Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium

[Wreckster23]

Hooooly moly what a relief to find this thread again. The new layout has me all mixed up and I was all worried that page after page I couldn't find ol' Bob. Glad to see you're still doing your thing and entertaining us. (You might think you're just puttsing around, but consider how many of us get an unwind by reading about it.) It's been a long year. I'm without a garage, but hopefully onto a better one in short order. I miss having my space dearly, I think the better better half understands.. she's a good egg this one, let's me ramble about useless stuff, gets that I need my space to break things, will be sure to make sure I fix them again. Anywho, I have good hope for the future. Good to see you here still Bob.

 

[rharman]

Soooo.... You're saying you still have a potential gall bladder removal in your future if it decides to turn on you, huh?

Been there, done that. Piece of cake surgery. Hoping you never have to deal with it.

Glad you're doing well - I know you'll listen to the docs.

 

[GeddyT]

Maybe working mostly from home for two years thanks to COVID has changed things or maybe I'm just prone to this anyway (I guess maybe things were already heading toward a heavier reliance on digital relationships, as "social media" and people sitting next to each other and texting back and forth instead of just talking has been a thing for some time now...), but for some reason the people I see regularly on this forum seem like more than just random digital people. I haven't been a Garage-Journaler for as long as many around here, but there are still just things that I have grown to expect to see day to day--digital friends reaching out from all corners of the globe (and Florida) to share what's going on.

When my digital friend Bob Heine was AWOL for more than a couple of days, that stood out as odd, and I have to admit that I was starting to assume the worst. I'm REALLY glad that's not the case. Get that ticker fixed and stick around a while, as you're obviously appreciated both here and elsewhere.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Soooo.... You're saying you still have a potential gall bladder removal in your future if it decides to turn on you, huh?

Been there, done that. Piece of cake surgery. Hoping you never have to deal with it.

Glad you're doing well - I know you'll listen to the docs.

Me too and though the surgery was a piece of cake the gall bladder attack was defintely NOT!

Typical male, I waited and waited expecting whatever the pain was to ease up - it didn't. When I finally asked my SO to call 911 the EMT asked me, "On a scale of 1 to 10 how bad is the pain?" My answer was 11. Worst I've ever had and they gave me 2 morhpine (I assume) shots in the thigh.

After the surgery was over the doctor told me it's a good thing they didn't rely on meds instead because it turned out my gall bladder was partly gangrenous!! Yikes.

 

[drivesitfar]

I suffered thru about 10-15 years of pain with a failing gallbladder and finally my bride caught me having a bad day and she made me go to doctor. A few hours later I was in surgery prep meeting the surgeon I’d never met before and I asked him if I really needed this done today. He said well we are all here and it’s Friday afternoon but we can come back tomorrow or do this next week. A couple hours later he had pulled out my dead gallbladder and said it had more than a few big stones in it. That was maybe 6 years ago. He said I didn’t need to change my diet but his beer belly told me I should.

Best of luck with that and the ticker and hope you feel great again soon.

 

[madison069]

If you get the right model of ticker, you might could use it for an ignition system!

Just a slow RPM engine, but still an idea. Maybe a Miss Spark model?


EIther way, hopefully they get you setup and on the road to recovering so you can enjoy life a little better than you are now!

 

[Trapps]

Wishing you a total and speedy recovery, Bob.

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob you are in our prayers. I can't imagine GJ without you. Who would enable my purchases? In all seriousness I hope everything goes perfect for you.



Bret

Bret, I'm going to do my best to take care of this and get back to some fun in the garage and shop.

Oh, we're all here to help... have you seen the thread "Show your new tool arrivals"?! I thought I didn't need any more hammers ever again!

@Squankum, that's an evil thread. My 3/8" Flex Head Pittsburgh Professional ratchet arrived this week but I still went looking at those GearWrench 90T ratchets.

Now I'm imagining scientists building a Bionic Man and just using his strength and endurance to repair Land Rover head gaskets all day.

Seems reasonable, now that scientists have cured cancer.

I had a quick glance in there and quickly got F... out!

Bret

Bret, it was like a link to a ***** **** site so I did the same.

Hooooly moly what a relief to find this thread again. The new layout has me all mixed up and I was all worried that page after page I couldn't find ol' Bob. Glad to see you're still doing your thing and entertaining us. (You might think you're just puttsing around, but consider how many of us get an unwind by reading about it.) It's been a long year. I'm without a garage, but hopefully onto a better one in short order. I miss having my space dearly, I think the better better half understands.. she's a good egg this one, let's me ramble about useless stuff, gets that I need my space to break things, will be sure to make sure I fix them again. Anywho, I have good hope for the future. Good to see you here still Bob.

