Repairing the Datsun

There are things in your life that you look back on and ask, “Why did I do that?”  “Was there no other alternative?”  At the time I guess the answer was that there were no other viable alternatives.  The incident in question relates to a vehicle that we owned when we lived in Alta Sierra on Names Drive.  The car was a Datsun 510.  This was one of two cars that we had at the time.  I drove a VW Bug for work and the Datsun was for the rest of the family.  One day I get a phone call and the story is that the Datsun overheated and that it wouldn’t go anymore. I don’t remember if it was Kathy or Marti that made that phone call.   This was pretty serious because it was the only other car we had.  I guess I don’t need to mention that we were barely surviving financially.  There was no extra money laying around for anything, especially car repairs.   We get the car home.  It turns out that the car has a “blown head gasket”.  Honestly, If I had ever listened to my Dad when I was still at home, I would know what that meant.  I checked it out and found out that the “head gasket” would only set me back about $10 but the labor to replace it might run $1000.  That was never going to happen.  For some reason, that I cannot imagine, I decided that I was going to replace the head gasket on the Datsun.  I bought the gasket and a manual for the Datsun.  The car was located in our garage.  I figured if I followed the manual, I could replace the head gasket.  My oldest daughter Marti took pity on me and decided to help me do this.  We, over time, pretty much memorized the Datsun manual.  For the most part the tools I had were going to help me get the job done.  The only tool that I didn’t have was a torque wrench and I was able to borrow one of those from a friend. At that time, I didn’t even know what a torque wrench was.    Marti and I started taking the engine apart.  We labeled every nut, bolt, and part.  This project was worked on by me and Marti every night after work and on most weekends.  The project had its own life, and at one point, I actually thought that this entire endeavor was destined for failure.  Kathy, Marti, Nanci and Jeff were all very supportive.  Time passed.  I don’t know how much time, but it seemed like forever.  After we removed the top of the engine and replaced the gasket and then meticulously put the engine back together, we invited everyone to come into the garage and the moment of truth had arrived.  After weeks of doing this, I put the key in the ignition, and the car actually started.  No one, especially me, ever believed that this would happen.  I was shocked.  The car actually started.  I was very nervous about having it run, but it did.  Marti was amazing through this entire project.  She was there every step of the way.  I have never, to this day, done any work of any kind on any vehicle that we had.  I guess that project was enough for me.  Even though the outcome was amazing it made me more convinced than ever that I had no business under the hood of a car.  This was something that we all look back on and still cannot believe it actually happened.  Our financial circumstances really drove me to do this.  We absolutely needed a second car and somehow the auto repair gods allowed it to happen.  I was glad to get the garage back for garage things.  I was glad to put all the tools away and return the torque wrench.  I also think I threw the manual away because to keep it would have been a constant reminder of what had gone on, plus I didn’t need it since I had committed most of it to memory.  Enough on car repairs…I leave that to the professionals now.