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  • New Mechanic

    Yesterday we had a few friends over, among them was a boy who has just completed his schooling at Wyoming Technical institute aka Wyotech. The women all went off to discuss women stuff like scrapbooking, facebooking and what they posted about their idiot husbands. So we took the opportunity to grill young Kevin about his education. Somehow the conversation got around to valve grinding and seats, I mentioned the practice of hand-lapping. Kevin looked at me like I was speaking Venusian and when I explained the process he grinned and said “You’re making that up aren’t you?”. My explanation was bourne out by others present so we adjourned to the shop where I had a TR-3 head that I was freshening up. So I showed him the little double ended can of Clover and a stick with a suction cup on the end and then demonstrated the procedure.
    Kevin told us about the valve and seat grinding equipment they had in school, which is state of the art computer controlled and extremely accurate. He said they had never gone over any of the “historical” methods for repairing engines. I told him he should read “The Grapes of Wrath” . When he told me he read that in Jr. High, I suggested he read it again and pay attention to the chapter where the author mentions some of the repairs going on in the roadside camps.
    I told Kevin not to feel too badly about the gaps in his education, that there are guys out there that will help him learn on the job like most people do. You just have to be able to admit you don’t know everything there is to know.
    If he’s smart and takes the advice of some of the old guys, he’ll catch on at an independent shop with a grumpy old mechanic and learn his trade. I suspect however that he will hire on at a dealership and do oil changes for a year before he gets a chance to do anything else.

  • #2
    Boy, I must be getting old. Somehow I never thought of these methods as "historical"...

    Comment


    • #3
      Our son completed a 2 year automotive tech. program sponsered in part by Ford. He had a job waiting at a Ford dealership when he graduated. Sure enough, he spent the better part of a year changing oil and doing light service on vehicles. Finally, he had enough of that, and wet out and got a real mechanics job. He got lucky and was hired on at a small, independent, foreign auto repair shop. The owner is an "old-timer" who has forgotten more than most mechanics will ever know. The owner is a great teacher and is passing along all kinds of "historical" info and techniques to our son. He is learning the kind of stuff that they won't/don't teach in shop classes.
      Jeff

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Bob Thompson View Post
        so we adjourned to the shop where I had a TR-3 head that I was freshening up.
        Bob,
        As in Triumph TR3?

        John

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Hobcobble View Post
          Bob,
          As in Triumph TR3?

          John
          That's the one, well TR3A to be exact. Belongs to a friend. These are nifty little engines.

          Comment


          • #6
            I will keep this in mind. My soon to be 19 year old is going to start a two auto/auto body course at a local community college (right after he finishes his yearly workcation as a cowboy on his uncle's ranch).

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Bob Thompson View Post
              That's the one, well TR3A to be exact. Belongs to a friend. These are nifty little engines.
              Indeed they are. My dad has owned this '56 since '58.
              We restored it a few years back....
              John
              Attached Files

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Bob Thompson View Post
                Yesterday we had a few friends over, among them was a boy who has just completed his schooling at Wyoming Technical institute aka Wyotech. The women all went off to discuss women stuff like scrapbooking, facebooking and what they posted about their idiot husbands. So we took the opportunity to grill young Kevin about his education. Somehow the conversation got around to valve grinding and seats, I mentioned the practice of hand-lapping. Kevin looked at me like I was speaking Venusian and when I explained the process he grinned and said “You’re making that up aren’t you?”. My explanation was bourne out by others present so we adjourned to the shop where I had a TR-3 head that I was freshening up. So I showed him the little double ended can of Clover and a stick with a suction cup on the end and then demonstrated the procedure.
                Kevin told us about the valve and seat grinding equipment they had in school, which is state of the art computer controlled and extremely accurate. He said they had never gone over any of the “historical” methods for repairing engines. I told him he should read “The Grapes of Wrath” . When he told me he read that in Jr. High, I suggested he read it again and pay attention to the chapter where the author mentions some of the repairs going on in the roadside camps.
                I told Kevin not to feel too badly about the gaps in his education, that there are guys out there that will help him learn on the job like most people do. You just have to be able to admit you don’t know everything there is to know.
                If he’s smart and takes the advice of some of the old guys, he’ll catch on at an independent shop with a grumpy old mechanic and learn his trade. I suspect however that he will hire on at a dealership and do oil changes for a year before he gets a chance to do anything else.
                Hopefully he will find someone to as you say "fill in the gaps"

                The Automotive Mechanics field is dwindling fast ,being replaced by parts changers.

                My dad graduated Top Automotive classman of 1948 from Rankin Technical Institute, St. Louis Mo.

                For doing so he was awarded with numerous "state of the art" tool and test equipment of the time, and sent to GM in Kalamazoo Michigan to study and learn "Hydra-Matic" Transmissions.

                He went on to open and operate his Garage and towing business until he retired.

                I have learned everything from him for the last fifty + years starting at around the age of eight.
                All through that time he tried to discourage me and wanted for me to better my-self.
                So I changed up a little and went into heavy equipment.
                I have never regretted my decision, although my knees and shoulders will
                say otherwise.

