The eleventh grade at Castlemont found Gary breaking stride with his college prep colloquium, invoking a semester elective in Auto 1, Mr. Martins auto shop class. During his 8th and 9th grades at Frick Junior High, having done the same, completing a semester of mechanical drawing, wood, sheet metal, and forge shop, He didn’t expect journeyman expertise from the vocational shop classes, just an introduction, an understanding of the basic fundamentals, with some hands on experience. Like all vocational studies, the course would start with classroom study’s before getting the students hands begrimed with the extract association of the automotive endeavor, but this was expected. It would be six weeks before commencing the everyday hands-on aspect of the class, and a disappointment to some. The only letdown inhibited by Gary, was that the transmission functions, were part of a second semester’s curriculum. The class instruction started with the principle of the internal combustion engine, then propagating to its exponents, the makeup and function of the electrical system, battery to spark plugs, the fuel system, gas tank to carburetor, the drive train, and all concerning parts in between. The Teen inhaled a host of enlighten answers to long unanswered questions. It was his first introduction to the stator, rotor and basis of field generation motors, and unlike some in the class, found everything interesting.
. Gary was no stranger to laboring on a car, he could readily identify the function of a specific part, but now the mystery of its workings was revealed. His time at working with high school graduate Ted at Fletcher’s Signal Station, enabled him to be party to older teens, their conversations enabling a discernment to the automotive hot rod world. Gary having experienced the 21 metal pan screws that fastened the oil pan on the 37 Desoto, having counted them, his Dad holding the pan in place so he could get them started. It wasn’t his favorite pastime, helping Dad, but ever since the 37 Desoto needed a rod replacement, he was elected. His main objection wasn’t the assisting, it was the timing the teen objected to, it was always on a weekend when Dad decided to become a mechanic.
. Mr, Martins Auto Shop retained the same odor as Fletcher’s Signal Station, one of oil and the solvent used for cleaning. The vocational shop requiring work apparel, which each student was required to purchase. After donning the apparel, noticing a silence prevailed in the classroom and an atmosphere of professionalism seem to engulf the group. Gary interpreted, the outerwear garment would symbolize a pronouncement of assertive recognition. With the class finally reached the addendum to dwell into the mechanics of the engine, and to some of his classmates there was a disappointment, all the motors were Chrysler Product built six cylinder flat-head engines, mounted on stands. Mr. Martin was adamant on the subject of safety, and rumor circulated that during a previous class, a student failed to torque a rod bearing properly, and the rod exited thru the side of the engine block nearly injuring someone.
. The students were paired into teams. and the instruction commenced, learning to set the timing, 5 degrees before TDC, replacing the points in the distributor, adjusting the carburetor, and finally getting disassemble parts of the engine, exposing cylinders and valves. Gary was compulsive in his work, and similar to his past vocational shops, finding the learning experience fulfilling, but recognized that he lacked the patience required of a good skilled mechanic, but felt comfortable as the final grading period approached, with the final exam on the horizon.
. The Teenager and his assistant, it was how Gary silently referred to the other half of the two-man team, having no difficulty completing the first of the two-part final. The first part having two project, and was basic, remove the carburetor and the adjustment screws. The second project was to pull the pan, removing the bottom half of a rod bearing cap and insert. Inserting a gauging strip, replacing the cap and insert, torking the rod nuts to the required tolerance, then removing it once again, measuring the gauging strip for tolerance and a final replacement of the cap and insert. The achievement of measuring the tolerance of the insert and assembly was 50 percent of their final grade. The second half would be determined by the number of attempts it took for the engine to start upon total assembly. Gary having come to the conclusion the real test would be replacing the carburetor air and fuel adjustment screws settings good enough so the engine would start and idle. It was no surprise, the class finding that no engine started the first time. The start test grade was determined by when the engine started, if on the first try, an A plus, on the second, an A , then descending down to F. The course completed, Gary confirmed his mechanical skills were suitable, receiving an A. A result of a little ingenuity, marking the carburetor adjustment screws and counting the number of turns when removing them.
. His automotive class experience provided the confidence of a measurable shade tree mechanic, knowing that desire trumps knowledge when acquiring a skill.
Inquisitive Quest 
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