Young guys, where did you learn mechanics

Went to votech and learned everything else on the job or in my gerage fixing up my 65.

 

I learned about basic automotive maintenance before I learned about hot rods from my father who was a absolute maniac about annual maintenance on his driver that he drove 50 miles one way to work. Every spring he would jack the car up and change all fluids, pack bearings, hoses, belts, etc. After 45 years at Tinker AFB he said the thing he was proudest of was never walking due to his car being broke!

 

I know alot of people say it and I echo it- I cant afford to pay someone else to do it. I love cars and I want to work on my own- that way it is MY car.

 

My Dad and older brother were mechanics so was always around wrenches. And if you didn't want to push a reel mower you better know how to keep a gasoline engine hummin.
Also , we didn't have luxury's like air conditioning when I grew up so keeping electric fans
running were another better figure it out now cause it gets damned hot in Texas in the summer kinda thing. And then votech got me up to speed on paint and body so now all I need is to get off my ass and get to work LOL

 

I learned the most from my dad but also from working in auto parts as my first job. My dad was a mechanic and building hot rods before I was born. I remember as a kid taking things apart and putting them back together to see how they worked.

 

For years I volunteered to help with anyone who was crazy enough to let me help.
Funny thing is, I never even thought about asking to be paid.

After 20 years of doing this professionally. I still have so much to learn.
I used to spend about 20 hours a week at night in shop manuals, reading, etc etc... then put it in practice during the long long days.

Now, I just spend about 10 hours a week in continuing education reading, and about 10 hours hands on learning, and about 50 hours getting it done during the day.

So, the basic time spent is only 70 hours a week instead of 80 or so. I am getting slack, or just busy with all the kids at home.

I have heard stories of people who are good at what they do that spend less time than that, I just have never met one yet.

Wil
www.sakowskimotors.com
www.ridefree.com

 

My Grandfather, He had a Wheel Horse dealership for years, and from as early on as I can remember grandpa would let my brother and I tear down and reassemble engines (Kohler, Techumsa, B&S, etc, but the same principles apply). Most of the time they never ran again, but it got me hooked on all things mechanical very early on.

 

WELL .... good for all you young-uns .... i am glad to see that YOU GUYS have more interest than just playing them video games ..... I know that all you have a true passion .... And i know that all of us " old farts " will give you all of the info that you ask for .. remember ,,, there are no stupid questions ,, only questions never asked... AND HURRY UP ,,, WERE NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER ......... I might need you to crawl around under my car soon ... it takes me a few minits to get off the ground ...... getting a little old ....

 

I'm an old guy and I'm still learning stuff...and mostly still from my dad.

I'll be bored if I stop learning stuff. It's a huge part of my enthusiasm for the hobby...I often wish I hadn't listened to all that advice about going to college and getting a good professional job...30 years later, I think I'd rather be building cars.

 

military and grandpa

 

well dad went to wyotech back in the seventies and was always the go to guy for the lower income ppl around town as he would fix there cars for 20 buck an hour (still does) and let them pay him when they can. so i was always helping him out in the shop. Also i grew up on the ranch dad managed and i was in the shop as soon as i could walk and i learned to fix shit on the run. cause if it was broke we needed it yesterday. Like dad always said "we have been doing so much with so little for so long.. WE are now qualified to do anything with nothing". Lots of ingenuity comes out of a ranch shop when your miles away from town. I also started buying old motorcycles when i was like 10 or 12 and got my 59 f100 when i was 14.

 

My dad owned a auto repair shop for about 25 yrs, I started sweeping the floors at 7 and worked their on and off until I was 18 and moved to Az to go to UTI, good school, real expensive. Now I am 29 and a fleet manager and work on big equipment . I love it , now I have two kids and my son is always wrenching in the garage with me. I think he is the one keeps me motivated when I 'm really tired. Good times

 

trial and error

 

I am an old guy , but when I was 15, I had my first model "a", I learned on the freeway, it was fix it or walk, and of coarse from old guys, and hanging out at shops. There the best teachers. I am still learning.