                I just recently saw the below photo on another site I visit and remember him showing me this Years ago to help discourage me, haha.

                In the smaller photo,
                Dad is in the foreground waving his hat with my youngest brother and I am in front of the old Koerhing Crane we just brought home with my middle brother on my right and a friend on my left.
                Picture was from the early sixties.

                Wishing all the new young Mechanics out there the "Best of Luck" and stay the course.
                TGP
                Attached Files
                WDX & Misc. Pics.
                http://www.t137.com/cpg/index.php?cat=10010
                "47" Dodge WDX WW
                "52" Dodge M-37 WW
                "54" Willys M38A1
                "65" Kaiser M35A1 WW
                "77" Chev. K-30 400T,205,4.56 "No-Spin"
                "84" Chev, K-30 Cummins 6-BTA 400,205,3.73Locker
                "86" Chev, M1028A2 (K30) 6.2,400.205,4.56 Locker
                "99" Dodge Durango "Limited Slip"
                "99" Dodge 3500 CTD 4x4"No-Spin"

                Comment


                • #9
                  Great photo. I bet that brings back a lot of memories for you. I like that old white truck tractor too.
                  Jeff

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Hobcobble View Post
                    Indeed they are. My dad has owned this '56 since '58.
                    We restored it a few years back....
                    John
                    That looks like a nice one John, The one I'm helping with is BRG and I've already helped him improve the exhaust and fit a pair of Webers on . I put his head back together last night and he's installing it tonight. I expect to hear it roaring up the drive at any moment.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Tom Petroff View Post
                      Hopefully he will find someone to as you say "fill in the gaps"

                      The Automotive Mechanics field is dwindling fast ,being replaced by parts changers.

                      My dad graduated Top Automotive classman of 1948 from Rankin Technical Institute, St. Louis Mo.

                      For doing so he was awarded with numerous "state of the art" tool and test equipment of the time, and sent to GM in Kalamazoo Michigan to study and learn "Hydra-Matic" Transmissions.

                      He went on to open and operate his Garage and towing business until he retired.

                      I have learned everything from him for the last fifty + years starting at around the age of eight.
                      All through that time he tried to discourage me and wanted for me to better my-self.
                      So I changed up a little and went into heavy equipment.
                      I have never regretted my decision, although my knees and shoulders will
                      say otherwise.

                      I just recently saw the below photo on another site I visit and remember him showing me this Years ago to help discourage me, haha.

                      In the smaller photo,
                      Dad is in the foreground waving his hat with my youngest brother and I am in front of the old Koerhing Crane we just brought home with my middle brother on my right and a friend on my left.
                      Picture was from the early sixties.

                      Wishing all the new young Mechanics out there the "Best of Luck" and stay the course.
                      TGP
                      The good ones can't be scared off. The problems are like big puzzles to solve.
                      Those are great photos.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Bob Thompson View Post
                        That looks like a nice one John, The one I'm helping with is BRG and I've already helped him improve the exhaust and fit a pair of Webers on . I put his head back together last night and he's installing it tonight. I expect to hear it roaring up the drive at any moment.
                        Funny you mention BRG Bob..... My dad had his TR3 repainted back in the
                        mid '60s and went with BRG. For the restoration though, he went back to
                        the original red.
                        John

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          The new generation of mechanics, technicians and gear heads are on an entirely different level than I am used to. Lap top computers sitting on the passenger seat, checking air fuel ratios, ignition timing and such. I haven't been building cars and trucks for that long. Roughly 20 years. I never thought this day would come. I didn't think I would be posting this using my telephone either. Times are changing for sure, but the fundamentals will always be the same.
                          1967 W200.aka.Hank
                          1946 WDX.aka.Shorty
                          2012 Ram 2500 PowerWagon.aka Ollie

                          Life is easier in a lower gear.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Matt, when you wrote "posting this with my telephone" my mind went to 14.7 modem.
                            The discussion about "Mechanic" vs. "Technician" has been held here more than once. I consider myself a mechanic mainly because I don't need to rely on a computer to tell me what is wrong. Having said that I have changed with the times and I use diagnostic software when I need to. With the majority of the boards being potted these days you can't poke around with an O-scope and a signal generator. My definition of a technician is someone who can't fix anything without an OBD port and a laptop or code reader/loader. They are essentially parts changers with with good typing skills.
                            I do enjoy converting one to the other. It's a long process that is never really completed. But when you find one with the potential to be a real mechanic it can be well worth it.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Hobcobble View Post
                              Funny you mention BRG Bob..... My dad had his TR3 repainted back in the
                              mid '60s and went with BRG. For the restoration though, he went back to
                              the original red.
                              John
                              Red is a great colour for TR's. I saw one in Prague that was royal blue, and it looked great . I chatted with the owner for over an hour in a pub about the TR series and British Leyland in general. You never know where you'll meet a fellow traveler.
                              I have a preference for "British Racing Green" as it was the campaign colour of England for several decades.
                              I think I have seen TR's in every colour you care to mention. Even a pink one.

                              Comment

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