[Tx Firefighter]

1) Keep your work area clean. Only chumps try to do good work in a pig sty. Tripping over stuff and having to search for things is counterproductive and lowers your motivation. If you start with a clean shop and work all day, you should be able to clean it back up in short order before you turn the lights off for the day. Personally, 15 minutes at the end of my work day returns the shop to tidy and leaves it ready to start another day fresh.

2) Seldom, very seldom, is any part better than a genuine GM part. A slightly shabby GM part is better than a new aftermarket part.

3) Have all your hardware replated. It's cheap. Buying new hardware is foolish when you have an original item on hand. You can replate every piece of hardware on your truck for 100 bucks. Hardware store stuff isn't as good as OEM GM specialty stuff.

4) Budget for shop supplies and consumables. In my case, I figured out a few years ago that I spend at least 100 bucks per month on shop stuff. Some months way more than that, but virtually never less. If you're going to do good work you need to keep loctite, greases, cleaners, wiring supplies, sandpaper and abrasives, grinding wheels, welding gas, cotter keys, masking tape.