Restoring An Old Mopar With An Extremely Bad Back?

[dadsbee]

I’d like hear how that happened.

 

[torredcuda]

Hearing the truth can be very hard but....
It would be smarter to buy a completed car. The bad back will make it nearly impossible to lean over to do pretty much everything to restore a car.
Bodywork, engine building and installation, the entire interior is enough to twist a man into human pretzel when you're doing headliners or dash work, installing carpet and seats, etc.
Maintenance and repairs are one thing, a full restoration is quite another. They take a lot of time for a healthy person. A person that aches all day long will be miserable.
A finished car can be bought cheaper anyway. It won't be exactly what you want but may be close to it.

I have always done almost everything myself including body work. There isn`t that much heavy lifting I have to do - jacks, hoists and an extra hand when I need it for doors, hoods and such. I can`t afford to pay someone to do the work or buy a done car for $30-40k so I`ll keep plugging away and get it done. I also enjoy working on my own cars and it`s always better to show a car you did yourself rather than just paid for it. `70 road runner, FC7, 383, 727 It`s waited long enough, finally time to get it done.

 

[Richard Cranium]

View attachment 1584721

Yikes! There’s got to be a story behind that.

 

[dadsbee]

Yikes! There’s got to be a story behind that.

Ya.. I was under all those bricks !

 

[Richard Cranium]

Ya.. I was under all those bricks !

Looks like it was a rehab. What went wrong that caused the collapse?

 

[dadsbee]

Looks like it was a rehab. What went wrong that caused the collapse?

We took the back wall off and then the center wall, with 12 fireplaces on it, came straight down like a firehose being shot at the ground.

 

[GetX'd]

Lots of good suggestions from others with severe back problems. You of course need to do what you need to do - but depending on your financial situation my money goes toward you buying a done car vs killing yourself trying to make one done. One hell of a lot easier on the body, mind and most likely even your pocket book.

I wish you the best and hope your fulfill your Mopar wishes

 

[Richard Cranium]

We took the back wall off and then the center wall, with 12 fireplaces on it, came straight down like a firehose being shot at the ground.

Jeeeeeez!

 

[Detective D]

I can't speak to your specific situation OP, but I will say this:
Back problems, if they are not from some degenerative issue or injury, are 95% caused by your core being to weak to support your activities properly.

In short- if you do sit ups every day your back will be fine until you are dead or some other issue makes the spine itself weak(degenerative)
If you can't bend, do leg lifts in a reclined chair. Or crunches.

"Beer gut" people have back issues. "Resting" and avoiding any strengthening activity will never improve, only worsen the issue.

Again, a degenerative issue, injury, or some other thing that affects the bone structure or integrity of the spine is a different story. But "tweaked back" is because your gut was not strong enough and your back was doing it's unfair share of the load. Lift with your legs is yelled from the rooftops because it allows you to keep your core straighter, which means your belly can participate in the work.
Workout people like to focus on arms and legs.
You will feel and do a lot more if you are trim and have a stout core than you will if you have tree trunk arms and a beer gut.

 

[barryv]

i turned 62 and have had a bad back for atleast 20 years. i get really stiff and ache all over from just doing a oil change. i to have a 70 roadrunner for 42 years. i just installed headers after all these years laying on the floor turning upside down like a pretzel. it took me about 6 days and about 5 hours per day. i still have fitment issues. i hope to build another home in 2 years and garage will have a lift or i dont know how much, i can keep thinking i am still 20years old and crawl under cars and then push it back in garage myself. i will be relocating to groveland ,florida not far from the Villages

 

[terrywalker]

I ask my 18-year-old grandson to help when working on the car becomes very difficult. I'm 71. He helps but needs to be asked. He wants the 72 Challenger I'm currently working on but doesn't volunteer his help. If he only knew I'd sell the car to him when completed for the cost of parts if he would help without me having to be ask. Oh well, he'd rather play video games. Here's what I'm currently doing to the Challenger.
Terry W.

 

[threewood]

There are quite a few predicaments you can get into with a bum back, so evaluate what you think will be issues. Engine and trans pulling can take a toll. I am under the car, over, back under etc. Body panels such as hood, you need a helper. I would suggest a heated garage to help keep the back and muscles loose. Use mechanical advantage as much as you can.

I'm only 50 and can get by but after doing a days work on a car, I hurt for s few days.

 

[hdwrench]

i over 60 and doin a resto now , it’s a challenge and my back is decent. it’s your call thou , you know best . similar to you i’ve had this car for years and it’s repair haunted me all along . i looked for shops to assist me and only found losers . never connected with a good person to do some work for me , mostly the body side as i better at the mechanic side . i looked hard for a complete car before deciding to commence on this one with no luck . now that i’m committed i wish i looked harder and bought a completed car . it will be years before i finish this project, i’d rather be cruzin!

 

[torredcuda]

I can't speak to your specific situation OP, but I will say this:
Back problems, if they are not from some degenerative issue or injury, are 95% caused by your core being to weak to support your activities properly.

In short- if you do sit ups every day your back will be fine until you are dead or some other issue makes the spine itself weak(degenerative)
If you can't bend, do leg lifts in a reclined chair. Or crunches.

"Beer gut" people have back issues. "Resting" and avoiding any strengthening activity will never improve, only worsen the issue.

