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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:15:04 AM EDT
There are some amazingly ingenious souls here (I'm not one of them
 ).What things have you successfully repaired or replaced on your own, that most folks would consider "Nope, professional/shop/specialist, or just time to buy a new one"? |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:18:51 AM EDT
[#1]
Definitely milsurp parts kits. I taught myself how to weld on one
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:23:59 AM EDT
[#2]
Went from this...
 Attached FileTo this, all work besides the boring and balancing of the shortblock...  Attached File |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:25:15 AM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Went from this... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/96423/20160421_124440_jpg-1794202.JPG To this, all work besides the boring and balancing of the shortblock... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/96423/20191010_175209_jpg-1794204.JPG 
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:25:47 AM EDT
[#4]
I once took apart my scooter carb, cleaned it, reassembled, and it worked!
Thanks to YouTube. I’m not handy at all. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:26:02 AM EDT
[#5]
I’ve had a number of crazy girls I’ve managed to please, that no one else had before.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:32:38 AM EDT
[#6]
Clear, level, prep for basement, frame, finish, wire, plumb,insulate a House.
Then there's the electric over hydraulic 1973 Blueberry Harvester I damn near rebuild every 3-4 years. I hate that bitch with every fiber, until the Waukesha fires up and the conveyors start clacking. There is NOTHING easy about the thing, and I need my head examined for not replacing it long ago. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:38:23 AM EDT
[#7]
Chopping out the basement floor and installing a sump pump comes to mind first. Then the opposite wall had decaying concrete and a crack from floor to grade that would leak. Several previous owners attempted to chip and patch but it never sealed. I chipped it out right and with some expensive epoxy concrete product from 3M it never leaked again while I lived there. CSB.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:44:10 AM EDT
[#8]
Broke the pull throttle cable on motorcycle in the middle of BFE. Swapped in push cable and boogied on.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:53:40 AM EDT
[#9]
I replaced the cooling systems on three Jeeps. Third one i was a pro at.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:53:49 AM EDT
[#10]
Brought a basket case 51 Willys and a 60's front engine dragster back to life. Both fun projects.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:54:24 AM EDT
[#11]
Fing plumber drama...
In my flipped home, they somehow didn't seat the toilet right, so I tried several times, some plumber even charged me to replace the toilet and it still was leaking in between the floors, so I saw a guy's YouTube, did what he said and so far going ok.... Next plumbing drama was a blockage between the floors. I did a temporary patch after clearing the line - which has been holding up also for a while... The thought of it gives me PTSD... 
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:55:32 AM EDT
[#12]
I built a spring and repaired a 100 year old revolver.
Taking the gun apart was incredibly hard, I had to build a custom punch and a custom jig to hold the gun. Then a piece of shit pedophile broke into my house and stole it. That gun was never recovered, but I eventually got one gun and my IR camera back. 
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:57:03 AM EDT
[#13]
Replaced the entire interior of my truck (had to strip it down to bare metal) after some crackheads stole it in Tulsa and set it on fire.
ETA: now it's broken down.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:59:15 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I built a spring and repaired a 100 year old revolver. Taking the gun apart was incredibly hard, I had to build a custom punch and a custom jig to hold the gun. Then a piece of shit pedophile broke into my house and stole it. That gun was never recovered, but I eventually got one gun and my IR camera back. Quote HistoryQuoted: I built a spring and repaired a 100 year old revolver. Taking the gun apart was incredibly hard, I had to build a custom punch and a custom jig to hold the gun. Then a piece of shit pedophile broke into my house and stole it. That gun was never recovered, but I eventually got one gun and my IR camera back. Quoted: Replaced the entire interior of my truck (had to strip it down to bare metal) after some crackheads stole it in Tulsa and set it on fire. Wow... |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 1:59:32 AM EDT
[#15]
I replaced the transfer case actuator (electric motor that locks the t-case and shifts it into 4lo) on a fourth generation Toyota 4Runner in my driveway with a basic set of hand tools, a borrowed transmission jack and a sketchy tutorial from another Internet forum.
Unlike some other transfer cases where the actuator is externally mounted and easily replaced, the fourth generation 4Runner requires you to split the transfer case apart to remove and replace it. This was way above my skill and comfort level, but none of the local transmission shops would even touch it. Felt pretty awesome when I got it all back together and it functioned flawlessly. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:00:24 AM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I replaced the transfer case actuator on a fourth generation Toyota 4Runner in my driveway with a basic set of hand tools, a borrowed transmission jack and a sketchy tutorial from another Internet forum. Unlike some other transfer cases where the actuator is externally mounted and easily replaced, the fourth generation 4Runner requires you to split the transfer case apart to remove and replace it. This was way above my skill and comfort level, but none of the local transmission shops would even touch it. Felt pretty awesome when I got it all back together and it functioned flawlessly. 
