How many of you take your cars apart at home

After reading and gasping at Jeff Green's accomplishments and David Feinberg's response, it got me curious.

How many of you guys really take these things apart? Do the engine out guys also mess with getting the body right? Suspension etc? I know David was at one point messing with camber settings and such.

I'm trying to get to a point where I can do this myself. I am relatively informed via books only. In practice I know that is near worthless. Maybe start on an 80s Porsche engine or something. When did you guys get your start wrenching?

Cheers

Good Afternoon Taek-Ho....I'm not a mechanic by any stretch...just had to learn to keep my POS beater cars going. My first car ('71 Olds) was full of trouble, and at first I'd take it to a garage for fixing and then be flat broke for weeks. Well that got old, not to mention it severely hindered my partying - to a teenage kid that's priority! So I simply started by doing tune-up stuff and went from there. For real mechanics I have the utmost respect as they must have knowledge way beyond what I need to know, they have to learn all facets of autos not just the glamorous parts. I have done some suspension aligning using steel channel, wire, tape measure, and a level. Talk about caveman technology....but I was within 0.1 degrees of optimum amazingly. If you break things down to their simplest form it becomes much less intimidating. But it can be a nightmare to re-assemble several subsystems if your not organized and keep notes. As far as bodywork...NOPE! That's a black art as far as I'm concerned. I've tried a little here and there, but you really have to be talented, to have the knack. I once put a nasty deep gouge in my blue metallic ZR-1 right on the side of the hood! Several bodyshops said the color is not going to match exactly. I kept asking around and found a guy who had painted concours winning cars in his little grubby garage...so he said. Well he convinced me to let him fix the car...when done I could not tell anything happened no matter how hard I looked or what lighting was used! A true craftsman! I paid him an extra $100 because I was so happy with his work. A good body/paint guy is priceless. Just as a good trustworthy mechanic is priceless. Reading books is a very good start, you just need to suppliment it with some hands on. Once you have a level of confidence built up your off and running.

Every chance I get. I have always been interested in "How things work." In the 308 I have taken the dash apart, fixed the leaking A/C drain hose, cleaned the ECU contacts, fixed a loose connection on the Lambda valve, new spark plugs, parking brake assembly, and a few light fixtures. My next projects are the door hinge pins, and replacing the CV boots (all four of them). Then I'll take the center console out so I can go through the levers and knobs and lubricate them. I am really looking forward to doing the 60k service in a year or two. How many Ferrari owners have ever said that? I will really be leaning on JR and Ftalk for support on that one. Jeff hit the nail on the head, "If you break things down to their simplest form it becomes much less intimidating." That is very true.

I have done several restorations, and modified my viper a bunch when I have it. Body work is still pretty new to me, but I got my feet wet on my 70 'Cuda. Still haven't painted a car yet, but I will!

Cars were designed and built by people, just like you and me. The only thing that seporates us is knowledge. But, anyone can learn it... they did, why can't you?

I am helping a owner in my area on his Boxer, and making good progress. I don't claim to know everything there is to know, but I sure learn more and more each time I do it.

James

Encouraging words!

I'll think about this thoroughly for the next few weeks and see. I do really want to get started with a 930 Turbo and fix stuff as I go along. I think it would be tremendously rewarding experience. Ferraris are not a cost effective education for me and neither are Lamborghinis. So I'll probably go with Porsches. From my understanding, the 930s have decent parts availability and working on the cars is far easier than...say, a Ferrari.

Now to find a cheap 930 Turbo. Anyone? I'll probably sell my Corvette to make my wife happy.

Cheers

How about a nice Lotus Elan? Practical, reliable, doesn't leak oil and a blast to drive?

Well, OK, the last item was true...LOL!

My first real car was a 1970 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV. It wasn't exactly Italy's finest car...but I loved it when she ran. Unfortunately, my first "lesson" in wrenching was learning about, and ulimately repairing the ill-fated Spica mechanical fuel injection. Since then, there have been many Alfas, Porsches, Jags, Lotuses, Ferraris and others...

Fortuneately, I've been gifted with natural mechanical aptitude, though my confidence has built over the years as the projects have become more involved. I'm an engineer by education (EE/ME), so I tend to look at things in life very methodically, which helps (usually) in the diagnostics and reassembly process.

In many ways, my skill set is similar to Jeff's, in that I'll tackle anything mechanical or electric in nature, and leave the body work to the pros.

I only know "perfection", so I find working on cars a very rewarding experience...With the exception on the pain/body work on my BB, there's not a single mechical component on the car that I haven't rebulit...

The 930 is a bit "space-challenged" in the engine bay department, and wouldn't be my first choice to learn on...though there's a lot to be said for solid German engineering and fun-factor with this car.

Best of luck!

Regards,
David

Hello Taek -Ho..I learned mechanics by necessity,
my 1st car at 17 was a Healey 3000 that had been
sitting.(Entire hydraulic system). Couldn't afford to have mech. work done
so I bought a shop manual and some tools.
Next at 19 was a Lotus Europa(learned to read a
wiring diagram). Then at 21 Porsche 911 (learned
valve and carb. adjust and oil leak repair).
I presently have a 930 I have owned since 1986.
I have done many small things to the car.
The nice thing about Porsches is there is no water coolant system, so there are no fans to quit or systems to leak.
The engine compartment is cramped, but the entire engine/trans. is very easy to drop out of the car then you have total access to everything.

The bottom line is get a FACTORY shop manual and
read it, take your time and follow the directions.

My car is for sale, if you might be interested
contact me at info@exoticautobrokers.com
or call 636-273-6774,I would be happy to give you
details.

Chuck

I can't wait to do major service,it should be fun! I build street rods part time,did a few for my self.I would like to do a nice job like Jeff Green.(super job Jeff) I just hope I don't go to far with the project. I Started work on my vette and it turned in to a Bloomington Gold car. Now it's to nice to drive! I do not want to make that mistake again.


Bob

Well, my water pump was replaced this weekend, and I didn't have any nuts OR bolts left over.

Thanks to JRV for parts and tech support!

My neighbors were AMAZED!

>>Now it's to nice to drive! I do not want to make that mistake again.<<

Man, I can sure relate to that...{} !!!!!

It's one thing if you're a really rich guy and can afford to pay others to do the work &amp; keep it clean...but when you're just a working guy enthusiast and you have to do it all yourself.....it really gets your attention..{}

Best, JRV