Auto Mechanics books for Tweenagers

[Schurkey]

My nephew is 11, and according to his grandmother, has an unhealthy interest in firearms. I have been tasked by her with getting him interested in "something else".

He's coming to visit this summer, I can pull him into the shop where we'll play with engines and "stuff". I'm looking for books he can read prior to his visit that might pique his interest.

Anyone know of teen- or pre-teen-level books on autos, auto repair, perhaps colorful race cars...anything of the sort.

Any other ideas on how to engage him in the automotive field?

[groberts101]

My nephew is 11, and according to his grandmother, has an unhealthy interest in firearms. I have been tasked by her with getting him interested in "something else".

He's coming to visit this summer, I can pull him into the shop where we'll play with engines and "stuff". I'm looking for books he can read prior to his visit that might pique his interest.

Anyone know of teen- or pre-teen-level books on autos, auto repair, perhaps colorful race cars...anything of the sort.

Any other ideas on how to engage him in the automotive field?

Not sure about books. But maybe find his favorite types of cars and tailor towards that?

I do know a gocarts and minibikes gets most of them hook line and sinker though!

[B Original]

Getting a poster of a Lamborghini Countach with a bikini Bay model posing on it LOL that got my interest when I was 12 years old.

There's a real good series on Netflix that you might get into watch that my Intrigue him it's called Fastest Car it involves several episodes leading up to a championship of the producers finding a Supercar and pitting it against three sleepers that turn out to be some really well engineered and fast everyday cars that people build in their garages. I think something that pits the supercar against the underdog that wins sometimes Maybe Aventuras to someone that age

[GARY C]

You may be better off taking him shooting and teach him the respect and proper use of a fire arm, if he hasen't ever shot before then the kick of a twelve gauge may change his interest but trying to get him interested in your hobbies without understanding his will probably go nowhere and may even shut down a much needed communication.

I was taught to load and shoot the family 38 at about his age because my dad didn't want me playing with the house hold gun, it was for protection and he wanted me to understand that and be able to use it if needed, my extended family was into hunting and shooting I wasn't so the shot gun I got for Christmas sat unused but I was into cars so I learned from neighbors with the same interest, when I got my first car my dad said he would pay for needed parts but I had to do the work my self.

[B Original]

There's nothing will getting keep his interest like a project car whether it be a go-kart or a junior dragster or whatever might be appropriate as long as he can see progress every time he comes around and when he gets the big head let him make mistakes then step in and help him correct the mistakes never tell him how to learn but help him learn in his own way

[lefty o]

My nephew is 11, and according to his grandmother, has an unhealthy interest in firearms. I have been tasked by her with getting him interested in "something else".

He's coming to visit this summer, I can pull him into the shop where we'll play with engines and "stuff". I'm looking for books he can read prior to his visit that might pique his interest.

Anyone know of teen- or pre-teen-level books on autos, auto repair, perhaps colorful race cars...anything of the sort.

Any other ideas on how to engage him in the automotive field?

only time there is an unhealthy interest in firearms is when a kid hasnt been raised to have any values or morals.

[GARY C]

There's nothing will getting keep his interest like a project car whether it be a go-kart or a junior dragster or whatever might be appropriate as long as he can see progress every time he comes around and when he gets the big head let him make mistakes then step in and help him correct the mistakes never tell him how to learn but help him learn in his own way

True, if he has an interest or curiosity do what you can to feed that. may just start by taking him to the store for a coke in your hot rod and see what his response are questions are.

[shoedoos]

Hook him with fascination......I was changing a set of 700lb valve springs with a bench top spring remover.....he (10 years old) saw I was struggling on my own so I showed him how much weight these things could support by having him stand on them and notice how little they compressed. We then loaded 250 pounds on top so he could again see how little they shrunk.

After that I put a 10-foot pipe on the compressor's handle and got him to compress the springs while I removed the locks. We then extended the leverage right over to the other wall and he could pull those 700lb springs with a single finger......

He still talks about that today and is always hovering when I am doing things.....I like to think he learned about leverage and trust that day....last thing I needed was jammed fingers from some stout roller springs....hehehe...

[ijames]

When I was a young teenager I read a couple of racing novels by Patrick O'Connor and loved them, but 11 may be a bit too young. Go to amazon and search for "Patrick O'Connor black tiger". Long out of print but some are available for Kindle and the used paperbacks aren't too expensive.

