Suddenly no compression in #1 & #2 cylinders

[maxm50]

Nice work Dan! Thanks for filling us in on the progress.

I've certainly had my fair share of moments of near-to-tears from some seemingly insurmountable automotive challenge. I have to remind myself that "I'm not saving babies" (a mantra I find useful in many areas of life). My most memorable such moment was when I was 16 I bought a worn-out Datsun 280z and began the process of getting it road-worthy. I spent 2 weeks straight of 8-12 hour days in the engine bay with no real idea what I was doing but slowly making progress. Meanwhile I watched my final summer of highschool slipping away from me. Then I pulled myself under the car and my thumb went straight through the frame rail and rust flakes went everywhere. That was my breaking point. I sold the car that 3rd week for a $700 loss (an absolutely crushing amount of money at the time). My dad consoled me with some of the best advice I've ever received: "Max, this is a problem that money can solve. Those are the kinds of problems you should hope to have in life. The problems that money can't solve are much harder." It was the best $700 I ever spent.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

It was the best $700 I ever spent.

Thanks for sharing that story, Maxm! I'm trying to think of the best money I ever spent (on a car), and it was probably when something was beyond my ability and I took it to a professional, who did way better work than I ever could do. Live and learn, especially humility.

-Bryan