Feeling Proud

[Olon]

For my capstone project at school, my group is designing a camshaft for a V10 Ford that will help it run more efficiently on E85. The project is for a company that puts together stationary power units for pivots and such. We needed some extra camshafts to remanufacture for prototype testing (found a company that can spray weld and remachine them).

Anyway, I spent a few hours on Saturday at Upullit fighting with an E250 van and finally got the camshafts out. Sure, I had to peel back the firewall like a sardine can but after opening the hood I didn't think there was a way to get them out without pulling the whole motor...

 

[edwardware]

Now THAT is how to properly reach a camshaft! I like it!

Step 1: Open hood.
Step 2: Remove body from frame.
Step 3. . .

 

[Olon]

Now THAT is how to properly reach a camshaft! I like it!

Step 1: Open hood.
Step 2: Remove body from frame.
Step 3. . .

That's right, just 3 easy steps ?

Of course it also requires a few magic words and a 2nd elbow haha

 

[Magnum]

Yep, cars suck. I just take the cab off to work on fords, the vans are tough.
I spend my weekdays doing it, 18 years and sick of it
I say:

Hopefully you're more on the engineering portion, not the repair industry . good luck!

 

[Olon]

Yep, cars suck. I just take the cab off to work on fords, the vans are tough.
I spend my weekdays doing it, 18 years and sick of it
I say:View attachment 736

Hopefully you're more on the engineering portion, not the repair industry . good luck!

Yeah I'm a semester away from my Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering so I may become one of the people you're cussing out on a daily basis...

I'm hoping my actual experience with repair and fabrication (which few of my colleagues seem to have) keeps me from making the sorts of design choices that put a target on my back though ?

 

[Magnum]

I don't cuss engineers, my complaint is with customers. After a few years the nuts and bolts are easy, getting people to put out the $ to do it right is tough. I did vintage rolls Royce cars for a while, no one asks how much but the parts can be hard to source or must be fabricated. Now I do more normal cars but will do some high end and customs sonetimes, covid has killed that right now so it's old busted pontiacs and Hondas ect.
There is no new blood coming into repair right now, none worth a damn at least , I lost my apprentice December of 2018 and haven't found anyone willing to learn or who is capable of being taught. It's tough out there

 

[Olon]

I don't cuss engineers, my complaint is with customers. After a few years the nuts and bolts are easy, getting people to put out the $ to do it right is tough. I did vintage rolls Royce cars for a while, no one asks how much but the parts can be hard to source or must be fabricated. Now I do more normal cars but will do some high end and customs sonetimes, covid has killed that right now so it's old busted pontiacs and Hondas ect.
There is no new blood coming into repair right now, none worth a damn at least , I lost my apprentice December of 2018 and haven't found anyone willing to learn or who is capable of being taught. It's tough out there

Sounds like you've seen some cool stuff. I think with tuition ever increasing people are going to remember that the trades are an option. I would've loved welding or diesel mechanics.

 

[Magnum]

Sounds like you've seen some cool stuff. I think with tuition ever increasing people are going to remember that the trades are an option. I would've loved welding or diesel mechanics.

I minored in welding and would have been a better career for me but I got stuck, I worked for a Midas while I went to college and by the time I was done with school I didn't need to look for a job , I already had one (at a different shop). When things are good I make the same money as my wife who's a nurse but when times are bad (like now) I don't do too well. The shop I work at now there is only myself and the owner so I answer phones, make appointments , inspect & diagnose, write my own invoices and estimates, order parts,repair and then bill the customer. That's uncommon in my trade (besides shop owners with no employees) and it gives me a lot of freedom . all and all I'd say it sucks but we do get some really cool cars in and my boss and his brother race 1/8 mile cars so their racing buddies hang around and bring some funky stuff by. Soon I plan to transition to a service writing job (write tickets, sell jobs and order parts) before my back and knees get bad - can't do this forever.

Hopefully you find a job that's fulfilling and stable, just keep working hard and you'll do well, most people are lazy and entitled so when their job gets sent overseas they have no way to do anything else .