That is seriously shocking. Was that unusual at the time? I wonder what it's like now across the US . . . Now there's an idea. My car is just about to die on me and this "cold-spell" isn't helping things at all. I really, really hope I can sell it to some parents looking for a first car for their kid, come spring. I really, really, really hope I can sell it for close to what I spent on getting it to pass inspection.Engineers, as a general rule of thumb, know fuckall about taking things apart. I was stunned to learn that of the entire UW department of Mechanical Engineering, I was the only person in my graduating class that had ever repaired a vehicle large enough to ride in.
In my opinion, the best way to learn how to wrench is to own a VW Bug. The parts cost nothing, you can take the whole thing apart with a Leatherman and there are enough gotchas in the design that it will not instill you with a sense of awe for "superior German engineering." Build a dune buggy or sand rail. You'll learn.