Nothing formal...
Caught the car bug early from Uncle Norm that was a little car crazy; 69 Roadrunner 383, 67 Camino 396 4spd, 55 chevy P/U hot rodded. Then a couple older cousin's with a 66 Fairlane, 66 Beaumont, 67 Beaumont, 71 Cutlass 455.
In high school a good friend picked up a 70 Malibu which we pop riveted patches on and started slinging bondo. Shortly after another friend Steve, was in formal auto body trade school and we were soon hacking on stuff in his garage. He taught me quite a bit.
A friend's friend was the auto tech teacher for a small town High School. He offered to put on a one evening a week "school" for about six of us at the school's auto shop. We did about 10 nights each winter for two years. Essentially we just brought in our projects for the night and he guided us along on how to do it. Around the same time a towing buddy (with a Mig welder) helped me put floor pans in my 78 pick-up. For the "school" I put quarter skins on it and hung new doors on it. Then Steve painted it at his work. The second winter at "school" I did a complete repaint on my Dad's ford shortbox truck.
My 78 Shortbox in it's 80's glory. We don't need no steenking alignment !!
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Somewhere along the way I stared at this article for waaaaaayy too long....
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So... when I snapped an axle powershifting to second and lost a tire resulting in some quarter damage....
I went out to the garage and cut the inner tubs out of the car with a cold chisel and a 5lb sledge hammer.
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It was game on after that. I've had a lot of help from friend's in industry along the way