Why is everyone out of chassis springs?

[alexiskai]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

As a young child in the 60s and 70s, I remember going with my father to club member's houses where many of these hobbyist/club member had a small lathe, milling machine, compressor, welder, etc. in their garage where they could restore/repair worn Model-A parts.

Other than the compressor, which I think is still pretty common in home workshops, I wonder how many of those hobbyists you remember both acquired and learned to use those machines specifically for the purpose of pursuing the hobby?

And I'm not saying that's a bad thing. One of the club members here worked in software for his entire career, and then after he retired he re-trained as a machinist at the local vocational school and bought an entire shop's worth of tools. That guy is my hero. But how common is that degree of dedication, is my question.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by alexiskai

Other than the compressor, which I think is still pretty common in home workshops, I wonder how many of those hobbyists you remember both acquired and learned to use those machines specifically for the purpose of pursuing the hobby?

And I'm not saying that's a bad thing. One of the club members here worked in software for his entire career, and then after he retired he re-trained as a machinist at the local vocational school and bought an entire shop's worth of tools. That guy is my hero. But how common is that degree of dedication, is my question.

No, I think the major difference back then was many hobbyists in each club came from an occupation in the trades industry where they had some sort of a background from working around machine tools. Sometimes it was just as a maintenance mechanic at their workplace. Many hobby shops back then possessed tools made by Atlas, S Bend, Logan, etc. that were available thru a Sears or Montgomery Wards catalog. Not everyone possessed skills HOWEVER there were fellow members in the club that helped out other members restoring Model-As. The local Model-A club was a necessity for the networking to assist someone getting a car restored. Yes, the dedication to see a project from A to Z is very much lacking these days.