What is the worst injury you have suffered while working on antique cars?

[Gary_Ash]

These stories are almost too painful and gut-wrenching to read.  Like the rest of you, I've had my share of cuts and bruises but have escaped serious injuries.  Work safe, don't try to lift heavy stuff, and keep your body out of the way of errant car parts and other things.

[ipeeforward]

Working with a friend changing front coil springs on a Vauxhall, he was fitting the spring compressors to one of the new springs had got them just about tightened fully down when one compressor slipped sideways and worked it’s way round to the other trapping his fingers in between. I had to use a screwdriver between the clamps to release him, whilst being slightly worried at the banana shape of the angry spring.

 I Had a accident damaged scrap car parked outside the garage for a few weeks whilst parts were removed. Came out the door in a hurry one day and tripped, my hands went out to save my fall but unfortunately the headlamp glass was broken on that side of the car, trip to A&E for stitches on one finger.

Had finished a busy day in the garage with same friend, no injuries whilst working but on cleaning the tea mugs in the sink the handle on one broke and the remaining bit sliced a 180 round my ring finger. He thought I was joking till the dish water turned crimson, another trip to A&E for more stitches and a delayed visit to the pub.

[Dave Henderson]

In the '50's my college room mate had a '39 Plymouth business coupe that had a very long trunk, so long that we often slept over in it behind a gas station after dates with our miles-away girl friends.  On an occasion when I was getting in the trunk to show another friend how we did it, my left hand unintentionally put pressure on the two piece lid support and caused it to scissor down, cutting two of my fingers down to the bone.  The fingers would have been completely severed had a foot not stopped further travel.  Scars remain after all those years, but thankfully so do my fingers!

[hidden_hunter]

Metal cable ties are particularly nasty in my experience, have cut my fingers up bad with those 

[Dandy Dave]

10 hours ago, Gary_Ash said:

These stories are almost too painful and gut-wrenching to read.  Like the rest of you, I've had my share of cuts and bruises but have escaped serious injuries.  Work safe, don't try to lift heavy stuff, and keep your body out of the way of errant car parts and other things.

Thanks for that. At least 50 years too late for me. I hope some young folks are reading this and take heed. Double check eveything for safty. 

[Dandy Dave]

Had a neighbor that was ruff, tough, and crude with just about everything that he did. Folks around town called him Johnny Zero. Would build a building with a chain saw and sledge hammer. One day he appeared around his place with two broken arms and other bruises. He was mounting a split rim tire and putting air in it when it came apart. He said that the tire launched and hit the ceiling. Another fellow working in the shop saw what happened and pulled him away before the tire fell to the ground as he was under it he said. He would go the the bar and have the ladies help him with his drinks and cigarettes and other things he could not do. Never did understand the attraction they had for that bad boy. He died of a massive heart attack just before he could collect Social Security. One of life ironies.    

Edited January 5, 2023 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[zdillinger]

Oh, I forgot one. I was grinding the modern markings off a bolt head for my Model T. I was wearing both my normal glasses and properly fitting safety glasses, but a metal speck found its way into my left eye. I didn't even know it was there, I truly didn't feel it. The next morning my eye was pretty much swollen shut and I went to the ER thinking it was an allergic reaction or something. The ER doc took one look at my eye and said he wasn't going to touch me and sent me over to the ophthalmologist. He tried to magnet it out but it had burned in/rusted firmly to my cornea, so the only option was to grind it out. He numbed me up but it still felt really weird and, not to be too disgusting, the smell was something I hope to never again experience. Thankfully it was high enough on the eyeball (I assume because I was looking down to grind) that it hasn't affected my vision at all. 

Edited January 5, 2023 by zdillinger (see edit history)

[Durant Mike]

I have two that I've done so far, kind of embarrassing to mention them since they are stupid and minor.  One night while my Wife was at college getting an education for a second career, I went out to the garage to work on my Durant. Had the air hose connected to the compressor to use the air wrench to remove some frame stuff and as I was carrying a part, got my foot caught in the tangled air hose. Tried to shake it loose, but then lost my balance fell forward and upon heading down to the ground, hit my mouth on the floor jack I had there. Ouch! Put my bottom tooth through my lip and chipped my tooth. The blood started to flow. Went into the house to the bathroom to see what damage I had done, pulled my tooth out of my lip and could not find the band aides.  Well what does a car guy do, go grab the duck tape, which I did. I called it quites for the night. When the Wife came home, I was bruised with a fat lip and duck tape on my face.

 

Second story was that I was using my drill on my work bench with a wire brush attachment. Was a little to close to a shop towel I had also on the bench and the brush caught the towel with my finger inside and broke my finger.  Came in and told the Wife I broke my finger, drove down to CVS Pharmacy and got a metal finger brace and taped it up myself. Teach me to keep my work bench clean when I do things.

[erichill]

Most serious for me while working on an older car was cutting the tendon in my finger. Audible snap and finger went limp.  But as a teenager constantly working on motorcycles my dad would always tell me I was going to get hemorrhoids from sitting on the cold concrete in the unheated garage.  59 now and no 'roids so I guess he got that one wrong.  

