I was a poor cotton farmer's kid, so we had to fix our own tractors and equipment. I learned how to use a welder and cutting torch at the age of 6 or so. I was also driving a popping Johnny at about that age. Also as a kid, we had a dump ground not too far from the farm, and I would go there on Sunday afternoons and look for old bicycles and Maytag gas engines. I built a motor bike from these parts when I was about 8. I overhauled tractor engines, clutches, etc. when I was in high school, as well as overhauling the engine on my 51 Chevy. Since that time, I have owned many, many used cars, and very rarely have to take one to a shop. I built a 1929 Mercedes SSK kit car back in the late 70's, so had to research and learn every part of building a car from ground up. A good shop manual and asking lots of questions are absoluely necessary. Also, a good set of tools are necessary. I went for years having to make do with shoddy tools, but finally added decent tools to my chest and threw away all the old Chinese stuff.

 

i started learning how to work on cars at the fine age of 9 when my dad brought home what was to me a piece of junk (68 1/2 428 cj gt conv one of 6 mind you) and together we tore it down and he made me scrap, scuff,and sand my way to a gorgeous finish that he eventually sold to a guy. Ever since then ive had it in my veins. IMO only a certain breed of people catch on to the feel of working on a car, it doesnt just come to you over night. We invision it and take it in, and remember the smallest details when we cant even remember certain peoples b-days haha. At 16 i bought a 79 L-82 corvette(i know not the best first car but i got a good deal) sold it turned around bought a 89 gt conv, tore the suspension out and worked the motor to get it to run 13.65 @113 and sold that to get a 94 gt coupe and put about 8 grand in that car, which got rolled (never put a mustang in first around a corner in water with z rated tires) and bought the 67 gta right after. once i tore that car down, i believe i was 17 and it taught me so much, (enough to never ever want to let that car see rain again) and here i am now with both the 67 and the 93 i bought about 6 months ago. You see i buy these cars and tear them apart and find out everything there is to know about them. I took auto shop in high school and went to wyo tech for 1 year and never really learned as much as you do form personal experience. You tend to find out things from stories or experiences, and for some reason you never forget it

 

Das funny dodgestang!

 

Don't let him kid you. DS knows what he is doing mechanically.

 

Like a lot of others here, I learned by necessity, keeping a 57 chevy running while in high school, went to tech college for mechanics then many years of working on what ever was in the yard broke, plus 25 years of working on race cars. Now I have a small trucking company where I still do a lot of the truck repairs and take care of the maintaince schedules and such. Aftert all of that I still read the manuals and come here often to ask questions. If you want to learn bad enough anything can be fixed.

 

I grew up in a family of backyard mechanics. My whole family owns a bunch of classics. My grandfather used to own his own service station back in the 50's. I've learned from all of them, and mainly taught myself alot. Always ask quesitons too. There is ALWAYS something else that can be learned.

 

Being around stock cars since i was like 7, and restoring a car or 2...reading car magazines over and over on the toilet will imprint some good information in you head too.

 

When I was about 8 years old, I remember when I pulled the side cover off of an old briggs motor and I heard the cam drop[sm=oopssign.gif]. it's been downhill ever since

 

School of hard knocks and busted knuckles, good old USMC and helping to solve other peoples car problems. O yea and reading manuals

 

Semper Fi! Not a Marine but I gave a lot of then rides to the Gulf. I got a lot of respect for the job they do.