Young men (or lack there of)... I'm trying

[chadzilla]

With the recent post from Dave regarding getting his son, Daniel, a toolbox, it got me to thinking about todays lack of "life skills" in young men. They should be able to do basic mechanical repairs whether it be to a vehicle, home or whatever. September of last year we bought our son a truck. He has wanted a squarebody since his best friend Karter bought one all on his own I might add. Karter's is a "77 3/4 ton 4wd Silverado. Brett"s is a '83 3/4 ton 4wd Custom Deluxe. Karter is like a second son to us. Both boys came up to me one day and asked if we could arrange to bring both trucks into the shop and work on them on saturdays. That's how "squarebody saturday" started. Both are 15 and do not have licenses yet so Karter's parents drive him to the shop. I decided to use this opportunity to educate the boys in auto mechanics. We have started with the basics such as complete fluid changes, brake inspections, tire rotations etc. Teaching them how to use tools the CORRECT way! It dawned on me one day, while desperately trying to keep track of my tools that these boys need their own tool boxes. I had something planned for Brett but needed to figure out something for Karter that would be inexpensive. I am an admitted tool junkie. I have a box for the motorhome, the jeep, dirtbikes and the boat plus my box at our shop. Well, we sold the motorhome and I rarely drive my jeep anymore so i decided to see what I could put together. I kept all my snap on for Brett and the rest was for Karter. I was able to round up about 50% of what I felt he needed, all being older Craftsman tools. Found an old Craftsman 3 drawer rally box on FB market place for $20. Then went pawn shopping for the rest. I took the box completely apart, beat the dents out, sandblasted the drawers and repainted them. Touched up the paint on the box itself and put drawer liners in the drawers. Gave it to him for christmas. He was beyond excited! Brett got a pretty nice box as well. It is a snap on filled with all my extra "good stuff". Both boys are really progressing well. They are eager to learn and don't mind getting dirty. It is very mentally fulfilling being able to help these young men out and give them some skills that I consider valuable. We have big plans for Brett"s truck so I will post them up as we accomplish them. The near future will bring a rebuilt trans and by summer, a stout 489 big block. Yes, I am living vicariously through my son! Who did't want a 4wd with a healthy big block in highschool?!!

 

[ltbaney1]

that is very cool of you. im sometimes shocked at the lack of technical ability by younger folks.

 

[hallett21]

I did a panel for @lbhsbz and I’m pretty sure he taught me 6-7 different things I never heard of lol.

It definitely takes someone willing to learn, but also someone willing to teach.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

I have found it's not the kids so much that dont want to learn, but a lack of parents that are willing to teach!!


Hats off to you! Nice work!

 

[Jay Dub]

very cool of you. Well done

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

With the recent post from Dave regarding getting his son, Daniel, a toolbox, it got me to thinking about todays lack of "life skills" in young men. They should be able to do basic mechanical repairs whether it be to a vehicle, home or whatever. September of last year we bought our son a truck. He has wanted a squarebody since his best friend Karter bought one all on his own I might add. Karter's is a "77 3/4 ton 4wd Silverado. Brett"s is a '83 3/4 ton 4wd Custom Deluxe. Karter is like a second son to us. Both boys came up to me one day and asked if we could arrange to bring both trucks into the shop and work on them on saturdays. That's how "squarebody saturday" started. Both are 15 and do not have licenses yet so Karter's parents drive him to the shop. I decided to use this opportunity to educate the boys in auto mechanics. We have started with the basics such as complete fluid changes, brake inspections, tire rotations etc. Teaching them how to use tools the CORRECT way! It dawned on me one day, while desperately trying to keep track of my tools that these boys need their own tool boxes. I had something planned for Brett but needed to figure out something for Karter that would be inexpensive. I am an admitted tool junkie. I have a box for the motorhome, the jeep, dirtbikes and the boat plus my box at our shop. Well, we sold the motorhome and I rarely drive my jeep anymore so i decided to see what I could put together. I kept all my snap on for Brett and the rest was for Karter. I was able to round up about 50% of what I felt he needed, all being older Craftsman tools. Found an old Craftsman 3 drawer rally box on FB market place for $20. Then went pawn shopping for the rest. I took the box completely apart, beat the dents out, sandblasted the drawers and repainted them. Touched up the paint on the box itself and put drawer liners in the drawers. Gave it to him for christmas. He was beyond excited! Brett got a pretty nice box as well. It is a snap on filled with all my extra "good stuff". Both boys are really progressing well. They are eager to learn and don't mind getting dirty. It is very mentally fulfilling being able to help these young men out and give them some skills that I consider valuable. We have big plans for Brett"s truck so I will post them up as we accomplish them. The near future will bring a rebuilt trans and by summer, a stout 489 big block. Yes, I am living vicariously through my son! Who did't want a 4wd with a healthy big block in highschool?!!

