor, then assuming the 'feet on the targa bar' position to lie down. Only problem is that it made me sleepy, since that is also a pretty decent position to nap in.

I have had mighty bad back problems, and pretty much just have to pace myself. I am also working in Florida, where it reaches 90 degrees with nearly 100% humidity. But, somehow the obsession with getting the X up and running, without hiring folks to do the work for me, has driven me on.

Once I get the thing completed, I will have no qualms about driving a few hours to go somewhere (in the WINTER anyway), because if it DOES break down, it is small and light and can be towed easily. One way rental with a small pickup truck and a car trailer to solve that problem.

My original goal was to make the Fiat Freakout in Orlando in mid-August. Not sure that's gonna happen. But, if that passes me by, then I will soldier on. Bottom line for me: If I let age and frailty become my excuses, then my little X would likely end up being parted out or in a scrap heap somewhere. I don't want to let that happen. I love these little cars!
 
Interesting subject.

My Fiats have all been pretty reliable, I don’t worry too much about them not making it, at least not yet. With luck I may get to the MWB open house depending on if my local club flakes on a drive planned for that day. The only reason I would drive something else is if I end up wanting to buy some stuff while I am there, then the Jeep would be a good choice or even my moldy old Golf.

Over the last decade I have had a few situations where due to the age of my cars or a particular impending maintenance issue on one, I have chosen to rent a car rather than driving my car due to not wanting to have my car breakdown with my family far from home. My family has commented about why I had rented a car one year and then taken the same car I had avoided the following year. For me its the worry about being at the mercy of a repair place and then still needing the rental or what have you. It’s also that I plan my trip to go 800 miles in one day so a mechanical failure means a loss of a day or even two depending on what it is.

As for my Fiats, I don’t feel the same pressure. Although it would be profoundly embarrassing, my wife could come rescue me in her car and with a tow dolly rental I could have it home. She would definitely rub it in so I would pay dearly for it...

Weather doesn’t bother me much, my trepidation stems from a mechanical problem that I already know of and I hadn’t had time to fix, that could sideline the car.
 
First, driving an unreliable car makes every trip an adventure.

Second, a friend told me your fifties are like dog years each year adds seven. At first you can do everything you did in your twenties but it takes longer to recover. At the end of your fifties you are sixty and know it.
 
Great topic at the right time. I am planning on going to the open house but cringe at the thought of a 6 1/2 hour drive in the X. Don’t get me wrong I would drive all day locally and have no concerns about reliability. The question is do I feel comfortable driving half a day at 70 mph on the interstate. Might have my father follow with the trailer just in case. IDK, I have a few weeks to decide. Hahaha and yes I just turned 50..I must be getting soft.
 
While not an age issue for me (not bragging here, but I'm at least half of the numbers you all are spitting out), I had the X overheat one time pretty badly. I now stare at the temperature gauge more than anything else while driving, purely out of fear. I'm hoping for your sake once you get everything cleared up and have one really good drive, some of that fear will dissipate.
 
Becoming older also got his advantages. You learn how to do things and what to avoid. You learned to used the proper Tools and you had most of them, accumulated over the years. A few of us also own X1/9 for many years, so we know our cars and we know where to get the parts. Becoming older also lead to retirement. Retired people don't automatically have more free time, but they have more control over what to do with that time. Unless the other half of the couple is planning everything for you.

On the negative side, I have to admit the bodies (not the cars, us) are not willing to do some stuff we did in the past. And there is also a certain rush to finish a project you started a long time ago. It would be nice to finish it before you can't work on the car anymore, and it will happen one day. One way or the other o_O

I'm working in a recreation center dedicated to 55+ old people. The median age is 67 and those Under 60 are considered YOUNG. My center is also focusing on volunteer work and some 80 years old people are still doing tiring jobs. I admit this is the exception, but I hope I will not do a master cylinder job on my X at 80 years old. This would be a little too much like HELL!

.
 
51, you guys are just youngsters. Quit your whining and get off my lawn!! :D

Odie, keep at it. I think we can all empathize with your situation. I have a 78X sitting in the corner for 6 years now. It is 90% complete, but I always find an excuse, some are even legitimate, not to finish it. If I finish it, I have to try to start it and see if I f'd it up. As it is, it is pure potential. :)

51? Give it another 20 years and if I am still around and know who I am I'll talk to you.

As for excuses, it is either to hot or to cold are my fave's.

Ps. I'll give one of you young guys ten bucks to mow my lawn. It only takes 6-8 hours.


Becoming older also got his advantages. You learn how to do things and what to avoid. You learned to used the proper Tools and you had most of them, accumulated over the years. A few of us also own X1/9 for many years, so we know our cars and we know where to get the parts. Becoming older also lead to retirement. Retired people don't automatically have more free time, but they have more control over what to do with that time. Unless the other half of the couple is planning everything for you.

On the negative side, I have to admit the bodies (not the cars, us) are not willing to do some stuff we did in the past. And there is also a certain rush to finish a project you started a long time ago. It would be nice to finish it before you can't work on the car anymore, and it will happen one day. One way or the other o_O

I'm working in a recreation center dedicated to 55+ old people. The median age is 67 and those Under 60 are considered YOUNG. My center is also focusing on volunteer work and some 80 years old people are still doing tiring jobs. I admit this is the exception, but I hope I will not do a master cylinder job on my X at 80 years old. This would be a little too much like HELL!

.
As I have gotten older I have learned by my mistakes. I know exactly when I have done it again.
 
As I have gotten older I have learned by my mistakes. I know exactly when I have done it again.

Sorry for you. I usually learn from my mistakes and why NOT to do them again. Like when I changed my car battery for one with the positive post on the other side. The car burned down and the insurance paid for the electrical hazard... (lucky). Like when I forgot to torque one (or more) wheels after swaping tires. Like when I watched into the gas tank with a lighter. Like when the jack falled on the side while I was laying Under the car. No stands. Alone. In a rented garage away from my house. Before cell phones. I also learned heating a carb when it's freezing outside is not such a good idea.

I'm sure some of you got worst ones than mine. Or didn't you?:(
 
Second, a friend told me your fifties are like dog years each year adds seven. At first you can do everything you did in your twenties but it takes longer to recover. At the end of your fifties you are sixty and know it.

:(

I'm going to be 57 this year. Definitely feeling that things take longer than they used to, and I don't move the way I did even 5-6 years ago. Still, I have no intention of stopping.

I can ID with the creeping doubts - especially with all the HG failures I inflicted on myself. Still, I drive the car with no spare, even when going to Carlisle (3 hrs +), and minimal tools.

One of these years I'll even drive out to MWB's open house :) - The X1/9 is running well now, cooling issues all seem good, so besides all the things I want to fiddle with for fiddling's sake, it's just the Dallara bodywork to finish up now... then the dash.....
 
Wow. 51. What's old about 51? I can hardly remember what life was like way back then. I think you are confusing experience and caution that comes with it in a desire not to repeat obvious stupid mistakes with physically getting old. Yes, I am much more methodical and cautious overall. But the experience saves a lot of headaches now.
 
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