There came a point where I had to make decisions. A point where how I thought this job was going to go was changed and I had to make a new plan. I thought the speakers would just bolt on, that the stereo would just plug into the old connector harness and I would be listening to the Beastie Boys in about an hour. It didn't go like that the old harness connector wouldn't plug into the new stereo, I had to choose between crimping wires with connectors which I hate with a passion and soldering wires in a vehicle and using shrink tubing both I have never done before. The speakers had the wrong bolt hole pattern in the doors so I had to use a drill. I HATE DRILLS! No matter how carefully I center punch or how steady I hold the drill I always seem to have a difficult time with it. I just hate drilling holes in things especially sheet metal. I had to run to store to buy solder and shrink tubing one of which was probably lost by my brother who last used my soldering iron and I didn't have shrink tubing. But success! the speakers were in and nicely symmetrically mounted in the doors. Then came another problem. Running wires. I have never done this before! How was I going to run wires through the doors and through the doors rubber boot thing the lock wires ran through where under the dash would I route the wires?
I am a bit of a perfectionist so I had to lay under the dash planning where the wires would go under those wires riding along that piece of metal make sure to put it under those wires, so when the slack is removed it can pull up into the dash higher. This was all done and planned after having first run a coat hanger with a hook on the end through the rubber boot thing attaching the new wires and pulling them home in the door. Usually running wires like this might drive me a bit mad with perfectionism. I can usually feel it creep up as a dull tightness in the chest and then move to the center back of my skull. It feels like something is being twisted inside. When perfection strikes I have to provide the shortest most logical neatly tucked route for the wires thinking about what if it rubs on that bit of metal and my car burns down. What if the next owner looks under that dash and sees this nest of wires here or the electrical tape covering a soldered connection because I forgot to put the shrink tubing on before soldering? Right now I am still thinking about it and punishing myself for being so stupid. Electrical tape is for schlubs! I tell myself. But I have to tell myself I did the best I could and it was a good solder job everything will be fine and it is only two wires with tape out of the ten or so. I tend to over think things.
Speakers in all wires soldered and everything connected stereo tested and mounted door panels back on everything put back as before tools put away hands washed and Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 sounded great! It was a victory! I have never installed a stereo before or had a nice aftermarket one and it sounded great and felt good to do a few things I haven't done before and come off with a win.
What is the moral? Doing things is way more complicated when you are conscious of all your thoughts and write a blog post about it. Doing new things is fun. There is this hill you approach a hill of uncertainty and self doubt but if you just go one step at a time it's easy and the view from the top is great. Everything seems to have this no matter how small the task. There is always the element of self doubt and fear I think that is what makes things interesting beyond the gratification of a nice sounding stereo. I need challenge and trying new things in my life. Life without would be boring and stale.Why I am writing so much and placing so much meaning in putting a stereo in car? I have no idea ,but apparently it is important to me because I wrote this long blog post and made an animated gif.
If you want to listen to some tunes let me know I might even let you touch the stereo.
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