New member Burnley Lancashire

Hello, thank you for the remarkably straightforward membership process and for having me 🙂 

I'm a motor mechanic, mostly Citroen since 1980, but served my apprenticeship working on Japanese cars. My first job, at a Datsun dealership, I can clearly recall the first Friday evening walking home from work: I love fixing cars, motorcycles and eveything else, but I can't stand the thought of my life being mapped out for the next 49 years.

In Feb '1983, another Friday, I was made redundant. Fortunately, I had passed my exams in two year, rather than the usual 3/4yrs.

The following Monday, after losing my job, I borrowed £20 from my grandma. Bought cheapo axle stands, trolley jack and timing light with dwell meter and rented a wooden garage. The advert in my local paper just about paid for itself and it offered: "Clutches supplied/fitted from £15 (Datsun Cherry, literally a 20 minute job) servicing and repairs. Japanese car specialist."

I had - still do - a free collection & delivery service (didn't want my customers seeing my 'workshop') and even though I was still a teenager, only once did I have to farm a job out owing to inexperience. 

I still wonder why a customer would hand over his/her car to someone who looked about 12. The last time I was refused alcohol was when I lived in NE Scotland, close to my 29th birthday, browsing the bottles of Scotch: "Oh no, not for you, laddie".

And yet they did. Happily gave me their keys - and newer cars were incredibly expensive in the eighties, when whole houses were going for £2k in Burnley - this is turning into an autobiography. I'll cut it short. Now!   

So, losing my job, both my parents lost theirs too in the same month, I got my wish: The Freedom to Fix Things and on My Own Terms! 

Following a few years not working on cars, I recently did a mad thing and rented a workshop and started all over again! ATM I'm doing-up and selling my inventory of 'stuff' but as soon as they are gone, it's back to working on cars and motorcycles again!

My Impreza '96 WRX is sadly going on Monday. I still have a brand new Clarion WXZ468 RMP in box with papers that I plan to sell if ther's enough interest. It was bought straight from a Subaru dealership in a very mad moment...

I'll let you know on here when it goes on eBay. When I'm done selling, I plan to buy another Impreza WRX to restore and modify, hence my joining this forum.

Have a great Bank Holiday, the first sunny one since 1893.