Hi @Wreckster23! Good to see you back. Are you staying in New Windsor or moving to a different location?

Soooo.... You're saying you still have a potential gall bladder removal in your future if it decides to turn on you, huh?

Been there, done that. Piece of cake surgery. Hoping you never have to deal with it.

Glad you're doing well - I know you'll listen to the docs.

Roger, I'm hoping to keep my gall bladder a while longer. In 1960 my grandfather was hospitalized for chest pains. They treated him for a heart attack for three days and he was going downhill fast. We drove to Vermont hoping to get there before he passed. They discovered his gall bladder had burst and peritonitis had set in. Apparently scars from an appendectomy 30 years before had forced the bile up into the area around the heart. He pulled through and became a deacon because of the experience.

Maybe working mostly from home for two years thanks to COVID has changed things or maybe I'm just prone to this anyway (I guess maybe things were already heading toward a heavier reliance on digital relationships, as "social media" and people sitting next to each other and texting back and forth instead of just talking has been a thing for some time now...), but for some reason the people I see regularly on this forum seem like more than just random digital people. I haven't been a Garage-Journaler for as long as many around here, but there are still just things that I have grown to expect to see day to day--digital friends reaching out from all corners of the globe (and Florida) to share what's going on.

When my digital friend Bob Heine was AWOL for more than a couple of days, that stood out as odd, and I have to admit that I was starting to assume the worst. I'm REALLY glad that's not the case. Get that ticker fixed and stick around a while, as you're obviously appreciated both here and elsewhere.

Tom, thanks for the encouragement. It's odd how often discussions of sewer-related plumbing projects pop up on the Garage Journal but I never feel I've fallen into a Facebook or Twitter cesspool.

Me too and though the surgery was a piece of cake the gall bladder attack was defintely NOT!

Typical male, I waited and waited expecting whatever the pain was to ease up - it didn't. When I finally asked my SO to call 911 the EMT asked me, "On a scale of 1 to 10 how bad is the pain?" My answer was 11. Worst I've ever had and they gave me 2 morhpine (I assume) shots in the thigh.

After the surgery was over the doctor told me it's a good thing they didn't rely on meds instead because it turned out my gall bladder was partly gangrenous!! Yikes.

Dan, I can't afford it all the time but when I'm in a lot of pain, morphine is an excellent treatment. They gave me enough for the first four days after my accident that I never felt any real pain. Of course that meant I spent a lot of that time passed out.

I suffered thru about 10-15 years of pain with a failing gallbladder and finally my bride caught me having a bad day and she made me go to doctor. A few hours later I was in surgery prep meeting the surgeon I’d never met before and I asked him if I really needed this done today. He said well we are all here and it’s Friday afternoon but we can come back tomorrow or do this next week. A couple hours later he had pulled out my dead gallbladder and said it had more than a few big stones in it. That was maybe 6 years ago. He said I didn’t need to change my diet but his beer belly told me I should.

Best of luck with that and the ticker and hope you feel great again soon.

Good on ya Drives! Sometimes learning to live with pain is dangerous. If you get used to it and ignore the more severe episodes, you can be in real serious trouble. A couple of days in the hospital can turn into a couple of weeks or months if you're not careful. OR, you can pass peacefully at home.

If you get the right model of ticker, you might could use it for an ignition system!

Just a slow RPM engine, but still an idea. Maybe a Miss Spark model?


EIther way, hopefully they get you setup and on the road to recovering so you can enjoy life a little better than you are now!

Cody, I'm hoping for a fancy one that plays music and lets me know when someone calls... NOT!!! I'll be fine with a manual 3-speed and OHV straight 6.

Wishing you a total and speedy recovery, Bob.

Mark, thanks so much!

 

[slimpickins]

Bob, Glad to hear you are taking care of business. It's all too easy to avoid. When you were talking about needing a pacemaker, all I could think of was that you needed to get an arc reactor like this:



After everything you've been through, you could easily qualify as the first "Iron Man". You've got a lot of people that rely on you here for everything from entertainment to a voice of reason in the crazy world.

I think many will agree that here on Garage Journal ...
BOB HEINE IS IRON MAN!!!

 

[madison069]

Cody, I'm hoping for a fancy one that plays music and lets me know when someone calls... NOT!!! I'll be fine with a manual 3-speed and OHV straight 6.

Like say a 1966 Pontiac Tempest with the OHC straight 6 cylinders? You been watching Roadworthy Rescue starring Derek Bieri have ya?

