Enjoyable Day with the kids!

[campfamily]

So, the GS has needed some brake work, the left front wheel cylinder started leaking pretty bad, and the pedal was getting a little soft.  So, today, my two boys (17 and 12) spent the day with my father in law replacing all of the wheel cylinders and the master cylinder, as well as changing the oil and lubricating the front end.  All in all, a really great day with my kids working on the car.  And, best part was, I didn't have to twist their arms to get them to do this with me.  My 12 year old got a little bored towards the end, but we stuck him inside of the car to pump the pedal when we bled the brakes, which he enjoyed.  My older son watched my father in law and I reassemble one of the brakes, then did the other side himself.  It reminded me of the hours my brothers and I spent working with our dad on the cars when I was growing up.  It's been quite a while since I've done this with my kids (they are so busy with school, sports, girlfriends, etc.), and just makes me want to do it again.  All in all, a great end to spring break this year, and a day that I will remember for a long time.  Hopefully they will remember it as well.

Keith

[dsags]

Thanks for sharing that Keith. Sure your boys will remember it for a long time too.

[nut465gs]

Keith,

Your sons will 'carry the torch' so that the next generation will develope a passion and respect for our rare Buick musclecars. Good for you. Congrats on getting the brakes fixed yourself. There's not too many other things more satisfying.

John

[Chris]

This might sound odd (and maybe it is), but there is such a sense of satisfaction in tearing down an old set of drum brakes and reassembling them.  I can still remember the first time I did this myself in my Grandpa's driveway (around 17 years old) and the pride I felt in getting everything put back together correctly and actually being able to actually stop the car was monumental.  I think there are 100 different ways to get the springs reattached and I know that I spent an hour in the summer heat before realizing that you could pry up on the spring and let it slide down a screw driver before it would magically "jumped" onto the spring mounting stud. 

I look back now and it wasn't rocket science however this was a big undertaking by a kid that didn't have a garage, instruction manual, the proper tools or father to tell him how to do it.  Unlike my friends that took their newer cars to the shop for repairs (the late 80's) I loved my old car and I wanted to work on it myself and save my hard earned money that I made as a grill cook at the local steakhouse.  It's funny how much the automobile touches our lives and can alter who we are and what we've become.  It's moments like this that taught me the lessons of working hard, taking predicted risks and saving my money by doing some of the simpler things myself.

All that and a new set of brakes, I think you can understand where the sense of satisfaction comes from now.   

Chris