Friday, Sat and Sunday, my granddaughter spent the weekend with us and wanted to help change the oil in one of our cars. Here a picture of her helping. She is only 8 years old. P.S she can work an in pact gun too.! Bruce.
You’re quite right Bruce. It’s never too early to teach kids about cars. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
That's great. most kids today no nothing about what "makes the wheels go round" and doing the most basic maintenance.
Good on her and you; and all others mentioned above. One s-i-l is a gearhead and I'm sure will teach his two sons (and perhaps the little princess) about mechanical stuff including vehicles, bicycles, 4-wheelers, lawnmowers, etc. when they are old enough. His wife (my daughter Meredith) loves the old hot rods and is NOT afraid to get greasy head-to-toe helping Justin. The other s-i-l doesn't know any more about vehicle maintenance than what he overhears at the dealership when he takes one in to get fixed. His wife (my daughter Allison) will probably teach their two sons about this stuff, though, when they are old enough. When she was single she brought her cars out to my shop to do all sorts of maintenance and repairs. I'm not really sure whether she was that interested or just too frugal to pay someone else. Either way she's pretty mechanically inclined. I'm proud of both of my girls for this. I probably failed miserably in other aspects of raising children but in this they excelled.
We also had to change the air filter so we had to take some suff apart to get to it.She got in there with a screwdriver and loosen up everything and pulled it apart to get to it.She loves coming down to the shop when she comes over.Bruce.
I cannot for the life of me get my darn transmission pan to seal. So I sent my 10 year old daughter to go under there give it a go. Still leaking. I'm not paying her a dime (kidding). She's interested, so I'm teaching her everything I know. Woodworking. Welding. Painting. Mechanics. She helps me sometimes at my shop building film sets We all have such limited time here, I spend all of it that I can with my kids. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My oldest daughter was quite the gearhead, of course she grew up in a hot rod shop. Got an engine rebuild kit for her 16th birthday and rebuilt the 327 in her Camaro herself with it. It was fun seeing her hang around car shows and stuff and having boys trying to impress her with their "car knowledge". Fun when they realized she knew more about cars then they did and enjoyed putting them in their place! At some point she realized she doesn't really enjoy wrenching so she doesn't do much anymore, that's ok, least she knows how and won't let a mechanic take advantage of her (not that a shop would EVER take advantage of a single female). My youngest daughter never hung out at the shop much growing up but still managed to pick up some decent mechanical skills. Her live in (ug) boyfriend doesn't know a screwdriver from a wrench so any little home repair or vehicle maintenance is her job and he seems ok with that. I would think he'd be embarrassed but I guess he's ok with it since he'd rather sit on his ass and let everyone else work. Nor can he drive a stick but that's a good thing cause I know he's not running around in her truck!
I have my dad & older brothers to thank for my mechanical abilities, so am trying to do the same for my son. He loves “working “ on the old truck with me. I also bought an old Schwinn for him to learn basic mechanics on and maybe some metal work & paint if he’s up for it. Even if he isn’t into old cars when he grows up, I at least hope he can troubleshoot with more than his cellphone! Here’s a couple pics. First he’s about 2 1/2 years old & everything under the truck measured 42, other is of him in his hot rod with trailer this last spring Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I thought I would re-pop this thread just for kicks. Today is my Grandson's birthday and here he is "helping" a few years ago.
Always teach them to drive a stick just in case there is an emergency and no one else is there to get to help.
Grandson is great help. Problems started when I got out the torch and lit it. His dad and I knew what was happening but he didn't. He ran from the garage yelling "fiwa fiwa" (fire, fire in 5 year old speak). Good times, SPark
I told you to install the 3.23 gears not the 3.55s you knucklehead! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I got it started for him, but the look on his face when he ripped the wheel out of the tire was priceless. Bob
My grandkids live about an hour away so it takes planning to get them involved. My grandson helped me pull the engine on the Stude Hawk last summer and then about a month ago he helped put the 53 Stude body on the 58 Hawk frame. I was talking to his mom about his interest and I thought she had helped disassemble a Camaro when she was about 10, she said she liked doing things like that but as a teenager that wasn't "cool". My grandaughter helped put a clutch in the 38, laying under a car turned out to not be something she wanted to do again, she will probably be a princess Her mom also has helped me work on her car, she isn't afraid to get her hands dirty. I try to have things they can do and not just watch, none of us want to watch somebody else do something.
These are mine and they are girls the older one is the brightest most caring and inquisitive soul I know. The little one is a smart ass ball buster , just like her old man and I love it!! They are always following me around the house asking how I do this or that and expect answers. I just tell them that they need to go to school and get good jobs so they can support me and have me live with them, I’ll tske car of the cars and house stuff !!
Eye protection especially for the youngins crawlin up under our crusty stuff is always a good idea too