Art & Inspiration Lost skills and talents . Gone just gone! Kids are our downfall !

My sons are 40 and 37 now, and both of them know how to work on cars. We spent many hours in the garage
and we welcomed their friends over to work on their projects at our house. Both had street cars in high school as well. I offered insight and advice plus lots of homemade french fries and pizza rolls, deep fried, the RIGHT way. I wanted to know who my kids were hanging out with and I wanted them to know that they could come to our house anytime for help. We had one drawer in the kitchen filled with candy bars, and still to this day when they stop over, that's where they head first. Both of my sons have "factory" cars now, too, and can't do as much on them, but when I need my turbo replaced, I know who I can call and trust to do it. AND, they both have street rods that their kids are
getting their hands dirty on.

 

At one time, running water and electricity were high tech.change is good, embrace it, but dont forget where you came from. This site is not about putting a stop to change, but it is about keeping tradition alive.when I joined, I didnt know much about traditional rod and customs, still dont know much, but I'm learning. I have two daughters, six and 3. My six year old is more fluent on phones and computers that I am, but she would not trade her "Pearl" ,1963 Galaxie, for love nor money. A few weeks ago she asked me for my old garden tractor. Not a new one or a nice one, but the one that I had when I was 8 or 10. It was parked in the woods covered in moss and rust. I had honestly forgot about it, but while at my mom and dad this summer, it caught her eye. So, of course, we drove the hour long trip to get it. I dont know if it can be saved, but we are sure gonna try. I love her enthusiasm and hope she never loses it. It takes effort. Oh and her 3 year old sister is following in her footsteps.

 

I have a friend who is a police officer for the University of Georgia-

At least once a week, they will get a call from a "stranded" student who is locked out of their car. When they arrived on the scene, said students will hand them the key fob and say, "I can't get in", and, inevitably, it's discovered that the battery in the fob is dead...

that's when the officer politely takes the long, bumpy metal thing that ALSO on the fob, sticks it in the door, turns it, and MAGICALLY OPENS THE DOOR!!!

My friend said that the range of looks they get from the "stranded" students are priceless, from "Lord, I'm an idiot", tp "You can DO THAT???"

 

I know it came off as a rant, kinda was but not really.

some great answers and points here about this.

im sure you have all seen it, rainy or early morning or dusk, cars driving with no lights cause “ auto mode” got turned off or some other silliness.
I’m guilty of it to ,I really like the blind spot monitoring on my wife’s daily driver appliance . The auto start stop and other things not so much.

like has been stated up until the late 90’s a base model car or truck was just that BASE !!! Manual no power anything except maybe steering and brakes. Now most cars come standard with just about everything we used to consider luxury options.

not really ragging on the young generation as I’m really only 41 myself, but it’s funny how fast some things have become obsolete in a real hurry.
I posted this a few weeks ago, I tried to buy a 1/2” chuck corded drill and ended up at 5 different stores until I found one!!

I dunno to me new stuff is great, but the more I deal with it it looks more like planned obsolescence. How many 2019 cars will be around in 30-40-50 years and still serviceable and functional?

 

Well, WE can make a difference. My grandson knows where the dimmer switch is and won his 1st race at the Hot Rod Dirt Drags after a 2 hr stick shift driving lesson........Priceless. But, it never would have happened without enabling it.

 

I'm right there with you and all of what you mention played quite a bit into my decision to go back to a simpler time (at least in my mind) by driving something old again as my daily driver. As much as some technology is good and I can't deny that, I also like to try to preserve the old stuff and show it to the next generation. Driving something old again every day whether it is cold, rainy, snowing, whatever, is my way of trying to reach the future with the thought that just because it is old, it and it's simplicity are not obsolete.

 

I disagree, the tuner kids are working the hell out of their set ups, all that computer shit you / we dont understand.

Its not that they cant work on old stuff - They just dont have an interest in it. Just like I dont want to learn how to hook up a buggy to a horse.

Theres been mechanically cluesless people for years. Thats nothing new. There are far more of them now though.

 

Amen Brother.....no truer words spoken......

 

Everything old, is new again, and everything new, can learn from the old!

 

I've taught band for about 20 years now and have seen it all, but yesterday, the PE teacher pulled me aside-

"Bill, a 6th grader was standing too close to the plate today while we were playing wiffleball, so I simply told him to "back up". The kid had NO IDEA WHAT TO DO!!!

 

I have a neighbor that couldn't care less about anything auto related, hardly ever drives. He's got a son & daughter. It drives him crazy when i drag home another pile of parts, & his kids come a running to look see. I tell him "i'll turn them into grease-monkey's before he knows what happens" The '53 lincoln hardtop i just brought home, really sparked their curiosity. I let them sit in it, play with the dash knobs, spin the steering wheel, etc. I will let them use tools if they need some repair done to their bike if needed.

 

Your post reminds me of when I lived in a garage apartment about 30 years ago and built cars there before I was married. I was working on a 68 Chevelle and the young kids next door loved it. When I got to the point of pulling off the doors, it all the sudden became a great car to play in for them. I wonder if that sparked an interest in those kids. Haven’t thought of that in years.

