For the do-it-yourselfers

coached4417

coached4417

Well-Known Member
#1
#1
Where did you learn to do what you do on your Mustangs? Did you goto school, if yes where, tuition, which school would you rate the best or recommend?
Did you grow up with a motorhead who taught you all you know or did you just start hanging out at the garage with the muscle cars parked in front?

Were you able to learn just from reading, trial and error, or are you just mechanically inclined?

I would love to be able to learn to do this stuff myself and then pass it on to my sons?
Looking forward to hearing from NY Mustangs.
 
9

97modgt

Well-Known Member
#2
#2
i started when I bought and 18hp riding lawn mower for 50 bucks. pulled the mover deck and hooked a bungee cord to the governer and jacked the throttle. that mover would ride the pinal hook in the back.lol. you just have to tinker around. just dig in there and have a haines manual to guide you if needed. also there are many good articals in the 5.0, MMFF. All motor are very basic as for how they run. it gets technical when you are dealing with beefing them and know parts that combine well together. I used to just tinker as a kid though. tearing things apart to see what was inside was always fun. then you figure out what they do.
 
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9

97modgt

Well-Known Member
#6
#6
Quick281 said:
worked in the auto field for 5 years. i hate working on cars now.
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yeah I used to love to tinker but I worked on helicoptors for 5 years and there are days I just don't feel like touching a wrench. I can't say I don't love doing it though. Just takes motivation sometimes now.
 
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Cobra Esq

Cobra Esq

Member Plus / Moderator
#9
#9
Started by taking old upright Brigs & Stratons and mounting them in the frame of 24" bicycles. One hand on the handle bar and one hand on the engine working the carb. Moved up to cars with the help of manuals and my next door neighbor who worked as a Chevy mechanic. Of course things were easier then when you could stand between the engine and the inner fender.
 
9

97modgt

Well-Known Member
#10
#10
COBRA_ESQ said:
Started by taking old upright Brigs & Stratons and mounting them in the frame of 24" bicycles. One hand on the handle bar and one hand on the engine working the carb. Moved up to cars with the help of manuals and my next door neighbor who worked as a Chevy mechanic. Of course things were easier then when you could stand between the engine and the inner fender.
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sweet. I did that with and 044 stihl once. It was fun welding brackets everywhere and making it fit.haha. not as much power as you were sporting though i am sure
 
9

97NYstanGT

NYM Sig Master
#11
#11
i started when i got my first 95 v5 stang when i was 17, if i needed help i asked a question on mustangforums.com(the first mustang wall i ever joined. a lot of knowledgeable people there) then i tried, if i failed i would try again.
a year later i bought the GT. my friend knows much more than me in mustangs, and we hang out a lot. also i read hundreds of write ups on any kind of stuff.
knowledge comes from a lot of reading and practicing.
 
Monx

Monx

Member Plus
#12
#12
I had auto classes every year in high school, too bad I was a trouble maker and didn't catch as many things as I should have :smash:
 
Cobra Esq

Cobra Esq

Member Plus / Moderator
#13
#13
COBRA_ESQ said:
Started by taking old upright Brigs & Stratons and mounting them in the frame of 24" bicycles. One hand on the handle bar and one hand on the engine working the carb. Moved up to cars with the help of manuals and my next door neighbor who worked as a Chevy mechanic. Of course things were easier then when you could stand between the engine and the inner fender.
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97modgt said:
sweet. I did that with and 044 stihl once. It was fun welding brackets everywhere and making it fit.haha. not as much power as you were sporting though i am sure
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Welding LOL We were teens. Pull the pedals and sprocket, attach angle iron with hose clamps to hold the motor, attach a washing machine pully to the spokes of the rear wheel with blocks of wood, no clutch so you pushed started, hopped on and you were off. No brakes either, just a wire on the handle bar to short out the motor.:evil:
 
1990_LX

1990_LX

Clubhouse Moderator
#14
#14
97NYstanGT said:
i started when i got my first 95 v5 stang when i was 17, if i needed help i asked a question on mustangforums.com(the first mustang wall i ever joined. a lot of knowledgeable people there) then i tried, if i failed i would try again.
a year later i bought the GT. my friend knows much more than me in mustangs, and we hang out a lot. also i read hundreds of write ups on any kind of stuff.
knowledge comes from a lot of reading and practicing.
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ThoseV5 Stangs are rare!!;) I learn by ripping things apart and when I can't figure it out, look at a Haynes manual or ask for a hand. Honestly, I think that's the best way.:awesomework:
 
BlackStang14

BlackStang14

S197 Guru (1BADHRSE)
#15
#15
"A car is like grown mans Legos, They come apart and go back together basically the same way"...

Read and watch what people do, look at DIY's and start with small things...
 
W

Wicked One

Super Moderator / Member Plus / Formally Wicked Xt
Staff member
NYM Staff
#17
#17
Started when I was young. My father was in the Marine Core in the motor pool, then moved up rank to a drill instructor.

Since I was a kid he taught me ow to wrench, he raced all over NY in the 1/8th.

got my first car when I was 13 (yes, it was a 1965 6cy mustang). but before that I wrenched on my motocross bikes, before I was 13 I was able to rip apart a 2 stroke and rebuild the whole thing, including splitting the cases.

But I enjoy wrenching on cars, but the new mod motors are new to me, and I will take my time learning abut them before I do any real tear-down.

As my profession, I am an electrician, and have been wiring cars since as far back as I can remember and been in the union for a better part of 15yrs. I really like wiring.


I am out of work, anyone have any wiring that needs to be done, Cars home, space shuttle, doesn't matter.
 
BlackStang14

BlackStang14

S197 Guru (1BADHRSE)
#18
#18
Wicked Xtreme said:
Started when I was young. My father was in the Marine Core in the motor pool, then moved up rank to a drill instructor.

Since I was a kid he taught me ow to wrench, he raced all over NY in the 1/8th.

got my first car when I was 13 (yes, it was a 1965 6cy mustang). but before that I wrenched on my motocross bikes, before I was 13 I was able to rip apart a 2 stroke and rebuild the whole thing, including splitting the cases.

But I enjoy wrenching on cars, but the new mod motors are new to me, and I will take my time learning abut them before I do any real tear-down.

As my profession, I am an electrician, and have been wiring cars since as far back as I can remember and been in the union for a better part of 15yrs. I really like wiring.


I am out of work, anyone have any wiring that needs to be done, Cars home, space shuttle, doesn't matter.
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You Westchester, Greenville certified???
 
W

Wicked One

Super Moderator / Member Plus / Formally Wicked Xt
Staff member
NYM Staff
#19
#19
Certified in what.

My only certs are my union card and my CT license. Working on getting my ny contactors license.
 
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