Where Does Your Knowledge Come From????

[kickitandholdit]

I see so much knowledge on this forum and im curious where its origins are! Seeing people build rock buggies, mud kings, and restoring good ole cjs one question keeps popping up. Where did you learn what you know?

I figured it would be cool to see how many are self taught, took classes, or learned from elders ect.

I personally have obtained most my knowledge from picking up tools and figuring out what works and what doesnt mixed with lots of conversation with old people. Of course I took several automotive classes in high school but they only taught what I already knew. I learned alot talking to the teacher on the side but that falls in learning from old people category.

explain/tell stories too!!

 

[CJ007]

Usually from doing it wrong then doing it right. Sometimes from multiple breaks due to trails, but I am one of those that like to know how it works and prefer I do my stuff on my personal, non commuter vehicle.

I've always been somewhat mechanical but also use "the book", google, forums and my brother/friends.

The major things I have done to the CJ is my AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l engine/carb rebuild, picked up and installed/rebuilt Ford T-18 and Novak adapted, spring over, regeared/locked, shock mounts, herculined, trussed and bulit a traction bar/mount. Some were easy, some were trial and error but I know this vehicle from top to bottom!

 

[mylittlecj5]

I think I have been working on cars since I was about 12 years old, when I got a '71 Mercury Capri that my sister left for dead in the driveway. With help from the neighbor, who was sweet on my mom, we got it running and from there I just kept working on stuff.
I learn new stuff every minute I work on or talk to people about cars.

 

[Purple77CJ7]

I used to get in trouble as a kid taking TV, radios, bikes, lawn mowers apart. Been doing that ever since. Worked on equipment on the farm and other jobs. I can just tear in to it, I'm pretty mechanical. As for my Jeep, I did some reading and searching on Internet. Dove in and just did it, some trial and error, but that is how you learn. Did all the work myself. I haven't taken a vehicle to a shop for years, can't afford too. A good excuse to buy more tools!

 

[elwood blues]

I grew up on a small farm in rural NW PA, my Grandfather was always working on something and I soon was his regular helper. I got a job working at a garage at 16 worked there for almost 4 years, then I joined the Navy. The Navy has sent me to a lot of technical schools, I'm an Electronics Technician by trade, but I've always enjoyed working a cars.

I know it can if I don't understand how something works, or how to tear something apart, that answer can usually be found in a book, or online. Or, I can always call my grandfather or my brother, who still live on farms back in PA

 

[Busted Knuckles]

Im another that is self taught, Im 44, got my first gas powered bike in 5th grade, I got my first car at 14 and was driving then, by 16 (when I was legal) I had 3 cars, a 65 mustang, a 68 chevelle SS, and a 77 CJ7 . I worked 3 part time jobs while going to high school to support my "habit"

I got out of school and started flipping wrenches and driving truck, by the time I was in my early 20s I had a 6 bay general repair business.

I did all that before the internet, and had no mentors (teachers or someone to show me the ropes), till this day, my 74 year old father still has no clue which end of a screw driver is the business end. My mom bought me all my tools while I was in grade/middle school, once I got my first job at 14, I started buying my own tools.

I learned pretty much everything I know by taking things apart and trying to put them back together. At some point in the early 1990s I did make it to Ford and GM tech shools, as well as TurboHydramtic school.

Im now mostly repair transmissions, transfercases and axles for the simple fact that no one seems to want to mess with any of the three.

Today, my "illness" has led to a 5k sqft hobby "shop" and my spread sheet tells me I own in excess of 2,000 specialty tools, 5 tool boxes full of tools, and on section of 10' long, 9' tall and 4' deep pallet rack that is packed with tools from the floor to about 12' in elevation. There is also a 12k Challenger 4 post lift here.

I also own more reference and diagnostic equipment than most indy shops. We hobby farm, so I dont really work a traditional job, but I tend to animals, fix things around here and flip cars and trucks (mostly with bad transmissions or axles or both).

 

[kickitandholdit]

Busted Knuckles.. your not the only one that had a 68 chevelle ss at the age of 16. i still got mine

Great stories! keep them coming!

 

[CJ]

Mostly self taught but have had several welding classes. IMHO proficient welding requires a mentor.

The first vehicle I ever purchased was / is the 72 CJ I still own. I bought it in 76.

Unfortunately my Father died when I was three so all of my lessons were self taught. I did as others have stated, took it apart and put it back together. Fot the last 40 years or so I have rebuilt everything fom a Superbird to a Celica.

