Celebrating Those Who Do
This story first appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Join the club to receive our award-winning magazine and enjoy insider access to automotive events, discounts, roadside assistance, and more.
There’s a memorial in my garage to a tantrum— a cheap plastic drawer that exploded to pieces when I winged a socket wrench across the shop in frustration. I’ve left the drawer (now useless) in place to remind me to chill the hell out.
The wrench-in-the-air episode happened years ago during a rushed, late-night effort to squeeze a slicked oil-pan seal onto a Chevy big-block V-8. The clock was ticking because my two young sons and I planned to use our Chevelle wagon for a Route 66 spring break road trip. The seal slipped out of place dozens of times as I hunched over the engine bay. I snapped.
I don’t remember how I eventually figured out the seal, but I did, and we had a wonderful drive in the Chevelle on the Mother Road. Whew.
We’re wrapping up this do-it-yourself series of pieces with my ignominious tale because I think, at some level, the pain and suffering are the things that make DIY projects worthwhile. I love tinkering with cars almost as much as driving them. At my house, we jokingly refer to my car projects as “adult Lego,” but the cars are more than toys. My ability to fix a car makes the experience of driving it all the more joyful, knowing my hands are what got the car on the road. These stories are an attempt to put those feelings into words and pictures.
To that end, we assembled an extraordinary lineup of writers and photographers. Matt Crawford, author of Shop Class as Soulcraft, shares what it’s like to be a tinkerer in a modern suburban neighborhood. Sam Smith chronicles a fearless DIY mechanic who’s repairing a flooded McLaren to the delight of millions on YouTube on page 66, and John Phillips hilariously recalls the frustrations of wrenching on a Boss 302 Mustang back when he was a callow youth.
As always, we try to elevate every topic with talented storytellers and aim to continue the intelligent car-magazine musings of legends like David E. Davis Jr. and Brock Yates. The stories venture off a bit from our usual car and people profiles, but one of our jobs is to take our content in directions you didn’t know you wanted. For these stories in particular, I’d love to know what you think.
I’d also love you to work on your cars. Make no mistake, I’m not suggesting you replace the pros. I’ve been under the hood for more than 30 years and remain humbled at how average I am. There is simply no replacement for skilled hands. With this DIY issue, we hope to validate those who do their own work while also inspiring others to get their hands dirty. We all play a part in keeping our precious machines on the road.
I recently asked Jay Leno why he works on his cars, which he does almost daily. He said that his main job—comedy—is subjective. People either like it or they don’t. When it comes to fixing cars, however, there is no debate about whether he did a good job or not. “It’s either fixed,” he said, “or it isn’t.” I know how he feels.
Larry, I have been reading Car and Driver, Road and Track and Automobile a long time. And your current lineup is incredible. I know much of it arises due to the defenestration of staff at foresaid magazines, but the ability to capture the imagination of your readers with messages of hope and joy resonates with me (and millions of others).
Thank you for the work you’ve done assembling this splendid crew of storytellers. You’ve convinced me to join the Hagerty Drivers Club! Job done.
I don’t think they are checking the oil in that picture considering the car is running.
What’s behind the car and the caption in the title photo seem to indicate that you taught your sons to check oil with the engine running. I doubt that’s the case, but… 😒
I noticed that too. Possibly checking trans fluid instead?
Awkward place to do that – stretched over the rad on the driver’s side? The dipstick is on the passenger side clear back against the firewall. Plus, with on hand on the core support and the other on the hood, he ain’t checking ANY fluid levels near as I can tell. He’s “checking” something alright, but not anything on a dipstick!
Most likely the caption was made up by someone without really checking with the author about what was really going on.
Maybe its just a dribble check?
Or possibly he was visually checking if that rat (pun intended) bastard seal he referenced had held and wasn’t blowing oil all over the back of the engine (looks like he’s peering in that general area). “Checking the oil” meaning checking that it isn’t all outside the engine? I call it “View to a Spill” (leading to a possible engine Kill) I know, there’d be other signifiers if said seal was leaking much more dramatic that wouldn’t require pulling over and looking (like oil burning on the exhaust, a fine mist accumulating on the rear window, etc). Just sayin’. I just finished a nearly 7000 mile road trip in a 2001 Audi Allroad with over 250,000 miles on it. Articles are written about how famously unreliable these cars are. Now that was risky! Many of those miles were on old 66. I “checked the oil” using both the traditional dipstick method and the “view to a spill” method. With two turbos spinning away in desert heat, you don’t want to run low! But my family and I made it home in one piece, the Audi is still a daily driver and we have memories that will last a lifetime. I love adventures involving cars. We need to celebrate them. Nothing like the connection you develop with the land you’re traversing on your wheeled rubber feet. Truly American no matter what iron you’re pushing!
You make some excellent “checking the oil” points!
The Chevelle Wagon is pretty cool.
There was a ’66 Chevelle wagon in a field near me that I saw over the course of a couple of years and finally decided it was worth a shot to contact the landowner about. Wouldn’t you know it – when I went there, it was gone! Lost opportunities due to laziness have plagued me more than once in my lifetime…
I know what you mean!
Lost a Bizzarini sitting in a driveway for years and when I finally asked, it had been sold. Arrrgh!
I had a toothless 2nd gear out of my ‘76 Capri on my desk for many years to remind me to grow up and control my temper. Whatever you break, you’ll just have to fix so take a breath and move on. Always made a good conversation piece though.
Well, learning to control one’s temper is one thing we should all strive to do, agreed. Growing up though, is something altogether different and – at least in my case – totally optional.