Old time machine shops are disappearing!

[austinsailor]

Well, our local machine shop that does all our work on old stuff caught fire last night.

http://www.abc17news.com/news.php?id=8048

I hope all is not lost. They are the only place nearby who knows how to take an old flathead and make it new, turnkey job. Dodge, Ford, Hudson or whatever. Parts on the shelf back to the 30's.

Most of the pistons I have listed for sale elsewhere are on his shelf. Fortunately, I have nothing in there now.

I was in there about 2 weeks ago and commented about the hot tank with open flames under it, something left from the 30's most likely, and how dangerous it was. With 40 years of accumulated grease and all, it could be a problem. He told me the fire marshall told him that if it ever caught fire, they would shoot the hoses from the doors, but no way were they going in. The fire started about at that tank.

I'll have to watch the video and see if anyone went inside.

Nobody was hurt and the firemen rescued the cats that live there.

I'll have to go in later today and see what shape it's in. He may just retire after this. The last of the old time guys left round here.

If he quits, I'll have to see what is for sale.

[Rodney Bullock]

I feel your pain. i think about this all the time. The old guy that did my motors when I was a kid passed away in 2005. I found another guy and he too is very old. I am very heasitant about starting a new project. These guy's I trusted are leaving at a high rate of speed.When I do a car I like to have the motor and trans rebuilt.

They are having a vote on a measure that will put all this money in schools, everyone is afraid that it will not go to the system that it is intended. If they want to really make a diffence put it in trade schools. i notice there are none around here. most of the guy's I know that paint cars and repair learned from a trade school. This is needed now more than ever. We try to learn stuff all the time to repair our old cars however I can't sew, can't bore a block and I can't half see. sounds like a fats domino song don't it;) Did anyone see the special on the mcpherson college, that was real nice.

[Young Ed]

You guys reminded me of this book. I heard about it a while back and then it slipped my mind. Anyone read it?

http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp/0143117467/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351784505&sr=8-1&keywords=shop+class+as+soulcraft

[Chester Brzostowski]

I feel your pain. i think about this all the time. The old guy that did my motors when I was a kid passed away in 2005. I found another guy and he too is very old. I am very heasitant about starting a new project. These guy's I trusted are leaving at a high rate of speed.When I do a car I like to have the motor and trans rebuilt.

They are having a vote on a measure that will put all this money in schools, everyone is afraid that it will not go to the system that it is intended. If they want to really make a diffence put it in trade schools. i notice there are none around here. most of the guy's I know that paint cars and repair learned from a trade school. This is needed now more than ever. We try to learn stuff all the time to repair our old cars however I can't sew, can't bore a block and I can't half see. sounds like a fats domino song don't it;) Did anyone see the special on the mcpherson college, that was real nice.

Rodney,

I don’t think it is the lack of trade schools. I think that our young folks are more into bits and bytes and big money, rather than bolts and grease. Just an observation.

Chet…

[Don Coatney]

Rodney,

I don’t think it is the lack of trade schools. I think that our young folks are more into bits and bytes and big money, rather than bolts and grease. Just an observation.

Chet…

I agree with that. Ask any young kid today how a transformer works and they will respond Hollywood style.

[dezeldoc]

WOW a live flame in a machine shop! That boy is definitely old school, that thing was sure enough a ticking time bomb.

[Rodney Bullock]

Up until last month I though just like you guy's however I met a small group of kids at the Dulles plane pull. They changed my mind. they were very interested about the old old cars and how it looked so easy. There were so little moving parts one said. the others were amazed at the principle of gas, spark and compression. I talked to them most of the day. there is a wall that has been created between the young and the old. I have seen it as I got older. In my time:o(like I'm 100) The older guy's would stop to explain things to us, we would "listen" When we got our own cars all that they taught us became relative. The wall came when technology changed and the gap widened. no longer were V8 motors the in thing now it's smaller, 4dr and little baby wheels or great big wheels. a kid would have to be a "throw back" I think the older I get the more I long for the older stuff. My current "thing' is getting a Model A coupe with a flathead motor. the traditional hot rod. what's next:rolleyes: an electric car. Remember studebakers first car was....electric:)

[Rodney Bullock]

getting back on topic, I spent alot of time with Mr. Chambers at his machine shop. The son is also a machinist however this guy can never teach all his tricks to anyone. It would take to long. it's something about a machined motor all new and perfect.