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob, Glad to hear you are taking care of business. It's all too easy to avoid. When you were talking about needing a pacemaker, all I could think of was that you needed to get an arc reactor like this:



After everything you've been through, you could easily qualify as the first "Iron Man". You've got a lot of people that rely on you here for everything from entertainment to a voice of reason in the crazy world.

I think many will agree that here on Garage Journal ...
BOB HEINE IS IRON MAN!!!

@slimpickins, that looks like a wonderful upgrade. I wouldn't have to turn on lights when I go into a room at night, especially the garage.

I do feel like I'm an iron man. My rusty joints need a shot of grease.

Like say a 1966 Pontiac Tempest with the OHC straight 6 cylinders? You been watching Roadworthy Rescue starring Derek Bieri have ya?

Cody, you're right. As a fan of the Chevy 235ci inline 6, the Pontiac overhead cam engine was a great evolution. A '66 would be OK but as long as I'm going there It would have to be the 1969 250 ci high output version putting out 230 bhp at 5400 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 3600 rpm. Runs on premium gas and only came with a manual transmission. It came with forged rods but only cast pistons so I might have to change them to forged before adding a turbo (or two -- you know, like BMW).

 

[scooterbum46]

@slimpickins, that looks like a wonderful upgrade. I wouldn't have to turn on lights when I go into a room at night, especially the garage.

I do feel like I'm an iron man. My rusty joints need a shot of grease.

Cody, you're right. As a fan of the Chevy 235ci inline 6, the Pontiac overhead cam engine was a great evolution. A '66 would be OK but as long as I'm going there It would have to be the 1969 250 ci high output version putting out 230 bhp at 5400 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 3600 rpm. Runs on premium gas and only came with a manual transmission. It came with forged rods but only cast pistons so I might have to change them to forged before adding a turbo (or two -- you know, like BMW).

Friend of mine had one ... had a quadrajet IIRC. Ireally wanted it, it ran good, but he traded cars like we I some people change sox. His previous was a '62 365 horse C1, the one after this was a '65 C2 with a powerglide. He was never happy.

 

[Squankum]

Bob, you like that Pontiac 6? I know it's hard to believe, but Jay Leno has one of those.

Ms. Squankum drives a BMW with a straight 6, a 3 liter single turbo (but dual vane, whatever that means.) 3" exhaust system, 300 hp, and this is just a "normal" street BMW with "only" 300 hp. That and a quick-shifting 8-speed automatic and it could be a lot of fun. * Add a properly ported head, two turbos, and a liter all of that and that could be nutty.

(This BMW also has 24 valves and more doodads affecting valves than I can keep track of.)

________
* I drive her cars carefully. All of them are used, or well used, or just plain old, depending, and I don't want to be the one who breaks something!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Bob,
If your accident happened today they'd have to call you, "The Six BILLION Dollar Man"! Can you just imagine what the medical bills for that much surgery, treatment, tests, prosthetics, physical therapy, etc would be today? UGH.

You'd probably be lucky to survive it now given the specialists necessary that might not be available in the moment like you needed a highly responsive team doctors and nurses to treat you that day and in the MONTHS (years?) afterward.

I know we make jokes about it and you're a very good sport about our juvenile teasing but it really is not only miraculous you survived but also that you've had so a meaningful, fulfilling and long life afterward. I'm sure at the time people must have thought you'd be lucky to live very long. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
Best, Dan

 

[Bob Heine]

Friend of mine had one ... had a quadrajet IIRC. Ireally wanted it, it ran good, but he traded cars like we I some people change sox. His previous was a '62 365 horse C1, the one after this was a '65 C2 with a powerglide. He was never happy.

Gerry, a mechanic near my house in Wappingers Falls, NY acquired a1953 Aston Martin DB2 for very little money when the owner blew the engine to smithereens. A rebuilt or even used DB2 engine would have cost a fortune so he adapted a Pontiac OHC 6. It wasn't the high performance one but it still put out 165 horsepower -- quite a bit more than the original DB2 engine, which cranked out 105.

Bob, you like that Pontiac 6? I know it's hard to believe, but Jay Leno has one of those.

Ms. Squankum drives a BMW with a straight 6, a 3 liter single turbo (but dual vane, whatever that means.) 3" exhaust system, 300 hp, and this is just a "normal" street BMW with "only" 300 hp. That and a quick-shifting 8-speed automatic and it could be a lot of fun. * Add a properly ported head, two turbos, and a liter all of that and that could be nutty.

(This BMW also has 24 valves and more doodads affecting valves than I can keep track of.)

________
* I drive her cars carefully. All of them are used, or well used, or just plain old, depending, and I don't want to be the one who breaks something!