So cool.... following.... and yes the teenaged boys are driving values on square bodies up..... even us aging teenagers are enjoying them!

 

[bilz]

Very "Kick Ass" of you. This is a great confidence builder and a solid way to spend time with your son.

 

[beerrun]

Our son at 13 went to the local race shop in santee and asked for a job. Yhe owner called me and said your kid won't leave unless I give him a job I told let him sweep the floors so he did. Next thing we hear is he got credit on the snap on truck. Mind you the shop he was sweeping floors in was building million dollar prerunners. He went on to work at some of the biggest TT teams in offroad racing before he quit and went to work for the gas company but he still preps a race car in his garage on the side

 

[RiverDave]

That’s incredible!! Love seeing father son time
On positive projects..

My son ran his first parts on the lathe a few weeks back and even got 50.00 to do it from a friend of mine. I’m looking forward to teaching them what I know.

 

[Eliminator21vdrive]

This is awesome!

 

[CLdrinker]

My 6yr old loves watching me fix stuff. Looking forward to when he is bigger and do it for me lol

 

[Backlash]

Our 16 year old has me scratching my head on a daily basis. He has no interest in driving, no interest in getting a driver's license and thinks he's going to survive living off of video games. I've tried for years to get through to this kid and no matter what I say, do or try to show to him, he has ZERO interest in anything. I posted up a comment last year about buying him a K5 as a step-father/step-son project, which turned out to be a waste of time. He had ZERO interest whatsoever. I ended up selling the project after 3 years because I was the only one interested in it. Hahaha!! Such a total let down.

 

[framer1]

Our 16 year old has me scratching my head on a daily basis. He has no interest in driving, no interest in getting a driver's license and thinks he's going to survive living off of video games. I've tried for years to get through to this kid and no matter what I say, do or try to show to him, he has ZERO interest in anything. I posted up a comment last year about buying him a K5 as a step-father/step-son project, which turned out to be a waste of time. He had ZERO interest whatsoever. I ended up selling the project after 3 years because I was the only one interested in it. Hahaha!! Such a total let down.

He might regret that when he gets older. When he realized how much fun it would have been.

 

[Shlbyntro]

So cool.... following.... and yes the teenaged boys are driving values on square bodies up..... even us aging teenagers are enjoying them!
View attachment 1326033

square body is a GM term, don't insult Fernando like that!

Fernando is known as a "brick nose"

 

[Flatsix66]

My dad was always working on cars and baja bugs in the garage after work. As a little kid I was always told to keep him company, I was told to hold the flashlight and bring him tea (he was English) while he was working. Some of my best memories of my dad is working with him in the garage. I remember vividly pulling the motors/trans out of a Squareback, tearing down the trans to fix the reverse gear detent. At 15 I bought a junk 914 and the first thing I did was pull the trans and fixed the reverse detent spring. It turned out that my career is in tech now, I used those early skills to become very successful in my career, but after work when I get home I work in the garage.

 

[badgas]

Our 16 year old has me scratching my head on a daily basis. He has no interest in driving, no interest in getting a driver's license and thinks he's going to survive living off of video games. I've tried for years to get through to this kid and no matter what I say, do or try to show to him, he has ZERO interest in anything. I posted up a comment last year about buying him a K5 as a step-father/step-son project, which turned out to be a waste of time. He had ZERO interest whatsoever. I ended up selling the project after 3 years because I was the only one interested in it. Hahaha!! Such a total let down.

