Just thinking out loud

[LaserSVT]

Progress is slowly coming along.

[redrocket5.0]

Awesome man, looks just like the Muffler shop I used to work in. After you get up and running get you a TV in there.

[LaserSVT]

Grande offered me a great deal on internet/phone.... actually cheaper than internet alone. Plus they waived all the install stuffs because I have them at home. Be cheap to add TV, like $15 but the move is taxing me so I don't have $300 to drop on a TV right now.

We are also bordering the upper part of the wall with Texas license plates and that's coming out pretty neat. Just about everything is in there now and it JUST fits. Tomorrow will mount the lift and do the paint that I just picked up. Lucked out on the lift bolts for only $3 a piece which was WAY cheaper than the last time.


Also I am very proud of my 18 year old Chevy 1500. Rolled across the metal scales today at 10,230lbs with a 10' trailer that had 5 axles and a nose of a Mark VIII on it with the bed FULL of brake parts. Rolled out at 5250lbs. She accelerated onto the highway very well and set the cruise at 75 like nothing. Still averaged 15.2MPG. Not too shabby for such a light duty truck.

[Stunter Bob]

Ill Donate $20 to the cause. Whos next?

[LaserSVT]

Thanks man but that's not necessary. I will get there. The rewards are sweeter when you work for them.



And just because she treats me so good here are some shots of my old work horse.

[ram57ta]

Thanks man but that's not necessary. I will get there. The rewards are sweeter when you work for them.



And just because she treats me so good here are some shots of my old work horse.

Your truck looks a lot like my 98 Sierra minus the Z71 badges and nerf bars. Just rolled past 234k miles and other than a couple minor issues its been the best vehicle I've ever owned.

[snacksnack]

Clean truck! cant wait to see the shop finished.

[Pokulski-Blatz]

The shop looks to be coming along nicely.

[LaserSVT]

Your truck looks a lot like my 98 Sierra minus the Z71 badges and nerf bars. Just rolled past 234k miles and other than a couple minor issues its been the best vehicle I've ever owned.

I never tore into the motor or trans but have replaced everything else and done intake gaskets with a new complete cooling system and switched to regular coolant. Got it (traded for a stripped 88 Comanchee straight up) with 128k ond almost two years later it has 179K. Uses maybe 1/5 quart between changes (3500 miles) and don't leak a drop. Been the most reliable vehicle I ever owned. Plus when you play Pink Floyd or The Who or Genesis its just like you are in the studio with them.
Really like this old brick for some reason. There must be 30 more in Waco almost identical to it down to the box and bed bars but all are beaten up.

[LaserSVT]

Clean truck! cant wait to see the shop finished.

The shop looks to be coming along nicely.

Thanks guys. Hope to have some almost finished pics tomorrow. Wont have the sign above the office up yet because I have to wait for the phone service so I can have the number on it with the shop name. Also need to make a "Diagnostics" sign to go over the center bay.

[4EyedTurd]

If somebody honks at you and gives you the finger don't worry it's probably somebody from DFWstangs

[orphan Shelby]

Congrats on the move. If you're off the highway, keep a couple gallons of gas handy. Real time saver for those that roll off thinking you got gas laying around or have time to stop and take em to a station.

[LaserSVT]

Congrats on the move. If you're off the highway, keep a couple gallons of gas handy. Real time saver for those that roll off thinking you got gas laying around or have time to stop and take em to a station.

I can spit from my driveway to Stripes gas Stations drive way. LOL
And I am just off I-35.

[LaserSVT]

So some more baby steps. Painted the eves. They were 20 year old faded red as was the bay door openings. The storage room next to the office looked terrible. Was 20 year old unpainted wood panels so I painted it Oxford white. The bars on the front were all rusty so I repainted them as well. The owner is going to replace the damaged wood over my center bay so I will have to repaint that small section again.

The lift was another kind of hell. As luck would have it, where I wanted it the floor was only 1" thick so imagine my surprise as I pushed a 3' drill bit through in 5 seconds and I went to the ground. Owner said it was good there. He was wrong. It was where the ground was redone years ago for a drain.
So I moved it all over and was fortunate enough to find the rebar on the first two holes. LOL. we did eventually find a clear 6" section and got the lifts arms planted. Killed two lag bolts though so gotta get a couple more. No biggie.

At least I got to play with my new in ground lift today.

[SMKR]

The guy that owns it and the inspection station wants to retire and only do inspections so he closed up the repair portion. He did well there and I have heard he was not that good. We are. I hear that all the time and that's also from other shops that know us. We have a good rep. Problem is when we get people referred to us they don't want to make that 20 mile drive when there are so many shops near them.

This shop is situated just right. I wont be stepping on the toes of friends that own shops in the heart of Waco but I will be near enough that people will make the trip. I move from a town of 759 to a town of 127,000. Plus having a busy inspection station in my front yard really helps. "Your car failed because of this. Go behind and have them fix it."

Edit: that's 7 mins from my office. What types of work does your shop do? I'll be a first customer to help new business get traction