Need more knowledge on car moding - classes to take?
 

Ok title doesn't explain what I'm asking.

In the Members' Journals section looks like a lot of the guys do lots of work on their cars, and they have knowledge on what they're doing (engine mods, body work)... I wanted to start my own project, experiment. Problem is i don't know sqqquat. Any good places to take some auto classes to get more knowledge. I can change a filter, wheels, etc... NP. Just looking to learn some more advanced shiitttt.

feel the same way
i wonder where people learnt it besides school

Download the FSM for your car.

Find the car club specific for your car. Read up on how to do stuff. Then start wrenching. That's what I did. Now I can do just about anything on my car with no education.

+1 on fsm. Fsm is your best friend.

DIY on forums, google, etc. Or friends that have already been modding.

I usually go to car forums and check out DIY

Pick your first mod. Something simple that you feel fairly comfortable doing.

Do a ton of research. Print out manuals. Ask questions. Check forums to see everything that you might need to know

Then jump in and get your feet wet. You'll thank yourself for it AND you'll have that awesome feeling of accomplishment

Find the forum specific to your car
BCIT
Trial and error:P
I'm still learning, you can start something and if you get stuck or something just put it back together and send it off to a shop

look thrice, think twice , wrench once

everything on a car comes apart....
pick what u want to take off. and find whats holding it on.

I think for someone who doesn't know much.. it is better to get the Bentley manual and/or Haynes.. especially if your car/manufacturer is more sophisticated.. I personally perfer Haynes since they do tear downs without factory tools, but sometime Bentley is good to fill in the gaps or offer a different more factory oriented perspective.

Factory Service Manuals (FSM) a lot of the times require you to have factory tools, which is not available easily. It is useful to find out your part number so you can order parts easier through the dealer

Get a factory clone diagnostic tool is useful too. Especially if your car is post 98.

I think
1. Join the marque's webforum.
2. Get a least a basic tool set with a proper calibrated torque wrench. If your car is not from American manufacturer pick imperial.. else metric.
3. Figure out the web forum in 1 who has the diagnostic tool to borrow eg in Dubberz there is a thread on who has VagCom.
4. Search and think.

Vancouver School Board has basic maintenance course which I think you can take to get your hands dirty.

VCC has some courses on auto tech related stuff

When I bought my 1st Porsche, I couldn't change a spare tire on my own without fucking it up. That was about 6 years ago.

Now I can pull the motor out of a turbo Porsche, take it apart, and put it back - AND it runs better than before!!!

I have NO formal schooling whatsoever.

My dad is a plumber by trade, and supplied me with all the tools I need and taught me the basics of being a tradesman: FEELING when you are about to strip a nut or bolt, leverage, using brute force when needed, how to weld, basically how everything works, etc etc. This is something that is ESSENTIAL and you CANNOT learn online over night.

I joined the local Porsche club and made friends with people who have similar cars. We've had MANY tech/beer sessions doing brakes, cam covers, turbo installs, troubleshooting, etc etc etc

The REST of the stuff you can just learn by downloading the workshop manuals and following the instructions on how to remove things and put them back.

The online forums are great because people can tell you common fixes for common problems and give you advice if you're stuck.

remember, if you're fucking with cars...

make sure you have a backup travel plan :) (y'know, what cars were intended to do)

its called the bus LOL

Some of the stuff I do is hands on, and alot of the time I pick off information off of specific car forums...for example...

http://i10.tinypic.com/4yzz3uf.jpg

I almost got suckered into buying this stupid JDM fad for 40 bucks shipped

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4679/img0987dxa.jpg

With a bit of time and patience, you can get similar results, if not better. Plus it cost me absolutely no money to do this, just a bit of time =p

thats basically it.

buy a good socket set, metric wrench set, screwdriver set, and a torque wrench.

print out DIY's from your specific vehicle's best webforum (jeepforums.com, 600rr.net) and start looking around on your vehicle.


most things like suspension, brakes, steering linkages and stuff like that are very basic once you get your hands dirty.

funny thing is, most of the cars you see on the profiles, were not built by the owner themselves... there are a lot of people with more money than brains, and it doesnt take much work to drop the car off at a shop and point at cool looking things from a catalogue... but like some others on the forum, i do all the work myself, and people always ask where i learned how to do it... just by DOING it... i go on the forums, find a DYI and go outside and do it... mostly trial an error, at first it will be more error, but you will learn with time... you cant read about how to adjust timing from a book, and then do it perfectly your first time... you read it, try it, and hopefully it works...

it's as simple as starting out with simple DIY's like changing body panels, intake, oil, etc.... then eventually you'll get around to the hardcore stuff as you grow more balls.....

now get out there and change a bulb or somethin :thumbsup:

BCIT has courses for that



start doing your own oil change, thats a start

What is a FSM?

factory service manual

DIY threads on forums and DIY videos on youtube.

Lol like jeremy clarkson "I MENDED SOMETHING!" :haha:

yup just swapped an engine from a different car into my car..... again.