Cars have been in my family for a long time. My Dad has been the once to teach me mostly everything I know, but then theres also this board and the people on it, also the people we meet at car shows. I wouldn't be here without any of those people.
Chilton's Chasis Manual, eh? Are these lovely devices still sold new, or do I have to steal someone else's? ~Mike '66 Skylark
Started with my dad My dad was pretty good with most repairs, but CHEAP uzzled: He and I pulled apart a MGB 4 banger when I was about 14. Motor was seized, wouldn't listen to my suggestion that, after new bearings rings and valve job, that maybe he could spring a few bucks for new plugs o No: Blew a perfectly good set of bearings revving the engine to 6,500 RPM's while trying to get it to run right. Next project was 71 Meteor, tells me at dinner that we're going to yank the heads like while mom's doing the dishes. At least this time he had valves done by machine shop. :TU: Learned about Ferd small blocks Tinkered around with lawn mower engines, we didn't have an auto shop in my H S. Later with my own cars, just took them apart, and put them back together, and they ran!! :grin: Broke a 727 Torqueflite one summer. got a manual, read some of it, figured this is easy, took it apart, bought needed parts, then let it in sit in pieces for three months. One day my mother announces she's selling the house "get your d@^^%d car back together". Now keep in mind that my dead Chrysler had sat in HER garage for those three months, with the transmission spread all over the place. Find my manual, re-read it, put it together, and IT WORKED, mom still sold the house though uzzled: A few years later, did the same with an FMX, only that time, had a couple of female friends who wanted "Professor Tom" to teach them how it works. :Brow: Some where I've got a pic or two of that. Don't be afraid to try something, that's how I've learned a lot of things. Now my younger brother knows more than I do, so I get to pick his brain :laugh: If it's got a carb and no computer, pass the tools, if it don't work when it goes back together, we'll repeat as necessary. If all else fails, this board is full of helpful people :TU: :TU:
I learned the hard way. I also learned by neccessity. You know what they say about neccessity being the Mother. I didn't have the money to have my cars fixed, so I just plunged in and did it myself. Actually, my dad taught me to change oil at 14 when he realized I could fit under my mom's 74 Camaro without a jack. He also taught me to change a tire when I earned my license. I didn't get the "bug," though; it was neccessity - but I did enjoy doing it. Everything else, though, I had to figure out myself. My dad and grandfather helped, but they never did a lot of car stuff aside from normal oil and coolant changing, etc. I got the Camaro when I turned 16, and learned on that. Did some repairs to my parents cars, but not much. The Skylark was my 2nd car, and I learned a lot on that. I had a general repair book (still have it here somewhere), but no internet to get info from. There was one private parts store that would always offer advice - and talked to 16-year-olds the same as they did to people their own age. Not only were they very helpful, but their customer service alone kept me going back even when I could save a few bucks somewhere else. The place eventually caught on fire, and I think they moved. I wish I knew where they are set up now, if they are still in the business. Wish I had this BBS back then.
i was born and raised on the farm & stayed there for 22 years. my dad was mechanically inclined . when u live on a farm u have to learn how to repair just about anything . and i did - from tractors to combines to go karts to motorcycles to cars to trucks to electrical wiring.
Trial and error. Alot of errors before I learned about factory manuals, Chilton and Haynes. Much less since advent of the internet.
Got my first car at 14 (bought it myself) so I could get to work. When something went wrong with it, mom couldn't afford to fix it and dad wasn't around, so I dug in and did it. Basically learned from the school of hard knocks at first...then when my male friends got their first cars, we hung out and learned together.
