View Poll Results: What best describes you and your automotive credentials?
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EE with a minor in physics. I'm the lead product development engineer for www.hayesbc.com. But I only do that to "pay the bills". I love doing the car thing much more. So much so that I started www.Gen3Performance.net as a "fix" for my habit.
21 years old, Materials Engineering at Tenneco Automotive. I have been wrenching since I was 16. So far I have screwed around with a tbi car, an lt1 car, 400ci pontiac TA and currently the ls1 found in my signature.
I'm a network engineer by education, IT/IS jack of all trades by experience.
Learned most of my mechanics skills working on my M1A2 Abrams during the 3 years in the Army, thats where I got bit by the bug. I do most of my own wrenching for installs, except when it comes to motor work.
Learned most of my mechanics skills working on my M1A2 Abrams during the 3 years in the Army, thats where I got bit by the bug. I do most of my own wrenching for installs, except when it comes to motor work.
Started out as technician in general repair shop MANY years ago. Built drag racing engines at night in my garage. Eventually bought Sunnen engine machinery and opened my own engine shop with 2000sq ft showroom. My company was bought out by Wheel to Wheel Powertrain in 1999. I was lead engine builder for LS based road racing/drag racing efforts for GM/Jon Moss special build group. Built first 10 second NA, 9 secoind NA, 8 second NA Gen 3 engines. Also built First SC gen 3 in the 8's. First gen 3 in the 6's.
I like trying to find the limits of this gen3 platform.
Kurt
I like trying to find the limits of this gen3 platform.
Kurt
i'm 17 right now, going into mechanical engineering next year. I do all my own wrenching and help others too. I take the highest autos class my school offers and take college level physics.
Took 2 years of auto shop in High school. Graduated 1 year early, senior year of high school i was going to NADC (Nashville Auto Diesel College) Certifed Tech. Took an addional 10 week training in High-Performance Engines and dyno. Graduated with a 92 overall with 19 hours miised out of 1800 credit hours i think is what the final # was. High Performance class was GREAT . COMPLETLY BLUEPRINTED 350 fastburner and made countless dyno pulls. Great time. CC'd 350 heads, machine work with SUNNEN equipment, Things like K-liners, oversized valves and what-not. Port work on heads and testing your port work after every port job on Super Flow SF600. Super Flow Chassis Dyno , Engine Dyno. Just graduated from the college 4 weeks or so ago, Currently trying to get my foot in the door at Rousch Racing in Michigan. im 19 years young. --Ron
Last edited by Hi-Po; Nov 17, 2005 at 02:48 PM.
Im a computer nerd by trade, 25 years old, but i wrench on my own car as well as the cars of everyone I know. I did work for a couple of years at my fathers aerospace machine shop, so i know my way around fairly well. I try and be a sponge for knowledge and understanding the way things tick. Ive been taking things apart and putting them back togather since I could first walk. Aside from wrenching on my car, I try and do as much fabrication as possible. I figure if someone else can do something, why cant I do it too. All it takes is a little bit of research and a good plan of attack.
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TECH Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 438
Likes: 0
50yr gearhead/racer CPA. Competely built and modified the following engines once or more.
Porsche 2.0L
BMW M30 3.3, 3.5, NA and turbo
SBC
LS1
Designed/fabricated suspension/drivetrain/fuel/engine management on:
c3 vette
BMW e21
BMW e12
Engine/trans/rear swaps:
M30 in E21 BMW
LS1 in E12 BMW
Racing:
WKA (karting)
Skip Barber (FF)
NJBMWCCA (autox)
Skills: Welding, Machining, CAD, paint
Side business: Performance fasteners (www.titaniumfasteners.com)
I live in the garage.
The only TV I watch is non-Nascar racing, Overhaulin, Trucks!, Horsepower TV, Pinks!, Fifth (Top in US) Gear, The Daily Show.
