I'm that old guy

I wasn't paying attention, but I now realize I'm old. I don't FEEL like I'm old. I'm more confident and doing well professionally. I physically don't feel I'm old until I do physical stuff that I used to do as a younger man. I'm 51. The good part about working on cars now, is I'm more deliberate, I don't break stuff at nearly the rate I used to. I know when to stop and think. The bad part is I'm slower at this stuff. and then it takes me a day to recover, doing the Fred Sanford walk the next day.

I guess I could pay someone to swap out my Miata engine over the next few weeks, but I still enjoy the process and the rewarding feeling of making something work again.

This change seems rather sudden. Am I the only one?

You darn kids enjoy your youth. And get off my lawn.

I will be 47 two months from today and know exactly how you feel!

I'm only 42, but I still walk like Fred Sanford after a long day of yard work.

No sympathy here, whippersnapper. I forgot Salma Hayek's name.

doubt that this will make you feel any better … all I can tell you is it doesn't get better the longer you go … I've got 16 yrs on you … and I remember how "EASY" things were then

I'll be 68 in May. Still working full time at a job I really like. I have told myself that one day I will wake up and know its time to retire but it hasn't happened yet. Just finishing a car project and have a trailer project on tap and am looking for the next project. I get tired easier, it takes longer to recover when I try to do too much. My opinion is age is a lot about attitude and perserverence.

Sit back have a sip of good bourbon and think about how many things you can still do and how many would give anything to be as well off as you are and be thankfull. I will say I don't look forward to birthdays but don'tlook forward to missing them either.

Moparman wrote: I will be 47 two months from today and know exactly how you feel!

40s were a breeze compared to 50s.

The good thing it's wrenching for fun now instead of the old days. "I gotta get this thing running to get to work tomorrow." In the rain, mud, blocks of wood for jack stands. I've got a lovely two car garage and tools to make it easier. Mrs. Freestyle insisted eventually I only be a mechanic for a car I race or enjoy. I honestly don't have much to complain about.

I just had my 15 year old help in the garage for autocross seat time.

"I forgot Salma Hayek's name."

That's OK. She doesn't even KNOW yours . . .

Welcome to the club. You youngsters haven't begun to experience old age.

a few months ago I was working at the Taj Mahol in Atlantic City.. We were taking a 15 minute break and the lead was introducing me to all the "kids".. say this one was "such and such's kid" and this other one was Another's kid".. I turned to the lead (who is a friend of mine) and asked.. "when did I become the old guy?"

his answer.. "same time I did"

And get off my lawn lmao

I'm in the club too. Just a couple of years ago, I was kicking butt in hard-core boot camps and crossfit. Now, everything berkeleying hurts - from my toes to my teeth.

I'm turning 32 in two days and I do the Fred Sanford walk now. I fear hitting 40.

I'm there too. I'm 55. Still feel young until I spend a day working on my projects or heavy yard work for that matter. Takes a day or two to recover. But yeah, it's only for fun now so it makes it all better.

62, work out 3 times a week, play hockey a couple of times a week, BUT, if I work under the car for an afternoon I find muscles all the training apparently misses, and they'll stay sore for several days. It goes with the territory so I have little choice but to live with it. I only hope I can still make this same complaint for another two,or three decades.

You're all old farts. Now where is my pill box?

I dunno. At 51, I feel about the same as 10 years ago. The trick has been finding an exercise routine that really agrees with my body. It only takes about 15 minutes a day and the key is range of motion. Your body is like a baseball glove. Keep it oiled up and used and the damn thing lasts forever. Let it sit in a corner and it gets hard and brittle.

Another thing that's really agreeing with me is working on Karts. I never liked climbing over, under and inside post-smog cars. To have a high-performance vehicle that can easily be worked on at waist level rocks!

Fred who?

I hurt to much to type my snappy reply

At 31, the only thing that really makes me feel old is how often and loudly many joints in my body pop. Like, someone snapped a pencil. Knees, ankles, neck, you name it.

For any of you with a little more ahem experience than I, did you have that when you were my age, and did it develop into anything other than just noise?

weird.. I am 43 and except for a bad shoulder.. none of my joints pop, snap, or creak.. let alone hurt, ache, or make me scream for mercy.

can't say I lived an easy life, but I was not one to take unnecessary risks either.. being sick almost all my life probably helped in that regard

N Sperlo wrote: You're all old farts. Now where is my pill box?

This is why I feel old on occasion. I actually have a pill box. I'm knocking on the back door of 48.

Well I don't feel so bad now for being 60. I thought it was just me.

58 - 4-5 days a week at the gym for an hour for the last 35 years. In great shape, but, of course, it ain't like it was 20 years ago. About to build a house/garage - and a lift will be part of the plan. I take my Ibuprofen BEFORE I go to the garage....LOL.

But I really appreciate the OP's comment about being more thoughtful while working on the car. It's been a long time since I hurt myself (even skinning a knuckle) or dropped any of the car's fluids on the floor.