@Squankum, I'm an inline 6 fanboy because that's what I had in the first car I modified. Bored out 236 ci with a 3/4 race cam with hollow solid lifters, higher compression pistons (and shaved head) all topped off with a water heated/cooled dual carb Edmund's Intake manifold with a pair of Holley 94 two barrel carbs with straight linkage. Kept the setup for a long time but broke down and sold it for $600 (paid $35 for it in 1963).

Bob,
If your accident happened today they'd have to call you, "The Six BILLION Dollar Man"! Can you just imagine what the medical bills for that much surgery, treatment, tests, prosthetics, physical therapy, etc would be today? UGH.

You'd probably be lucky to survive it now given the specialists necessary that might not be available in the moment like you needed a highly responsive team doctors and nurses to treat you that day and in the MONTHS (years?) afterward.

I know we make jokes about it and you're a very good sport about our juvenile teasing but it really is not only miraculous you survived but also that you've had so a meaningful, fulfilling and long life afterward. I'm sure at the time people must have thought you'd be lucky to live very long. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
Best, Dan

Dan, you're right. IBM paid me $450 a month at the time of the accident in 1965 so $5,400 for a year's work. The hospital bill for the first four days in intensive care and the time in the operating room was $7,000 and insurance covered half of that. As I recall there were the two orthopedic surgeons, a neurosurgeon, a plastic surgeon, an internist and a couple of anesthesiologists who sent bills as well. I never saw the bills because my parents filed them with IBM and paid the balance. They were well off (two NY teachers salaries and an annual royalty check that exceeded their combined salary) and I was their only offspring by then. My physical therapy lasted one week at the Institute for the Crippled and Disabled in Manhattan (yes, I took the train in each day). They taught me how to operate the prosthesis with a final exam that involved carrying an empty ice cream cone across the room without letting the hook close and crush it.

Many things have changed that would prevent the immediate treatment I received and I would probably not survive. With no doctors in the emergency room, the single nurse saved my life with an injection to slow my heart (it was in fibrillation and I had no pulse). She happened to live across the street from my parents and had watched me grow up. When they discovered I had a rare blood type (B-negative) and there was none on hand, a 70-year-old freight elevator operator at the hospital donated a pint -- no testing for diseased -- a very unlikely scenario today. Top that off with the two orthopedic surgeons, already scrubbed for an elective procedure, being available minutes after I arrived at the hospital. Not to mention I was in no condition to give anyone my insurance or financial information.

I enjoy the comraderie here on the Garage Journal and being able to share a laugh about myself is the best reward for still being alive and kicking. I used to scare my grandchildren by lying on the bottom of the pool for three minutes, playing dead. They're too old for that trick now but there are 3.5 great grandchildren who have no clue who Grandpa Bob is, except that he leaves one of his arms at home in the garage.

 

[Bob Heine]

If I don't post something garage related, I might be sent to Free Parking Jail.

I've spent way too much time changing the '87 Corvette's breather. The original setup had a half-inch pipe and pieces of vacuum hose connecting the filtered air port on the throttle body to a plastic elbow on the valve cover opposite the one with a PCV valve. I capped the port and installed an old fashioned billet breather. Being a fan of A-N fittings, I wanted to make something like the original setup but using 1/2" aluminum tube and AN adapters. Turns out my Rigid bender won't make tight enough bends so I tried some -8 AN braided stainless line and fittings but it looked like overkill.

I made several attempts and used 9 of the 12 feet of 1/2" tubing with 'close but no cigar' results. Final try is a simpler setup that only involves about $50 worth of fittings.

I'm going to have a talk with my cardiac surgeon and find out if there's a pacemaker that uses A-N fittings.

 

[drivesitfar]

Bob: I know you’re always willing to talk about your accident with the train and it’s still amazing that you survived that day to talk about it.

You and I don’t agree about medical stuff all that much but I do get an annual physical and lately annual eye and hearing exams. I have my reasons for not running to the medical people for every ache and pain and lack of trust that they are always doing the right thing.

I hope you get your stuff sorted cause this getting old isn’t for sissies and I know all of us love your posts garage related or not.

Hang in there cause one day in the near future I hope our paths will cross in person.

 

[RickP]

I'm going to have a talk with my cardiac surgeon and find out if there's a pacemaker that uses A-N fittings.

You're in luck -- the nuclear powered one uses those fittings! Compared to Tony Stark (Iron Man) and Lee Majors ($6 million man), you've almost got more modifications than either one of them.

Your Corvette mods look really good. Is it almost ready to get back on the road again? (i.e., are you resisting the "just one more thing" temptations?

