Morris Minor Owners Club

Put Doris through her m.o.t. yesterday,I feel fortunate in that my chosen tester is a mechanic of advancing years,by way of explanation,he is a classic car owner who has a deal of knowledge regarding old motors, having serviced them since the 70,s and is therefore eager to impart his experience and knowledge to the less well informed....(me) and anyone else who wants to listen.
I learn something new every time I visit,usually while under the hydraulic lift where I am allowed to meander.
This time I took my grease gun and gave the U.J.s on the prop shaft a pump or two while there,another benefit.
Anyway, it was interesting to learn that the garage leaves all the testing,servicing and repairs of older motors to this one man, who nearing retirement age will take a terrific amount of knowledge with him,as he informed me the "young uns" were not too interested,to the point where they "dont even know how to set tappets"
There is a real niche market developing out there for someone with a bit of nouse.

Yeh I know what u mean. Our yoof watched me get a grease gun to grease some well hidden nipples in a bus uj. He didn't even know what a grease gun was.

I showed him my 1098 moggie engine and he he was horrified that it had a coil and a dissy, then I popped the cap of and showed him the points. He still thinks Im pullin his leg!

Can't wait till I start on the front drum brakes!
I think I'll spend Monday brew time watching him trying to load Morris LCV into the snapon diagnostics reader

Whilst the intention is good the problem is that no one really wants to pay for the retention and application of skills honed over many years and those skills cost money.
A good all rounder mechanic who can turn his hand to any aspect of vehicle maintenance is worth his weight in gold but who is going to pick up the tab?

I think it'll be left to "enthusiastic" mechanics, that have an interest in older cars.

There are a few at the garage I use who are thirty somethings and enjoy something away from the repetitiveness of a modern.

Sometimes knowing straight away by plugging it in, isn't what we all go to work for.

But I agree with a previous poster, there is still an hourly rate to cover...

Yoofs don't want to learn! Our particular yoof is only interested in How fast will it go, can u do wheelies, handbrake turns and Ken Block. Cant wait to get washed up and off. I have struggled many an afternoon, some jobs really interesting and challenging some just tyres for example, he won't stay behind.

I cant get through to the them that when I was a kid I stayed behind for hours sometimes just to get a job finished and LEARN. But it all falls on stoney ground.
Youtube, facebook & the like seem to have the monopoly (notice I spell em with small letters NOT capitals, but I doubt Yoofs will understand that principle either)

The bloke who helped me restore my saloon retired 3/4yrs back and his knowledge of classic cars and fixing them is like an encyclopedia but how do you retain this knowledge as the automotive industry has changed and the majority want their modern reliable just add fuel cars and if you drive gazzilions of miles per year there is some merit in this. Plus the knowledge required to maintain these cars on the road is different.

I think most yoofs are keen to learn but the world has moved on and in your modern garage they don't need to know about points or greasing the UJ's or suspension etc.. Although as others say it would be good if they would get involved with the older vehicles to learn some new skills as who knows when these maybe needed and a niche could be developed.

AS for hourly rates the guy who I used didn't charge any more than the other local garages (less in most cases) but his biggest trouble was getting punters to pay on time.

Dean wrote: Sometimes knowing straight away by plugging it in, isn't what we all go to work for.

I dont agree with that statement at all. It's far from that, a fault code only points you in the genral direction.

Hmm plenty of young people on here and in general have a fantastic attitude but the only ones that appear to stand out are the bad examples unfortunately.

Similarly, in the general older population, there are plenty of people who never understood or had interest in mechanics. It's not true that everyone over 55 learned to set points on their parents' knee.

Oftentimes, children have their own passion or have yet to find a passion which is often different to that of their parents. My dad would have preferred I took an interest in classical catering rather than computers and certainly couldn't understand why I would mess around with a dirty old engine when I could just buy a working car that was reliable.

And didn't all of us want to go fast when young?:)

Yeh I suppose, as Iv'e saaid before that's probably why they call me POP's

When i did my apprenticeship in the mid 60s, we learnt everything from servicing to rebuilding gearboxes, welding & bodyshop. We were all good all rounders as you might say. I think i'v forgot most of what i learned, but the things i remember come in mighty useful.

How fast will it go, can u do wheelies, handbrake turns and Ken Block.

The majority of yoof have been like that ever since the car was invented! some of them never grow out of it either (actually Ken Block is very entertaining...)

However there has been and always will be (a minority of) mechanically minded, mechanically sympathetic people around. The skills gained working on old cars will be harder to find over the years simply as our old cars become more rare, however it only takes a good aptitude and the ability to find a classic car forum via google to sort out many age old problems.

The good part is that modern car diagnostics can be done the same way (cheap fault code reader, a bit of car fixing aptitude and google search!)

Is a yoof a Wigan term for a young person? Never come across the term before and I have lived and have friends up north!!!!!!!!!!!!

philthehill wrote:Is a yoof a Wigan term for a young person? Never come across the term before and I have lived and have friends up north!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think 'yoof' is just an phonetic spelling of how 'youths' say 'youth'.

By the way, I'm enjoying being tarred with this massive brush...

moggiethouable wrote:Put Doris through her m.o.t. yesterday,I feel fortunate in that my chosen tester is a mechanic of advancing years,by way of explanation,he is a classic car owner who has a deal of knowledge regarding old motors, having serviced them since the 70,s and is therefore eager to impart his experience and knowledge to the less well informed....(me) and anyone else who wants to listen.
I learn something new every time I visit,usually while under the hydraulic lift where I am allowed to meander.
This time I took my grease gun and gave the U.J.s on the prop shaft a pump or two while there,another benefit.
Anyway, it was interesting to learn that the garage leaves all the testing,servicing and repairs of older motors to this one man, who nearing retirement age will take a terrific amount of knowledge with him,as he informed me the "young uns" were not too interested,to the point where they "dont even know how to set tappets"
There is a real niche market developing out there for someone with a bit of nouse.

At the risk of running foul of the forum rules by self promotion, I have been in business for a year and a half now working on classic cars- about 50% Minors-, and I'm currently rushed off my feet so yes there is a big demand for an old school mechanic and especially restorer. I'm "only" 47 but my experience is in classics.

But, yes, it is definitely a great idea to find a classic friendly MOT tester!

Things don't change. My dad had a garage and I started work with him when I was 16. Had no interest in cars apart from how fast I could drive them. At 17 I became a YOOF at Post office telephones (that's what we called apprentices).
Now I'm semi retired what am I doing? You guessed it, tinkering with classic cars!