We at MSCC have encountered different kinds of car guys at shows, from the rookies who are new to the vintage ride game, to the veterans who have been there and done that over many years of wrenching on rides.
It is safe to say we are always in awe when we are around the veteran car guy/gods at shows.
We want to sort out the car guys and we will start on the bottom rung of the ladder with the rookies.
Rookie car guys love the old rides and maybe attend the odd show or event, but have never wrenched on a car.
A rookie is most likely to be young and interested in cars. However you cannot rule out an older car guy who has never actually worked on cars, but has always a passing interest in the old car hobby. Just not enough interest-or opportunities- to tackle a project at a younger stage in his life.
Either way, this kind of car guy has enough interest in the hobby to at least attend events and we see plenty of rookies at shows. Most are a little light on details and ask questions that make more knowledgeable car guys wince, but they are still welcome at shows.
The only advice we can offer rookies is to take a deeper interest in the hobby and get your hands dirty working on an old ride.
This may be the most frustrating and thankless experience of a rookie’s entire life, but these guys will know the pain and joy of working on old iron-sometimes on the same day.
Time under the hood of an old ride will give a rookie some insight into the incredible amount of work behind the cars and trucks they see at shows. They will see how the magic wand waved on TV car restoration shows falls embarrassingly short of reality for actual projects.
Sophomore car guys have some insight into cars and has actually worked on cars. The experience has given a sophomore enough insight to make an informed assessment about the amount of work required to complete a car project.
The sophomore has taken apart a car enough to know how difficult it is to put them back together in better shape than they found them. The sophomore car guy has learned all about his mechanical limitations through trial and much error wrenching on a car.
A sophomore learns how important a game plan and experience are to success when it comes to a project.
They learn why mechanics use good tools and have plenty of them to avoid rounding stubborn nuts and bolts, and to reach inaccessible nuts and bolts.
A sophomore car guy also learns the value of a cutting torch to save time when all else fails with stubborn nuts and bolts.
These two car guy types are the lower rungs on the ladder that bring us to the top rung: the car guy gods. These are the veteran car guys who perform magic with old rides.
They can take a “what-if” question about a car project and make it happen in their garage. These guys have done it all and they have assembled a thick encyclopedia of fabrication/mechanical knowledge along the way.
These are the gods of the car hobby and we mere mortals can only stand in awe when we see their accomplishments.
They are the masters and we can only dream of the things they have done with old iron. Fortunately, we get to see the work of the car gods at most shows and it never fails to amaze us here at MSCC so bring on the 2015 show season.
We want to see some more magic from the car gods.
Jim Sutherland
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