 

[Squankum]

@Squankum, I'm an inline 6 fanboy because that's what I had in the first car I modified. Bored out 236 ci with a 3/4 race cam with hollow solid lifters, higher compression pistons (and shaved head) all topped off with a water heated/cooled dual carb Edmund's Intake manifold with a pair of Holley 94 two barrel carbs with straight linkage. Kept the setup for a long time but broke down and sold it for $600 (paid $35 for it in 1963).

Bob, someday when you get old (20 more years?) if your mind slips, I bet you'll still be able to rattle that off to the nursing home staff. And they'll say, "236 volts?!"

Also reminds me of this old joke:



A man calls his sheriff’s office to report his wife is missing.

Husband: My wife is missing. She went shopping yesterday and has not come home!
Sheriff: Height?
Husband: I'm not sure. A little over five-feet tall.
Sheriff: Weight?
Husband: Don't know. Not slim, not really fat.
Sheriff: Color of eyes?
Husband: Sort of brown I think. Never really noticed.
Sheriff: Color of hair?
Husband: Changes a couple times a year. Maybe dark brown now. I can’t remember.
Sheriff: What was she wearing?
Husband: Could have been pants, or maybe a skirt or shorts. I don't know exactly.
Sheriff: What kind of car did she go in?
Husband: She went in my truck.
Sheriff: What kind of truck was it?
Husband: A 2016 pearl white Ram Limited 4X4 with 6.4l Hemi V8 engine ordered with the Ram Box bar and fridge option, LED lighting, back up and front camera, leather heated and cooled seats, climate controlled air conditioning. It has a custom matching white cover for the bed, Weather Tech floor mats. Trailering package, sunroof, DVD with full GPS navigation, satellite radio, Cobra 75 WX ST 40-channel CB radio, six cup holders, 3 USB port, and 4 power outlets. I added special alloy wheels and off-road Toyo tires and custom retracting running boards.
At this point the husband started choking up.
Sheriff: Take it easy sir, we'll find your truck!

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob: I know you’re always willing to talk about your accident with the train and it’s still amazing that you survived that day to talk about it.

You and I don’t agree about medical stuff all that much but I do get an annual physical and lately annual eye and hearing exams. I have my reasons for not running to the medical people for every ache and pain and lack of trust that they are always doing the right thing.

I hope you get your stuff sorted cause this getting old isn’t for sissies and I know all of us love your posts garage related or not.

Hang in there cause one day in the near future I hope our paths will cross in person.

Drives, I try to be open about my situation because I know I shied away from people with deformities or disabilities when I was young and whole. Most of us make assumptions about others' lives that are a kind of prejudice. Your daughter is a perfect example of someone who has overcome obstacles in ways we can't imagine. We have to live the life we are blessed with, not the one we wish we had.

We don't have to agree on anything so long as we respect each other's point of view. Growing up, I got a along with geeks, jocks and even some girls. I'm sad and frustrated by the hatred and animosity in our country over things that shouldn't matter. We're alive for such a short time and we're going to be dead forever. On this tiny blue ball we're all neighbors and I for one plan to help mine when they need it.

You're in luck -- the nuclear powered one uses those fittings! Compared to Tony Stark (Iron Man) and Lee Majors ($6 million man), you've almost got more modifications than either one of them.

Your Corvette mods look really good. Is it almost ready to get back on the road again? (i.e., are you resisting the "just one more thing" temptations?

Rick, never thought I would be saying I like the nuclear option. The car is running and driveable but I still have to track down the hardware that disappeared into those black holes. Two pieces of hardware involve the windshield wipers so I'm OK as long as it doesn't rain. I can order the lost parts but I know the day they arrive the missing ones will fall out of their hiding spots.

Bob, someday when you get old (20 more years?) if your mind slips, I bet you'll still be able to rattle that off to the nursing home staff. And they'll say, "236 volts?!"

Also reminds me of this old joke:



A man calls his sheriff’s office to report his wife is missing.

Husband: My wife is missing. She went shopping yesterday and has not come home!
Sheriff: Height?
Husband: I'm not sure. A little over five-feet tall.
Sheriff: Weight?
Husband: Don't know. Not slim, not really fat.
Sheriff: Color of eyes?
Husband: Sort of brown I think. Never really noticed.
Sheriff: Color of hair?
Husband: Changes a couple times a year. Maybe dark brown now. I can’t remember.
Sheriff: What was she wearing?
Husband: Could have been pants, or maybe a skirt or shorts. I don't know exactly.
Sheriff: What kind of car did she go in?
Husband: She went in my truck.
Sheriff: What kind of truck was it?
Husband: A 2016 pearl white Ram Limited 4X4 with 6.4l Hemi V8 engine ordered with the Ram Box bar and fridge option, LED lighting, back up and front camera, leather heated and cooled seats, climate controlled air conditioning. It has a custom matching white cover for the bed, Weather Tech floor mats. Trailering package, sunroof, DVD with full GPS navigation, satellite radio, Cobra 75 WX ST 40-channel CB radio, six cup holders, 3 USB port, and 4 power outlets. I added special alloy wheels and off-road Toyo tires and custom retracting running boards.
At this point the husband started choking up.
Sheriff: Take it easy sir, we'll find your truck!

