Getting older kinda sucks

You guys are too funny....

I have to admit that I chickened out this weekend and drove rental to Banff (4 hours) this weekend for a conference. My X probably would be fine, but it is a bit noisy on the road and cooling a bit iffy, not to mention electrical system ( theat one easy to deal with). One of these days....

Dont want to brag, but I'm 66 this year and sure feel the pain, can't do the all niter anymore, etc, etc.
But two years ago my son encouraged me to join Master Ski Race program on a local hill. I really enjoy that and let me tell you there are much older guys in the group, who whip my ass on the gates!

So life's good and enjoy it while we can!

Cheers
 
m5art said:
You guys are too funny....

I have to admit that I chickened out this weekend and drove rental to Banff (4 hours) this weekend for a conference. My X probably would be fine, but it is a bit noisy on the road and cooling a bit iffy, not to mention electrical system ( theat one easy to deal with). One of these days....

Dont want to brag, but I'm 66 this year and sure feel the pain, can't do the all niter anymore, etc, etc.
But two years ago my son encouraged me to join Master Ski Race program on a local hill. I really enjoy that and let me tell you there are much older guys in the group, who whip my ass on the gates!

So life's good and enjoy it while we can!

Cheers
Click to expand...
I am in a 50+ hockey league. what is funny is every now and then we get a youngin substituting. We have one guy, formal AHL player who is 72. because he is positionaly correct, he regularly breaks up plays without having to skate fast. and yes he is currently my mentor ;)

the only thing I have felt about getting older is the fear/reality of getting hurt. so far (knock on wood) I can still do about 90% of every thing I used to. although the ground does seem further away when I bend over to pick something up.

me and my best friend are contemplating a flat tow for the open house. Honda owner manual says manuals can be flat towed without restrictions.

Odie
 
Fun topic, especially when one is months away from turning 70. While we all assume our bodies will be less cooperative as we age, it's the fear factor that I wasn't expecting and it has hit me as it has others. Sometimes you really have to fight it or you will never go out in a Fiat again. I drive on the interstates in the full left or right lane only so it's easy to pull to the shoulder if something goes wrong! If I didn't have Koni struts, a header and rebuilt trans in my Bertone, it's value would be less than paying to have it towed home.
 
your comment about the left or right lane rings true, even with my bad first real outing, I made my route so I could easily pull over if needed. I made sure I had the least amount of long traffic lights, Had Key parking lots plotted in case I had to leave her over night. I Felt like I was planning a bike trip, just to get to work! but the pre planning paid off. I did get to stop at a golf course until my friend could grab the tow bar from my house and pick me up. Trip #2 is taking longer because I want to make sure he is available in case I need to be towed. it is actually going to be a trip to his house (8 miles away) I figure if I can make it there and back without an issue, I am probably good to go, as much as a hybrid 1979 car can be.

Odie
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Funny how the topic of being old has so much interest on a X1/9 forum. I suppose that means they are not "hair dresser's cars", but rather "geezer's cars". Of which I am one.
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It is not just the X19 forum or car clubs in general.
I also do some four wheeling and many of the members on the Mud forum are in their 70's or real close to it.
The local car club (not a member) here has just about folded after many years because of the aging of america.
As I told a young checker at the grocery store after she commented on the number older people checking out, "we are the baby boomers and we told the people that was the same age in the 1960's as we are now to get used to it. So we are the baby boomers and you are the same age we were in the 1960's and you are now up to your necks in old people so get used to it."
 
autox19 said:
Honda owner manual says manuals can be flat towed without restrictions.

Odie
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Wow Odie, you threw me with that one. I thought "Is he going to tow a Honda with the X????":eek:, then about 10 seconds later "DOH!!" :rolleyes:

Here's what you need. Have your wife buy you one. That's what I did.
trailer_2.JPG
 
LOL I actually thought about that after I submitted it. should have said "With a honda engine/trans in my X I looked up if the corresponding Honda could be flat towed and found it can be". My friend has a car hauler, but it we cant get it on it. too high and only 4ft ramps. The front air dam gets in the way. I did start looking at tilting flat beds, or the enclosed car trailers seem to have a easier load angle. Maybe someday. but I would rather put the $$ into other things. I did just pick up a 78 Spider. we are also building a new garage in the next year.

