Don't know if you guys know what a whipper snapper is, down here in Australia, its a term we use for kids/teenagers.
Anyway, I've been thinking about how different it is nowdays with regards to the availability and ease of obtaining information about working on your car.
When i first started turning wrenches some 20 years ago, you basically got your knowledge from your dad, older brothers or mates. You learned from you mistakes and sometimes this cost you $$$$.
Nowdays, with forums like these, years of built up knowledge from so many people is available with the click of a mouse.
You whipper snappers have got it GOOD

 

Just 20 years ago? I started 37 years ago...you whipper snapper! But you are right. No internet. Just friends, Dad and the shop manual.

 

aye

 

if it werent for this forum i probably would be screwed haha

 

Thats also where the term Old Bastard comes in
Your are very right. I firmly believe a shop manaul is still you very best freind when it comes to working on your car. A factory shop manual is the best investment you will make, a little more expensive than the chiltern, but worth the money.

 

A photo of man's best friend! I've posted plenty of pages out of this manual on this forum when guys needed diagrams, etc. Being and old bastard has an advantage. I can actually remember going down to the local Ford dealership to see the brand new 1964-1/2 Mustang. I was in seventh grade and we all went down after school on the first day the car was out.Ten more years and I retire to mess with my car full time...while the rest of you go to work.

[IMG]local://upfiles/82474/CDBC412B0F364607A302090CE632FD91.jpg[/IMG]

 

It's always the fuddy duddies talking about the whipper snappers.

 

I was walking my 15 year old through how to disassemble a front disc brake spindle setup this weekend, and as I was doing it, I remember how my dad made me do the same thing back in 76 or so... He's been gone for 23 years and I still think about those days.

That's still the best way to learn....

 

Ya, its much, much, much easier when you have someone showing you. My dad can help a little, but most of the stuff he did on his project car (46 ****** jeep) was shown to him by his brother. This forum sure does help tho!

The good thing about being an old guy is that you guys can prolly afford to make mistakes more than us whipper snappers can.

 

Amen to that.
With three daughters (and definitely no more to come), I don't like my chances of being able to pass down my automotive knowledge.
Without these forums, it would all go with me when they bury me in my stang!