@Squankum, I think it's more like "as your mind continues to slip" rather than "if your mind slips." Google is my friend, especially as the search engine gets smarter. Alexa also helps.

Florida doesn't inspect vehicles anymore and our primary rust issue is roof rot from the sun boiling the paint off all the vehicles' horizontal surfaces so I suspect we'll have ICE cars forever. We'll probably revert to the origin story and have to buy our gasoline at drug stores in gallon bottles.

The rest of the joke is perfect but because we go to our Primary Car Physician together, I know Liane's height and weight. She's lost an inch and I've lost two while she's lost 50 lbs. and I've found them.

 

[Wiz02]

Drives, I try to be open about my situation because I know I shied away from people with deformities or disabilities when I was young and whole. Most of us make assumptions about others' lives that are a kind of prejudice. Your daughter is a perfect example of someone who has overcome obstacles in ways we can't imagine. We have to live the life we are blessed with, not the one we wish we had.

We don't have to agree on anything so long as we respect each other's point of view. Growing up, I got a along with geeks, jocks and even some girls. I'm sad and frustrated by the hatred and animosity in our country over things that shouldn't matter. We're alive for such a short time and we're going to be dead forever. On this tiny blue ball we're all neighbors and I for one plan to help mine when they need it.

Words to live by @Bob Heine !

 

[Denwood]

Bob, if good karma and good will was a tangible thing, you'd have a brand new heart in there. There are a lot of folks here sending you their sincere wishes for a speedy recovery. Count me in

I find myself smiling whenever I read your thread and I wonder how many 10s, 100s, 1000s of others have as well?

 

[driftpin]

This time of year we dread the fall color change -- of the license plates. It means every trip is going to take longer and restaurants are full

Bob, glad to see your medical care has solved another issue for you. What was said by them about using a welder? I may have missed that, if it was said already. I have a friend retired from the GM Tech Center in Warren MI who had to get an OK after getting a pacemaker/defibrillator. Now he works with 'weld' abandon.

About the out of state plates, here (Miami) we have lots of rentals for people trying to find South Beach and the FL Keys, so using the i.d. of out of state plates may not reflect the actual status of the visitors. In Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale area for you out of staters) you would see a lot of Ontario and Quebec Province plates, when the duallies show up as fifth wheel rigs pulling impressive travel trailers, often with H-D's. Trying to get through downtown Miami during evening rush hour on the I-95 corridor is about to get even more exasperating, until April.

 

[sbosecker]

Bob,

I haven't visited the GJ for a few days so was a bit startled when I read what you've been dealing with medically recently.

My doctor, when discussing my blood pressure with me one time, quipped that I was "just barely alive". (He meant that jokingly in a good way). I have to say, despite a history of a low heart rate, that your 30 beats per minute might also qualify for being "just barely alive".

Let me echo the words of those who posted here before me. I wish you the best; that the pacemaker does the trick and I hope your doctor mandated down-time passes quickly so that you can get some QST.


Best regards,

Scott

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Bob I have missed your thread for awhile and seen you are having a difficult time. Hope all is back to normal and you are up to your ears in projects again. You have had your share of difficulties but I have noticed you always rise to top. That is a good on you as my buddy says.
Thinking of you and wishing the best.
Emil

 

[sawduststeve]

Bob I have missed your thread for awhile and seen you are having a difficult time. Hope all is back to normal and you are up to your ears in projects again. You have had your share of difficulties but I have noticed you always rise to top. That is a good on you as my buddy says.
Thinking of you and wishing the best.
Emil

Absolutely this^^^^^
Bob H , my all time favourite American.

Keep on trucking mate
Steve

 

[xtremek]

Looking forward to getting a performance review when you finally get the Vette back together.

 

[Bob Heine]

Words to live by @Bob Heine !

@Wiz02, I try but sometimes feel the hate creeping in and it makes me feel sick.

Bob, if good karma and good will was a tangible thing, you'd have a brand new heart in there. There are a lot of folks here sending you their sincere wishes for a speedy recovery. Count me in

I find myself smiling whenever I read your thread and I wonder how many 10s, 100s, 1000s of others have as well?