Again, a degenerative issue, injury, or some other thing that affects the bone structure or integrity of the spine is a different story. But "tweaked back" is because your gut was not strong enough and your back was doing it's unfair share of the load. Lift with your legs is yelled from the rooftops because it allows you to keep your core straighter, which means your belly can participate in the work.
Workout people like to focus on arms and legs.
You will feel and do a lot more if you are trim and have a stout core than you will if you have tree trunk arms and a beer gut.

I agree that many back problems are due to weak core but I would guess more like 50% as most people I talk to about it were due to some injury or accident. I am 6' 150 pounds so not at all overweight and have always been in good shape and very active, mine happened over time due to some injuries and general use/abuse. As far as exercising it all depends on the person and the issues, some excercises hurt my back wile others help a little, losing wieght will always help.

 

[gkent]

Here's the thing ... you're in your 60's now with major back problems ... and life doesn't get any easier. There will be no miracle cure. And the wrong movement or lift could very well do you in completely as far as mobility. It just might be time to drive that car in its current condition and be satisfied with it.

I'm 71. Owned my RR 50 years come February. Hadn't driven it since '85. Started a complete rotisserie build a number of years ago with many things delaying progress. This past summer I was surprised with the need for bypass surgery. I'm recovered and pretty much back to normal again BUT ... what's next ?!?!?

In hindsight I wish I'd never started the project - its just taking too long.

 

[TorRed]

Saw the title of this thread and was tempted to try to come up with a joke about a Mopar with a broken back or something, but I certainly don't want to rub sand in the wounds of someone with health challenges!
My back got fused years ago after breaking my back in an accident and I have felt I ended up with a stronger back after that (bionic man), but the rest of the fractures I got that fateful evening left me much worse for wear, and nowadays I need to remember to set a milk crate on the ground by where I'm working on a car to use to help me get back up when I'm done, or need to go get a tool, or else I'd risk being stuck sitting there on my butt on the concrete forever trying to figure out how I'll ever get up again.
After my last brake job on my compact car I felt pretty beat up and achy for the rest of the day, which got me bummed out wondering how much later my wrenching days will continue?
My next house has to have a garage with room for a lift or I'm doomed!!!
My buddy with a small 2 car garage picked up one of these and although not as useful as a full size lift, it really helps. You can sit on a rolling stool to shuffle around under the car or along side it to work on it.
https://www.northerntool.com/products/quickjack-extended-length-portable-car-lift-package-5000-lb-capacity-110-volts-model-bl-5000tlx-110-pu-107854?cm_mmc=Google-LIA&utm_source=Google_LIA&utm_medium=Automotive > Automotive Lifts > Scissor Lifts&utm_campaign=QuickJack&utm_content=107854&ogmap=SHP|LIA|GOOG|STND|c|SITEWIDE|||||2076951023|78255573002&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIo6ynv5vCgwMVMOsWBR3KigMyEAQYCiABEgIUJ_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've looked into these before, and agree they would be better than no lift at all. Thanks for reminding me about these. My doctor painted a pretty bleak picture of my capabilities going forward so I'm trying to decide if I can still do almost any of this kind of work without permanently making my back worse. He said my 'pushing through the pain' has already done that

 

[TorRed]

Here's the thing ... you're in your 60's now with major back problems ... and life doesn't get any easier. There will be no miracle cure. And the wrong movement or lift could very well do you in completely as far as mobility. It just might be time to drive that car in its current condition and be satisfied with it.

I'm 71. Owned my RR 50 years come February. Hadn't driven it since '85. Started a complete rotisserie build a number of years ago with many things delaying progress. This past summer I was surprised with the need for bypass surgery. I'm recovered and pretty much back to normal again BUT ... what's next ?!?!?

In hindsight I wish I'd never started the project - its just taking too long.

That's my fear, right now the car is mostly together but would have to be 'blown apart' to start restoring the drivetrain, interior, body work, etc. I could just see myself getting it all apart and then have to stop.

 

[wahya]

Started working on my Satellite about 12-13 years ago. About 11years ago I had a neurologist tell me I had spinal stenosis and degenerative disk. I went back to that quack a year later and after many tests, he tells me well the bad news is you have MS. The good news is you are getting at your age.
I kept working on the car though, I can’t imagine doing things now that I did years ago, but I can do a few things while laying down on the ground under the car. My wife is the same age as I am (72) and she carries heavy things for me (embarrassing). Oh well, like they say, it is what it is.

 

[AR67GTX]

I have some back issues and had what I would call relatively minor back surgery last year (successful) but I’m probably not in as delicate of shape as some of you have described. I’ve always exercised and at 72 I still jog 3 times a week (slowly) and work out with weights and calisthenics 3 times a week. Over the years I’ve ended up doing more floor exercises than weights and including some I picked up from physical therapy sessions. I figure it helps my core strength and makes me get up and down off the floor many times which keeps me in shape for the garage. I had to crawl under the dash of my 67 the other day which is one of my milestone tests. The day I can’t get back out from being wedged between the dash, seat and steering wheel I know my life is going to change.

I second having a lift if you can. I use mine as a hoist some also. I have a single stage transmission Jack and instead of trying to muscle a 150 pound torqueflight or 80 +/- pound diff. center section off of it from chest height, I’ll lash it to my lift with ropes and lower it down to floor level. I cobbled together a door carrier that secures to one of my heavier floor jacks for holding a door for removal of a door or rebuilding hinges. I’m a big believer of what some one above said - work smart rather than just with your back.

 

[Richard Cranium]