That '56 looks awesome! Whether the student decides to go into the trades or not, at least your cl*** (and likely his upbringing as well) instilled in him some mechanical knowledge to carry with him through life. It's not all just about cars, though that's what we here are into. It's about having a mechanical skill set and building on it. That includes use of tools, basic mechanical knowledge of how things work, etc., how things can be made, and even more sensory skills like how tight a bolt should be before you stop cranking on it, how to sand something smooth. You just sort of feel it and get to know it from experience. I don't know what happened exactly to our culture, but I feel like so many people around my age, and even somewhat older than me, have absolutely no idea of how to fix anything. They're just totally helpless. I couldn't imagine having to call a "man" to come and fix a leaky faucet, change an outlet, patch a hole in the wall, etc. I think back to my grandfather and great uncles, guys that were part of the "greatest generation", they took care of **** themselves. Men's men. I think now it's less that guys don't want to get their hands dirty (ok maybe some don't), and more that they don't even know where to start. Your teaching gives them a foundation to build on that maybe they didn't get from their upbringing. Good on you for it.
If you look at society(not talking politics) we shifted from an agricultural to industrial to a mostly service industry. I have students that show up without any mechanical knowledge. My first week teaching I asked a student for a Phillips head screw driver, the student had no clue what that was. I was very shocked. But that’s why I’m the instructor. It’s my job to teach that. Due to how society has changed, I find it disturbing that shop/vocational cl***es are deemed obsolete. Shop cl***es reinforce the math and science a student learns in a traditional cl***room. Nearly 200 collision/automotive cl***es have closed nation wide during the pandemic. We lost a diesel program. However, I teach in a rural area. I have had lots of students that weld, build, repair,.....just like a lot if us did growing up. For me personally, I grew up working with my dad and uncles. I thought everyone built their own homes and fixed their own cars. Educating the next generation is the current and previous generations responsibility. The lack of knowledge for young people is a failure of the generations before them. That’s not a popular opinion.
Could not agree more Anthony. Every generation has had people who would rather pay someone to do things otherwise trades would be a new idea….it’s not. History isn’t always remembered accurately.
He’s got a 64 Comet with an Econoline axle sitting under it. He tried to sell it to me. I’m not the biggest fan of g***ers, or one just isn’t on my bucket list.
this is it !! Growing up the mechanic. Was only for big jobs or if the repair could not wait cause mom or dads needed it the next day, brakes , tunes ups , suspension etc was all dad, even body work and welded if to an extent. Everything around the house was either dad or my uncles except the roof ( dad don’t like heights snd neither do I !!) I am teaching my girls stuff as well , how to change light bulbs, unclog a toilet, shower drains ( girls and hair balls you would think I live with three cats hair , hair everywhere!!! As they get a bit older how to check fluids on there cars change a tire etc. I know men who can’t do this basic stuff . And yes , I’m not a computer programmer , not a doctor , or an expert in most stuff, but it seems we are loosing the “ common knowledge “ stuff. checking air pressures, how to start a furnace , checking a tripped breaker, etc
Common knowledge is a perspective, our it people can’t figure out why I don’t understand computers, to them it’s common knowledge.
You and Anthony hit the nail on the head. It's the failing of the generation before us that set us up to fail in this regard. It's our duty to p*** the knowledge we've gained along. My dad comes from the city, and has literally zero mechanical a***en. It was by the grace of God that I had my maternal great uncles that took me as a 5 year old, propped me up on the counter, and showed me how to change an outlet. Or sat me on the floor of the garage and showed me how to tune up a lawn mower. They all p***ed by the time I was 8. I wish I'd have had more time with them, they had so much more to share and we would have had a lot of fun wrenching. I only wanted one child and I was blessed with a daughter. But despite both my wife and I working in "white collar" fields (we're both lawyers, though different areas), my wife is highly adept when it comes to home remodeling. Especially sheet rocking and tiling, though she's perfectly capable framing, painting, or helping me with electric or plumbing. Hopefully some of this will rub off on our little one. Best we can do is expose her to it and encourage her participation.
I started working at a dealership body shop at 18. Prior shop experience was dirt floor shops, relatives barns, building trucks or totals. This was a brand new shop with (at that time) the best of everything. New frame benches, welders, down draft booths....... It was quite the culture shock. I remember using new parts for the first time. Honestly I didn’t know new weld on parts existed. Never seen one. I don’t think I ever used a new bolt on body part either I try to remember that as I teach.
Update on the bench seat. He found some old low back buckets from what he thinks is a mid 60s Mopar product. Has some ugly tweed on em, plans are for some boat flake vinyl. He’s still considering the Lakewood style roll bar.
From the face fuzz, it looks like you had a greater influence on him than you realize. All kidding aside, it looks great to see a young person riding down the street with his elbow hanging out the window in something that he created ( See post # 1 ).
The Jalopy Journal
