I’m not really a car guy anymore.

[sugarwood]

I was LUCKY enough to live next to friend A who had an older brother who was a mechanic. Because of elder influence, Friend A got a small Honda 50. As as result of Friend A, friend B bought an Enduro bike from his older brother's friend. B let me ride his bike in the woods, and I learned to drive a clutch at age 14. (The first time I drove a car with a clutch, I already knew how to clutch, and I didn't buck or stall even once, LOL)

Without friend A, NONE of the following steps would ever occur.

Because of A & B, I purchased a 100cc Enduro motorcycle at age 14 or 15.

Luckily, by then, my father had shown me how to use his screwdrivers and ratchet set. Most unlucky people literally have no idea which way to turn a bolt. Why would they? So, it was not a crazy leap. Friend A was my gateway to DIY.

Now owning a moto, I learned what an ICE was and learned to tighten the chain, change fouled spark plugs, adjust the idle, replace a worn sprocket, and change the oil.

Then at 16, I bought my first car for $150. I used my moto DIY exposure and applied it to the car. I learned to change the carb thermostat, air filter, PCV valve, change hoses, change oil and filter, tighten fan belt, alternator, replace a fender, use Bondo, remove bumpers, replace bulbs, etc. I stripped the car of all trim and drove it to Maaco. Still using dad's tools. Lucky me.

Did not touch anything mechanical for decades, as I was immersed in my career and many different serious hobbies.

Decades later, fed up with overpriced and overhyped Japanese cars, I started buying cheap depreciated enthusiast cars and dove in deeper than ever. Forums, books, and Youtube were my teachers.

Learned everything by myself, and not one person ever showed me jack. BUT, without friend A, I would never have known that I could learn this stuff.

Most people never have a friend A. Without friend A, none of the other **** ever happens. LUCK. Friend A makes all the difference in the world. The first step is literally the hardest, since most people literally do not know it exists. Not one person in history has ever taken that step in a vacuum. Everyone claims otherwise is a liar.

As a fitting addendum, many dormant decades after our trail riding escapades, friend A saw that I was engaging with cars again, DE days, DIY, tools, and that inspired him to get a few vintage cars in the last 2 years. Full circle of life.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

... Not one person in history has ever taken that step in a vacuum. Everyone claims otherwise is a liar...

You are full of it. You can tell us about your pathetic little experiences...but you have no idea what any of ours were. Calling people a liar that have different experiences than you is as sad as your little G50 rant. Maybe you are not quite the savant you believe yourself to be. Ever feel a little behind the rest in school? Have to repeat a couple grades? Maybe have an inferiority issue?

[manbridge 74]

“Everyone claims otherwise is a liar”?

Get a grip, man.

[Rawknees'Turbo]

I see what Wood is getting at about "doesn't happen in a vacuum", but based on my experience with the subject, and is what Randy and others have mentioned, most people that have any interest at all in learning how mechanical things work are not shy about getting in there and taking things apart, all on their own and with little to no guidance. I remember being a little kid, and when my Batman, windup alarm clock stopped working, I took that bisch apart to see if I could fix it (I couldn't, but at least I earned a participation trophy for effort!).

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by Rawknees'Turbo

I see what Wood is getting at about "doesn't happen in a vacuum", but based on my experience with the subject, and is what Randy and others have mentioned, most people that have any interest at all in learning how mechanical things work are not shy about getting in there and taking things apart, all on their own and with little to no guidance. I remember being a little kid, and when my Batman, windup alarm clock stopped working, I took that bisch apart to see if I could fix it (I couldn't, but at least I earned a participation trophy for effort!).

When I was 12, I took my 3-wheeler apart and then re-assembled it in my room. My mom was stunned and could not figure out how I got it through the door. That was after many "batman clock" type adventures. I used to take apart Realistic transistor radios and Sears Roebuck remote controlled cars. After years and years of this stuff I developed some ability.

[rusnak]

..and by the way, you people with neat garages disgust me. I seem to lack that gene.

[Rawknees'Turbo]

Originally Posted by rusnak

..and by the way, you people with neat garages disgust me. I seem to lack that gene.

Only girly-men have neat, and even worse, decorated, garages!

[rusnak]

Decorated?

I'm told I suck at that too.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by Rawknees'Turbo

I remember being a little kid, and when my Batman, windup alarm clock stopped working, I took that bisch apart to see if I could fix it

How did you know how to remove a screw?
You saw the screw thing and told your mother to go buy you a screwdriver?
How did you know what it was called ?

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

How did you know how to remove a screw?
You saw the screw thing and told your mother to go buy you a screwdriver?
How did you know what it was called ?

[onewhippedpuppy]

This is a weird thread. I blame Vash.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Rawknees'Turbo

Only girly-men have neat, and even worse, decorated, garages!

I have decorations.

[GH85Carrera]

Sugarwood, the real difference is that the mechanical things interested us, and drew us in. My co-workers and most of society have no aptitude or interest in it all, and no not WHAT to learn how to the simplest things.

Back in my days of dating, I met a very intelligent chick, and we hit things off enough for her to invite me to her place for dinner. She had a counter top microwave but was not using it at all. I asked about it and she said it did not work. I took it apart (while on my date still) and saw a blown fuse. There was a Radio Shack 1/4 mile from her house, and I got a box of fuses, and fixed it. She was flabbergasted. While we dated I fixed her land line phone line in the kitchen, added a exhaust fan to the bathroom, and many repairs over several months. She had simply waved those magnificent boobs at me and lured me to do her repairs. It worked on me for a lot of fixing of things. I was well compensated but never got a penny for my work. I was not upset.

[fastfredracing]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

I have decorations.

Flat Beds make the best work benches ! I left my roll back in last winter, you should have seen the mess I had going on that

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Sugarwood, the real difference is that the mechanical things interested us, and drew us in.

+1 Interest first then knowledge acquisition.

If you watched someone take a wall switch cover off that may have been enough to give you the guts to get into something yourself and promptly screw it up but you learned a little.

SW is right in that something will nudge you but every one of the people who have no interest had those same cues as well.

[ted]

The first car I bought with my own money was a VW bug.
This was my first repair manual, easy to read for a teenager with no mechanical background.

[dafischer]

How did you know that book existed? And why?

(Channeling SW)

[Won]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

This is a weird thread. I blame Vash.

He raises the question then watches it all unfold...

[KNS]

Originally Posted by ted

The first car I bought with my own money was a VW bug.
This was my first repair manual, easy to read for a teenager with no mechanical background.

That's the book I bought for my first car (a '68 Beetle)!

Knew very little about working on cars but dove in and got my hands dirty with that book. Loved it. I remember one of the lines out of the book: "doesn't matter if you're an Indian Chief, Gestalt Therapist, etc - anyone can learn to adjust their own valves". And I did.

[RANDY P]

I still have my copy, even tho I only owned one for a few mos. I keep all service books.

rjp