"Wrenching" vacation?: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Dec. 22, 2011 12:35 a.m. Brokenbrakes New Reader

So I have about two weeks off of PTO (not power take offs...) (personal time off). Is it normal or advised to take a paid week off to work on my cars...???

"vacation," is a foreign word to me....like most of us... we work, take care of our families, hide in the garage when we get a chance and do our job. And the thought of going someplace away from everything I have to do just stresses me out. (I think I would be thinking about all the things I should be doing.)

So have any of you taken some vacation days to work on a car, or projects in general?

If so, how does it work... ( I know each person is different, yada yada yada)

I already have a line on a set of parts, 1405 edebrock carb, aluminum radiator, and automatic kickdown for for my 904, and the cost is about a third of what it would cost for me to go some place warm and then I would have a car that could drive and coast on its own power...(yeah I know it looks like my mind is made up.....)

So if I have parts lying in wait per se is it advisable to plan a "working" vacation or just let the projects come as they are...?

Any advice is appreciated.....
Dec. 22, 2011 1:27 a.m. Keith SuperDork

Oh yeah. Done it. It's the only way I got the Targa Miata ready in time for the race. Heck, I took two years worth of vacation so I could run the race the first time.

I also took a few days off work so I could work on someone else's team at the 25 hours of Thunderhill.

So if it's what you need for mental health, go for it. That's what vacation days should be used for - recharging and doing what you love.
Dec. 22, 2011 4:52 a.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

Well, I can see some more vacation time in my near future just for house and car repairs. So yea, I'd say it's fairly normal, at least to me.
Dec. 22, 2011 6:32 a.m. Ian F SuperDork

Indeed... some 20 years ago, I had use-or-lose time in December... so I spent a couple of days installing a 6" lift kit on my truck - at work - since I didn't have a garage at the time.
Dec. 22, 2011 7:51 a.m. pete240z SuperDork

I used to work with an engineer that bought hurt Ford Thunderbirds and would spend his vacation week replacing the engine. He thought it was a waste of time to travel as all you had left after a week was a few pictures and he had a running car he could drive all year.
Dec. 23, 2011 11:12 a.m. HiTempguy SuperDork

I'm taking a Thursday and Friday off in January so my buddy and I have the 5th through 8th to get the rally Tal[hoon] ready for the season... and that's after having taken 1.5 weeks off over Christmas.

I'd kill myself if I didn't get vacation to do things like this
Dec. 23, 2011 12:50 p.m. Gearheadotaku Dork

if it wasn't for vacation time I'd never get any projects done. last "vacation" I took that involved travel was a couple of track days... and that was several years ago.
Dec. 23, 2011 1:48 p.m. failboat HalfDork

I used to take time off when the new Forza games released. I forgot to this time.

Im taking all next week off to do a bunch of projects around the house.