RebekahsZ Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I always see threads started asking how much it costs to do an engine swap into a z-car. I'd like to post the question another way: How much of YOURSELF have you donated to your z-car? I've seen lots of threads showing mechanical carnage, but none showing physical carnage. For example, I offer my latest car-work related injury. See pic. I was trying to increase the mounting hole size in a strap hanger in order to support my LS2 wiring harness at the back of the intake manifold by re-drilling the bolt hole with my drill press. Drill bit found a bur in the sheet metal, yanked stainless steel strap from my grasp and wound around the drill bit, pinching the pee out of my thumb. My thumb actually fit inside that wound up metal strap! Luckily the strap tore off the drill bit with my finger wrapped up in the sheetmetal rather than continuing to rotate on the bit, or it might have been more ugly. No cuts, just major crush injury. May take another photo later without bandaid, but right now if I remove bandaid it just starts bleeding everywhere. So much for getting car running by Sunday! Maybe next weekend. I tried to just wrap it up in masking tape and soldier on, but I can't seem to do anything without a left thumb. Finally went to my office and gave myself a nerve block, so it is tolerable for the moment, but I may wake up screaming in the night when the block wears off. The up-side is that my wife has to unbutton my britches so I can pee. It hurts like hades. Post your best z-car work related injuries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78 LS2 Z Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I think the worst I have done was when I was pounding on something near the rear of the car and had a dirt dauber nest come loose (Still don't know where it was) and the way I was laying it just dropped perfectly into my mouth and went right down, didn't even get a chance to chew it up...Worst part that it was a fairly fresh nest with the contents still inside. Needless to say it didn't stay there long...I guess in this case my Datsun left something of it with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 My worst, or at least most painful, involved cutting an unwanted bracket from under the car with an angle grinder. I had safety glasses on but not a full face shield. Apparently I stick my tongue out when doing somewhat precision work. A hot spark found its way to the tip of my tongue! The pain on my tongue was unbelievable. I could barely eat for three days. Next time....full face shield for sure!!!! Sorry no picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero Z Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) I did my actual whole swap without any injuries or ouches really. I was surprised. I only injured myself when I was sitting down next to the LS1 (when I was storing it in the main garage away from the Z) when I was prepping it (looking at starter bolts or something quick). I had put the engine next to a bundle of trim left over from building the house and a metal crown staple was sticking out and I put my hand/weight on the stack. I got a cut about 1" long and .25inch deep into the meaty part of my left palm at the base of my thumb/wrist. Lucky for me it only bled a lot for a little bit and stopped pretty quick. It looked awful though and found out my wife isn't much help in bad injuries. I was able to tape it back together pretty well (no stitches since didn't go to hospital) and the scar isn't bad. I do notice some nerve numbness on one side of my palm near the scar now though. Edited February 6, 2012 by Aero Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78 LS2 Z Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 OK, the most painful for me was while under the car, welding upside down on my fuel tank bracket and having a nice ball of weld splatter drop right into my ear. It's amazing how similar bacon sounds when frying compared to the insides of your ear. All I could do is cringe in agony while listening to it cook until it went out...Now that hurt!!! I've since started using foam earplugs too when welding upside down, but with my luck the darned foam will catch fire.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Burn scar on my upper leg where I planted the wrong end of a "just used" TIG rod in to my leg. Didn't feel anything for a couple moments, till it was down in the muscle. Worst was the compound fracture on my arm when I planted an SE-R into a telephone pole. But that's not quite during work on my car. Now I'm steel reinforced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 So far, I think the welding slag in the ear would get my vote for worst, although the welding rod in the leg is a fierce comptetitor. Thread is not meant to discourage stories of car crashes. Flesh is flesh, no matter how you slice it. I did repeated novocaine nerve blocks to my thumb thru the weekend, but I was starting to turn my thumb into hamburger and had to come up with a better plan. Surprisingly, hydrocodone mixed with Darvocet is a pretty good (effective) mixture. I slept like a babe last night. Pain was tolerable on Loracet 10s today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strotter Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I have a number of these stories. One that comes immediately to mind: working on a