How did you learn to work on cars? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Dee8go · #1 09-06-2006, 05:04 PM

As I have been reading the various sections of this forum, I began to wonder how those of you who work on your cars learned. I do very little in the way of "wrenching," but have been thinking about trying to learn.

How did you learn? How old were you when you began? Etc?

Honus · #2 09-06-2006, 05:07 PM

In 1972, a few months before my 16th birthday, I paid either $600 or $800 (I can't remember) for a 1962 MGA. It was worth $250 tops. Needless to say, it needed some work from time to time. I was fortunate to live next door to the best mechanic I've ever met, a Brit who raced sports cars in the 50s and 60s. I learned tons hanging out in his garage.

Monomer · #3 09-06-2006, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dculkin

In 1972, a few months before my 16th birthday, I paid either $600 or $800 (I can't remember) for a 1962 MGA. It was worth $250 tops. Needless to say, it needed some work from time to time. I was fortunate to live next door to the best mechanic I've ever met, a Brit who raced sports cars in the 50s and 60s. I learned tons hanging out in his garage.

I did basically the same, except it was an '83 mercedes; and I have this forum to help.

For the past three years I've had a machine shop class (which was three hours a day, for an entire school year) which got me my current job, as a machinist for a company that does StainlessSteel exaust tubes (for Toyta, mainly) Pay is great (esp. when nearly all my classmates are working at fastfood joint..) and the experience I get there is invaluable. I dont just limit myself to machining; I do everything in the shop (Including, but not limited to: Hydrolics, Welding, Tool & Die making (and some designing) LOTS of High and Low current electrical, etc...)

TheDon · #4 09-06-2006, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dculkin

In 1972, a few months before my 16th birthday, I paid either $600 or $800 (I can't remember) for a 1962 MGA. It was worth $250 tops. Needless to say, it needed some work from time to time. I was fortunate to live next door to the best mechanic I've ever met, a Brit who raced sports cars in the 50s and 60s. I learned tons hanging out in his garage.

sounds like me cept my benz was 2500$ and i overpaid by 1000$.. but alas no guy named klause next door that worked in the factory during the W123 period.. although my neighbor did own a 240D while in germany when in the army

Monomer · #5 09-06-2006, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

sounds like me cept my benz was 2500$ and i overpaid by 1000$.. but alas no guy named klause next door that worked in the factory during the W123 period.. although my neighbor did own a 240D while in germany when in the army

I feel your pain man.

I new I soulda talked him down a LOT more.

dkveuro · #6 09-06-2006, 05:24 PM

Working on cars is like flying...your gonna crash and burn a few times.
I started back in the 50's helpng dad decoke his 650 BSA, then his 1949 Vauxall 12, then his '56 Humber and then his '59 Austin A40.

.

John Doe · #7 09-06-2006, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dculkin

In 1972, a few months before my 16th birthday, I paid either $600 or $800 (I can't remember) for a 1962 MGA. It was worth $250 tops. Needless to say, it needed some work from time to time. I was fortunate to live next door to the best mechanic I've ever met, a Brit who raced sports cars in the 50s and 60s. I learned tons hanging out in his garage.

Damn, D. You just shattered my 38ish image of you

softconsult · #8 09-06-2006, 05:47 PM

There was no other choice. Got my drivers license in 1961. Two of my 4 buddy circle were mechanical, the other two were not. None of us could afford to pay to have our cars repaired. So you just learned from manuals and trial and error.

Car's were simpler back then. You have plugs, points, timing, carburetors, no emission stuff, and no power windows etc. No computers. We always figured it out. This included a couple of engine rebuild projects.

I could take the overdrive transmission out of my '56 Ford, re-place the blown synchros, and put it back in one evening. Nobody taught me how to do it. I just crawled under there and figured it out. If you do something often enough it you get good at it.

I took many years off the working on cars thing. Company cars, and no time to mess with the other ones.

Now it's only the MB's that generate any interest on my part. It gets me away from the mental stresses of running my own business. I pay to have the little Tacoma truck, and the 2001 Chrysler mini-van serviced and repaired because I have absolutely no interest in them.

