Where are all the mechanics?

[simplyconnected]

I am not in 100% of this view. Today's tech is much more knowledgeable than those of yesterday. The systems are much more complex and that they lack basic understanding of a half century old technology does not warrant demeaning one.

On the other hand, you have knowledgeable techs, good techs, bad techs and down right thieves who give the industry a bad name (has always been like this).

Why is it so hard to find a mechanic to work on our classic cars? Certainly, all the basic components from classic cars are also in new models. They do the same job using the same fuel.

It's true, if a mechanic runs into a car with no codes, he will shy away from that job. I have a buddy who owns a trans & gear shop. His son does all the modern six-speed and European transmissions. But when a Cruise-O-Matic comes in, he immediately calls 'Dad'.

We have all run into this before. Modern mechanics have told me they know nothing about working on classic cars. The guy I bought my bone stock '55 Customline from in Missouri said the same thing when I questioned the 'remote start' button running from the starter solenoid to the steering column.

Sure, more electronics have been added to more closely control the engine, but it's basically the same car and the same powertrain.

On a separate note, one thing I really hate is the change from having a mechanical override on everything. How many deaths occurred recently because there was no way to shut down the engine on modern cars? This would NEVER happen in the old days. - Dave

[Joe Johnston]

I too find it hard to understand but I don't understand the facination of all these "I-thingies" or the blue teeth people have today - so I have to think its that "generator gap" I hear about. I'm old enough to remember these cars when they were new. Learned to drive and seriously abuse my parent's 64 Galaxie with 352, 4bbl, & 3 speed. Buddy had a 63 with a 4 speed (Dad's was faster!) and the first car of my own was a 67 Fairlane GTA with 390. I have an advantage of learning on these cars during my mis-spent youth. However, my 8 year old grand-daughter knows more about a computer than I do, the 3 year old does math on the computer, yet they won't ever be taught cursive writing in school. Everything is different today.

I knew nothing about the operation of the convertible top on 61/63 Thunderbirds, but I had all the manuals in hand before the car I purchased was delivered. They are a bit complicated at first, but I learned only one thing happens at a time. With studying I have solved all my problems - at least until the next malfunction. Without a doubt, far easier for me than trying to get my wireless network secured!

Guess there isn't enough time today. We want instant answers or a plug to connect a gizmo to so it will spit out the answers. This forum is a great resource, but so many people want it easy and don't have the time, ability, workspace, or desire to work through a mechanical issue or study a few pages in a manual to learn how a vacuum guage can help, or understand the causes of hard starting, overheating, effects of bad grounds, or whatever. Mechanics won't have the manuals unless the owner provides them, and then will the shop foreman allow a tech to sit and study a book for 30 min at what ever the shoprate is?

I wonder if I took my 57 to the local Ford dealer to have the lifters adjusted if a tech could do it??

Things are different & they don't build em like they used to.
Ain't it the truth?

[simplyconnected]

I'm a member at AACA, and I found it very clever how guys with brass cars still set their timing WITHOUT any timing marks.

All the engines were inline and they used a special length rod. They pulled #6 spark plug out and dropped the rod down. When the piston height was at the mark on the rod, the mechanic would stop turning the crank. Then he turned the radio between stations and cranked the volume up to hear 'white noise'.

He then turned the distributor back and forth. Just when the points opened, a "TICK" sound came out of the radio speaker. That's IT! Crank the distributor down and the timing was perfectly set. I guess they used electronic tuning wayyyy before we knew about it. - Dave

[63-4drpost]

mekanik

I have been a Ford mechanic for about 60 years now, counting helping my Dad when I was 7. I took a carb off a wrecked 1942 ford v8, took it completely apart. Thought I really did something! Then Dad told me to put it back together!.(put the loose parts in the fuel bowl and stuck the top on)
90% of the mechanics I have worked alongside through the years fif not know much about tuning an engine by carb jets, timing,etc.
They are there to make a living the only way they know how. It is not a hoby to them. That is why it is so easy to be a mechanic now, they get training from the manufacturers and have the tools an equipement to quickly diagnose and repair cars.
I had a guy at the shop come and ask me one day about a Pinto he was working on. It missed going up a hill on a pull. I said it needs spark plugs, because it only missed when it was warmed up. HE said he had it on the Sunnen scope, and it said the plugs were good. He screwed around a while longer, then replaced the plugs, worked fine. There are still mechanics out there, just have to look harder.

[simplyconnected]

Ok, I guess nobody really knows where all the mechanics went.

Back in the day, folks could work on their own engines. It seemed there were LOTS of mechanics. The ease in swapping engines paved the way for hot rodders.

Today and in the past few decades, who swaps engines anymore (except for exact match parts and especially in front wheel drive cars)?

Auto parts stores strictly adhere to 'year, make and model' of your car because it is very rare to find any deviation from 'stock'.

