How did you learn?

[slip knot]

I took my grandmothers Singer sewing machine apart when I was four. There are a ton of parts in a sewing machine BTW. I didn't get it put back togethe but got one helluva whipping.

I've been fascinated with mechanical gadgets ever since.

 

[iatros]

+ 1 for school of hard-knocks.

Bought a 74 Vette. Restored it with the help of Dad, the internet, some books, forums like this, and a lot of breakdowns on the side of the road

 

[red baron]

I have taken classes, apprenticed, and just dove into a project. Of those ways, I learned the most by just diving in to a project, and asking questions along the way!

 

[bazzateer]

When I retire (5 yrs to go) and can get my evenings back I'm going to sign on at night school for classic car body restoration classes - mechanics I can do, bodywork is a dark art. Being into 60's British cars it's an art I'll need to master.

 

[djd99]

Good question thunderchunky I learned early on from my father who always fixed everything and never hired out anything that he could do himself. And in the process I was alway's by his side watching everything he did from restoreing a 192? model A or the several model T's he's restored. He took the hole family to Hershey Pennsylvania to the swap meet every year for 20 sum years. Also he owned his own body shop witch also helped my mechanical knowledge.

When I was 12 I had the responsibility of most adults working on cars hell I would r&r a dash in a 80 olds cultass is record time he told me. Aside from this I refuse to pay for anything I can do for myself.
The best way to learn mechanical is start with small engines and work your way up from there. I've taught myself more by doing everything myself and leaning from my mistakes. Sometimes it ends up costing me more with my learning curve but it's worth every dime.

Prime example my ****** went out in my 2000 s10 blazer last year so hey I have a lift pulled many ******'s before so this is nothing new. So I'll save a few bucks right?

Well pulled the ******, took it to be rebuilt, put it back in no problem right. Well when I wen't to start the thing I knew something was terribly wrong by the horrible sound it made so Here I go and pull the thing back out. I didn't have the torque converter set in the transmission pump correctly and chewed up the pump in the transmission.

So I took the transmission back to my rebuilder and he just laughed at me so he said come back tomorrow and I'll have it patched up for ya. So the next day I pick it up and as I was leaving he said hey make sure you spin that converter and make sure it's not bound before you install your bolt's...............WTF this would of been helpful the first time I picked it up.... lol but hey I learned from it right?

As for body work there's no better experience than hands on, read up as much as possible and start small and work your way up from there. If your going to be working with filler that's an art by itself and does comes with experience from doing it. Don

 

[Falcon67]

I took my grandmothers Singer sewing machine apart when I was four. There are a ton of parts in a sewing machine BTW. I didn't get it put back togethe but got one helluva whipping.

I've been fascinated with mechanical gadgets ever since.

My mother gave me $20 to get something at the store. I bought a thread die set at the hardware store instead. So I was...10? I got in big trouble - but I still have the dies. That had to be some kind of sign...

 

[JCQuick]

Like many others my dad fixed most of his cars. I soon found out that all he did was rig them. He had an old 54 ford back in the 60's it was a true beater. When i was around 10-11 it use to have starter problems and he would make me pull the starter then he would strech the sping behind the gear and give it back to me to put back on. I even said to him would it be a good idea to replace it NaH.
I started racing motocross when I was 13 I would service the engine take the topend off and clean any carbon build up. it would allways ask me what was wrong and when I said nothing he would tell me I should leave well enough alone.
I got into the auto parts business when i was 17 and well it just got in my blood.

I've always been lucky to have friends as mechanics so when I did something or difficult they were there for help and or bail my *** out.

I always had a love for hotrods the parts gig leed to a nite time hobby building VW engines in the 70s and we drag raced an NHRA class car B/MC back then.

Later in life I got a job at a large independant body shop and leaned a bunch about paint/body work. My middle son followed me in that industry and is now an accomplished body tech and painter which has come in real handy

 

[formek]

by doing

 

[Ford12508]

My family has never been "poor" but we have never had cash coming out of our ears. We live in a really nice house, but thats because we got it from my grandfather and grandmother for very little compared to what it is worth. All their kids had moved out at this point, they had it to themselves for about 15 years or so. My grandfather was over 60 when we bought it because he wanted something lower maintenance. He was a very hard worker all his life, so when he moved to a trailer park(not a run down place, everyone in the place he lives is retired), we bought it off him for about 1/3 the value. My parents are both pretty good with household upkeep, so when something needs fixing, they would do it. I would always help, so by the time we redid our kitchen, I basically did the work with my mom.

As far as vehicles go, I am learning, but my dad does not touch them, even for oil changes. My mom told me when he was 25 or so, he tuned up my grandfathers car. It went from running a little rough to not starting she said. Who knows what he did, but he does not touch the vehicles.

 

[kerfball]

both grandpa's were lucky enough to work and retire from the local steel mill (empire detriot steel), they made and fixed everything they owned. Couple things i'll never forget, my moms dad made a drill press out of 2" pipe and angle iron. Poured his own babbet bushings. My dads dad made an icecream machine driven by a bicycle. Both of these guys would be mechanical wizards today but back then it was out of necessity. My dad was and is the same way but he is not a tinkerer. I guess just watching and helping these guys just kind of stuck with me. Bought my socket set when I was 9 (1970) still have it today. Got it home and my mom told my dad that I had something wrong me. No 9 year old kid buys tools, he just smiled. I remember in high school some of my "jock" buddies laughing because I was always buying tools with my extra money and working on things they thought were junk. Who's laughing now? I am. I've built and fixed so much of these guys junk to send one of my boys to college.

 

[bczygan]

Lefty Loosy, righty tighty,
BFW
BFH
Lots of heat Kroil and a long cheater
..........is there anything else?

 

[dolfans]

I more or less learned on my own or maybe watching on a few things. My father was mechanic before my time and then a truck driver. My grandfathers i dont know,but my mothers father and brother woked at International in Ohio back in the 50's. I have done some car repairs(brakes-front disc,oil changes,heater and upper radiator hose,plugs. I have never bleed brakes though. I tried to change a oil sending unit and that did not work out i broke it. I have done all of my plumbing though-pipes,wax seals,water heater and water tank. I would like to learn more on cars and houses

 

[SurfnSnow]

I kind of "had to" learn as I got into Off-roading and the broken parts that come with the hobby. Granted, I'm no mechanic but I take auto courses at the local JC when I can, help my friends wrench on their rigs, read as much as I can about the systems, parts, and goings on of what ever I'm working on at the time. The knowledge I have gained helps me on the trail if my rig or someone else's rig is broken down however I feel I still have a lot to learn.