[erichill]

On 1/3/2023 at 4:02 PM, 46 woodie said:

was cutting off a frozen and badly rusted exhaust flange using a 4" grinder with a cut-off wheel. The grinder had a "click on click off" switch and somehow kicked back and landed running, on the top of my right hand. The cut off wheel sliced thru tendons and ligaments and put a 1/8" notch in the bone. Four hours of surgery and 3 months of PT and it's good as new. Oh, by the way, the grinder went into the trash and now have one that stops when you release the trigger.

Started reading this and immediately thought this is not gonna end well. OUCH!  Makes me think I might need to go chuck my hand grinder  keeps spinning long after you release the trigger.

[dship]

The only issue I've had at age 73 is vertigo while lying under my Reatta trying to get to the oil filter! 

[Dandy Dave]

13 hours ago, dship said:

The only issue I've had at age 73 is vertigo while lying under my Reatta trying to get to the oil filter! 

If you evey find yourself underwater just watch which way the air bubbes go. Then follow them. That is up and out. ☝️

[JACK M]

18 hours ago, dship said:

The only issue I've had at age 73 is vertigo while lying under my Reatta trying to get to the oil filter! 

I can't lay on my back under a car any more without getting a sick feeling.

I didn't relate it to vertigo but could be what it is.

A good four post lift, no problems.

[Marty Roth]

On 1/3/2023 at 11:59 PM, Fordy said:

My pride in the work I do took a severe battering when the front wheel came off on a first drive on a fresh car. Moral is do a preflight to find what you forgot in assembly. I reckon that was a phone call or mate dropping in for a yarn and just didn't quite finish it off!

Great reminder - and glad you survived !

and I imagine at some time we've all done something similar and/or embarrassing - and potentially life-threatening.

I had a left front wheel come off my '58 Impala convertible in Monticello, NY, but not my fault - I assume the guy who welded the power steering bracket back in Linden, NJ 130 miles earlier left the lugs not torqued. My first clue was a rattling in the spinner hub cap - and then the brake drum hitting the pavement of the NY State Quickway (Highway 17

[JamesR]

On 1/3/2023 at 4:01 PM, Marty Roth said:

Besides slicing open a right forearm artery and shooting blood from under the '52 Chevy convertible, 9 feet upward to the garage ceiling?

 

PS:

I'm now on my fifth (5th) pacemaker, and doing ok !

Oh, man...I get weak in the knees just reading that sliced artery story, Marty. "Suicide by '52 Chevy" would be a terrible way to go! Glad you survived! BTW, aren't most accomplished musicians discouraged from doing things that could damage arms, hands and fingers? 😉  Also glad your pacemaker history has been so good. 👍

[JamesR]

6 hours ago, JACK M said:

I can't lay on my back under a car any more without getting a sick feeling.

 

I'm the same way...for me it's claustrophobia. An acquaintance from Appalachia told me what it was like working in a coal mine, and I think of that whenever I'm underneath a car. I also had to crawl way into the trunk of my Thunderbird to remove the sequential signals and I was convinced some psycho was going to slam the trunk lid shut on me. I draped a towel and other stuff over the latch so it couldn't happen. 😄

 

As far as old cars and work related injuries, I'm afraid I've hurt them more than they've hurt me. 😄

[Marty Roth]

On 1/5/2023 at 10:23 AM, Durant Mike said:

I have two that I've done so far, kind of embarrassing to mention them since they are stupid and minor.  One night while my Wife was at college getting an education for a second career, I went out to the garage to work on my Durant. Had the air hose connected to the compressor to use the air wrench to remove some frame stuff and as I was carrying a part, got my foot caught in the tangled air hose. Tried to shake it loose, but then lost my balance fell forward and upon heading down to the ground, hit my mouth on the floor jack I had there. Ouch! Put my bottom tooth through my lip and chipped my tooth. The blood started to flow. Went into the house to the bathroom to see what damage I had done, pulled my tooth out of my lip and could not find the band aides.  Well what does a car guy do, go grab the duck tape, which I did. I called it quites for the night. When the Wife came home, I was bruised with a fat lip and duck tape on my face.

 

Second story was that I was using my drill on my work bench with a wire brush attachment. Was a little to close to a shop towel I had also on the bench and the brush caught the towel with my finger inside and broke my finger.  Came in and told the Wife I broke my finger, drove down to CVS Pharmacy and got a metal finger brace and taped it up myself. Teach me to keep my work bench clean when I do things.

Mike, 

Feelin' for you, and trying not to laugh - because that sounds like the kind of thing I resemble-

Glad you're OK

[Marty Roth]

13 hours ago, Dandy Dave said:

If you evey find yourself underwater just watch which way the air bubbes go. Then follow them. That is up and out. ☝️

Thanx Dave,

Excellent advice because it is easy to become disoriented when under water, or blown in as a result of either a marine incident, 

or being run off the road into a canal. That happened to my wife, many, many years ago. Fortunately she was able to lower the electric window and extricate herself before the car was completely submerged, reached back in to get the (now floating) four $100 bills she kept as emergency cash, and used her brand new cell phone to call me at home, 96 miles from her. I got there just barely before the State Trooper - He said would have pulled me over, except that he had an emergency rescue call. Turns out we both had the same call. He wasn't delighted with me, having clocked me on radar at something well over 100 mph, but understood (and that I had formerly reported only to the governor, and the Secretary of Administration).