You've never heard of it?

[tai95]

My one buddy is a mechanic, He tells stories about the new kids seeing his timing gun and getting upset he has a weapon in his box.

[WRideout]

Only reason I kept a book of matches in my glovebox of my `69 Ford Torino was adjusting the points.

Try to find a new timing light.

Wayne

[Polymath]

I had to make some in a pinch one day when I was lapping out a mold that I wanted a bit larger. Took some emery cloth and a sharp piece if steel and ground off a bit. More than enough to do the job.

[eveready]

This is a direct result of our democrat education system. Kids today aren't educated in school, they're indoctrinated.

[Idaho45guy]

`69 Ford Torino Terrible car.

Blasphemy!

I built mine into a pretty impressive road car...

Attachment 281973

[hc18flyer]

I know I will get grief over this! Last week I was in Wal-Mart Automotive section, asked the young Guy about using the ' filter interchange chart, he absolutely didn't have a clue! I will know better next time! hc18flyer

[45workhorse]

My one buddy is a mechanic, He tells stories about the new kids seeing his timing gun and getting upset he has a weapon in his box.

My daughters alternater went bad and her friend told me, the it was bad, because it wasn't getting enough compression!

[Hogtamer]

The exact same thing happened to me last Wednesday! I went down the street to O’reilleys, in and out in 2 minutes flat. Had a too tight shotgun chamber that needed polishing.

[Texas by God]

Attachment 281971

That one.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[rbuck351]

Valve grinding compound isn't used much anymore for lapping valves as the new valve and seat cutting equipment is a lot better than what it used to be. Points haven't been used in cars since about 1975 and try to find someone that can rebuild a carb or an alternator or even a generator. Most auto parts stores don't even carry parts to rebuild an alternator or carb and certainly don't have brushes or bushings for a generator. I still have my old Snapon timing light but haven't seen anything in quite some time to use it on. Ask the younger parts guy for a diode pack or brushes for an alternator and you will get a dumb look. Nothing is rebuilt by todays mechanic or should I say parts changer.

[WheelgunConvert]

A handy use for valve grinding compound is to make Phillips head screwdrivers grip better. Just a little dab on the end of the tool will help keep the tool engaged without walking out. Works good for the power driver bits too.

[namsag]

These young hipsters in the auto parts stores, if they can't type a year make and model into their computer terminal, there is Zero chance they will find it for you.

[metricmonkeywrench]

I believe thinking outside the box has turned to thinking outside the monitor. Half the time I do all the research myself, call and verify the part is on hand (visual check) and walk in with a printout and say “I want this”. Gone are the days of the catalog rack and the guy who knew where everything was on the shelf without a electronic inventory management system.

As stated several times already this does not bode well for future generations with DIY touch labor anymore.

[trapper9260]

These young hipsters in the auto parts stores, if they can't type a year make and model into their computer terminal, there is Zero chance they will find it for you.

You find that is other places also . Then you also have some that have a clue what to do, but it is getting rear for that .

[bakerjw]

I went into an AutoZone a couple of decades back looking for a 6 cylinder spark plug kit. You all know, the generic kind that they used to sell. The kid asked what kind of car that it was for and I stated, "You're not going to have it. I need a generic 6 cylinder spark plug kit." Well, he insisted that he could look it up, so....
A 1969 Triumph GT6.
<Insert deer in the headlight look here>

The other guy at the counter was a parts man. The kind that we used to see in every auto parts store. He shook his head and told the kid to look up a 78 Chevy something or other truck. The kid brought it out and after checking it, I knew that it would work.

[fixit]

We live in sad times! Not too long ago, I was yakking with a gentleman, and it seems he had retired and shut down a small auto repair operation, not because he was ready to retire, but because of the sad state of people in the work force.... nobody under 30 or 40 knew how to diagnose anything unless a computer told them what was wrong, and worse, he couldn't find anyone who would stay on the job for more than two or three weeks!

[Mr_Sheesh]

I guess I can add setting points up properly to the trash bin in my resume where I mention using keypunches, replacing keypunch ribbons, and emptying keypunch chaff boxes, sigh. Oh and toss carb rebuilding in there too? Ugh.

[Ed K]

This works both ways though and can be to our advantage. On rare occasion get asked about introducing a new one to shooting but when they find out nothing in the safe is black they quickly lose interest!

[bedbugbilly]

Well . . . for one thing, very few Industrial Arts ? Shop programs exist in the public schools any more. After all . . . "the future is in computers" . . . . so we now have kids who have very few "hands on" experience unless they go to a trade school. Even when I was teaching shop classes some 45 or so years ago, I would have to start out with the very basics - how to read a ruler - how to transfer fractions of an inch into decimals and even basic math. I'm sure there are kids today who still fool with cars, rebuilding engines, etc. but they are probably few and far between so it doesn't surprise me that they don't know what lapping compound is.

A few years ago, I was pouring a pewter nose-cap on a rifle for a friend while we were in AZ for the winter. I was lacking files so I went u to Home Depot to pick a few up - had a hard enough time finding someone who could steer me to where they were as they weren't where you would expect them to be. I selected a few and then told the younger fellow that I needed a "file card" and some chalk. He looked lat me like he had no idea what I was talking about - so I patiently explained "what" a file card is and how it is used and why chalk was used. He still had no clue. He couldn't even tell me what a ferrous and non0ferrous metal was.

Unfortunately, we have lost so much of what used to be "common knowledge" because such things as shop classes, home-ec classes, life =-skills classes have been eliminated from the public schools. Funny how the government can want to insert systemic racism education in the schools, starting in early elementary school through high school - but they have no interest in if the kids can read and write nor if they have any exposure to classes to teach them skills they can use through out their lives.

[Conditor22]

I had to make some in a pinch one day when I was lapping out a mold that I wanted a bit larger. Took some emery cloth and a sharp piece if steel and ground off a bit. More than enough to do the job.

toothpaste works , I normally use Flitz