Where did you learn to do what you do

I needed a good laugh this early in the morning... This is it!...
Thank you Larry!

 

Been around cars since I was 11 years old... In Jr. high, I tore apart a Briggs & Stratton and re-assembled it... First year of High School, I was teaching auto shop because the real teacher didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground....
Worked at a Texaco service station in Dearborn after school and in between, I did allot reading... Got myself certified in '86 and the rest is history..
Then I joined the H.A.M.B.....
Got a great bunch of guys here teaching me what I didn't already know..
Thanks guys!!!... Me love you long time!..

 

Read. Buy parts you don't need. Sell them for a loss. Set rockers too tight. Wipe cam lobes. Hang around the local shop. Hang around enough to the point where they put a broom in your hand. Learn to mig weld. Do a roll cage for a buddy. Have a real fabricator tell you it sucks. Learn to tig weld. Realize your never done learning to tig weld. Get a group of car guys. Weed out the hipsters. Weed yourself out. Learn you're not too cool for help. Then read some more...


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

I have always been interested in cars. Had my first slot car set (a Eldon) when I was 6. Started building models and drawing cars at 8. I would help my Dad and brothers work on their cars (mainly getting tools for them or holding the droplight) or sometimes I would just sit and watch. I also picked up mechanical skills by working on my stingray bike. I also used to read about cars (had to go to the Library since there was no internet). I was fortunate to have a Dad that was a "Jack of all trades" and to have older brothers (15 and 16 years older than me) so that's how I learned. I also learned that if you wanted to cruise the Blvd, get a Chevy and if you wanted something to tow to the repair shop, get a Ford and if you don't want to have your car stolen, get a Mopar.
Peace.

 

Today, with the internet, there is a whole world of information that most of us never had when we were starting to play with cars. We had to wait for the latest Hot Rod Magazine or Rod and Custom to show up at the corner drug store. We studied those little pictures and text and tried to duplicate the same things on our own cars.

Like the guys said, most of us were infected with this bug from the time we were 9 or 10. We took stuff off of our bikes, tore down the family lawnmower (and sometimes actually got it back together) , and when we were old enough to get our first car we made every mistake in the book and ruined a lot of things before we got the hang of it.

That would be my suggestion to you. Buy some old car, even if it isn't your ultimate dream car, and just start doing things to it. Buy yourself some body hammers, dollys, an angle grinder, and some hand tools.

If you have a VoTech in your area take some welding, body, and mechanical classes. Sometimes they even allow you to bring your own car in and work on it during class.

Don

 

I got hotroding from my dad and grew my own taste from there

 

Very few individuals can be considered real Hot Rodders. I have been building on cars for more than 45 years and I am NOT a Hot Rodder. You might say I have a "Rot Rod" practice. kind of like a Doctor practices medicine. I often spend too much money on a car (or cars) just to get bored with the build process and end up selling the car or truck for a loss. I have done this on three different vehicles.

You learn to build hot rods by doing. So, do something even if it is wrong. Over time you will get better at it if you don't go broke first. Check out as many hot rod car or trucks you can find. See how there built. Mimic that which has all ready been done. Manage your project to your best budget parameters. You will usually exceed you budget so get used to it. Jump in the water is fine.

Specs

 

I've learnt so much on my short time here,i search the threads and get the answers most of the time,too easy mate !

Gaz!

 

Books, magazines, videos, friends, trial and error, internet (HAMB, shoboxford.com, fordbarn.com, youtube).

 

I am self taught but I had a really crappy teacher and most of my work shows it.

 

The amazing thing about this hobby and lifestyle is that you never stop learning! AND it is rare that you would find someone with a rod that isn't willing to stand and talk for hours about how they put it all together (ask my wife). I am 51 y/o old and have been around this stuff my entire life. I am still learning every day. My current build is kicking my butt. I met a 29 y/o kid at the Kalamazoo Nats yesterday that showed me step by step how he worked through the same problem. That's what it's all about. Where eles can you find that? So, as said before, look - listen - ask and learn!!!

 

I guess I consider myself a graduate of the University Of Life and being over 60 I am probably continuing work on my masters.
You won't learn anything if you don't try. Hanging with friends, being a member of a club, participating in someones build, asking questions, reading articles and finding enjoyment in what you are doing are key to your success. Know your limitations. It is OK to get help on things you are not prepared or comfortable doing.
I have always had a great support group of family and friends who help each other and share ideas.
You have one person to satisfy and that is yourself. Once you are behind the wheel of your own creation and receive the thumbs up and other compliments from people who admire your ride, it is a great feeling of accomplishment and in my opinion better than some plastic trophy you might get at a car show.
As I look back on my early builds they still make me proud because I enjoyed them and was able to learn from them. When you build a next one it may be better from what you learned. If there is no next one you might find ways to improve the one you have.
Enjoy it, be creative and have fun with your build.

 

No one in my family or early life was anything of a car nut, or mechanic. When I got my license, I bought a ragged out 57 Chevy ragtop. Spent all my money paying guys to fix it, which sometimes worked out OK, some , not.
I started hanging around with a group of guys who cruised the local main st. in Linden, who also had 55-7 Chevies, and began by helping them out. Eventually learned enough to do some work myself. As I realized the older guys (maybe 3-4 years?) really didn't know everything, I started reading as well.
After I got my car running well enough to drive to school every day, I began to crave it looking good as well. While I went to Rutgers, I worked part time at a guy's shop who was known to be the best painter and bodyman around. I swept, taped, put away tools, and picked up around the shop while he slowly taught me the mysterious, magical arts of body and paint. I worked for him, on and off, for 6 years learning the ropes, then got a job, and opened a shop (part time) specializing in older cars, which I still do today.
Working with craftmen and apprenticing is a real good way to learn.