I hope the shop that caught fire does not close and the old guy not retire. You need him and he needs you. Do all you can to help and encourage others to do the same.

[Young Ed]

Up until last month I though just like you guy's however I met a small group of kids at the Dulles plane pull. They changed my mind. they were very interested about the old old cars and how it looked so easy. There were so little moving parts one said. the others were amazed at the principle of gas, spark and compression. I talked to them most of the day. there is a wall that has been created between the young and the old. I have seen it as I got older. In my time:o(like I'm 100) The older guy's would stop to explain things to us, we would "listen" When we got our own cars all that they taught us became relative. The wall came when technology changed and the gap widened. no longer were V8 motors the in thing now it's smaller, 4dr and little baby wheels or great big wheels. a kid would have to be a "throw back" I think the older I get the more I long for the older stuff. My current "thing' is getting a Model A coupe with a flathead motor. the traditional hot rod. what's next:rolleyes: an electric car. Remember studebakers first car was....electric:)

Studebakers first cars were horse drawn

[austinsailor]

Actually, Studebaker's first "cars" had one wheel - he started by making wheelbarrows in the California gold rush.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I thought you were going to say he sat on a stump with a wheel in his hand saying "udden-udden"

[kevin h P15]

Is the machinist still Eldon?

20 years ago he helped me on a project (thought he was old then). Did machine work on a tractor head. Even offered me (a 20 year old kid) to go in back and use his equipment to reline a clutch. Often wondered if they were still around in our modern age since I haven't visited Columbia in nearly 15 years.

[austinsailor]

Yes, Elson. Still will point you to the machine, tell you where the lining is. Then stop and show you how. Great guy. Often he has gotten a pile of parts together for me - like a flathead 6 head gasket, some valves, a couple pistons and more, along with some machining, i ask how much? "Oh, $40." I give him $100, telling him it's worth far more than $40 to me.

I stopped by yesterday morning at about 8 to see if he needed any help, but nobody was there yet. I had to get home to move dirt, couldn't waste this good weather just waiting. But looking through the windows as much as I could, it didn't look too bad. I'll be there this morning and see the real results.

Silly news people are still calling it "Champion" Auto Parts. It has a Champion spark plug sign on the front near the "Loop 70 Auto Parts" sign. I've never noticed the TV reporters letting the facts get in the way of a good story. Their main focus is getting their face in front of that camera, not the story.

Edited November 3, 2012 by austinsailor

[gwaggonercpa]

Tough times for central MO machine shops. Precision Machine shut down due to fire in Jefferson City a couple of months ago. Back in business at a temporary location--and I heard they had some work being done at Elson's.

Elson made the local news some months back: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQmYK1Xz2nU

[austinsailor]

Good news! Damage is nowhere as bad as the news people made it sound.

The problem now is the equipment is rusting from all the water. it's a mess with all the ceilings pulled out, etc. Old books and parts are ok.

I asked if he was just going to quit. "Heck no. I have too much fun working on this stuff!" What good news. He says there's been about 50 of us who have volunteered to help clean up and repair.

Fire started either in a light ballast or the brake drum machine bellow it, most likely the light.

[Rodney Bullock]

great news:) I think folks can do little things to keep these guy's busy. I am going into my machineshop tomorrow to have some drums turned;) Your post has made me aware that these guy's need our support.

[austinsailor]

Here's one of the paper's reports:

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/nov/01/fire-damages-business-loop-auto-parts-shop/

And another:

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/nov/02/cause-of-auto-parts-shop-fire-unknown/

An interesting comment in the story was:

"A damage estimate also is not yet available because of the unique inventory of the store, Fraizer said. "

Indeed, how do you value old time operating machinery, tools and parts going back40 or more years?