 

When I went to get tires on the '57 , the "technician" asked for the keys so he could put the car on the rack. I gave him the keys and waited for the show. Sure enough, a few minutes later he asked me to show him what to do. I showed him the emergency brake handle and how to twist it to release it. Then I explained where reverse and forward was as it was a column shift. I thought he was akin to a box of hood ornaments. After the tires were mounted and balanced I asked the kid if he could help me with my other car's problem.... could he sync my phone to the radio for incoming/outgoing calls. He said sure it was easy. Now I was the dumb one.
Were all in this together I guess.

 

Warhorse, that trend to go to automatics in the military actually started at the end of WWII! The Brass asked GM to develop a better transmission because the GIs were tearing up the clutch/ manual transmission. This is where the fantastic Allison automatic transmission got its start. The first ones were not so great, but the ones they make now are AWESOME!
Now you know I’m a Ford guy...... this is the only time you will hear me give GM a compliment!!!






Bones

 

I believe what bothers me the most is that all that I have worked for and finally attained ,will like everything else, including my knowledge , pretty much cease / be lost ,when I'm gone ,the realization that it was all for ( nearly) nothing .......

 

Yeah that dumb 16 year old kid across the street from me can't ID a distributor cap... but he can design it, 3D model it and print it, finish it with a desktop CNC and laser etch his logo, all without leaving his bedroom.

A friend of mine has a son in his 20s who couldn't find gear 1 on a manual transmission, but he developed a virtual reality training system for heavy equipment (he designs the VR system, not the training, don't get all freaked out).

Kids these days... are doing some amazing things.

 

So to summarize what I’ve gotten out of this thread so far...

All kids are lazy and stupid
People who don’t know how everything in our obsolete cars work are stupid
There’s no hope for the future...

As Anthony said I teach apprentices, there’s a lot of knowledge out there...

How many who are complaining about the younger generations lack of knowledge can explain direct injection gas engine operation? Or Fuel injection? Or communication protocols in modern vehicles?


Reading this thread, I realize why kids aren’t interested in learning the “old ways”.

Both of my teenage daughters have spoken for my old stuff and can drive a standard etc. because I taught them instead of telling them they were hopeless.

Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Yeah, that's what the guy said who hot rodded my Model A in 1959. Strangely enough, he's long gone but his car is still thriving, and it will be after I'm gone.

 

Well I guess I will wade in here and say my two cents! My grandmother asked my father, “ why in the world would you bring children into this crazy world, son” .This was in the late forties, early fifties! Probably the best time ever to be an American! I think back on this when looking forward for my grandchildren.
I work with my grandchildren, as much as they will allow. Some I thought would be gearheads, aren’t... some I never dreamed would be, show interest!
One thing for sure... you can’t MAKE someone interested in anything, you just have to be there and help it along when you see it! Never miss that opportunity!
Another thing, the future will never be like the past! By the time my grandchildren are my age... or before... you will have to buy regular gas like we buy racing gas today, in a can or barrel! There will be very little demand due to everything will be electrical! It’s the future and coming quickly!
Nobody likes change, but it is inevitable !
Knowledge is relevant , I know cars and machinery, but have to have my grandkids get me Netflick on my TV!






Bones

 

What's dat ? Sent from my wooden crank phone in my bathroom.

 

I think it is a two way street. If we want them to show a little interest/curiosity in our stuff, we need to show a little genuine interest/curiosity in their stuff. They are as happy to talk about theirs as we are about ours.

 

Yep, used to go to the drags and bad mouth the rice burner crowd, until I went to the 9 second street outlaw
shootout. It was awesome to see a little 4 cyl. power plant turning in mid-9 E.T.'s. with a laptop on board
making it happen. As Mike Rowe of the Dirty Jobs says, " Work smarter AND harder".

 

When I feel like messing with the young attendant at the one filling station that still offers it.

 

Kids are not at fault as they only know what they are
taught or exposed to from generation to generation.
Times change. Remember when Latin and Greek mythology was taught in high school?

 

I kinda had to laugh at this! I try to show an interest in their stuff, and really do! But, the kids talk so fast about things I have no knowledge...... I get lost in about 15 seconds of them trying to explain it to me! Lol! I ask them to slow down, because grampa can’t hear good and usually has to try to hear and figure out the words at the same time! They slow down for a short time , then resume speed..... leaving grampa in the dust! Lol






Bones

 

That still freaks me out! What a great idea! Let’s put the gas in right next to an electrical device! Lol








Bones

 

For someone that learned to drive with three pedals when I was young I hated them. "Use the clutch pedal to start and stop, not to shift." Was the way I was taught and double clutching was too much wasted motion as compared to shifting with the RPM of the engine anyways. Now, after too many "falls" from perfectly good airplanes, both knees worn out, I can fully appreciate them. My oldest son, 41, works in the coal mines and can make anything from nothing can drive my stock Model A four door just fine while ride in the back seat being chauffeured. The youngest son, 38, college graduate while he can drive a stick will take an OT late model Ford product and computer engineer replacing a six cylinder car and insert a V8, make it run, and tune it. He overheats the Model A. Different worlds? Yes but that is what makes this old blue marble keep spinning.

 

About 30 years ago I stopped to look at a '56 Buick in a parking lot. The owner saw me and said, "if you can start it you can have it". Too bad I'm such a nice guy or I could've had myself a heckuva car. Not every youngin' is totally clueless about old stuff (and if you don't know where the starter button is on a '56 Buick... look it up in your Funk & Wagnalls ).

 

Outside of performance cars, not many if any