The tool question had me thinking.
How many people actually work on their own cars.
My current collection includes a 2012 Corvette Grand Sport, 2003 Mercury Marauder, 2008 Ford F350 Super Duty, 2001 Porsche Boxster, and a 2009 Crown Victoria, 1969 Camaro, as well as a TR6 in the middle of being restored.
I work on all them besides the Corvette, I let the dealer worry about it as it comes with the warranty. I do all my oil changes, filter changes, preventative maintenance, timing belts, carb rebuilds on the Camaro, and almost every performance modification.
I really enjoy getting my hands dirty, its good fun.
It does disappoint me that newer cars don't need nearly as much attention as old cars.
After I finish the TR6 I plan on getting a 57 Thunderbird to restore.
I also keep repair manuals of all my vehicles.
All of them are modified in some way besides the Crown Vic. That one is still mostly stock except for deleting the catalytic converters ( besides my Corvette, all my cars lack them, its the first thing I remove and the TR6 and Camaro clearly don't have them to start with.), and putting a decent exhaust on it.
But I just love working on cars, for my friends and family, if they aren't in the best financial position, and need expensive work done on cars, they're always welcome at my house, I can repair almost anything, besides transmissions, I lack special tools for that job. But I have rebuilt engines before. Tho I tend to avoid that kind of thing.
Recently, a young family member of mine bought his first car, a 1998 Honda Civic Coupe, 1.5 Liter, I think? We did the timing belt, water pump, all the suspension bushings, clutch, new linkage, oil change, gear oil change, brakes all around, rear disc brake conversion, installed a new AC compressor, spark plug wires and new spark plugs, valve cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, new fuel filter. And finally new CV Boots. Car has about 75,000 miles on it, and its in good condition. Runs great. Very good first car for my 16 year old nephew.
I enjoy working on cars, and I made a deal that I would pay for half the cost of replacement parts if he would be willing to work on it with me and learn, and give me a hand chopping firewood for my mancave fireplace. and he did. The cost of the parts wasn't really that much and I got a helping hand with firewood.
We also added a nice cold air intake, engine tune ( I had a guy I know make one up ), and a not ricer loud free flowing exahust that give it just a little bit of extra noise while not being a fart pipe, threw it onto a local Dyno at a shop, it produced 137 horsepower, not bad considering it only made 115 from the factory, great fun little gas saver for a kid, I also blown away it had independent rear suspension, I told him if he wants to put new suspension on it for some corner carving, I'll show him how to install it.
Most importantly, I also created a person who knows how to work on his own car, rather than wasting money on a mechanic for simple repairs.
How many people actually work on their own cars.
My current collection includes a 2012 Corvette Grand Sport, 2003 Mercury Marauder, 2008 Ford F350 Super Duty, 2001 Porsche Boxster, and a 2009 Crown Victoria, 1969 Camaro, as well as a TR6 in the middle of being restored.
I work on all them besides the Corvette, I let the dealer worry about it as it comes with the warranty. I do all my oil changes, filter changes, preventative maintenance, timing belts, carb rebuilds on the Camaro, and almost every performance modification.
I really enjoy getting my hands dirty, its good fun.
It does disappoint me that newer cars don't need nearly as much attention as old cars.
After I finish the TR6 I plan on getting a 57 Thunderbird to restore.
I also keep repair manuals of all my vehicles.
All of them are modified in some way besides the Crown Vic. That one is still mostly stock except for deleting the catalytic converters ( besides my Corvette, all my cars lack them, its the first thing I remove and the TR6 and Camaro clearly don't have them to start with.), and putting a decent exhaust on it.
But I just love working on cars, for my friends and family, if they aren't in the best financial position, and need expensive work done on cars, they're always welcome at my house, I can repair almost anything, besides transmissions, I lack special tools for that job. But I have rebuilt engines before. Tho I tend to avoid that kind of thing.
Recently, a young family member of mine bought his first car, a 1998 Honda Civic Coupe, 1.5 Liter, I think? We did the timing belt, water pump, all the suspension bushings, clutch, new linkage, oil change, gear oil change, brakes all around, rear disc brake conversion, installed a new AC compressor, spark plug wires and new spark plugs, valve cover gaskets, oil pan gasket, new fuel filter. And finally new CV Boots. Car has about 75,000 miles on it, and its in good condition. Runs great. Very good first car for my 16 year old nephew.
I enjoy working on cars, and I made a deal that I would pay for half the cost of replacement parts if he would be willing to work on it with me and learn, and give me a hand chopping firewood for my mancave fireplace. and he did. The cost of the parts wasn't really that much and I got a helping hand with firewood.
We also added a nice cold air intake, engine tune ( I had a guy I know make one up ), and a not ricer loud free flowing exahust that give it just a little bit of extra noise while not being a fart pipe, threw it onto a local Dyno at a shop, it produced 137 horsepower, not bad considering it only made 115 from the factory, great fun little gas saver for a kid, I also blown away it had independent rear suspension, I told him if he wants to put new suspension on it for some corner carving, I'll show him how to install it.
Most importantly, I also created a person who knows how to work on his own car, rather than wasting money on a mechanic for simple repairs.
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