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:00:44 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Went from this... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/96423/20160421_124440_jpg-1794202.JPG To this, all work besides the boring and balancing of the shortblock... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/96423/20191010_175209_jpg-1794204.JPG 
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:00:45 AM EDT
[#18]
2004 Audi A6 Twin Turbo valve cover gaskets, cam tensioners seals, camshafts seals, water.pump, tensioner, etc repairs. About a $3,000 job at the dealership. Spent about $350 on the tools and a $500 repair kit from BlauParts.
Fox body Mustang 460 engine swap with serpentine belt kit. 80's Ford 150 460 engine swap and 1-ton axles swap. 1969 Cadillac Sedan deVille 472 engine replacement. Pulled the motor from a junkyard car that had a chicken coup in the back seats. I had to lie in the mud and fight off upset chickens for disturbing their house. Complete roof replacement of my friends house over 10-days. Including new construction 20' covered porch and matching dormer. Converted garage to kids room. Delete garage rollup door. Leveled the concrete slab. Several complete bathroom remodels. Include moving drains in the concrete slab. Running new shower drain. In floor heating. Tile work, new shower surround, new vanities, ran new plumbing, wiring, and new windows with new opening. Refrigerator compressor replacement. Concrete porch pour, full length of the house. Had to dump the concrete from wheelbarrows off the chute of the mixer truck. Repaired several gas furnaces. Controller board, pressure sensor, draft motor, ignitor. Replaced magnetron on the overhead microwave. 2012 Hyundai.Sonata condensor replacement with complete system back flush. Removed the compressor for flush too. 1993 Ford Taurus complete AC overhaul: evaporator, condensor, compressor, and lines. Built a smoker/grill from a 55-gallon drum. Welded up the frame, casters, and the smoker box from new steel. The firebox was reused from another smoker. Designed and built 6 subwoofers. From 8" to 15", dual and single drivers, ported and sealed. All but one went in cars. Assembled my own BMX bike from parts when I was 12. Started with a mail ordered Skyway T/A frame and fork. Still have it today. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:01:28 AM EDT
[#19]
There was a thread here not too long ago from a member that lost an idler pully I think it was, on his truck engine. McGuyvered it up on the side of the road with a caster wheel from floor creeper he had in the bed of his truck with hand tools. Got him home. Fuckin impressive.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:02:38 AM EDT
[#20]
I once took apart a rubik's cube and put it back together. I was never good at that puzzle
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:03:07 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 2004 Audi A6 Twin Turbo valve cover gaskets, cam tensioners seals, camshafts seals, water.pump, tensioner, etc repairs. About a $3,000 job at the dealership. Spent about $350 on the tools and a $500 repair kit from BlauParts. Fox body Mustang 460 engine swap with serpentine belt kit. 80's Ford 150 460 engine swap,1-ton axles swap. 1969 Cadillac Sedan deVille 472 engine replacement. Pulled the motor from a junkyard car that had a chicken coup in the back seats. I had to lie in the mud and fight off upset chickens for disturbing their house. Complete roof replacement of my friends house over 10-days. Woth new construction 20' covered porch and matching dormer. Converted garage to kids room. Delete garage rollup door. Level the concrete slab. Several complete bathroom remodels. Include moving drains in thconcrete slab. Running new shower drain. In floor heating. Tile work,.new shower surround,.new vanities,.plumbing, wiring,.and new windows with new opening. Refrigerator compressor replacement. Concrete porch pour, full length of the house. Had to dump the concrete from wheelbarrows off the chute of the mixer truck. Repaired several gas furnaces. Controller board, pressure sensor, draft motor, ignitor. Replaced magenatron on the overhead microwave. 2012 Hyundai.Sonata condensor replacement with complete system back flush. Remove the compressor for flush too. 1993 Ford Taurus complete AC overhaul: evaporator, condensor, compressor, and lines. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:13:23 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Wow... Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I built a spring and repaired a 100 year old revolver. Taking the gun apart was incredibly hard, I had to build a custom punch and a custom jig to hold the gun. Then a piece of shit pedophile broke into my house and stole it. That gun was never recovered, but I eventually got one gun and my IR camera back. Quoted: Replaced the entire interior of my truck (had to strip it down to bare metal) after some crackheads stole it in Tulsa and set it on fire. Wow... Yeah, I've had a pretty shitty life. It's worse now but I'm not keen on talking about it. My life is so fucked up I'm not even angry about bidet stealing the erection, that shit ranks about 3 on a scale of 1 to 11, I could sell all my guns and move to China and not even care. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:16:43 AM EDT
[#23]
Custom kitchen cabinets. Way under estimated that project lol
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:17:16 AM EDT
[#24]
I do all my own work and repairs. In 60 odd years the list is long.
