Crawling under cars

Back in my teens, I purchased my first car, a Honda civic. It was small and manageable and got me where I needed to go. It wasn't my dream car but it was what I could afford then....$3,899 brand new with upgraded interior.....blue plaid insets. No A/C or radio but it was mine. I was instructed to change the oil in it after its first 1,000 miles. Not having a clue how to do that, I drove it over to my best friends house (who I would later marry and call Mr. Man), and asked him to help me.

Mr. Man and his father spent their days rebuilding engines and crawling under cars looking up into their guts.

I was instructed to don the coveralls, assemble my oil , a metal pan , plastic funnel and given a little wrench to undo the oil plug. I wish I had a photo of the 3 of us grouped under that little bitty car. Just our heads fit under it. I successfully drained the oil into the tin pan, added new oil and learned how to read an oil stick. I didn't like getting oil on my hands or washing it off with the gunk -be-gone cleanser and I certainly didn't like looking at my cars under belly but it was a valuable lesson that was as essential as learning to rotate my tires and change out the battery.

 Mr. Man has tired of tinkering with the cars. It was never his passion. He logged a lot of hours under the hood and spent bonding moments with his dad under those cars. It cemented their relationship as father -son and gave them a common interest.

 If I hadn't gotten under that car and paid attention to Mr. Z, I doubt he would have given me the time of day, even after I was joined into his family and became the chatty daughter-in-law.

 Since those 40 years ago, Mr. Z reminded  me about my auto repair lessons held in what is now my own garage and driveway-
Every time I went out to his own auto garage  to check up what was new with the place, there was always one car that seemed to be in a constant state of repair, engine removal or up on "blocks". 
Sadly, I never convinced him that his new hobby could  be the restoration of a 1945 Chevy Truck for me to drive around.

My daughters have learned the same lessons from their grand father . He was thrilled that they never hesitated to crawl under the car and learn the same methods of the oil change , battery check and spark plug install the old school way. I don't think the man ever considered a jiffy lube or a Big O tire for his own cars. He was a patient and knowledgeable teacher.


The cars have never run smoother.

Good lessons for every one.

Thanks Dad.