Dennis, it is a testament to the Garage Journal and the folks who come here that those attributes aren't ridiculed.

Bob, glad to see your medical care has solved another issue for you. What was said by them about using a welder? I may have missed that, if it was said already. I have a friend retired from the GM Tech Center in Warren MI who had to get an OK after getting a pacemaker/defibrillator. Now he works with 'weld' abandon.

About the out of state plates, here (Miami) we have lots of rentals for people trying to find South Beach and the FL Keys, so using the i.d. of out of state plates may not reflect the actual status of the visitors. In Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale area for you out of staters) you would see a lot of Ontario and Quebec Province plates, when the duallies show up as fifth wheel rigs pulling impressive travel trailers, often with H-D's. Trying to get through downtown Miami during evening rush hour on the I-95 corridor is about to get even more exasperating, until April.

Philip, I didn't mention welding to my doctor. Also not sure which device he is implanting. The Medtronic pacemaker instructions recommends welding at less than 160 amps. My Eastwood MIG goes to 175 amps and I rarely run it that high, the same with the Eastwood TIG, which goes to 200 amps and the HF Chicago Electric MIG goes to 170 amps. They sell shirts with pockets where you insert a shield but it's mostly physical protection when playing sports. Apparently an aluminum foil vest doesn't help but there are people happy to sell you a lead vest.

The Tourist Season brings extra people who are not used to driving or are not familiar with Florida roads. If they don't know which turn lane connects to I-95 north or south, they often make a left or right turn across four lanes of traffic with no warning. Directionals are whimsical devices in Florida that are either disabled or stuck in one position in rentals). The more cautious ones just stop in the middle lane and wait a few hours for the traffic to clear.

Bob,

I haven't visited the GJ for a few days so was a bit startled when I read what you've been dealing with medically recently.

My doctor, when discussing my blood pressure with me one time, quipped that I was "just barely alive". (He meant that jokingly in a good way). I have to say, despite a history of a low heart rate, that your 30 beats per minute might also qualify for being "just barely alive".

Let me echo the words of those who posted here before me. I wish you the best; that the pacemaker does the trick and I hope your doctor mandated down-time passes quickly so that you can get some QST.


Best regards,

Scott

Scott, my nickname at IBM was Flash because I was always running to get to a meeting on time or get a coffee from the machine. I suspect my retiree nickname is Slug because I don't rush to do anything. My blood pressure is fine but the slow heartbeat means my 02 saturation is rarely above 95%. Not terrible but probably a side effect of the slow pulse. Liane is always above 70 bpm with 99% O2 saturation.

Bob I have missed your thread for awhile and seen you are having a difficult time. Hope all is back to normal and you are up to your ears in projects again. You have had your share of difficulties but I have noticed you always rise to top. That is a good on you as my buddy says.
Thinking of you and wishing the best.
Emil

Emil, the hardest part is taking it easy. The honey-do and personal projects don't even get started these days.

Absolutely this^^^^^
Bob H , my all time favourite American.

Keep on trucking mate
Steve

Steve, you are very kind. I hope you and the rest of the family are doing great!

Looking forward to getting a performance review when you finally get the Vette back together.

Kirk, I'm looking forward to it as well.

 

[sawduststeve]

Steve, you are very kind. I hope you and the rest of the family are doing great!

We’re all good, thanks.
The little one was 13 this week and we had four of her mates over for a sleepover last night, don’t know why it’s called a sleepover, no one slept. They were all on the trampoline at 5 this morning
All the best to you and yours.
Take care my friend.

 

[bobg03]

Bob, glad to hear you're up and running on all cylinders..

 

[GeddyT]

I think it's more like "as your mind continues to slip" rather than "if your mind slips." Google is my friend, especially as the search engine gets smarter. Alexa also helps.

Alright, Bob, step into my office...

You're worried about your pacemaker having a GPS, but you have an Alexa!?

 

[zanyad]

Bob, glad to hear you'll be on the mend soon. Always enjoy your point of view and sense of humor.

Best,
M

 

[Bob Heine]

We’re all good, thanks.
The little one was 13 this week and we had four of her mates over for a sleepover last night, don’t know why it’s called a sleepover, no one slept. They were all on the trampoline at 5 this morning
All the best to you and yours.
Take care my friend.

Steve, it sounds like the 'little one' is a young woman but the trampoline episode sounds like the "going on 21" stage hasn't arrived.

Bob, glad to hear you're up and running on all cylinders..

Thank you @bobg03.

Alright, Bob, step into my office...

You're worried about your pacemaker having a GPS, but you have an Alexa!?