Built my own homes and all that included. Total restoration on a 1966 Chevelle SS. Partial restoration on others. I've built several boats. All home and vehicle repairs etc. I did call a repair man once to fix a refrigerator. Couldn't get to it while working 70 hours a week. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:28:34 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I do all my own work and repairs. In 60 odd years the list is long. Built my own homes and all that included. Total restoration on a 1966 Chevelle SS. Partial restoration on others. I've built several boats. All home and vehicle repairs etc. I did call a repair man once to fix a refrigerator. Couldn't get to it while working 70 hours a week. Awesome. What kind boats? |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:36:17 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I once took apart my scooter carb, cleaned it, reassembled, and it worked! Thanks to YouTube. I’m not handy at all. Apparently you are... |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:39:21 AM EDT
[#27]
Back in the 80's I re-wound the pickup head on a 1.44MB floppy drive.
Them wires were tiny, and I didn't even have a fine point tip on my iron. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:39:36 AM EDT
[#28]
Currently bringing back a burnt Lamborghini Murcielago I got for only $1500 back to life despite being poor. I'll make a thread about it one day.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:40:57 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Currently bringing back a burnt Lamborghini Murcielago I got for only $1500 back to life despite being poor. I'll make a thread about it one day. PLEASE do, Sir! |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:41:55 AM EDT
[#30]
Renovated kitchen and every bathroom, wood floored the first level in my first house with Home Depot level finishes over a year. Now that I've done it once on my own I will never do it again. My time is worth more than it costs to pay someone and I don't have the skill for upper end finish detail work.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:45:29 AM EDT
[#31]
The ones I'm most proud of I did the least amount of work. My 13 year old daughter has fixed a few things at home while I'm on the road.
The clothes washer stopped working. It needed a new sensor on the direct drive motor. I ordered the part and sent a youtube video to the wife. That weekend I get a picture of the girl watching the video while she has the back of the washer disassembled. 30 minutes and my girl had the washer fixed. Saved the wife probably $200 and a few weeks of laundry mat trips. Daughter got socket and ratchet set for birthday. A few weeks ago wife's minivan started leaking coolant and oil. 3.6l pentastar oil filter housing leak. I bought all the parts on line plus sparkplugs and belt pulleys. Got home and the daughter helped me remove the upper and lower intake, filter housing, coil packs, spark plugs and belt tensioner. She cleaned the aluminum block and all the gasket faces for new gaskets. Girl took screen captures of bolt torque and tightening sequence to help put it all back together. She helped change the oil on the van and refill coolant too. Then she wanted to change the oil in my truck....I put the oil back in the truck because she couldn't see into the engine bay. 9 hours of wrenching that day. I built a chicken coop with my 10 year old son. He helped jack the roof beam up on an old farm shed so we could put in a load bearing wall and enclose the roost. We also built a door and installed roost boards. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 2:46:11 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Currently bringing back a burnt Lamborghini Murcielago I got for only $1500 back to life despite being poor. I'll make a thread about it one day. It's mind blowing what OE Lambo parts run(especially murci's), isn't it. $6,000 for a used rear bumper, lol. Good luck on that, seriously. I'd love to see a post about it. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:01:47 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: It's mind blowing what OE Lambo parts run(especially murci's), isn't it. $6,000 for a used rear bumper, lol. Good luck on that, seriously. I'd love to see a post about it. Body parts wasn't much of an issue, I ended up making my own parts with sheet metal by using a papercraft model of a Murcielago, projecting the cutout parts onto a wall with a projector to trace out the shape. My biggest problem right now is how to steer the damn thing, using OEM parts to bring back steering is going to cost $10k which I don't have so I'm struggling trying to figure out how to add something like a Mustang II IFS into it since it's the cheapest option. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:20:46 AM EDT
[#34]
When I lived in Pittsburgh I bought a house for 118k that needed updated. I gutted the kitchen and updated the kitchen with the help of a friend and after that I gutted the bathroom and updated that myself. Total cost for both reno’s including stainless steel appliances and granite counters in kitchen and tiled shower was around 10k. Sold the house 2.5 years later in 4 days at full asking price of 148k.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:22:16 AM EDT
[#35]
I recently did some drywall patches over lathe & plaster walls. A friend bought a 1830's farmhouse and had to have the electric completely redone. Nearly every old outlet, wall and ceiling light had to be patched over.