Porsche 2.0L
BMW M30 3.3, 3.5, NA and turbo
SBC
LS1
Designed/fabricated suspension/drivetrain/fuel/engine management on:
c3 vette
BMW e21
BMW e12
Engine/trans/rear swaps:
M30 in E21 BMW
LS1 in E12 BMW
Racing:
WKA (karting)
Skip Barber (FF)
NJBMWCCA (autox)
Skills: Welding, Machining, CAD, paint
Side business: Performance fasteners (www.titaniumfasteners.com)
I live in the garage.
The only TV I watch is non-Nascar racing, Overhaulin, Trucks!, Horsepower TV, Pinks!, Fifth (Top in US) Gear, The Daily Show.
Last edited by redmist; Nov 17, 2005 at 03:26 PM.
Staging Lane
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
I'm a 23 year old girl. I've only really done appearance mods to my car and the lid/cutout. But I have helped my boyfriend work on his (changing wheel studs, setting pinion angle, preloading rear swaybar, swapping LCA's, etc.). But I am a very curious person and would like to know as much as there is to know.
Oh boy, where do we start. I'm uneducated in the formal sense, although I did graduate high school many moons ago. My wrenching started back in my broke years, when it was "do or die" to keep my $200 POS cars on the road. Teaches you a lot of life lessons on fabrication and the durability thereof to get the job done when you're looking around in the ditches for "parts."
Now days, there's nothing I won't do when it comes to vehicles. I've always had the attitude "if someone else figured it out, there's not a darned thing standing in my way either, and they just made it easier for me." My limitations are purely monetary with what I can and will accomplish, usually because of available workspace, tools, or time. I've done plenty of work for money, but don't wish to turn wrenching into a job - I much prefer doing it on my own time, and balancing my efforts on my many other skills.
Now days, there's nothing I won't do when it comes to vehicles. I've always had the attitude "if someone else figured it out, there's not a darned thing standing in my way either, and they just made it easier for me." My limitations are purely monetary with what I can and will accomplish, usually because of available workspace, tools, or time. I've done plenty of work for money, but don't wish to turn wrenching into a job - I much prefer doing it on my own time, and balancing my efforts on my many other skills.
TECH Addict
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,261
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by DanO
Automotive R&D engineer, as seen in my sig i work for Eaton. I get to work on technologies that will not hit the market for a few years in items ranging from Superchargers to Limited slip differentials as well as others.
Some example of the projects my group and I work on are the Camless "AVT" engine
Some example of the projects my group and I work on are the Camless "AVT" engine
That is too cool!! I remember seeing that when the threads about the LS7 3 valve engine were posted. The ultimate variable valve timing - I want zero overlap at idle and max at full song!!!
30 yr old, took college courses for aircraft. Sheetmetal classes, drilling, tapping, weight and balance, hydraulics, avionics with a foreign instructor with the worst accent ever!!! Ran out of money, had to work well there went that.
Got a bachelors in business and now am routing by computer for Coca Cola Enterprises. Friend of mine was teaching me motors/ installing cam, pushrods, lifters, springs and installing exhaust until he moved to Florida. Now I have no time, nor help, nor lift to do things on my own except the simple stuff. Working on cars is alot easier than aircraft since you don't have to be as precise.
Got a bachelors in business and now am routing by computer for Coca Cola Enterprises. Friend of mine was teaching me motors/ installing cam, pushrods, lifters, springs and installing exhaust until he moved to Florida. Now I have no time, nor help, nor lift to do things on my own except the simple stuff. Working on cars is alot easier than aircraft since you don't have to be as precise.
degree in Mechanical Engineering, and have worked mostly in oil/gas for refineries and subsea construction. I put myself through school as a TIG and SMAW welder, later moving into pipe-fitting and piping design. I've been drawing pictures of cars since age 5, and have been into cars ever since I can remember. I started wrenching on them at around age 10, while working on a neighbor's 350ci powered El Camino and Chevelle. I was that kid that asked alot of questions and chased down the proper tools
I guess the car bug bit me hard as a child, I've never outgrown it. My first car was a 69 Camaro that started out as a rust-bucket with a worn out engine. My Dad and I restored the car inside and out. That was the late 80s, and I also worked on several 5.0 Mustangs for friends back then. I remember thinking 12s were fast (in 1990)
I originally pursued the Mech Eng degree to get into automotive design. After graduating, I realized that I liked Houston better than Detroit, and that the oil/gas industry pays much better. So, I kept the cars as a hobby instead of a career.