[427dart]

When I was 11 I had interest in guns and cars! I got my primary auto education through to pages of Hot Rod, Car Craft,Popular Hot Rodding and later Super Stock and Drag Illust. magazines.
And don't let his interest in firearms be some evil dark thing but give him common sense direction in BOTH fields of interest!

Now days I'm getting more enjoyment out of my guns since traffic around here is so bad you might get some open road on a Sunday morning cruise!

[rebelrouser]

Worlds fastest Indian by David hill, which is also a great movie. Best damn garage in town by Smokey Yunik , We were the Ramchargers by Dave Rockwell

I had an uncle who got me started on cars and hot rodding. when I was 13 I helped him cut a Plymouth station wagon into a el camino like truck and put a 392 hemi in it. At 15 I started building my first car a 48 willy's overland station wagon with a small block Chevy. Its all been up or down hill after that depending on how you look at it.

[Speedbump]

Kids that age and even older see the car as a "lifetime" away according to their life clock. The most successful class I ever did for freshmen level students revolved around a model called "The Visible V-8." I think it's still available. It not only teaches the operation of an engine, it reinforces things like reading, following instructions and the importance of "sequence" of events. I followed that with 3 hp Briggs engines which actually ran when assembled properly. My grandson is in the Jr. dragster program and loves it. Also agree this might be a teachable moment for learning the use and respect for firearms. To conclude, at his age, I read an author named Henry Gregor Felsen, who wrote a number of simple fictional books based around hot rods. I still remember them. Good luck.

[427dart]

Two young fellas live several doors down the street from me and when each was 10-11 they would be down at my house when I was building an engine or carb or would want to go for a ride during one of my tuning sessions.
Now they both build their own engines for their hot street machines and do body work and paint.
The oldest works as a paint consultant/sales for a local family owned auto parts shop and has his cool 1954 Chevy hot rod.
The young one,now 22, is continuing his build on his Dad's old '67 Mustang which they gave him some years ago. He also works as the build mechanic on the local auto parts shop owner's fleet of 60's muscle cars and hot rods plus is a dang good artist in hand painting lettering,pin stripe, and such.
His latest Ford 302 build for his Mustang has a lot of my old parts in it as well!
Oh and they also like guns!

[autogear]

Its not surprising that a young man with an interest in mechanical things, gravitates to firearms. I taught a lot of these young men as part of the rifle and shotgun merit badges through the BSA. Some of my guys went on to get scholarships for college due to their target shooting. A lot of fine kids came through our program over the years. Often times you could see that the respect and discipline taught by range officers and competent firearms-friendly moms n dads really rubs off on a kid. They enjoy the responsibility and hanging out with adults, competing on even footing (I had an 11 yr old who was a better shot with an air rifle than I was and he was a novice). What gets kids in trouble is when we make things taboo - then it becomes cool and feels like they're getting away with something - and usually taught by people who have no business. Poor firearms instruction by internet fan-boys gets people in trouble. Satiate his curiosity with a co2 air rifle or bb gun. This will teach him safety, responsibility and take down some of the taboo factor - while being mom friendly.

On to books! The Hot Rod: Resurrection of a Legend (by Brock Yates) is easy to read, well written and has TONS of pictures.
The car in question was a 1925 T roadster, on a dodge frame, with originally a flathead, but quickly changed to a Tri-power 283 (eventually with a '57 corvette T10). Its channelled a LOT and has a gnarly solid lifter cam and some homemade headers with collectors made from driveshaft parts LOL. Just a really cool, clean homebuilt with TONS of character.
The book's broken into several parts:
1 - a very brief intro into the road racing culture in So-Cal in the 1940s-50s
2 - the history and build process of Duffy's Eliminator (known as Tihsepa), along with Duffy Livingstone himself (the grandfather of organized go-kart racing)
3 - The search for and restoration of The Eliminator
4 - some coverage of the build of a Brock Yates designed 'Duffy' tribute car using a 33 Ford roadster and Viper V10

You could build a Tihsepa clone out of a derelict T-bucket pretty easy. tri-power 283 (Id use a vintage single 4bbl for a first timer), Saginaw 4 spd, slot mags, white paint, hand lettering and a track-T nose with a turtle deck would get you damn close.

[GARY C]

David Vizards books are good as well as he uses detailed photos to show a beginner what he is talking about, if he is like many youngsters he probably prefers internet over books, here is a link with many of Davids chapters you may want to check out.
https://www.musclecardiy.com/cylinder-h ... s-part-10/