dead electric starter of an old Honda 350. A little chain connects the clutch sprocket to the starter sprocket. The thing hadn't been working for the owner, and he had tried to fix it himself, going so far as to disassemble the starter button assembly, so the bare wire was hanging next to the frame. Like an idiot, and without disconnecting the battery, I popped the cover and started fiddling with the mechanism. The moment my fingers wrapped around the chain to check its tension, the owner leaned in to get a better look, shorting the wire. Motor spins, drawing my left middle finger into the clutch sprocket, peeling off the skin up to the first knuckle. Bone jammed into the sprocket, locking it. The starter button wire promptly welded itself to the frame, so motor kept trying to spin. Everybody freaking out, including, frankly, me, though I had enough presence of mind to not just pull it out. I yelled for a screwdriver, which somebody eventually delivered, and I rotated the sprocket backward against the motor torque, freeing the finger. It never occurred to anybody to pull the wire off the frame. The finger-meat had been peeled off all the way to the knuckle, the nail was hanging on by a thread, the tendons were all chewed up (you could see them clearly), blood was gushing (did I say "gushing"?). I figured I'd lost the end of the finger. When I got to the emergency room, they called over a vascular surgeon (who just happened to have dropped by on his day off, who'd have thought?). He gave me some novocain, popped the meat back where it belonged, threw on 15 or 20 of the most beautiful stitches I've ever seen, clipped off the nail, and told me "If it turns blue and stays blue, come back and we'll amputate at the joint". Prescribed some of the "really good" pain killers, sent me home. The thing eventually sealed itself up, the nail came back, albeit the whole assembly somewhat mutated-looking. There was almost no sensation for a long time - though interestingly, some of that has come back, over the years. This episode was one of the reasons I decided to go to college. Keyboards, after all, don't attempt to eat your hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I have a number of these stories. One that comes immediately to mind: working on a dead electric starter of an old Honda 350. A little chain connects the clutch sprocket to the starter sprocket. The thing hadn't been working for the owner, and he had tried to fix it himself, going so far as to disassemble the starter button assembly, so the bare wire was hanging next to the frame. Like an idiot, and without disconnecting the battery, I popped the cover and started fiddling with the mechanism. The moment my fingers wrapped around the chain to check its tension, the owner leaned in to get a better look, shorting the wire. Motor spins, drawing my left middle finger into the clutch sprocket, peeling off the skin up to the first knuckle. Bone jammed into the sprocket, locking it. The starter button wire promptly welded itself to the frame, so motor kept trying to spin. Everybody freaking out, including, frankly, me, though I had enough presence of mind to not just pull it out. I yelled for a screwdriver, which somebody eventually delivered, and I rotated the sprocket backward against the motor torque, freeing the finger. It never occurred to anybody to pull the wire off the frame. The finger-meat had been peeled off all the way to the knuckle, the nail was hanging on by a thread, the tendons were all chewed up (you could see them clearly), blood was gushing (did I say "gushing"?). I figured I'd lost the end of the finger. When I got to the emergency room, they called over a vascular surgeon (who just happened to have dropped by on his day off, who'd have thought?). He gave me some novocain, popped the meat back where it belonged, threw on 15 or 20 of the most beautiful stitches I've ever seen, clipped off the nail, and told me "If it turns blue and stays blue, come back and we'll amputate at the joint". Prescribed some of the "really good" pain killers, sent me home. The thing eventually sealed itself up, the nail came back, albeit the whole assembly somewhat mutated-looking. There was almost no sensation for a long time - though interestingly, some of that has come back, over the years. This episode was one of the reasons I decided to go to college. Keyboards, after all, don't attempt to eat your hands. Jeebus, man! I have to say though, the image of a keyboard trying to eat my hands is pretty damn funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 Finally, the thumb is numb. I operated with it this Thursday and there were no untoward events! The nail is trying to peel back and I 'm catching it on everything. Gonna try some super glue between the nail and the nailbed so I can keep working on the Z-car on Saturday. Thank God it went numb-it was killing me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheesepocket Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Two years ago while doing the initial work on my Z I was using my right-angle Milwaukee drill that has a HUGE trigger on it. I left the thing plugged in while I chucked a new drill bit into it. Well, I accidentally hit the trigger and the whole chuck and key assy spun, wrapping up my hand in the process. I took the pic to remind me, and my car buddies, to go ahead and spend the 200 milliseconds to