Reply to "Tricks to avoid asking for help...."

"I'd rather do it myself" has become my motto.
My son, while visiting from out of state, on more than one occasion, has been more than eager to assist. Unfortunately, he has the strength of a "gorilla" and has managed to snap a brake bleeder off flush with the caliper and break an exhaust header stud off in the head of the engine. In both cases, a 30 minute job has turned into hours of extracting. Now his visits of "need any help, dad" have become "yes, help me carry heavy items from basement storage up to the garage.
The wife, has been a hesitant willing assistant. Because the needle jumps when performing continuity tests, she explains to anyone who will listen, her expertise at reading a VOM. Her search for the proper "open end wrench" takes more time for me to view her missed selection from upside down than to crawl out from under the car and retrieve it myself. Typically, her first response when asked for help is "If I break a nail, you're in trouble"

Finding TDC: Took the ceramic out of an old plug. Put a small balloon on the end of it and rotated crank. When the balloon blows off, TDC, or near enough to know you're on the compression stroke.
Garage space above ceiling is open attic. I have two 2" x 10"'s going across the rafters and a chain wrapped around the boards and two holes punched through the finished ceiling (wasn't well accepted at the time) where I can hook a chain hoist or "come-a-long" to lift items for maneuvering, like the rear deck lid, hood, or engine to be put on stand. Ratcheting straps have become an "always willing" assistant.
In the process of restoration, I have the car on a four wheel warehouse cart. Easy to make a mess over plastic sheeting in the drive vs. the garage.

Best help is the same age neighbor with an interest in cars and a like disposition and patience.