I was helping my friend, took my time. Plaster in old houses varies in thickness, so each patch was unique and hand fitted. Was working for lunch and whatever beer money he wanted to toss my way. In the end it took 1 sanding and a small skim coat to make everything disappear. My friend was ecstatic at the results, lauded me out on FB and to every other trade that was present. He was still dropping me off beer 2 weeks after I finished. And I F'ing hate drywall work, I just happen to be good at it. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:10:23 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Currently bringing back a burnt Lamborghini Murcielago I got for only $1500 back to life despite being poor. I'll make a thread about it one day. You got to post a picture of that car. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:28:34 AM EDT
[#37]
Broken pipe under slab foundation.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 5:17:04 AM EDT
[#38]
The CPU fan mounting bracket split on my PC's mother board. I took a Dremel and sculpted a couple bolts into a new housing bracket and screwed them into the motherboard. I had very little faith I was going to be able to fix it without breaking something else. 16 months later its still working.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 5:34:22 AM EDT
[#39]
Built my 84 Mustang GT, motor and everything by myself. The only thing I didn't do was replace the grenaded 7.5 rear end with an 8.8 with 3:73 gears. I worked many 24hr+ days putting it together. I had it running and driving within a few months.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 5:55:34 AM EDT
[#40]
Most recently = new fuel injectors in my Jeep - not that hard compared to the radiator. Before this = new radiator that didn't 100% fit like the old stock rad. Lots of cutting and trimming of the fan shroud.
Just before Christmas I bought a used rear axle and replaced the stock axle that has been making weird sounds for a couple years now. Everyone wanted $1800 to rebuild it + $ labor to remove and $ install. I spent about $500 total on a used axle + new sensor and new brake parts. Finally found out what was making the noise = piece of shit "Trash Lok" differential clutches started falling apart. I found one of the retaining clips broken and stuck on the magnet.  A couple years ago: fixed most of my sewer pipes - removed almost all of the old cast iron and installed new ABS pipes. About 12 feet was under concrete slab and had to be dug out and re-paved. 18+ bags of concrete = super hard on your back. Rented a cement mixer, bought a roto-hammer drill, chisels and coring bits. $$$ |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 7:41:18 AM EDT
[#41]
Removing an old built in 12' entertainment center, ordered the replacement cabinets as unpainted furniture (maple)
I painted the new cabinets, did the install with all the wiring. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 8:35:40 AM EDT
[#42]
I rebuilt a Briggs and Stratton 13.5 hp engine. I have never done an entire engine. YouTube is great for learning how to repair nearly anything
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Posted: 1/24/2021 8:39:27 AM EDT
[#43]
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Posted: 1/24/2021 8:44:57 AM EDT
[#44]
Turning this Toyota
 Into this Toyota  I would be proud of the hemi Durango if the transmission wasn’t borked. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 8:46:45 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Went from this... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/96423/20160421_124440_jpg-1794202.JPG To this, all work besides the boring and balancing of the shortblock... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/96423/20191010_175209_jpg-1794204.JPG You destroyed all those buildings ! You have skilz, my man.  |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 8:48:32 AM EDT
[#46]
Replacing a BMW e46 cooling system.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 8:50:04 AM EDT
[#47]
I repair as many of my electronic items (flat screens, etc.) that I can get parts for. I do most of the work on my little Honda generator and Toro snow blower. Did a hybrid battery pack replacement on my Honda.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 8:51:17 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Currently bringing back a burnt Lamborghini Murcielago I got for only $1500 back to life despite being poor. I'll make a thread about it one day. I think I've seen your YouTube channel. Did you drop a Texas Speed LSx in it ? |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 8:52:08 AM EDT
[#49]
Biggest pain in the ass recently was replacing timing chain tensioner on a Nissan vq 4.0 engine. Salt is not kind to engines up here, and with almost 200k miles fasteners broke, and my m18 high torque wrench wouldn’t take off the crank bolt, etc
Replaced my roof and built a new 24x16 deck this past summer, and both of those were less of a hassle than the engine job |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 8:55:10 AM EDT
[#50]
Among other things, I built a new staircase after a tornado gutted my home.
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