 

My dad some and a whole lot of going balls deep all on my own.

 

I took automechanics in high school during the 11th and 12th grade. While in school I also worked at a local independent shop and learned a lot there. I eventually got to work there and get paid. Mostly self-taught though.

 

All I read growing up was shop manuals and car magazines. I studied it more than my schoolwork. Dad is very into cars, but not as much of a mechanic. Never met my Grandpa on Mom's side, but I hear he was one of the best Chevy mechanics in Louisville in his time. They say I get it from him. Still working on converting some of that book learnin' to practical application, but at least I had a foundation. If you can't do anything else, at least read.

 

i started on gopeds and mini choppers. mostly trial and error and researching online. my high school still has an auto tech so i was in that for all 4 years of high school.

 

A case of "I couldn't afford to pay someone else to fix it, so if I didn't fix it, I didn't drive it" and the Marine Corps (Amphibious Vehicle Mechanic, Amtracs).

 

Learned from my dad and my uncle. My dad has done body work and painting since I was very young and my uncle is probably the sharpest mechanical guy I have ever met. He would probably work circles around most engineering professors I had in school. I have also taught myself alot via the trial and error method which is by far the best teacher you can probably ever have.

 

I was lucky enough to have an older brother who owned a shop, and I apprenticed there with all of the techs that worked with him.

 

I guess I'm still young, since I'm still learning..... Last winter I found out I could solder a radiator. Never did it before, but it's still truckin' with no further leaks...........
Started learnin' wrenchin' from my dad. His idea of a full tool box was cold chisle, ball peen & claw hammers, fencin' pliers, 6, 10, 12 inch Crescents, and a screwdriver(he thought it was a pry-bar.ha). He could outsmart the average bolt with only those basic tools.

That was his tool box for iron stuff. He also had some wood working tools and another kit set up for repairing harness leather, he farmed with horses until I was nine.

 

My grandpa owns a garage that his dad handed to him it was my first real job at 14 but i was there everyday of summer learning anything he wanted to show me and got little tidbits from the guys working there...

 

You're assuming that I know a little about mechanics! It seems to take me two or three times to get anything done....but, if it was easy, everyone would do it....

 

At 57 I'm a little late for the young part ,

but my POP started me out

and I learn every day !

 

Along from being around the Body Shop growing up...I took Auto Shop in High School ~

 

Like most. Trial and error. Pops wasnt around to much when i was a kid (prison) but he showed me a thing or two. But most of my skill has come from the last few years. Having a problem with a car, asking a few buddies some advice then diving into. Reading, reading, reading, then applying it to real life.

 

A little from my dad, he is usually drinking and not much help anyhow. I hang out with the old guys at the local yard a lot too, but almost all of it was on my own. I rebuilt a dirt bike from the ground up when I was 12, now I'm 15 and building a jeep. I really want to find a early 50s car to mess around with too. But for now I'll keep working on the heep and learning as I go.

I have been welding for a while and am getting better at sheet metal, I picked a jeep since there are no compound curves and it's mostly flat. Today I rebuilt the bottom of the tailgate, just needs welded the rest of the way up.



Made this last week too.




This summer I'll be working enough to get a nice 220v mig and some steel to build a new frame. I can't wait to actually get far enough to drive my home built vehicle.

 

father and uncle. then trial and error. had a 70 mustang and installed a hydraulic cam. positive stop valve adjustment. easy enough. then adjusted my buddies 66 396 chevelle's solid lifter valve train the same way...... big mistake, had a few push rods go through the rocker arms. LOL.
just one of my lessons learned.

leonard

 

I learned from older guys in California, Louisiana, Mississippi and did a lot of reading books, INTERNET, Hot Rod magazines.I also took a Course on Motorcycle repair.I have watched a lot of good mechanics and bad mechanics as well. I started on what I felt comfortable with and then progressed from there. I by no means am a ace mechanic, I just love working on older cars and trouble shooting problems.I will always keep learning until the day I die!!!! If you have the desire you can learn anything you put your mind to do!!!! Good luck to you, zrxlover.