Tom, you got me. I'm not all that paranoid but it is annoying to search for something and have it pop up as an ad within minutes.

Bob, glad to hear you'll be on the mend soon. Always enjoy your point of view and sense of humor.

Best,
M

Thank you, M!

 

[scooterbum46]

Bob: I don't think I'm paranoid either, but the googlefoo box in the living room appears to lean forward when Nance and I are having a shopping discussion if we aren't talking loud enough.

 

[xtremek]

What is a good O2 Saturation? My Fitbit says I'm at 92%

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob: I don't think I'm paranoid either, but the googlefoo box in the living room appears to lean forward when Nance and I are having a shopping discussion if we aren't talking loud enough.

Gerry, I put Alexa in my office so it's as far away from our master bedroom as possible without putting her outside. I discovered Alexa is immune to me yelling STFU whenever her name is mentioned.

I recently made the mistake of buying a Fire Stick with Alexa built in so we could watch one show (Bosch Legacy). I'm going to keep the Fire Stick inside a lead film pouch we used to use when traveling overseas.

What is a good O2 Saturation? My Fitbit says I'm at 92%

Kirk, anything below 95% is cause for concern as I understand it. I've had mine drop to 94 a number of times but a couple of deep breaths brings it right back up. I have a Chinese $hitfit that is supposed to measure steps, sleep, heart rate, exercise, blood pressure SPO2, weather, notifications and shutter. I have very little faith in its accuracy so I have a Omron blood pressure cuff, a Zac Vrate pulse oximeter and the Kardia Mobile app and reader. The $hitfit is strapped to my stump and says I have a 76 bpm pulse rate, 96% SPO2, and 113/70 blood pressure. The only reading close to my other machines is the SPO2.

 

[xtremek]

I will say that the 92% was just after I took one of my hourly walks, which gets my heart rate up.

 

[Matias]

Trying to quickly go through some of my most important threads here in GJ, and just wanted to say that I enjoy reading this thread so much.

 

[Wreckster23]

Oh, it's been a long road. Divorce is near final, my 3yo is doing great and keeps surprising me. So proud of her from when she was asking I'd my car was angry. All these newer cars have a mean face, tickled me pink that she picked up on that.

The ex got the house. Shame, I was finally getting somewhere in that garage. The better, Better half and I are looking. She understands my need for the garage space, blessing she is. Housing is crazy so what would have afforded us an amazing house (read, amazing garage comes with it) will only net us a small move in ready house these days. No worries for me, at least we can still afford to do that, some people don't have the luxury.

I will say, these last few years have been much more stressful than ever I could have imagined. The process was more complicated than need be, but you can't force the horse to drink. I'll be starting fresh on here in short order, there's an offer in right now and I'm already day dreaming about getting my hands dirty. Might not get thus one but we will find a home eventually.

 

[Bob Heine]

I will say that the 92% was just after I took one of my hourly walks, which gets my heart rate up.

Kirk, for some reason I've never trusted the watch band monitors. Mine has some kind of flashing lights that do the measurements.

Trying to quickly go through some of my most important threads here in GJ, and just wanted to say that I enjoy reading this thread so much.

Thank you Matias! I hope you are enjoying the warm winter weather in your new location.

Oh, it's been a long road. Divorce is near final, my 3yo is doing great and keeps surprising me. So proud of her from when she was asking I'd my car was angry. All these newer cars have a mean face, tickled me pink that she picked up on that.

The ex got the house. Shame, I was finally getting somewhere in that garage. The better, Better half and I are looking. She understands my need for the garage space, blessing she is. Housing is crazy so what would have afforded us an amazing house (read, amazing garage comes with it) will only net us a small move in ready house these days. No worries for me, at least we can still afford to do that, some people don't have the luxury.

I will say, these last few years have been much more stressful than ever I could have imagined. The process was more complicated than need be, but you can't force the horse to drink. I'll be starting fresh on here in short order, there's an offer in right now and I'm already day dreaming about getting my hands dirty. Might not get thus one but we will find a home eventually.

@Wreckster23, sorry to hear your marriage took a sad turn (or maybe a happy one?). When you mentioned you were looking for a new place, I peeked at real estate in New Windsor. The owner of this place on John Street may have a drinking problem or is hoping for a blind buyer because it's listed for $199,999. Not sure if the thing in the back yard is a garage but it Do folks raise the price based on xeriscaping?


We moved into our first house across the river overlooking New Hamburg in 1966 and splurged on a 3 bedroom 1 bath 1 car garage ranch with a full basement. Paid $14,500 and sold it 9 years later for $33,500. Zillow thinks it's worth $404,000 today.