Sold the Mustang in 97 and picked up my first LS1 Formula and started racing it immediately. Haven't looked back since!
Tony
I guess the car bug bit me hard as a child, I've never outgrown it. My first car was a 69 Camaro that started out as a rust-bucket with a worn out engine. My Dad and I restored the car inside and out. That was the late 80s, and I also worked on several 5.0 Mustangs for friends back then. I remember thinking 12s were fast (in 1990)
I originally pursued the Mech Eng degree to get into automotive design. After graduating, I realized that I liked Houston better than Detroit, and that the oil/gas industry pays much better. So, I kept the cars as a hobby instead of a career.
Sold the Mustang in 97 and picked up my first LS1 Formula and started racing it immediately. Haven't looked back since!
Tony
Got my 2002 truck at 16 (yes I pay for it), slammed it... put wheels on it. Then looked for a hypertech, and someone had a link to ls1tech about a diablo. Before you know it I installed mufflers, then longubes, then gears and posi, then stall converter with shift kit, then a cam, tuning, nitrous, etc. Now im 19 years old and sticking in a 6.0L in my truck with a strim vortech supercharger.
All the work done myself, except the shift kit install.
All the work done myself, except the shift kit install.
I guess I'd fall under the "other" catagory. I'm not an engineer per say, but most of my work falls into a engineering catagory. I'm a journeyman power lineman by trade, but I have to do alot of load calculations, transformer bank angle calculations, and lots of other misc. figuring to keep the lights burning. It's a awesome job that requires alot of attention. I don't know of any other job that could show me some of the spectacular things I have seen and still get paid.
I've been working on cars for about 12 years. I started out in a 92 RS camaro and have worked my way through many more F-bodies and a mustang. I've completed everything from countless head/cam/spring swaps to full engine R&R. I've always had the "if I can't do it, I'll tow it to a shop" attitude. To this day, I've never had anything towed. I can do pretty much anything car wise, but I usaully leave the short block assembally to the pros since we lack a quality machine shop in the area, plus I don't have all the neccasary measuring tools to do the job correctlly. I guess that's my "mini" story.
I've been working on cars for about 12 years. I started out in a 92 RS camaro and have worked my way through many more F-bodies and a mustang. I've completed everything from countless head/cam/spring swaps to full engine R&R. I've always had the "if I can't do it, I'll tow it to a shop" attitude. To this day, I've never had anything towed. I can do pretty much anything car wise, but I usaully leave the short block assembally to the pros since we lack a quality machine shop in the area, plus I don't have all the neccasary measuring tools to do the job correctlly. I guess that's my "mini" story.
I voted do some wrenching but leave the really big stuff to the pros. Simply because I have never removed, built, and installed my own engine. I have done clutch, rearend, suspension (except the sfc, had those welded proffesionally.......I do plan to buy a welder in a couple months though 
), and a bunch of bolt ons. I am a Radiologic Technologist. I just love cars, my wife calls it a sickness 
. Old muscle cars, new muscle cars, Italian grand touring cars, British grand touring cars, tastefully done Japanese cars......I like it all. About the only thing I don't like is something poorly done. Like a Sport Compact car with a 3 foot high wing and ground effects 1 cm off the ground on 20" rims with the only engine mods being header and cat back. To each his own though........... What I know I have been self taught through magazines and web sites like this one. 
), and a bunch of bolt ons. I am a Radiologic Technologist. I just love cars, my wife calls it a sickness . Old muscle cars, new muscle cars, Italian grand touring cars, British grand touring cars, tastefully done Japanese cars......I like it all. About the only thing I don't like is something poorly done. Like a Sport Compact car with a 3 foot high wing and ground effects 1 cm off the ground on 20" rims with the only engine mods being header and cat back. To each his own though........... What I know I have been self taught through magazines and web sites like this one. Last edited by 1CAMWNDR; Nov 18, 2005 at 10:05 AM.