300+ rebuild

[cruiseliner64]

4 minutes ago, mowerman said:

I know  a guy that just died at 94 and his daughter was telling me when he was 91. He just keeps starting one project after the next that’s how he keeps going. Hope it works for me.

Me too

Paul

[mowerman]

Well so far it’s the same here let’s hope it continues 

[Brocky]

Now that we are off topic!!!!!! I will be 81 next week and yes I have slowed down. But we have a chapter member who turned 90 earlier this month and he still drives his 83 Autocar to shows and a Christmas parade. Am not sure about Macungie or Cortland??? But I sent in my dinner reservations to Cortland..

[Freightrain]

11 hours ago, cruiseliner64 said:

 I hear you but we dont stop doing things because we grow old.....we grow old because we stop doing things......

Paul

I have seen first hand the ones that retire and just sit.  They usually don't live long.

It is just the stress at work that wears on me and makes it hard to come home and work 3-4 hrs in the garage.  I always feel better after working on the truck, because I complete small projects and feel like I accomplished something.

[Freightrain]

9 hours ago, Brocky said:

Now that we are off topic!!!!!! I will be 81 next week and yes I have slowed down. But we have a chapter member who turned 90 earlier this month and he still drives his 83 Autocar to shows and a Christmas parade. Am not sure about Macungie or Cortland??? But I sent in my dinner reservations to Cortland..

We had a pair of fellows in Buckeye Vintage Haulers chapter, John and Tex.  Both up in age but always at shows and happy to be still active.  They have both passed now but sure miss seeing those guys at events 

[davehummell]

I am turning 71 shortly and it feels like I was run over by a truck some days but you got to keep busy I take care of my goats and chickens and dogs and cats and keep doing stuff in the machine shop just small stuff anymore I miss riding my motorcycles but I figure it's a trade off by still standing I shure wouldn't want to be still working on trucks and equipment full time but I will work on my B as long as I can

[mowerman]

lol that’s like me I’m completely done with truck driving but I’m looking forward to riding around in the DM hopefully I can enjoy it a little bit before the big step above  …. Mainly too many hours on the job … like many guys say,,,, you don’t have time to do anything at all lol 

[davehummell]

The last full time job I had was taking care of 5 rolloffs trucks, four truck tractors, 6 walking floor trailers, 4 garbage trucks, Cat frontend loader, a Case frontend loader, 410 JD backhoe, case skidsteer, 450 JD dozer, a forklift and doing the tire work also I averaged 65 to seventy hours a week now I need a break after feeding the goats and chickens

[mowerman]

lol same here 535 a day with triple trailers would wind up 12-16 hrs a day uuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrr but hats off to all your efforts and responsibility… wow 

[Freightrain]

My good friend turns 71 July 18, I turn 60 on July 17.  He still works pretty hard after retiring a couple years ago.  

[mowerman]

Well, it’s much better than dropping dead in front of the TV

[cruiseliner64]

I turn 62 on Monday 11th May.4 years to retirement.While Iv enjoyed most of the jobs Iv worked at Mrs Cruiseliner took an average of the hours Iv worked and based on a 40 hour week Iv done 65 years already...I like my current job but Im looking forward to retirement so I can work on restorations full time.....time to look for another Mack!!!!

Paul

[tjc transport]

i have been driving trucks for 57 years now. a=but i think i have only "worked" less than 20 days.

i dont go to work. i go for a ride in the country, burn expensive fuel, put miles on new trucks, and piss off people behind me by driving 5-10 MPH under the posted speed limit in the right lane.

[terry]

6 hours ago, davehummell said:

The last full time job I had was taking care of 5 rolloffs trucks, four truck tractors, 6 walking floor trailers, 4 garbage trucks, Cat frontend loader, a Case frontend loader, 410 JD backhoe, case skidsteer, 450 JD dozer, a forklift and doing the tire work also I averaged 65 to seventy hours a week now I need a break after feeding the goats and chickens

If you done all that by yourself you were one busy dude!  terry

[Geoff Weeks]

On 4/29/2026 at 6:36 PM, cruiseliner64 said:

Dont think your anywhere near finnished yet Geoff.Dont know about body and ability but your interest clearly hasnt gone...Your a mine of helpful information.....

Paul

 

On 4/29/2026 at 6:41 PM, cruiseliner64 said:

 I hear you but we dont stop doing things because we grow old.....we grow old because we stop doing things......

Paul

I am not sitting in a chair watching the world go by, I just got back from doing repairs at my brothers, car repair and house repair. I go to the YMCA for exercise 3 days a week, never the less, what I can still do today is vastly reduce to what I could do just 3 years ago, when I was felling trees, and rebuilding an old building. 

Point is you don't know what the future holds for you, I never thought I would see the decline I have. I can no longer rise from a chair without using my arms to assist me getting up. My wife, who is 8 years my senior, can do it no problem.

 I am writing this, not for your pity, but as a warning to those who have grand plans that they hope to do when they can retire, I hope you can, but you can't count on it. Do it while you can, if you have continued great health, you'll have great memories, while making more, if later you can not, you at least got to do it when you could, not lament that you now can't.