I also am like BN. My garage is filled with tools. I'm fortunate enough that when I need a tool I can purchase it. Heck, I have a lap top devoted just for diagnosing and inter facing with computers in cars. If your in S Ga, and have a problem , let me know,,,, my lap top is ready to help!

 

[Busted Knuckles]

Busted Knuckles.. your not the only one that had a 68 chevelle ss at the age of 16. i still got mine

Great stories! keep them coming!

You my friend, are one lucky guy !, you probably know how bad I wish I still had that car. I bought it down the street from the house I grew up in. For several years walking to school each day, I walked past the back yard of a house, that had this white Chevelle, sunk into the lawn.

One day, I grew a set of nuts, I think I was 15 at the time, I went knocked on the door, and an older gentleman answered the door. I asked about the car, he said it was his sons, that he had gone off to the service and got out and was a cop somewhere out west. The old man said he love to get the car out of the back yard, and that his kid called him every Thursday, so he said come back on Friday and I will let you know if he wants to sell it and for how much.

So I went back on Friday, and the old man says yes, he will sell it for a "buck and a half". I said ok I need to go talk to my old man. So I go home, my dad gets home from work, I tell him what Im up to, I ask my dad, I said " what is a buck and a half ? " He says " $AMC 150 ". I run up stairs, got $AMC 150 out of my room, and hauled <-BAD WORD-> back to the nieghors with $AMC 150 .

I pulled that home behind a toro riding lawn mower that someone gave that didnt run.

It had a locked up 350 in it, with an M21 behind it. I traded the M21 to a classmates dad for a 68 396 with a 400 behind. I slipped a crane firball cam and double roller chain in it, headers, and had one hell of a barn burner.

That car had manual drum brakes on all 4 corners, with manual steering, it was a strippo SS, even had a bench seat. It would go like hell, but there was no stopping it.

I beat on it for 2 years, I blew it up, literally, one of pistons came apart at WOT, and threw everything out of balance and it came apart. I was over reving it regularly. I drove it like I stole it. Id change the engine oil and throw in another used 400 auto. I think I had 4 automatics in that car in 2 years.

It was the first car I parted out, probably in about 1985, I made about $1500 in parting back then. I was a happy camper at the time, not so much today.

At a local car show last year, I kinda got to see it again, a guy showed up with almost the exact same car, except mine had a black vynil top, and his didnt.

 

[kickitandholdit]

haha well bustedknuckles thats a hell of a story. too bad they dont have an ancetery.com for cars/car parts. I love those stories! thanks for sharing!

MY story goes like this... For about 6yrs i begged my dad to buy me an ole junker chevelle so I could learn to fix it. I literally searched the comp and local adds showing my father every deal I came across. it was annoying 6yrs for dad. but anyway as I got closer to getting a license my dad actually started looking at what I was showing him and he started keeping an eye open himself. in the mean time my brothers were getting in trouble with alcohol and the usual high school problems. Dad didnt want me to drink till I was 21 so he bribed me and said he would get me a old muscle car to fix up if I promised to not drink and as soon as I got caught with alcohol he was going to sell the car the next day to the first offer he got. well I got real excited about getting an ole junker and and started looking hard for the best deal I could find and one day my dad came back from a trip and said he saw a 68 chevelle ss with a 396 and it looked like a good deal and he asked if I wanted to go take a look. well of course I said yes with a grin from ear to ear the next day we drove a few hours north and pulled into a little dealership and out front was parked the most beautiful chevelle I had seen with my 2 eyes at the time. It was white with a black top and just as clean as it could be, not a scratch to be found. the salesman came outside and cranked it up and tapped the gas peddle and the whole car tilted over and rattled the ground. My dad was trying to talk to me about weather or not I liked it but I just couldnt get any words out of my mouth because I couldnt believe dad was contemplating getting me such a nice car. after a few min we drove home and dad said he was going to sleep on it. Well the next morning dad came upstairs and sat down and smiled and asked if I wanted to bring it home today and for some reason I just couldnt talk again. Anyway we went and purchased the car and I got to experience a whole day of being speechless. I found out you cant talk and smile at the same time so I just couldnt talk A few months later dad blew the motor up in it and we rebuilt the 396 with high compression pistons, nasty cam, ect. ect. and I tinkered on it all throughout high school learning the ropes and did it completely sober. well when I graduated from high school my dad woke me up that morning and said he was bringing my graduation present to me and I looked arround and he didnt have anything so i was kinda confused... he reached in his pocked and tossed me a set of keys and said "its yours"

I have been tinkering and restoring ever since and proudly sharing it with other car enthusiast at the shows. So there is a little history on where my automotive knowledge came from.