My two cents , Eliminate the video games ! I have a friend with a 31 year old at home still in the this mode

Some people are just not into cars or wrenching. My son (now 26) has ZERO interest in cars other than using them for transportation. I used to make him do oil changes and tire rotations as a teen so he would know how to do it. That never stuck, he does not service his own car. He does work in construction and loves the carpentry side wood work etc. That was ALL learned on the job not from me.

I'm 55 and would say 80% of my peers have never done anything on a car other than put gas into it and drive it. These are surgeons, C level executives, High powered sales pro's etc. Just not their thing.

For Dad's of teens out there get involved one way or another. When my son was a teen it was Baseball, BMX racing, Airsoft, Flag football, Fishing etc. I got involved and stayed interested in what he/we were doing. He still comes to me as a married productive 26 year old man and asks for advice lets me know what he's up to. That means the world to me.

Congrats to @chadzilla on this experience. The bonding with the kids is priceless.

 

[Backlash]

My two cents , Eliminate the video games ! I have a friend with a 31 year old at home still in the this mode

Some people are just not into cars or wrenching. My son (now 26) has ZERO interest in cars other than using them for transportation. I used to make him do oil changes and tire rotations as a teen so he would know how to do it. That never stuck, he does not service his own car. He does work in construction and loves the carpentry side wood work etc. That was ALL learned on the job not from me.

I'm 55 and would say 80% of my peers have never done anything on a car other than put gas into it and drive it. These are surgeons, C level executives, High powered sales pro's etc. Just not their thing.

For Dad's of teens out there get involved one way or another. When my son was a teen it was Baseball, BMX racing, Airsoft, Flag football, Fishing etc. I got involved and stayed interested in what he/we were doing. He still comes to me as a married productive 26 year old man and asks for advice lets me know what he's up to. That means the world to me.

Congrats to @chadzilla on this experience. The bonding with the kids is priceless.

I appreciate it but after years of trying to connect with this young lad, it just isn't happening. I'll never shut him out, but I'm not going to keep chasing after him trying to convince him to do something he refuses to take any interest in. I didn't mean to derail this thread, sorry to the OP.

Back on track!!

 

[chadzilla]

That’s incredible!! Love seeing father son time
On positive projects..

My son ran his first parts on the lathe a few weeks back and even got 50.00 to do it from a friend of mine. I’m looking forward to teaching them what I know.

That is so cool! I would love to know how to run a lathe and/or mill!

 

[Justsomeguy]

Awesome trucks and awesome story. Trying to do my part. My 6 year old girl asked me this morning when we were going to work on the truck. Noting that unlike the water pump job, she does not just want to just hold the flashlight.

In my defense I would have let her do more. She just can't reach in the engine bay. Very well. The truck she will get involved. That's easier for her.

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

square body is a GM term, don't insult Fernando like that!

Fernando is known as a "brick nose"

Always learning ha.... appreciate that and had actually heard the term on a Ford truck forum.

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Our 16 year old has me scratching my head on a daily basis. He has no interest in driving, no interest in getting a driver's license and thinks he's going to survive living off of video games. I've tried for years to get through to this kid and no matter what I say, do or try to show to him, he has ZERO interest in anything. I posted up a comment last year about buying him a K5 as a step-father/step-son project, which turned out to be a waste of time. He had ZERO interest whatsoever. I ended up selling the project after 3 years because I was the only one interested in it. Hahaha!! Such a total let down.

Yup, did the step dad gig.... its tough to have that bond.... some achieve it .... I never really did. Good luck and don't give up trying.... at his age he's still figuring his family dynamic out. My wife used to get me books to read on the art of step parenting. I did my best.

 

[Waterjunky]

All my Ford's have been called square bodies when appropriate. Not so sure on it being a cheby thing only......

 

[JL95]

i have had a super out of touch dream that both my boys would have a ying yang set of blazers in highschool. Would be sick as hell. Now that would take $100k plus

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

i have had a super out of touch dream that both my boys would have a ying yang set of blazers in highschool. Would be sick as hell. Now that would take $100k plus

Oh man the K5s are still on fire in the market.... I feel like guys are digging up graves to find more to rebuild cause the profits are still there. The frame off builds are up in $75-100K if done detailed and specific. Still the $50K ones are nice too I watch a builder on Instagram who is finishing up his ground up K5 build.... he actually says gets $200K for his.