I believe that learning to repair cars is like everything else in life. If have the ability to stick to a target, then you will succeed. You don't necessarily need to become an ace mechanic or tackle every task to enjoy the satisfaction and security of knowing that it was actually done and done correctly.

Finally, the internet with things like forums, pictorials, etc. make things a lot easier to figure out.

Steve

cdplayer · #9 09-07-2006, 01:00 AM

My first car was a 1969 Mercury Cyclone. I was eighteen and bought it new. After a couple years of hard driving the water pump went out. Paid a dealer $100 labor to put new water pump in. Watched him do it. Thought, damn! I could do that. Did my own work since then. Later on Pic N Pull junk yards came to town. Tools in hand, I practiced on their cars before attempting the more complicated repairs on mine. Thanks to Pic N Pull European and WHunter in this forum I replaced my leaking steering box on my 1984 500 SEC. Saved $600 in labor costs for this repair. Next are the brakes pads, fuel pump and filter, and new steering wheel from Momo.

G-Benz · #10 09-07-2006, 01:23 AM

Got the "bug" so to speak back in the early 70's watching a couple of VW nuts down the street build kit cars...one was VW powered, the other, getting a Corvair engine. Learned that you could torque really big nuts with a long pipe over a breaker bar and a bathroom scale!

Anyway, my Dad carpooled with a guy owning a 68 VW, our next door neighbor had a 69 Squareback, and the VW wrenchers had a 72 VW Bus. Needless to say, my first car was also a VW (see my sig of still-owned car).

The VW air-cooled engine was the epitome of simplicity, devoid of cooling system components. A novice could do a rebuild in a weekend!

My Dad owned an MB during that era, and those of you old enough remember that the parts booklet that came with the owners portfolio had very detailed exploded drawings of every conceivable component on the MB model you owned. You could practically build an MB from the ground up just from looking at the diagrams!!

Mistress · #11 09-08-2006, 04:50 AM

Picture it, Miami 1973 it was the best of times, it was the worst of times and the birth of the "Portugese Love Machine" was happening in my neighborhood. I grew up in a neighborhood where my brother and all his friends had muscle cars and I got hooked at an early age when my brother had a 67 GTO with a 427 engine with a 411 posi rear end and slick tires, I got to be the test driver and gofer. I don't know much about them but my dad wanted to make sure his girls knew alittle about cars so we wouldn't be taken advantage of and "If you maintain a car properly it will last you a long time." My boyfriend and I are signing up for a mechanics class..this will be fun!

t walgamuth · #12 09-08-2006, 09:17 AM

yeah, erector set. i had three finally i think. i spent hours with them. the first thing i made was in the book. after that i winged it. cranes, trucks and a cable car.

the first engine i had apart was an old maytag. dad gave it to me. i took it all apart and got it running with a little cleaning and a piece of nylon hose over the fuel intake where the screen had rotted away.

when we moved away from greencastle dad left it in the crawl space. i occasionaly think of stopping by and asking if it is still there.

tom w

Honus · #13 09-06-2006, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Doe

Damn, D. You just shattered my 38ish image of you

I hear that. Time flies.

Smokiesman · #14 09-06-2006, 10:24 PM

I had a Whizzer when I was 15! Ever try to mod a Whizzer? Learned how motors work though!!!

Smokie

t walgamuth · #15 09-06-2006, 10:37 PM

my dad used to tell the story, and i remember it hazily:
he was doing the brakes on his 53 studebaker. drum. i was watching. squatting next to him just watching. he got to a certain point and there was a part which he couldn't remember how it went onto the brakes. i don't remember what part it was. he was muttering out loud, puzzling how it went. i was watching. finally he put it down and was staring at it. i picked up the part and put it on in the way it had to go.

he looked at me and said "thanks tommy".

i was about 5.

been fooling around with mechanical things ever since.

i used to take everything apart to see how it worked. usually i could put it back together too. and it worked.....usually.

tom w