Learning how to restore

Hi, I am 17 and one thing I have always wanted to do was restore an old car. The only problem is, I really have no idea on how to work on cars and neither does anyone i know. I thought about maybe going to a full trade school type of thing, but I dont really plan on being a mechanic for a living and it seems that learning the more modern things that dont really apply to older cars would be a waste of time. So I am sort of stuck and dont really know how I could ever fix up an old car if i wanted to. What would you guys do?

1. Get some books on basic auto repair. Try to hit a book sale/flea market, or ask around and look for some high school textbooks on auto repair, from the 60's or 70's.
old Chilton's or Motor service books can help.
2. Join a car club and offer to help out on some one elses car project.

Talk to people who have done it before. Restoring a car takes a lot more time and money than you might think.

Yeah, I never said I thought it would be easy, I was just wondering if it is possible to just go by those books you mentioned, because that seems like the best way for me. I dont really know of any car clubs and even if I did, I would feel a little out of place if i didnt know anyone there.

Or he could pay a shit load of money and go to WYOTEC

hahahaa srry but wyotech is for litle girls who have their daddies pay for their new car. Ok well i can relate. You see i am also 17 but i have had the luck of having a dad who grew up in the 60's and lived only for more power and racing forthe ORIGANAL power. i started workin on cars at 10 and rebuilt my first engine at 12, it was a chevy 350 2 bolt main, man ill never forget that engine... lol ok im goin off the subject. Well i AM lookin to be a auto technician so i have done my fair share of research. to me the best way to learn anything with cars, especially older ones is to work on them and experiment with them. if u have a friend who has an old car and is changing the oil do it with him and ask him why and what is this to everything that makes u curious. Also this site is a great place to ask ppl stuff. i know my fare share about cars ESPECIALLY older ones and i learn something new about cars everyday from this site. now if u have some time or a little money, go to a community college and pay like 100 bucks for a 6 month course in complete auto repair. that will get u the fundementals for every system on a car and serves as a good base to learn more about older cars if thats what u prefer. u dont need a diploma for these classes either, theyre just lookin for the money out of ur wallet ;) if u have any ?'s dnt be afraid to ask, i would be happy to help ya with whatever u want. if u want a crash course in cars go to www.howstuffworks.com and go to the autostuff section, it gives pictures and moving drawings giving detailed info on anything u want to know about a car, but just the basics.... srry if none of this helps.


-GearHead