I decide to have my daughter Rain build the EA-82 for my Brat. She's 8 1/2 years old. This will be her first complete assembly. She lapped and installed the new valves and seals. I compressed the springs for her. Next night she assembled the connecting rods on the crank. I'm doing all the final torque(she is still only an apprentice after all). Should get the case together today. Had to track down some Three Bond.

 

Oh yeah, right before we started she informed me that I was going to have to pay her(now she's learning). I couldn't argue so decided to negotiate instead. Started at $5. Somewhere around $11.50 she said "we're talking about a WHOLE engine here dad." So we finally agreed to settle on $15.00. Then I asked her how much an engine builder would charge. "$20 or $30 bucks" she said. I'll wait until she's finished to correct that figure...

 

More to come

That's the plan. I reringed my go cart when I was 10. Did my grandfather' bug by age 12. It takes a long time to build a mechanic right.

oops, she's 9, that makes me older than I thought too. I hate it when that happens.

brat86 - That is SO awesome!!! I wish I had had someone to teach me at that age!! way cool!

 

and i would be careful telling her how much a "real" tech makes - you might be messing yourself up for future projects!!!!!

That's way cool, I started that way. At 8, I was crawling under the cars with my dad, handing him tools and getting parts. At ten I rebuilt my first complete engine (I did everything, ever compressing the valve springs).

Good deal Brat86. you're definitely on the right path

have her build me an EA82T. I'll send her $30!

that's sweet. i hope i get the chance to do that if i ever have kids. so basically she's the worker, and you are the CDI (collateral duty inspector) and the QA (quality assurance) i wish i got to do more of that when i was younger. i did a bunch but more flashlight holding i think. i remember the first set of drums i got to do by myself. that was like at age 11 or 12. i was like you trust me to do such a job?? never got to rebuild an engine that young though.

Geez at age 8 I think I was just tooling on bikes and stuff. I don't think I started taking apart my parents cars untill I was 11. againt thier will. I remember working with my dad on our 81 Rabbit as he was checking and topping of the gear oil. I argued with him that the hole he was gona put the gearoil in wasn't the one they showed in the book, but he put it in there anyway:rolleyes: Turns out it was the clutch inspection hole:eek:

 

 

Yeah I don't know how I became so mechanically inclined but I don't think I got it from MY parents.

I think I'm in the same boat as you, Subafreak.

 

When I was like four or five, I had to bring it to my mom's attention that she was driving with the parking brake on in my dad's old ford.

 

I have no idea how many times over the years I've told my dad about problems with our four-wheelers, cars, boats, snowmachines and such and explained with pretty good accuracy just what was wrong and what to do about it, only to be told that "it's fine". Lo and behold, it would break down 40 miles from the highway the next month.

thats sweet man, glad to hear your gettin to spend time with the kids, workin on cars,

 

thats how i learned, my grandpa, he tought me how to dientify olf muscle cars and classics while driving around town and such, had me rebuild a 318 for his van at 10years old, my dad never shared intrest in what i did and still do.

 

but anyways, sounds like your gettin a good deal from a pro engine builder

 

Shean

Right on!

I didn't get started on mechanical stuff until I was 14.....................

 

It's good to get started early..............Maybe a good excuse to get more Sube's?

thats very impresive, i didn't know jack about cars intill i turned sixtenn and got my first piece of crap to dive head first into and do headgaskets as my fist experience with cars. At 8 yrs old i didn't know the diffrence between a v8 and a 4 cylinder.

Lucky kid, my parents were so hands-off, it's a wonder I have any mechanical ability at all

Same here as a kid. I was my Dads gopher and mule - go get the saw and that pile of 2x6:-p He knew nothing about mechanics, but he could sure build with wood. Learned alot on my own working on bikes, helping friends with thier cars, till I got my own car.

Rob

helping friends with thier cars, till I got my own car.

 

Gee Rob, you sure have learned a lot in the past year:lol:

 

J/K

Yea, I kinda miss those days:D

Btw, my first car was a 68 Firebird, black with white interior and slotted mags. The car was only 8yrs old when I got it. Alot of you werent even around yet:eek:

I have my 12yr boy help me sometimes, mostly manning the jack. But he asks lots of questions, and its fun. Just wish his attention span was longer.

Rob

I started when I was 6 helping my dad do a full brake and suspension job on his 1982 BMW 320i. He thinks he knows everything about cars and mechanics, but I love it when I can prove him wrong when he "knows" he's right.