i got into it because of my old man when i was a kid he had a 60'* oldsmobile f-80 i think it was and a 77 camaro and a 82 chevy c10 its been my thing my whole life its what i do its what i love i fell in love young and stuck with it

Think I got into cars at age 16. Was very poor and every penny counted. Had a El Camino and the battery kept going dead. Went to Sears and they stated a bad battery and sold me a new one (they were just as costly in 1980 as they are today). Three days later the battery was dead again. Ended up being a loose alternator belt. I have always tried to diagnose and repair whatever I could since the Sears experience.

Today- with forums like this, aftermarket parts manufacturers and specialty tools available to all of us- working on most cars is cheaper today than it was in 1980.

Dad for me as well. He can also be blamed for my twisted sense of humor. The first mechanical job he gave me after alot of pestering him to help was,.... "OK, hold this spark plug wire (lawnmower) for me while I pull the rope". Back then it was good to keep your small engines well tuned. The recoil starter hadn't been invented yet and you wound the rope around the top pulley for every pull. Hands on experience is always the best teacher. And learning fro your own mistakes, the a good remainder of the best/right way.

Your Dad did that too you........ ?????? ........... Maybe your older Brother... but not Pops....

I'm the oldest. And my dad was a Career Sergeant/Electrician/hobby mechanic w/beer in hand". Without writing a novel, that should explain alot. That said, he is a great colorful Dad. He just had a way with presenting things dramatically.

Grew up as a kid hanging out at a local shop learned little bit there. As I got older I bought an 04 Dodge Neon and Tuned on it then became a helper at a auto repair shop and learn something everyday. Now I have two Pontiacs and sold my Neon last month.

I started with my dad as well. Helping him out in the garage, fixing our vehicles. Then my sister married a mechanic and I spend time with him. Being a car owner makes my natural problem solving mind come into play. Something is broken, I see if I can fix it.

Plus, I love the proud feeling of fixing something that goes faster than your average commuter car

Wow, it seems like I'm one of few people that didn't have a father who was interested in cars or have a local auto parts store, garage, or junkyard to hang around in during my formative years. I'd like to think I'm doing fairly well for myself and starting from the bottom.

Keep the stories coming, though. It'* an interesting read.

I've ruined a fuel line and a spark plug (thankfully, not the head!) due to learning from my mistakes, and that'* just in the past two or three weeks. But at least I learned (and bought the proper tools) because of it.

I was always interested in cars but my parents never wanted me to do anything to them because they thought I would mess something up and not have a car for work/etc. So, for the most part, I would just read and read and read online and occasionally I would tinker with my friends cars too.

Then I decided.. f-this, I can do this, and did a (home ported) head and GT1 cam swap on my 1st 95 in my garage while they were away on vacation.. It was the first time I went past the UIM.. lol. It took me 36 hours straight and I finished at 10pm on a Sunday. I drove the car to work the next day with a big shiteatinggrin and black hands. That was 6 years ago and I've learned a ton since, just from reading and doing.

My dad has worked with cars all his life and I would go with him to work on days I didn't have school. I also helped with the stock cars and demolition derby cars when I could.

My first car was a Corsica and since there wasn't much I could do to it I just kept reading my dad'* magazines wishing I had a Mustang or other modern muscle car. When I turned 18 I got the Bonne and was looking around a couple days before I picked up the car for sites that had info on stuff I could do to the car. And that'* how I got here and started learning a lot more.