The Lug Nuts: Episode 2

A memorable moment from this week was buying a car. We all chipped in and bought a beautiful 1994 Ford Explorer that runs like it's brand new. We had to drive back from Aloha, Oregon and let me tell you, it was quite the experience. Despite its tattered blue paint and permanently closed left-passenger door, this beautiful vessel actually got around quite well. After about 25 minutes of smooth driving, we safely made it to Terin's house and parked the new piece in the slab. I've learned that cleaning isn't as easy as it looks. When buying a relatively cheap car, a welcoming, "easy on the nostrils" odor is never guaranteed. When we bought the 1994 Ford Explorer, its interior was kindly decorated with some interesting stains and marks. Me and Andrew were the ones who had to do the cleaning. I thought it'd be easy, but it took a multiple servings of sheer brawn to do the job. It was rough at first, but once we got accustomed to the cleaning products, the work became a breeze. We set 3 goals in the first week: to learn some basics about auto repair, learn more about selling in the second hand market, and work on collaboration. We fixed several issues with the 1994 Ford Explorer. Its front-left tire was rubbing against the bumper, making an incredibly loud rubbing noise upon attempting a right turn. We cut the part of the bumper off that was rubbing against the tire and fixed the issue. We have showed the beautiful 2005 Honda Oddysey Touring Edition to a few people and we have some offers on the van. It has been interesting communicating with people on Craiglist and other second hand markets, but we are getting used to it. Lastly, we have really improved in our collaboration skills. Terin and I were in charge of fixing the dent in the side of the car. To do this, we had to use Bondo sealant to mask the dent. But making and using the sealant was not an easy job. It was a job which requires both physical and mental strength, and I think Terin and I did an amazing job. I have one major question; What sounds better: "The Chronicles of the Lug Nuts", or "Can't Stop the Lug Nuts"? Here's some photos

Comments

  1. pamplemousseMay 31, 2021 at 10:56 AM

    Wow, sounds like in addition to learning how to fix cars, (inside and out) you are gaining valuable skills in cleaning, communicating and collaborating, which will be transferable! Which vehicle has been your favorite one to work on so far?

    ReplyDelete
  2. VeronicaJune 1, 2021 at 2:51 PM

    Are you going to refresh the paint job on your newest project - perhaps a different color? And what's to be done about the back door? If you consider the time that each of you puts into the cars, do you feel that your profit justifies the materials and labor that you expend getting them ready for resale?

    ReplyDelete
  3. escalonaeJune 8, 2021 at 1:02 PM

    I agree with Jim... before and after pics may truly show all the work you´re putting into this. Also about painting... do you know if there is any regulation about repainting a whole car? Does it affect the title or its value?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJune 8, 2021 at 3:57 PM

      I do not think there are any regulations on painting the car. We bought the car, meaning it belongs to us and so any modifications are entirely allowed. As for the value, I think painting it would only raise the value given that we are four incredibly talented gentlemen.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Lug Nuts: Episode 3

Image
Greetings Fellow Bloggers! I apologize in advance for the shorter blog post. A memorable moment from this week was starting to decorate the interior of the Lug Nut Mobile. Me and Andrew ventured out to Jo-Ann's fabrics where we waited for a sweet, old woman by the name of Roberta to cut our beautiful tapestry. Once we had our materials, we stapled them to the ceiling of the vehicle and I've got to say, our work looks rather cash. This week, I learned how to repair a car door. The driver-side door of the Lug Nut Mobile was slightly damaged from years of dealing with Ronnie's brute force. This made it so that the door had to be shut with brawn rather than grace. We bought some replacements for the nuts on the hinges of the door and replaced them. It was a difficult job, requiring me and Andrew to use our strength to hold the door at the correct angle so that Nate could screw in the bolts and washers. This was quite a physically taxing job, but finishing the task made me f...
Read more

The Lug Nuts: Episode 1

Image
I, personally, have never done much work on cars. I’ll occasionally detail a few for 20 bucks, but I’ve never really gotten into it. When I heard the idea of learning the ins and outs of these beautiful, slick, cold-steel machines of movement, I was incredibly intrigued. How I heard this idea you may ask? Let me tell you.  We chose to work on learning how to repair cars for our senior project. Terin Snyder, one of our group mates, has always been really keen in the realm of automobiles, but me and my other group mates (Andrew Priest and Nate Paradis) have never really part taken. Terin has always enjoyed it, and lately, he’s really been trying to get us to join him. Eventually, we all gave in and decided we’d give the whole “car” thing a shot.  For our first car, we turned a beaten-up 2005 Honda Odyssey Touring edition into a beautiful vessel with three rows of wonderful leather seats, 4 working doors, a trunk with new automatic hydraulics (childproof), working AM/FM radio wit...
Read more