Oh....and don't be stubborn about not sending work out, trying to do it all yourself. That's just plain dumb. No one can be good at everything, and trying to do it all, will keep you from being real good at any of them! Learn one set of skills and learn it well, before trying to learn another set.

 

I was told by an old timer many years ago that I was a natural-born mechanic.. coming from that crusty old fart, it was high praise. After graduating college, I was lucky to get into a good shop and learn from the ground up. I was ASE certified in many things, brakes, tune up, front end, etc.

I too got into stock cars as a builder, owner and driver. That is the school of hard knocks.. literally. You had to be good enough to pass tech inspection and have a car that held together for a 10-lap heat and 30-lap feature, sometimes 2X a week.

Bob

 

Im really glad to see that you love your Cheapolet cars so much. I think that you are a closet Ford lover and are afraid of your fellow skoal dipping, red Camaro driving friends turning on you if you come out.

 

Trial & error, add big listening ears, big watching eyes and the ability of losing your pride and seeking answers. Learn the difference between good work and great work. Those who complete great work are the ones you help, in your own time at your own cost.........

I still years later will help anyone and learn from anybody........ and when you've learnt all you think you know.....suck it up you dont know sh*t. Its the ones who think they know everything who can prob learn the most.

 

That's a good one. So true

 

Or...on my first build, paying others. I got my car back from a fellow after a lengthy argument, he was prepared to keep it if I didn't pay, so I told him that his work would be advertised far and wide, I'd do everything I could to make sure people saw his "craftsmanship" then I looked at the mess, decided that I could do at least as badly, without paying someone else, bought some tools and began the learning curve.
The thing is, as you learn, the easier it becomes, buy good quality tools one at a time, ask a lot of really stupid questions, don't believe everything you're told, read lots, screw up lots, and one day....you turn the key and fire it for the first time.
Thats how it is for all of us, hang out with like minded folk, it'll happen.

 

Too poor to hire it done.

 

One advantage I had was starting in the sign business and then expanding into electrical signs and mobile sign trailers, I learned many facets that helped in my car hobby. Welding, wiring , spray painting, vacuum forming, lettering and striping. Also provided valuable experience in running a business.

 

G-pa, books, magazines, school and practice.

 

I learned alot from my father about wrenching and the proper way to cuss.Then I quickly learned when I hit my first shop that just being willing to hold somthing,clean somthing,etcs for one of the Guy's at the shop You always had an opertunity to learn from them, spent alot of my younger days at my family's racing friends shops. School Is great for gaining basic knowledge, but nothing replaces hands on exp. Learn from your mistakes, and always listen to the old guys and remeber to run that freshly garnerd advice through a sarcasm filter, as all us mechanics are sarcastic bastards ... now for some good advice, Work at it if ya can't figure it out just ask as we are always willing to lend a helping hand..and practice practice practice!

 

Oh yeah and no matter how many thousands of distributors you have poked over your time doing this half the time it's 180 out, no matter how sure you are it's right.........

 

Did an apprenticeship in a body shop and learned to fix cars that insurance companies write off these days as unrepairable. We did all the mechanical on top of body, R&R etc. Watched others more experienced and talented and picked up tricks, and others and learned NOT to do what they did.

 

Although it's been said before in these posts, the main thing is to ask questions about anything you are not an expert on. Offer to help others do their projects and learn by observing. I've been at this game since 1958 and still learn something new everytime I do anything. Above all enjoy what you are doing. Never start a job with a negative mindset.
Welcome to the wonderful world of rodding.

 

I learned a hell of a lot building plastic models. When the instructions said to clue the drag link to the frame I learned what a drag link looked like.

Take it slow but steady. Don't start with a frame off restoration. You will soon be over your head with a daunting task ahead and lose interest. There are a lot of systems in a car. Learn one system at a time.

I could never afford to pay someone to repair my car so I got help where needed and learned from my elders. I think that is why I spend so much time on the HAMB. I'm repaying some old debts.

 

I have loved cars since a child, took auto shop in school from a great teacher and then joined the Navy. I learned to weld, hydraulics, theory and application and earned enough money to buy a car. I hung out with people who liked cars and kept my mouth shut and learned. Went racing with round track guys (dirt and asphalt), drag racing, land speed racing, off road racing and boats. (I was lucky enough to live in CA) I am 63 and still do the same thing except the shut up part.
Good advice is to cultivate friends who have a talent and learn from them. Good Luck

 

The school of hard knocks.

 

What I learned came from necessity at a early age,,reading was basically all I could afford to do and after I was able to have a car I learned most of what I had to do on the car from manuals,,again reading came in handy.

A big plus is to surround yourself with friends or a local car club that share your interest,,I learned early on that offering to help someone with your labor helping them work on their cars is a great source of knowledge.

And not being afraid to try things you haven't done in the past,,don't expect to build a engine right off the bat but start out with simple projects,,take a welding class at your local tech school,,and one of the best tools is right in front of you,,,and the Hamb has some of the most talented people all in on place.

I have learned more from the membership here than any other source than I have mentioned previously. HRP

 

HRP is correct.

You can learn the basics but all cars have their quirks. There was a time that I was a fairly highly rated diagnostician, but everyday I look for something that I have not yet encountered. Sometimes it comes in the form of someone else's problem, others it conmes from someone building of solving a problem. I go well geee I'll have to watch for that and add it to one of my notebooks.

I have notebooks from when I was in junior high or grammer school with tid bits of things that a grown up had told me or showed me. Some of the stuff that you learn will always be in your memory or so you think. I found an old notebook from when I was in the 5th or 6th grade. There is a note all it says is use a ciggerette pack to time your motor cycle, but it is enough of a note to remind me how to do it and I can even remember who showed me in the driveway of our old house on potrero hill.