I know how lucky I am to have a father give me something like this. There isnt a day that goes by that I dont think about it. Dad has never been known to spoil anybody. He has always given me only what I needed and taught me to work for the rest so you can imagine how much that car means to me.

 

[Busted Knuckles]

That is an awesome story, I got my 65 stang, for about the same reason, I harrased my old man into buying it, it got me out of his hair !

Heres, the kicker, your 68, is the exact same car I had, white, with the black vynil top, yours is the first 68 SS Ive ever seen that was white with a black top.

What color interior is yours ?

I just love the lines of those cars...and the sad part is I cant afford one anymore, they are just to expensive, or Id have another !

 

[Old Dog]

My old man was always working on the car or tractor while I was growing up, so therefore so was I.
I was into drag racing before 4 wheeling so I've been working on something my whole life.
I've found that as long as I pay attention to what I'm takeing apart I can put it back together. (most of the time )

 

[Travis]

Grew up on a farm in Kansas. Learned my skills from working with my dad growing up. Always had farm equipment/vehicles to work on.

Enjoy working with my hands and seeing the result of a hard day(s) work.

 

[Sasquach]

Well I'd have to say much of my knowledge comes from sites like this.
My knowhow on the other hand come from similar stories as posted, if someone had a dead lawnmower I tore it apart to see what made it tick, rebuilt bicycles for resale, of course dad had all the tools I needed we spent every evening in the garage working on something. By my senior year of high school I was working as a journeyman motorcycle mechanic in a mid size shop.
All this comes in very handy owning a CJ.

 

[Purple77CJ7]

Looks like quit a few learned on the farm. No place better to learn IMO!

 

[kickitandholdit]

That is an awesome story, I got my 65 stang, for about the same reason, I harrased my old man into buying it, it got me out of his hair !

Heres, the kicker, your 68, is the exact same car I had, white, with the black vynil top, yours is the first 68 SS Ive ever seen that was white with a black top.

What color interior is yours ?

I just love the lines of those cars...and the sad part is I cant afford one anymore, they are just to expensive, or Id have another !

haha thats awesome and thanks i love the lines too. sometimes i find myself going into the garage to get something and i get stuck standing there just looking at it and forget what i went to the garage for haha
i have never seen another 68 ss 396 chevelle that was white with a black top either. (not even on the internet) maybe there is only 1 and im driving that ole junker you drug home haha
The interior is black. its also an automatic car.

 

[kickitandholdit]

Looks like quit a few learned on the farm. No place better to learn IMO!

Cheers to the shade tree mechanics!!!

 

[rr41mag]

I got a 72 landcruiser to go offroading with. I had no mechanical knowledge and was scared to even take a wheel off. When the brakes went out I paid $120 for the toyota dealer to fix them. That sucked especially when your only making $300 evry two weeks. Never again would I do that and I haven't looked back since then. I've changed numerous motors, Couldn't say how many vehicles I have painted. I've restored a 65 chevy truck (on a 72 chassis) 64 buick rivera, I'm doing a ground up total restoration on a 66 chevy truck right now, I put a v8 in a toyota landcruiser, And am also working on a 93 gmc jimmy s15 putting a v8 in it. Just get out there and do it.

 

[kickitandholdit]

I got a 72 landcruiser to go offroading with. I had no mechanical knowledge and was scared to even take a wheel off. When the brakes went out I paid $120 for the toyota dealer to fix them. That sucked especially when your only making $300 evry two weeks. Never again would I do that and I haven't looked back since then. I've changed numerous motors, Couldn't say how many vehicles I have painted. I've restored a 65 chevy truck (on a 72 chassis) 64 buick rivera, I'm doing a ground up total restoration on a 66 chevy truck right now, I put a v8 in a toyota landcruiser, And am also working on a 93 gmc jimmy s15 putting a v8 in it. Just get out there and do it.

Do you have any pics of rivera and chevys??????? I like the front on the mid 60s riveras

 

[ken98k]

I don't really care for working on cars but, I like 40 year old Jeeps, and I hate paying someone to do things I can do myself.

A few years ago I was shocked when a gunsmith told me $700 to rebarrel a $400 hunting rifle.
Well I did some research and now I have a pretty well-equipped machine shop in my garage.

I guess my point is, Just do it.