Mechanics follow the exact same protocol when troubleshooting. Very rarely do they deviate. So fixing a classic car is very different to them. - Dave

[fcar]

Mechanics fixed/repaired items generally based on training and/or experience and have or are being replaced by "technicians" who replace items based on algorithms/flow charts.

[KULTULZ]

You are equating having a jet airliner tech being asked to work on a SPAD. He has neither the training, knowledge or most likely the desire to perform the task.

Cars like this require a specialty shop that specializes in older technology.

It costs money to have a modern shop tied up with an older vehicle.

[Guest]

When I asked the old mechanic who is about to work on my car, where are all the real mechanics now? His reply:-) driving trucks!

[Ian M Greer]

I can certainly tune in on the conversation , with my son being a current Ford mechanic . He has been attending most of the advanced Ford tech teaching school programs and I really give him credit for taking the initiative to attend them . He is one of their top techs and well respected by all the staff at Ford . To the point in question , when he went to write his licence one area inperticular gave him trouble . They went into depth on carburators and of co**** he has only worked on fuel injection systems . Father came to the rescue with my T-bird books and other old books on carburated cars . Neal is fascinated with our T-bird with it's multiple carb set-up and has commented on various old style set-ups on the car ( look at the size of the steering box !!!) But I must admit with me being a devoted Ford man , strongly believing in supporting the North American ecomomy , he can drive my F-150 down the road and tune into the slightest noise or vibration and know I have a problem and what it is . Ian (REMEMBER NOT ALL BIRDS FLY SOUTH)

[dgs]

It seems like modern technicians are trained to scan for a code, look it up & replace the part the computer tells them to. Not much diagnosis anymore.

I had a Nissan some 18 years ago with a terrible miss. I was traveling and the out of town dealer diagnosed skipped timing and a bad crank position sensor. Replaced timing belt & sensor and all was fine - for a few weeks. Took it to my local dealer and got the same diagnosis. They replaced it again and it was fine only for a day. I took it back and they had it for a few weeks before they discovered that the spline at the end of the exhaust cam was worn causing excess play in the crank sensor causing it to act erratically leading the computer to (wrongly) conclude that the timing had jumped and ultimately destroying the sensor. Had the first mechanic (or the second) taken a good look at that spline, they may have caught it and saved me a bunch of money. They trusted the computer and didn't bother to look any further.

[eagle_restorations]

Theres a huge gap opening in the industry as the veterans who have all the hands on experience on old cars retire. There really is no program im aware of that educates younger techs on old technology. This leaves you with a few legacy guys who pick it up from a father, grandfather, or uncle. Another problem that arises is craftsmanship. Lets face it, there isnt a whole lot of plug-and-play or bolt on in many of these old cars. Since craftsmanship is such a tough thing to teach, it falls by the wayside. I walked away from the tech end just because it does nothing for me. Maybe im crazy, but I just dont take much pride in plugging a scan tool into a corolla... its so much more fun swearing, hitting things with a big hammer, and throwing wrenches. All joking aside, its going to do nothing but get harder to find competent mechanics as more kids grow up playing with ipads, and less grow up learning that the square peg isnt gonna fit the round hole, the hard way.

[del]

Where are all the "old" mechanics...?

...look in the mirror. That's where I found mine.

[LuckyJay]

It's off the subject a bit, but, old mechanics have gone the way of good old Barbershops. It's hard to have a female ask "Which depth of clipper shrouds do you want me to use?"

[Traxxas]

Why is it so hard to find a mechanic to work on our classic cars? Certainly, all the basic components from classic cars are also in new models. They do the same job using the same fuel.

It's true, if a mechanic runs into a car with no codes, he will shy away from that job. I have a buddy who owns a trans & gear shop. His son does all the modern six-speed and European transmissions. But when a Cruise-O-Matic comes in, he immediately calls 'Dad'.

We have all run into this before. Modern mechanics have told me they know nothing about working on classic cars. The guy I bought my bone stock '55 Customline from in Missouri said the same thing when I questioned the 'remote start' button running from the starter solenoid to the steering column.

Sure, more electronics have been added to more closely control the engine, but it's basically the same car and the same powertrain.

On a separate note, one thing I really hate is the change from having a mechanical override on everything. How many deaths occurred recently because there was no way to shut down the engine on modern cars? This would NEVER happen in the old days. - Dave

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBwS66EBUcY

I think this sums things up quite nice for you :P

[Yadkin]

I'm amazed at how mysterious carburetors to young guys now. It's such a simple device. Take it apart, pay attention, clean it all up, read the diagram that comes with the kit to put it back together and make the adjustments as you do it. Then tune it on the car.

Instead guys will toss a nice Autolite and buy a Holly, and of course never adjust anything when they put it in.

I recently rebuilt one that had been done by a "Ford Expert", and it was all wrong.