Relearning.

I got a new job - after more than 5 years at a dealership working with young guys, I was bored and getting dumber by the day. What does a 60 year old mechanic with 43 years experience on anything that moves do ? Play it safe and dumb for another 5 years, or take a chance? I took a chance and now work in a rural garage, fixing anything that moves. I'm relearning my almost dormant skills.

Did a service on this 1981 D1314, then took it for a CoF in the city. I don't remember them being this slow ? 70kph wrung out. Of course it failed, but we got it through in the end. Turbo 6 cyl and the Ford 6 speed with an Eaton diff - driven a lot of these things, and I came back 2 hrs later an old hand at it.



Did a clutch on this '73 MF160 - the boss asked ''When did you last split a tractor?'' 'Uh, 20 years ago...' ''Bring that Fergy around, that's your next job.''



This old Fergy hadn't run for 8 years....had to get the Whitworth out. I found a collapsed starter bush....and the boss comes out with a box of 9 bushes. Only 8 left, time to restock ?



Body and brain are waking up - and I thought I was getting old ?

Top story Ol Mate..
The skills never die mate ay..
Great to hear you are back into it and more importantly, enjoying it..

Thanks for sharing your story..

chocs

....thanks Motu for telling it how it is...

...my 23 year old son now runs his boss's workshop on those very principles of learning the whole bloody lot....get that tractor going....re-bush that Hendrickson...put a clutch in that Volvo...answer the bloody phone...lights and blinkers on that roadworthy...hot set on that old mechanical Cummins...rings, bearings, etc..etc..etc......

....only into his second year, he signed himself out of the VACC sponsored apprenticeship with Mercedes Benz (Daimler Chrysler?) in Laverton, and a little beyond that at Prestige Hino in Hallam, because of the brain numbing boredom of PD work and basic warranty stuff-ups and issues....his new boss gave him a crack at completing his apprenticeship.....and it has paid off in spades for both of them

...thanks again for your posts Motu, for young blokes coming through to consider....and for keeping it real...

Yep,ill go along with that . Theres nothin like gettin out into the rural scene, something new all the time & always learnin.
Just sharpens the old brain to no end.
Good onya Mate!!!!.........Billy.