How Long Have You Been Working on Cars?

"BZiel" (bziel)
11/06/2014 at 15:57 • Filed to: None

I was asked a couple of days ago how long I've been working on cars. I didn't have an immediate, exact answer, other than all my life. Really. I had never really given much thought to how long our family had been in automobile business.

You see, my father, and two of his brothers, the children of German immigrants to the United States, originally started their business running gas stations in the Flint, Michigan area during the late 1950's. Over the next twenty years they built a company that, among other things, owned a racetrack, many gas and repair stations, and was a testbed for products like Bahrdol and Bowes Seal Fast around the Motor City.

Now, as I look at the photograph, I realize that my family has been in the automobile business for over 60 years, and, it's still going strong today on two continents. I can't remember a time when there wasn't a car being worked on, restored, renovated, or otherwise being tinkered with.

Yes, everything has grown in complexity. Yes, all the problems have gotten bigger...but the love of cars has stayed the same.

DISCUSSION (25)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:00

I didn't do any real working on cars (other than holding a light for my dad, etc.) until I was 12 and the family Suburban popped a water pump. Did the replacement, dinged the radiator in the process, and replaced that too.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:00

Only a few years. I've done one major thing and that was in 2012 ( I think) and that was replacing the OEM shocks with Bilsteins on my grandfathers truck. I'm 16 so I haven't had much time. I have grown up around cars though.

CalzoneGolem > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:02

Since '84. That's me on the left.

Kinja'd!!!

lone_liberal > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:03

I always helped (and sometimes "helped") my dad but I got serious when I was 15 and my parents told me that I could have the Gran Torino if I could get it running. I'm 49 now so that's a long time. I really should be better at this stuff by now!

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:05

I didn't until I started in university, and one of my good friends talked me into doing a brake job on my car during a break at his parents' house.

Now I'm doing work on 5 of the 6 vehicles on my property. If the 6th didn't have a warranty, then I'd be doing the work on that one too.

505Turbeaux > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:06

I was 9 when my parents bought me a 59 VW bus, the Idiots guide, and gave me some tools, so 26 years.

And that picture is dope as hell. My German descended family just opened a bar in NYC, then had a German deli

Kinja'd!!!

EL_ULY > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:06

13 years

Meatcoma > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:08

At least 35 years, 27 of them mostly if not all on my own. The other 8 was mainly layin on the floor watching my dad and getting him tools and that's stating I started at 8, so maybe a few more.

BigBlock440 > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:14

Since 14 when I bought my car and actually did work, so 11 years. Longer if you count being a gofer and "hold this" as working on them.

BZiel > CalzoneGolem
11/06/2014 at 16:14

Reminds me of Michigan and snowplow season.

BZiel > 505Turbeaux
11/06/2014 at 16:16

Great photo, 505!

And, might I ask, where is the 59 now?

Party-vi > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:16

Not quite sure. Probably 12 years when my dad started the first build on his Wrangler.

BZiel > 505Turbeaux
11/06/2014 at 16:18

Great picture, 505!

And, might I ask, where is the '59 now?

505Turbeaux > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:20

I sold it when I was 13 and bought a 64 21 window and a 63 13 window splitty

BZiel > 505Turbeaux
11/06/2014 at 16:29

And, where are those now? Dear god man...you gotta start keeping stuff!

505Turbeaux > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:33

I have had too much fun in life to hang onto anything. 80+ up till now. I keep this pretty up to date... http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/the-list-13830…

and yeah I know how much those 21's are worth these days. I did make a shitload of money on it, but not close to what I would have made now.

Takuro Spirit > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:52

Was just talking about this today, about how I can pinpoint the moment I got into cars, and subsequently, the car biz.

Asking my dad when I was 3 or 4 if I could watch him work on his car. A pale yellow '77 Celica ST. When he opened the hood, and it FLIPPED FORWARD, my little brain assploded. I am pretty sure I had Hot Wheels and whatnot back then, but that was the first full size car I wanted to "play" with.

All through school I enrolled in automotive classes, and my first job OUT of school was at a quick lube, changing oil.

That was.... 1998. Been working on cars and/or in dealerships ever since.

Decay buys too many beaters > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 16:53

I was born in a car :)

But seriously, dad was a gear head and I've been around cars my whole life. I however only started working on them about 5 years ago when I impulsively bought an early 80s motorcycle.

BZiel > Party-vi
11/06/2014 at 16:54

Is he still working on it? lol

BZiel > Takuro Spirit
11/06/2014 at 16:57

A hood that opens the wrong way? What a great introduction to cars!

notacarguy > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 17:06

I only know how to be a passenger!

desertdog5051 > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 17:10

What a cool picture. Bet you are proud of that. Me? Since about age 13 or 14. Would go to the Standard station and hang out with the 2 gearheads who ran it and shag tools and parts for them and pump customers gas when they were busy working on their cars.

BZiel > EL_ULY
11/06/2014 at 17:23

But you know at least 20 years of tech...right?

j/k You're one of the good ones...I enjoy your posts.

Party-vi > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 17:26

Yes haha. He's on his third or fourth engine build, but this will probably be his last seeing as he can't get any more power out of it unless he uses forced induction.

EL_ULY > BZiel
11/06/2014 at 17:52

this was a rad post as well :]