Odie
 
At 57 and 15 years out of a back injury I don't find the fear to be that much of a factor for me, it's the management of the pain level. I can't work full days and when I look at a job like master cylinders I have to plan for the down time after the job. But it doesn't stop me from starting new projects. Like an outboard motor for my Dad's Kayak because at 81 with one hand that only has a thumb and forefinger and both have bad arthritis he can hardly grip a paddle and the non repairable rotator cuff he can hardly paddle anymore but doesn't want to give up. I find inspiration in his determination that I have many good years left, I just need to pace myself. Just the other day My 12 YO grand daughter said "Grampa I want a go kart" so this weekend I'm teaching her how to weld as we tear apart her Chinese 100cc ATV she has outgrown and turn it into a go kart. Will I ever learn? I have already spent more on it than I could find a cheap go kart on craigslist for.

Back to the shop... Hopefully I can have the 4-link rear suspension roughed out today... LOL
 
Odie,

I agree that the new garage is much more important. We moved to our current house in 2012 because it had two garages. Gotta keep the fine Italian coachwork out of the elements. :)
 
Just passed 55... I am actually thinking about driving down from VA to Fiat Freakout... So far 55 hasn't slowed me down at all... I just have more time to enjoy my X1/9...
 
carl said:
Fun topic, especially when one is months away from turning 70. While we all assume our bodies will be less cooperative as we age, it's the fear factor that I wasn't expecting and it has hit me as it has others. Sometimes you really have to fight it or you will never go out in a Fiat again. I drive on the interstates in the full left or right lane only so it's easy to pull to the shoulder if something goes wrong! If I didn't have Koni struts, a header and rebuilt trans in my Bertone, it's value would be less than paying to have it towed home.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I get the fear factor. Went on a spring skiing trip to Jasper, Alberta with my son (40, ex ski racer) and couple of his snowboarding friends. Few times I said f...k it I'll go around, see you at the bottom! I call it self preservation.

It is fun thread, like most on this site.
 
I turned 62 Monday- did the pedal box job this spring, did take out the driver's seat, but did the job sitting alongside the car. Rebuilt my 1500 2 years ago, moving on to a 2 liter twincam build this summer for my '72 124 sport coupe. The hard part is to find time to do it, time seems to move faster as the years accumulate.
 
I just turned 50 last fall. My limitations started really showing about 5 years ago. First the back and then shoulders. Migraines too. Back problems are always a management thing. A back belt really helps me when it is sore. The shoulder thing was a weakening of muscles and have done self therapy with weights to correct. Working smarter helps avoid problems too, especially with the back. I still manage to overdo it sometimes. Migraines are stress related and have meds for that.

I’ll stop whining, obviously many of you are older and wiser
 
I am 49 and starting to feel some of the effects as well.. I am paying a LOT of attention to this and thinking. Take care of the body I have now, it only get's worse from here.!
 
Shortly after graduating college and getting a real job, I managed to snag one of the first two X1/9s to arrive at the local dealership. I did not anticipate that 44 years later, I would still be removing and installing engines in it. I suppose that working on cars is good motivation to stay in shape as long as you can.
 
Working on cars certainly can be physically challenging. Contorting yourself into odd positions to reach into the engine compartment or in the foot well, and torquing wrenches when you can't position yourself for optimal leverage. ...and of course I pretty consistently scrape my knuckles, arms, etc. But hoping I can keep this going for many more years and well into retirement someday because I really enjoy it.

I've found that having experience, patience, and the best tools for the job reduces physical demands so I'll also keep trying to work "smarter" vs "harder" as I age :)
 
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