Advice for a Young Enthusiast?

I was hoping someone might be able to lend a hand.

I'm a teenage car lover, everything from street racing to F1 to driving my Ford Focus around for no reason at all; however, I've realized that I don't really know anything about cars. I've popped the hood several times only to discover that I have no idea what I'm looking at. I really want to learn about how cars work, and how to make them perform (with certain emphasis on how to make them perform faster). Anyone that can try to lay out the basics for me, please. I realize that it's a tall order, but please try, I'm very eager to learn. For all intents and purposes, and mainly because it is true, assume I know nothing.

Thanks,
Matt

im 15, and in my opinion, no teenagers need to go fast until atleast 18.
just go to the scrap trap, pull out one that runs OK and go nuts, thats what i did.

Hey im 15 and i wanted to learn about cars too. So i found out about this website called www.howstuffworks.com (http://www.howstuffworks.com) and looked at it and found cool things and good explanations about engines , suspensions , brakes almost anything you need. You might want to check it out. I sure learned a whole bunch of things.

I hope this will help you.

carl

Hey im 15 and i wanted to learn about cars too. So i found out about this website called www.howstuffworks.com (http://www.howstuffworks.com) and looked at it and found cool things and good explanations about engines , suspensions , brakes almost anything you need. You might want to check it out. I sure learned a whole bunch of things.

I hope this will help you.

carl
thats all good and dandy... but it doesnt teach you how to get up to your elbow full of transmission fluid, or how to smash your knuckles on a manifold.

lol teaches you the basic things. Just so you get a good look at how it works.But it doesnt get down to a lot of details.

Talk to friends. You'll find someone who knows their way around a car...hopefully someone who owns a shop. Be an apprentice...help around the shop. Hands-on is the ONLY way to learn. Especially if you can find someone who knows what they're talking about.

There's always vo-tech and various post-high school classes available either as part of a degree program or just "for fun."

One quick pointer, if I may. Racing is fun, when it's done right. "Street racing" isn't "done right." If you want to go fast, make sure it's done with maturity. Join SCCA and find local organized races. I, personally, prefer Solo II autocrossing but there are other avenues to take. "Street racing" isn't racing...it's a threat to racers and non-racers alike.

im thinking to join some drifting program or whatever.when i get older

Read book and magazines, anything you can related to cars. Buddy up to someone who knows about cars. Buddy up to a guy who owns a shop and will let you hang around and watch, possibly even help. Try to do as much of the work on your car as you can, with help if needed. Go to the races, get to know some of the guys at the track and observe them and thier cars. Something else that will help is to pick up a catalog such as summit or jegs to get an idea of what parts perform what functions. If your not sure what something does, ask, or look it uup online.

im not sure where you live but at my high school i got half of the day to a tech center where in a year in a half i learned about brakes suspension got ase certified and landed a job at a brake and muffler shop.