HI, guys!! I just started taking an auto class at my High School. What a JOKE!!! Absolutely no one in that class knows didly about cars. Half of them don't even know what oil is (I'm not kidding). We just finished our first unit (on engine cycles, and parts) I scored a better score than the Teacher. The teacher got an 84%, I got a 98%.

Well, I guess that stupid people like this keep us mechanics in business

 

In my auto shop we took apart a Ford inline six and put it back together. We then took apart a 3 speed and did not get it back together. I remember the teacher saying the new Mustang would not last because it was a unibody. I do believe my 65 GT outlasted him.

 

We had a small engines class. I didn't take it just cause It would have been a waste of time. A friend of mine took it. The final test was to take apart a 5hp Brigs and put it back together. Well just about any idiot can do that. All it has to do is start. I think the test should have been make it run for 5 hours and see if it holds together. Anything will run for a few seconds.

 

I took auto shop years ago. It must depend on what school system your in. I built a really nice Nova SS with a 327 FI in my class. Got a A for my effort plus made a few $$ on the local street racing scene.

 

I remember we had to take small engine class before attending auto shop. I didn't think it was a waste. The take it apart and put it together, then run, is probably a standard. As well as the take it apart and find the 5 things wrong exercise.

In my auto shop class, no one really had the money to hot rod very much. But by the end, everyone did a valve job on their rig and could tune well. That was the late 70's. Lol, I remember how everyone was complaining about that new egr system stuff and you could hardly work on your own car any more. Today, it would be great to get into the computer control systems. Not just adding a chip or programming, but really getting into it.

 

In my high school auto class (late '90's) we did lot's of work. I changed water pumps on a '38 1.5 ton Ford, we also replaced the mechanical brakes with hydraulic ones, rebuilt the generator and replaced the internals to convert to 12 Volt. Other stuff was working on a 1/4 panel for my teacher's '29 Model A roadster, finishing the engine swap of a 460 into a nice '56 Effie, and working on a teacher's 64.5 Mustang coupe. Maybe it's because my teacher was actually into cars, and built hot rods. The car he came to work in was a early '80's Benz 2 door with a 302 Ford in it.

 

46fordtruck, Sounds like your teacher had a good thing going with everyone working on his cars.

 

Atleast you have an auto class in your highschool!

 

Our auto mech teacher was a mechanic in the air force, and owns a 29 model A, 02 vette, 00 Dakota R/T, 55 & 57 chevies, and an intrepid. I never took the class, although I was often over there instead of my Electo-mechanics class. That man knows his stuff, but is a bit of a clutz. I have seen him look down the throat of 2 carbs, both times resulted in singed eyebrows- he had already shaved his head because of that problem. He also plays tennis for 2 hours a day and is 56 years old. Strongest man I know.

 

I never took auto class in school,
but..
I am a women and I can change my own tires, change my oil, I know how brakes work....
Had to change a starter...
I refuse to be helpless!!!!!

 

I am taking an Auto Class at my high school, and I just started...Have to admit, there are alot of idiots in there, but the teacher is pretty knowledgeable.

 

in shop class me and two others was teamed up to take an auto trany apart... and put it back together.
we took the parts that we couldn't back in home in our bookbags, I got the pump and a cluch pack laying around here somewhere.

 

F150danniel, that was very ingenious. If you get a job at a garage be sure you tell everyone at FTE where it's at so we don't go there and come back with fewer parts that we started with.

 

We didnt have an auto mechanics class here.
We used to but the guy passed away, So we have autobody repair
Pretty decent class.
Atleast was when I was still in school

 

Darn Andy, if the teacher croaked on you it would have been a good chance to get a mortuary class going.