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Date:         Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:28:43 -0700
Reply-To:     neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Are Today's Young People Mechanical Nitwits?
Comments: To: Aristotle Sagan <killer.jupiter@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <b45a982b0808141057k3e40a13at180f7733a0fa29fd@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Learning how to get things done yourself. For sure. --- :^)

I'm sure part of my Dad's master plan, was to see how well I did removing that engine, replacing the broken "hockey stick" in the tranny and "rebuilding" that 36 HP engine. He did buy it after all, and he paid for parts for the first while. A totally decent thing to do I must say. I digress....

I did learn the value of sticking with something (well most things anyway) and that one should be able to rely on themselves to do things. Working on this Beetle did teach me some valuable lessons.

I can put take apart and put together a computer tower, I cook ok, I can't sew worth a darn, but I can fix my dryer, washer, or stove (the "old school" ones anyway), do some aspects of renovating, etc.

And I too got yelled at (for good reason) about related things.

"Put the tools back!" and what not.

I still have a cluttered bench.... --- ;^)

But This all paid off. Now I have a running engine conversion in my Westy!

Cheers,

Neil.

On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 10:57 AM, Aristotle Sagan <killer.jupiter@gmail.com> wrote: > Well, yes... > > Spend half as much money and twice as much time as you think is right on > your kids. > > My Dad (MHRIP) had me out there on cold February nights explaining how to > rebuild a carb on a 65 Rambler, how the transmission rods worked on a 63 > Pontiac Tempest (and why torque tubes are a bad design on a 68 International > Travellal). How to rebuild brakes and bleed them, etc. etc. Yep, I got > yelled at occasionally when showing initiative (Where the HELL did you put > those lug nuts?!) He gave me presents like a wood lathe at the age of 12, a > drill press at the age of 13, and a band sander at 14. At 17 I got my first > set of Craftsman tools (He was tired of me losing his) and the promise that > if I fixed the brakes and transmission issues on said Tempest, I could have > it. Fixed the transmission, never got around to the brakes ( I couldn't > afford the insurance to get it on the road). > > The one thing he taught me carried over to all aspects of life... Don't > expect others to do your life's chores for you. Not your sisters, not your > girlfriends, not your wife, not the guy down at the service station. > > Hence I cook, I clean, I built my own computers, I program, I have rebuilt > the gas tank system on an 83 Vanagon, troubleshoot robotic systems, I make > my own quilts, I have a woodshop most of you would love to own. I have > replaced the engine in an 84 vanagon, rebuilt the bottom end of an 81 > Scirroco, rebuilt the head on a 78 Celica GT (Now that was a nice car). I > have a darkroom where I can process and develop up to 8x10 negatives, > enlarge up to 4x5 black and white (just not interested in color) and.. I > don't watch TV. Neither do my kids except for movies that we monitor. Still > haven't gotten them to change the oil in the family car yet... > > Anyhow, > > Thanks Dad. > > tim in san jose > >


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