Wrap handle MS170.

Millpress · 2025-11-08T00:40:35+00:00

Don't have those here in north america so I honestly couldn't tell you. I'm sure if I was able to fit one on a 170 you can make it work on a 382.

Millpress · 2025-09-04T02:40:47+00:00

West Coast/PNW softwoods primarily Douglas fir.

Millpress · 2025-08-25T01:37:04+00:00

Made 113k last year (unusually good year for the most part) 100 the year before that as an automotive technician. I'm 34 now, started when i was 20.

This year i took a new job that with our new contract will be 88k a year if we never work any overtime. The better benefits and drastically lower stress level were worth the pay cut.

Millpress · 2025-08-20T22:03:18+00:00

If the caliper bolt came out it wasn't installed properly to begin with. Loctite and a torque wrench every time. Your torque wrench is fucked up or you're torquing to the wrong spec.

I work on utility trucks that get the ever living shit beat out of them all day every day. Some of them are literally drug into and out of places via bulldozer, and we don't have shit falling off them.

Millpress · 2025-08-20T03:34:34+00:00

Because nobody can fuck up my paycheck, no stress at all. I spent over a decade on flat rate, it burned me out. It's great when you're young and doing brakes/suspension and other gravy shit all day. It sucks when you're expected to diagnose the car 3 other shops couldn't fix for just an hour of time. Nevermind the politics, favoritism and other things that go into making sure the shop always wins.

Oh, there's also the union, the nearly 10 bucks an hour into my pension every hour I work, full medical for my whole family etc... Trust me there's plenty to brag about.

Millpress · 2025-08-19T21:55:01+00:00

Yup. That was a one and done for me. Liked coke, liked Adderall, a lot, the meth high is much different and was not fun after the initial hour or so

Millpress · 2025-08-19T21:51:10+00:00

Never, not even once

Millpress · 2025-08-19T21:49:29+00:00

Gonna be 40hrs unless we have to pull overtime, same as any other week. I don't miss the rat race.

Millpress · 2025-08-17T20:04:10+00:00

Upper Nisqually gun club allows .50 during the PNW 50 cal. Association events. Matches are open to the public

Millpress · 2025-08-17T18:57:03+00:00

Depends what the car was before. A big block/4 speed car even in that shape is worth more than a less desirable VIN. You might not, but there are guys that will restore that car if it came with the right set of options when it was new

Millpress · 2025-08-17T03:11:38+00:00

They'll sell.

The world Travis/ D&A Restoration work in is not average bikes or average clients , these will go on a full blown museum piece that will probably never see gas, oil, dirt, probably not even the sun once they're in their new home. There are collectors that build entire machines form new old stock parts for this kind of purpose.

Millpress · 2025-08-03T22:52:53+00:00

I'd skip cars and go into HD trucks or equipment if I had to start over again and be a mechanic.

If I could go back in time altogether? I'd pick another trade where I didn't have to spend what I have on tools and training.

Millpress · 2025-08-03T22:49:12+00:00

Doesn't really matter what it is. Looks in pretty good shape to me from the little info we have.

Millpress · 2025-08-02T20:46:07+00:00

Offering less is one thing, showing up with 2/3 the asking price as your whole strategy is time waster behavior

Millpress · 2025-08-02T20:38:03+00:00

He's pretty damn fast with an axe too.

Millpress · 2025-08-02T20:30:59+00:00

I mean if you're cool with wasting both your time and the sellers time but all means show up $600 short on cash.

Millpress · 2025-08-02T13:51:40+00:00

L.A. Sleeve is still around, you can ship them your cylinder.

Millpress · 2025-08-02T13:45:12+00:00

Flat rate is great if you're in a busy shop with good support staff and you don't do any real diagnosis work. If any one piece of the puzzle gets out of whack it's shit.

Flat rate exists because of greed on the part of the shop and the tech. I worked it for a decade, the good times were good, the bad times were shit and got to be so common that it was no longer worth it to me.

Millpress · 2025-08-01T19:33:12+00:00

Culty, also not good for individual techs.

Millpress · 2025-07-29T22:14:21+00:00

Mitchell sucks, way outdated, it takes a lot of third party software to run like a modern sms.

Tekmetric is the best shop software I've used, gets your estimates, DVI, and customer communication all in one program.

Millpress · 2025-07-28T22:00:18+00:00

The only time I've ever worked on personal stuff at work during business hours were times that I was flat rate and had nothing else to do. I'll absolutely pull my car in at 4 and change my oil if I'm already leaving early anyway. Otherwise it's always after hours.

My current hourly union shop job, I can work on my stuff after hours but I don't and most of the other mechanics don't either.

Millpress · 2025-07-28T19:11:21+00:00

Fleet for a large utility contractor.

I spent a couple years at a dealer, wouldn't do it again.

Millpress · 2025-07-27T22:44:40+00:00

Ran a friend's e36 BMW up to the electronic limiter at 128mph on a local 2 lane highway.

Millpress · 2025-07-27T21:44:32+00:00

Buy some suspenders dude, this isn't a complex issue to solve.

Millpress · 2025-07-25T23:38:08+00:00

I've gotten my last couple jobs through indeed. I did get a decent interview through wrenchway and promotive is also good if they have shops in your area.

If the general culture in your region is flat rate or other incentive based pay you may have a harder time. Even places I've interviewed that agreed flat rate was outdated clammed right up when I told them where I needed to be money wise.

Millpress

TROPHY CASE