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Extreme apartment parking lot auto repair!!

6K views 37 replies 16 participants last post by  Anonymous 
#1 ·
This question is for people who live in apartments and so have to do your repairs there!
Whats the most extreme auto repair you have done in your apartment parking lot ?
 
#2 ·
Every apartment I ever lived in had a small garage with it. I changed headgaskets in my old GN in a storage unit with no electricity...if that counts? :lol: Funny thing is now that I have a house with a 2.5 car garage(with electric) I still find myself in my driveway most of the time doing repairs. :confused:
 
#6 ·
Lets see. helped a buddy to a timing chain in a Galaxy 500, did a tranny in a old Econoline. We used to go down to the Fred Meyers underground parking to do work. Did an engine swap over a weekend. Started friday night when they closed. Then cleaned up before they opened and closed the hood. Came back the next to nights and finished it up. I dropped the gas tank in my buick, cleaned it out, the fuel lines and carb in the street in the fricken snow!!!!
 
#7 ·
Mr_Bowtie said:
Every apartment I ever lived in had a small garage with it. I changed headgaskets in my old GN in a storage unit with no electricity...if that counts? :lol: Funny thing is now that I have a house with a 2.5 car garage(with electric) I still find myself in my driveway most of the time doing repairs. :confused:
That's funny, I did the same thing. Rebuilt a 231 in my 78 Regal in a small garage in Colorado. I spun a rod bearing and rebuilt in three days with no light. The car ran good and used more oil than it did gas on the way back home to Illinois. That was the first (and only) car where I lifted out an engine block with my bare hands. And yes, the block was bare when I did it.
 
#8 ·
astro355 said:
Mr_Bowtie said:
Every apartment I ever lived in had a small garage with it. I changed headgaskets in my old GN in a storage unit with no electricity...if that counts? :lol: Funny thing is now that I have a house with a 2.5 car garage(with electric) I still find myself in my driveway most of the time doing repairs. :confused:
That's funny, I did the same thing. Rebuilt a 231 in my 78 Regal in a small garage in Colorado. I spun a rod bearing and rebuilt in three days with no light. The car ran good and used more oil than it did gas on the way back home to Illinois. That was the first (and only) car where I lifted out an engine block with my bare hands. And yes, the block was bare when I did it.
Oh the days of youth. Packin engine blocks around by yourself, bench pressing TH 350's in place and holding it with one hand and your knee while you get the first bolt started :lol:
 
#10 ·
Yup, no more fix'n 'em with a piece of wire you found on the street, some duck tape, your girlfriends bubble gum.
:lol: that brings back memories of some of the jerry rigg'n I did to get my rig home, or make it till pay day.
I burnt the end off the coil wire in a 65 Belvedere. Tore the foil wrapper off my cigarette pack, wrapped it around the end of the wire and stuffed it back on the cap. Drove it like that for 3-4 days.
 
#11 ·
Jasen said:
Yup, no more fix'n 'em with a piece of wire you found on the street, some duck tape, your girlfriends bubble gum.
:lol: that brings back memories of some of the jerry rigg'n I did to get my rig home, or make it till pay day.
I burnt the end off the coil wire in a 65 Belvedere. Tore the foil wrapper off my cigarette pack, wrapped it around the end of the wire and stuffed it back on the cap. Drove it like that for 3-4 days.
Much simpler back then. I had a 62 SAAB "oil burner"(two stroke) back in the 80s, it had 4 fuses. I think my 56VW typ1 have 6 fuses, Hi tec :rofl:
 
#14 ·
Actually I did have one apartment without a garage.....now I remember. It was when I first meet my wife. Had a '87 K5 Blazer and had to change the radiator in the parking lot. Not very extreme though. :lol:
 
#15 ·
i never did any auto repairs at my appt. i did cut a hole through the wall and install a plug in the closet on the second story patio so i could use the saws and grinders to form fiberglass pods for speakers. maintenance could never figure out why there was white powder by my side of the building.
 
#16 ·
Changed a 84 ford van tranny during a snow storm in -20 wind chill. Packed snow around three sides lying on about six layers of cardboard. But it was so darn cold the manager never came out side to say any thing. Black fingers and it wasn't grease. The things you do for family!!!
 
#17 ·
My very first Apartment was $100. bucks a month!(1980) It was a two bedroom! The best part of it was it had a engine lift in the back! I pulled a 1970 BMW 2002 engine right out there and rebuilt it. Every other Apartment place that I lived at got mad if you even just looked under the hood!I did change a Water Pump on a Opel in a Shopping Mall parking lot. :whistle:
 
#23 ·
in an apt complex parking lot ive:

painted (spray) a car
dropped fuel tank replacing fuel pump
bottom end rebuild on a 91 caprice 305v8
using a tow strap pulled cars from my assigned parking spot (w/o damage)

um... i think thats as far as ive ever gotten. as i only lived in apt's for about 3 years, and then rental homes since, if i count the homes ive...

rebuilt an entire front end/clip on the same 91 caprice after a head on w/ an econoline van (i lost big time)
helped buddy rebuild a 95 LT1, then @ his dads house dropped into the car...
 
#24 ·
Survivalist45 said:
Not really an apartment, but it was a parking lot.

When I worked at Autozone for a while....we did an engine swap in the small 20 space parking lot after closing one night...

Does that count?
Nothin like having all the parts you need right there... :lol:
 
#25 ·
Jasen said:
Survivalist45 said:
Not really an apartment, but it was a parking lot.

When I worked at Autozone for a while....we did an engine swap in the small 20 space parking lot after closing one night...

Does that count?
Nothin like having all the parts you need right there... :lol:
And having the keys to the place! :lol:
 
#26 ·
I tend to be a nice guy but I am starting to feel nice equals stupid. Yesterday at school I saw a hood popped on a sonoma. well I learned that I could use the tools from the tool crib and mess around with my van. so after I get down playin with my van I run into this guy getting tools. so I asked what was up and he said his battery died. so I ask if he needs a hand and that is where it all begin. well it was the starter and I have changed some on older s-10s and astro. well today he brought the new starter and my stupidy had me believen it was 2 bolts and some wires. well it was a 97 sonoma with a 4 banger that cant be hard. well there was tooo much stuff I had to remove just to get the f n thing. So next time I feel like be the (stupid) NICE GUY i will have to think about it .
 
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