I try and keep my hand in helping others where I can, in their projects, even if it is done from a keyboard. I still learn things every day by "keeping my hand in" even if I don't do the work myself.

My mind doesn't recognize my bodies limitation, and it may kill me trying to do what my mind knew I could in the past.

I have an outer CV joint boot to replace, I"ll feel great if I can get it done in one day. I don't even want to know what "book time" is on the job, it no longer applies to me. 

[mowerman]

Well if nothing else bud,,, you are a huge help here and many thanks for all you do…. Bob

[Brocky]

To add to what Geoff just said. If you have any travel on your bucket list, do it NOW.  We were 68 when we did Alaska and 70 when we did Australia. Today in our 80's we could not do the walking and long time sitting the travel would involve.

[mowerman]

I remember you mentioning if your going to travel do it between 70-75 great advice .. we’re planning on renting a camper and doing yellow stone and tombstone I’m not thrilled about driving anywhere but we have little dogs we have to take along most of the time

[mowerman]

Ok we’re really off subject now !!!!! 

[cruiseliner64]

12 hours ago, Geoff Weeks said:

 

I am not sitting in a chair watching the world go by, I just got back from doing repairs at my brothers, car repair and house repair. I go to the YMCA for exercise 3 days a week, never the less, what I can still do today is vastly reduce to what I could do just 3 years ago, when I was felling trees, and rebuilding an old building. 

Point is you don't know what the future holds for you, I never thought I would see the decline I have. I can no longer rise from a chair without using my arms to assist me getting up. My wife, who is 8 years my senior, can do it no problem.

 I am writing this, not for your pity, but as a warning to those who have grand plans that they hope to do when they can retire, I hope you can, but you can't count on it. Do it while you can, if you have continued great health, you'll have great memories, while making more, if later you can not, you at least got to do it when you could, not lament that you now can't.

I try and keep my hand in helping others where I can, in their projects, even if it is done from a keyboard. I still learn things every day by "keeping my hand in" even if I don't do the work myself.

My mind doesn't recognize my bodies limitation, and it may kill me trying to do what my mind knew I could in the past.

I have an outer CV joint boot to replace, I"ll feel great if I can get it done in one day. I don't even want to know what "book time" is on the job, it no longer applies to me. 

You hit the nail on the head with that post Geoff.I agree with all you said.Book time means nothing when your doing a project for enjoyment.If it takes 5 times longer that it used to so what?? You enjoyed it......

Paul

[cruiseliner64]

11 hours ago, mowerman said:

Ok we’re really off subject now !!!!! 

Yeah...better hand the floor back to freightrain.....

Paul

[mowerman]

Oh, one more thing it usually takes me way longer than I figured to do anything. It doesn’t have to be truck repairs. Also home repairs that’s it ….back to Larry.

[fjh]

6 hours ago, mowerman said:

Oh, one more thing it usually takes me way longer than I figured to do anything. It doesn’t have to be truck repairs. Also home repairs that’s it ….back to Larry.

I struggle with motivation these days got lots of ideas but getting motivated to do them is two different things! Unless it has to be done it probably won’t get done!

[Geoff Weeks]

I can still get motivated, but the motivation is tempered by the cost to my body. I can still torque the main bearings on a 855 Cummins, but have to question if it is worth it for ME to torque the main bearings on an 855 Cummins?

Last year I completely rebuilt a light tower, including a block change, stripping the old diesel and building back up. Motivation is there, but not the speed. Before that it was a Saab 900. Each project taking most of a summer to complete.

When the costs out weigh the enjoyment/satisfaction of the completed job, motivation wains. 

[mrsmackpaul]

I saw something recently, it really struck a cord with me, or maybe a reality check 

It was youtube video, this fella is a retirement planner for people in the US

Anyway the guts of the video was, he asked his 80 year old clients what the regretted not doing or doing at different times in their lives

The biggest regret by far was (as I understood it) was people not seeing that in their 50's they, by and large have it all, let me explain 

From the time we start work as a young bloke we can work 20 hours a day 7 days a week and never get tired

This is very handy as we are generally struggling to get a foot hold in life 

In this time frame we can make good money by working long hours, we have our health but we don't have enough spare time to enjoy the fruits of our labour's 

Most of us apparently find that by our 50's we are now smart enough and capable enough that we don't still need to work these long hours, yet apparently by this stage, that is what we know works so we keep on working

Our health is generally really good still, we can make good money and still work long hours

What we don't seem to see coming is that this good health only lasts maybe another 10 years and starts to slowly go down hill before accelerating until we pop our clogs and the journey is over

These 80 year olds, by and large regret working to hard, for to long and not winding back on the work front and winding up on the enjoying of life and enjoying the fruits of labour's 

Our health and the ability to just do and enjoy things apparently goes pretty quickly and catches unaware

I say to people

When I was a kid at school

hours took days

days took weeks

weeks took months 

months took years

I think we all remember those summers that went on for ever

These days 

years are gone in months

months are gone in a week

weeks are gone days

 

Anyway Larry we have completely ran this thread off into the side cut

But reading comments above, it sort of confirms what this video was saying

Enjoy every moment as best as we can

 

Paul