It might be time to sell and move on.

[Longroof79]

People always ask me why I don't wrench for a living. ^^^ That is exactly why. ^^^ Most. if not all, of my 'professional' mechanic friends can't stand working on their own projects. The old saying is 'the shoemaker's kids go barefoot'.

Mark,
I think it's rare when people can work full time on customers rides and hope to accomplish work on their own vehicles with enthusiasm. When I was much younger I worked as an apprentice mechanic for a Porsche- Audi dealership and a BMW Mazda dealer for a short time. After working all day and commuting back and forth, I realized that it wasn't something that I wanted to do as a fulltime profession. As much as I enjoy working on my own car, it kind of sapped the enthusiasm out of me.
No offense to the guys that are professional mechanics .

 

[Bonnewagon]

Jack I was a Letter Carrier. I took the Postal mechanics test and passed. When I went to the Postal garage for the hands-on test and I saw the dungeon they worked in, I bolted. It was dark, dank, dirty, no sunshine, and they had a single home stereo speaker hung up on a wall blasting incomprehensible noise. There was a bunch standing around the tools cage and the 'shop steward', said to me they had a great operation, but just don't talk to 'that guy'. The guy was standing in an empty tractor/trailer engine compartment up to his eyeballs in work. Being me, I went right over to 'that guy' and asked him what they meant. He said "I am the only $%#*&%$ guy that does any work around here!". That was enough for me. If the 'shop steward' was a rat, I would not last there. [Some years later, that 'steward' showed up at my office as a boss, and a lousy one at that.] I told the guy testing me that I changed my mind and declined the job. I went back to carrying, outdoors, in the sunlight and fresh air. And I continued to work on my own cars. [I even did some off-the-books repairs behind the local bar for hot rodding cash].

 

[Longroof79]

Jack I was a Letter Carrier. I took the Postal mechanics test and passed. When I went to the Postal garage for the hands-on test and I saw the dungeon they worked in, I bolted. It was dark, dank, dirty, no sunshine, and they had a single home stereo speaker hung up on a wall blasting incomprehensible noise. There was a bunch standing around the tools cage and the 'shop steward', said to me they had a great operation, but just don't talk to 'that guy'. The guy was standing in an empty tractor/trailer engine compartment up to his eyeballs in work. Being me, I went right over to 'that guy' and asked him what they meant. He said "I am the only $%#*&%$ guy that does any work around here!". That was enough for me. If the 'shop steward' was a rat, I would not last there. [Some years later, that 'steward' showed up at my office as a boss, and a lousy one at that.] I told the guy testing me that I changed my mind and declined the job. I went back to carrying, outdoors, in the sunlight and fresh air. And I continued to work on my own cars. [I even did some off-the-books repairs behind the local bar for hot rodding cash].

Mark,
It sounds like you made the right choice there. sometimes you have to go with your intuition, your gut in other words. That shop sounded like a true nightmare, plus having a douchebag as a boss doesn't help matters any.
Like you, I was a letter carrier for only 2 1/2 yrs. As a young man, I was trying different professions to find what I wanted to do as a lively hood. Working as a letter carrier wasn't a bad gig, but I wanted to work with my hands. Something more stimulating. I was a young man with no real commitments so I was aimlessly trying to find myself, so to speak. I guess I did a little bit of everything from working in parts depts., pulling parts orders, delivering parts, etc. Working on Wall St as a clerk. Later on a good friend of mine got me into where he was working, an interconnect phone company. Of course I had no experience and was training under one of their top techs. I did installation, repair, etc. I found the work interesting and stimulating. Most of all, I didn't lose interest working on my car(s).
I continued on in this profession and never got bored.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Jack, when I started in the Flushing PO, I was the 'new guy' so I got sent out to all the different stations. I got a GOOD education of the many diverse neighborhoods in Queens. Everything from slums to expensive high rises. That is probably a big part of the reason why I bought a house in Queens. That, and I eventually got a bid in a station very close to my house for an easy commute. In Queens you have a much better chance of finding a house with a back yard, a driveway, and a garage. As you know, the most important tool you can have, is a place to make a mess. I added a small cement pad off the driveway so I can park a project there without tying up the driveway. That is where the Firebird is and why I say to just do what you can when you feel like it, and if not, take a nap. It's not bothering anybody there.

 

[spidereyes455]

People always ask me why I don't wrench for a living. ^^^ That is exactly why. ^^^ Most. if not all, of my 'professional' mechanic friends can't stand working on their own projects. The old saying is 'the shoemaker's kids go barefoot'.

That is exactly why I got out of the profession. After working on newer junk doing mundane repairs all day I had no interest in working on my own cars anymore. I moved around to a few different places after that, mostly loading dock and warehouse work until I got the opportunity to work in a profession that I had dreamed of since I was a young child. I now drive freight trains for a living and have been doing it for 9 years now and I still enjoy what I do to this day. And i actually enjoy working on my cars these days.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Absolutely! Hey Jim, did you ever see that movie 'Unstoppable'? Didn't that happen in your neck of the woods?

 

[spidereyes455]

I have seen it a few times Mark. I think it did happen in PA but out is western PA back in the 80's if I'm not mistaken. In fact we had a safety and rules supervisor where I work who retired a few years ago that actually worked for CSX around that time and personally knew a few of the people involved in the actual incident.

 

[liquidh8]

Absolutely! Hey Jim, did you ever see that movie 'Unstoppable'? Didn't that happen in your neck of the woods?

The train accident, I believe that was Scranton? I don't recall the exact area, but yes, I have seen the movie.

 

[Bonnewagon]

And that situation occurred because of a dumb-azz. I used to deliver to a NYS Judge. I asked him why there are so many A-hole judges. He replied, "Don't you have A-holes at your work?" I said, "Sure". He said, "Well, we have A-holes too- but we can't get rid of them". I guess it's the same all over.