unplug the drill in the future. Not the worst thing ever, but I still remember it well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellysautosport Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I probably have too many of these stories. Most recent was cutting an opening in the trans tunnel on a 69 camaro for me to do a 4spd swap the angle grinder jump and went through my thumb from tip to nail and bled like hell for days. then a could days ago knocking cam bearing into a sbc i got a 1/16in piece of aluminum stuck in my finger that required me to use my razor knife to cut myself open to get it out. then there was the time i was knocking pistons out of a rusted to crap 351c and the lights went out and on that swing i missed the bar and hit my hand at full swinging force. then skip a few hundred wounds and go to the oldest one which is when i was 16 working on my turbo 626 i reached behind the engine to hook something up and sliced my arm open. that cut was about 7.5 or so inches long and about 1/8in deep. still have the scar but its gotten smaller. and then 2 years after that when i built my lt1 volvo my ignition coil was not secured and fell as the car was running so i grabbed it to put it back and sent who knows how many volts through my body and it left me with no use of my right arm(im right handed) for 3 weeks and i walked with a limp with a lazy eye and a slight slur... fun times. when i was 14 i had a butter knife go through my thumb trynna change a big tire, and 5weeks ago i had a 3/4 combo wrench cut the other thumb while unbolting a m22 from the bell housing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 My daughter wants to know if you still have the lazy eye and the limp? Hahahahahahahah! Bless your heart! Maybe you should look into a different job? You are like a rolling museum of classic performance parts, kind of like a warrior recounting years of combat. So far, you win. I'd be laughing if I didn't feel your pain. The feeling is coming back into my thumb and it hurts like a foot that has gone to sleep. I have a few hydrocodone left, I think I'm gonna use them. If I worked like you do, I'd have to go to celebrity rehab to get off all the pain meds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearheadstik Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Reason u should wear gloves...lol. Had my girlfriend sew it up at home... Looks fine now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gearheadstik Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 I think that cut off wheels are the one of the most dangerous thing you could use in auto repair. Which I know but still can't seem to get it through my head to wear glasses and gloves all the time. This time i was cutting a frame part at a bad angle. When these things burst, your threw.... You could see the bone and ligaments. But I'm a paramedic as my day job, so I fixed it right up myself w girlfriends help...haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xnke Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I think you should put the damn wheel guard back on that grinder. This was not a "cutoff wheel is the most dangerous" injury...that's a "operator of tool is the most dangerous" injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 Your girlfriend did a good job sewing that up. Xnke, don't use this forum to pick on people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 (edited) I was digging through a box of bolts today, which some ashole left a razor blade in (ooops) sliced my thumb a little bit. Edited April 9, 2012 by SUNNY Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MazerRackham Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I probably have too many of these stories. Most recent was cutting an opening in the trans tunnel on a 69 camaro for me to do a 4spd swap the angle grinder jump and went through my thumb from tip to nail and bled like hell for days. then a could days ago knocking cam bearing into a sbc i got a 1/16in piece of aluminum stuck in my finger that required me to use my razor knife to cut myself open to get it out. then there was the time i was knocking pistons out of a rusted to crap 351c and the lights went out and on that swing i missed the bar and hit my hand at full swinging force. then skip a few hundred wounds and go to the oldest one which is when i was 16 working on my turbo 626 i reached behind the engine to hook something up and sliced my arm open. that cut was about 7.5 or so inches long and about 1/8in deep. still have the scar but its gotten smaller. and then 2 years after that when i built my lt1 volvo my ignition coil was not secured and fell as the car was running so i grabbed it to put it back and sent who knows how many volts through my body and it left me with no use of my right arm(im right handed) for 3 weeks and i walked with a limp with a lazy eye and a slight slur... fun times. when i was 14 i had a butter knife go through my thumb trynna change a big tire, and 5weeks ago i had a 3/4 combo wrench cut the other thumb while unbolting a m22 from the bell housing. Dude. You're so brutal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padam07 Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 I was trimming my carpet when installing and I slipped.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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