Garage Trophies: Remnants of Lessons Learned

"tr6rtiger" (tr6rtiger) 04/14/2016 at 12:26 • Filed to: None

2

11

It’s safe to say we all have at least one. The leftover component of a failed project. The paper weight sitting on our workbench to remind us of a great idea that didn’t pan out so well. Two of my favorite trophies currently reside on my desk at work, and I will tell you why.

As you may guess from my Kinja handle, I am the proud owner of a 1970 Triumph TR6R motorcycle. It has a heartfelt story behind it, but I will save that for another day. Anyone who has owned an old British motorcycle or car will agree that their build quality was suspect, and as my Dad would say “they were machined with an axe.” After over-revving the bike one day (I missed a gear, it’ll happen) the few drops I was used to collecting underneath it in my garage turned into a sizable puddle. This would be the second time replacing the output seal, and as my father and I tore into it, we devised a plan to help protect the seal:

Based on the sloppy tolerances of practically every aspect of the bike, we figured a thin washer placed between the clutch basket and the output seal might aid in supporting the seal, and hopefully keep it from leaking in the future. After reassembly, I fired the bike up and it ran perfectly. That is until pulling in the clutch and dropping it into gear, at which point it stalled. Our “fix” resulted in us having to tear it apart again, just to remove the washer.

Lesson Learned (and why it’s on my desk): Don’t over complicate things.

Trophy two: For brief and miserable period I owned a 1995 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. I had dreams of turning it into a Jurassic Park Jeep, but they were crushed. It was incredibly fun to drive, but for every problem I fixed, two more would rear their ugly heads. The first project I set out to complete on the Jeep set the pace for what would be a miserable three months.

When I purchased the Jeep I knew that it was going to need replacement tires ASAP. The tires were about 15 years old, had little tread and a significant amount of dry rot. While removing the wheels we discovered that a lug nut had been destroyed, and basically mushroomed onto the stud. Tried hammering sockets onto it to no avail. Attempted to use a hammer and chisel to slowly work it off, no dice. Brought in an oxygen/acetylene torch, it laughed at our attempts. Finally, we decided to use a hole saw, cut the wheel off, and then remove the stubborn lug nut.

Final results:

This was my first project on this Jeep, and it only went downhill from there. Thankfully after fixing things for three months, I sold it (and only lost about 200 dollars) and it is now someone else’s problem.

Lesson learned (and why it’s on my desk): Sometimes you have to do things you really don’t want to do (like destroying a rim) to solve your problem.

So how about you? What garage trophy are you hanging onto, and why?

Also, this is my first post on Oppo, please be kind!

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > tr6rtiger 04/14/2016 at 12:41

1

Welcome! I’ve got some failed parts from when I was building a car with some fellow students, the car worked out finally, however some of the parts clearly weren’t up to the task, luckily those were mostly bought parts and not my custom wheels.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > tr6rtiger 04/14/2016 at 12:42

1

I know there’s at least one work trophy in my dad’s shop of an amusing nature, but I can’t really think what it is. I’ll have to settle for mentioning the torched and welded on outer bearing race for the hub bearing on an early 90s Honda, which would. not. come. out. It’s useful for something else though - it’s one of the pieces in the box of spacers and tubes and things for the press. As to not-exactly-broken shop decor, there’s a repaired aileron for a Luscombe and a hand saw made out of barrel steel in the third world.

64Mali > tr6rtiger 04/14/2016 at 12:45

1

I’m waiting for this to dry so I can give it to a friend. Was an interesting day to say the least.

tr6rtiger > 64Mali 04/14/2016 at 12:52

0

That is awesome!

Milky > tr6rtiger 04/14/2016 at 12:52

2

I might have wrecked my last car, but at least I got a sweet clock from it.

tr6rtiger > Milky 04/14/2016 at 12:54

0

Clock looks great! Feeling pretty bad for your car though...

64Mali > tr6rtiger 04/14/2016 at 12:58

1

Its what happens when Engineers work on cars.. Its also a play on an award our company gives out called the “High Five” Award

Milky > tr6rtiger 04/14/2016 at 13:18

0

Don’t. It had already been totaled and had over 200k on the odo. I just made the end of its life more interesting.

HOLD N > tr6rtiger 04/14/2016 at 14:38

1

I don’t have any photographic evidence of specific lessons learned, unless you count keeping nameplate badges from cars I have sold/traded in.

Pickup_man > tr6rtiger 04/14/2016 at 14:48

1

Little tough to see everything, but on the right is my wall of “Offerings to the god of speed”. Some parts are just random parts, some are actual blown up parts, by either me or someone else, but everything has a story.

Mustang wheel spinner I found in a junk yard and thought it was cool.

The crank shaft is from an R6 engine out of my college’s Formula SEA car. It was tossed because they burned up a bearing.

The clutch basket is from the replacement clutch in my ‘82 XJ750 after I busted the first one.

The cylinder head cover is from dad’s old ‘71 Datsun 510. It cracked a block and has been sitting in our grove for 20+ years.

(Sad car is sad)

On top of the head cover are four pistons, one is from a flat head V8 I bought at an auction for $5, two are brand new (incorrect) pistons I bought for a failed dirt bike project, and the 4th is from the engine I came out of my 200x, which is completely destroyed (previous owner).

Inside of those is a 4x4 switch from a high school friends GMC Jimmy which he rolled, and a couple of the head studs from my dreaded Ford 5.4 exhaust manifold replacement.

Also on the head cover is a busted axle shaft stub from a friends dirt track enduro car. And next to it is a side cover, also from the failed dirt bike project.

Since the picture I’ve added the old steering wheel from my pickup (swapped for a color matching leather wrapped one), and a busted taillight from my Porsche 924.

I’m always adding little parts here and there, so long as there’s wall space.

Welcome to Oppo! I’m fairly new myself, but this is an awesome place.

tr6rtiger > Pickup_man 04/14/2016 at 15:26

1

Nice collection you have there!