Once you are hooked it is hard to go back.
I recently bought a gold 1975 Plymouth Duster with the iconic 225 slant-6, automatic transmission, manual brakes and air conditioning. It was owned by my uncle, who fixed it up for my cousin. My uncle was happy to let me take the car because he knew I'd take care of it. It sat for two years before I acquired it and needed a few touch ups (like a front bumper). It barely idled, requiring some deft footwork and transmission juggling to keep it running at stop signs and downtown Atlanta traffic. The Duster soldiered to its new home and I began to assess the situation.
I have always been a do-it-yourself kind of guy. I was blessed with a mechanical mind so cars have just come naturally to me. Notice I didn't say easily. Working on cars is not now, nor has it ever been, easy to me. When I was 16, my definition of "working on my car" was taking it to my Dad's shop. That lasted all of a year until the shop was closed. I found myself with a home garage filled with shop tools, and a car in need of maintenance. My Dad suggested I buy a repair manual and work on the car myself.
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