Things to restore/fix up for young mechanic

[Guest Wildwillis]

Hello,

I am 16 and very interested in motors. I have built my own motorized bike, restored and sold 1994 MTD mower and also tinker with push mowers, weed wackers etc.

 

Can somebody please suggest to me things I can easily restore and find for real cheap. Such as mopeds, ride on mowers, motorbikes. Basically anything I can fit into a little shed and moves. (No cars).

t

Thanks heaps!

[Bhigdog]

You've answered your own question. My only advice is "you make your profit when you buy not when you sell". In other words there are lots of things that you mentioned that are sold used/broken for almost nothing or given away. Pay little or nothing. Network with dealers, yard sales, neighbors, etc, etc, . At sixteen you can give them the sad puppy dog eyes and appeal to their "help a kid out" instincts. Then fix it up and sell for a profit.

The world is waiting for a go getter like you.

Go get em...................Bob

[auburnseeker]

You could even throw an ad on your local craigslist or the old fashion way of a pin up note at the local grocery store or like if you still have one in your neighborhood.  Older people who Might like to just get rid of some of the clutter they have in the garage are most likely to be reading those pinup notes and flyers. 

[Larry Schramm]

Come around my neighborhood on trash day. This week when riding around the neighborhood saw a lawnmower and a weed eater sitting at the curb.

[kgreen]

Give this a try: I used to fix neighborhood mowers, snowblowers and such before I could buy cars.  There were occasions when somebody would just give me the equipment because they wanted to buy new and were tired of the old.  I made peanuts fixing things and getting exposed to various problems and lucked into free, fixable stuff that I could then sell for profit.  Once I turned 15 I started working on cars, mine and my buddies.  But that was in the 70's when an IT degree wasn't necessary for auto repair.  

[R Walling]

 Try the FREE listings in Craigslist.  Stay away from the free boats, they are nothing but a hole in the water that you throw money into.

[John_S_in_Penna]

10 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

You've answered your own question. My only advice is "you make your profit when you buy not when you sell". In other words there are lots of things that you mentioned that are sold used/broken for almost nothing or given away. Pay little or nothing. Network with dealers, yard sales, neighbors, etc, etc, . At sixteen you can give them the sad puppy dog eyes and appeal to their "help a kid out" instincts. Then fix it up and sell for a profit.

The world is waiting for a go getter like you.

Go get em...................Bob

 

I agree with Bob's good advice, except for the "puppy dog eyes" part.

Insincerity like that, and posturing for a handout, are not good states

of mind to cultivate.  Most people will see through such deceit right away

and will think much less of you.  Watch the character Eddie Haskell on

the funny old "Leave it to Beaver" television series!

 

I'm sure Bob didn't mean his advice that way, but sincerity and honesty

will take you far in life.

[padgett]

Personally have tried to follow the adage "buy cheap and sell reasonable". Sounds like you have a good handle on motors, two things are good to study: electrics/electronics and carburation/FI - those are specialties that few are good at.

 

Just knowing that a Honda EU2000i generator is famous for clogging the main jet and you reach it via the one bolt on the bottom of the carb can mean dollars in you pocket if live where there are a lot of RVs.

 

Second the nice thing about modern computer cars is they will tell you how they are feeling. GM started in 1981 but the industry was forced to standardize in '95 so a $40 Android tablet (or smart phone), $12 OBD-II/Bluetooth dongle and a $5 copy of Torque Pro will have modern cars spilling their life story to you. 

 

So take a look around you at what people have that needs fixing. It will be different depending on where you live. Got into computers early because am a Floridian and mainframes needed AC.

Edited August 15, 2017 by padgett (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

2 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Insincerity like that, and posturing for a handout, are not good states

of mind to cultivate.  Most people will see through such deceit right away

and will think much less of you

 No more  insincerity, deceit, or posturing involved by a 16 year old hoping  for a favor or break looking the  benefactor straight in the eye with a look of hope than a dog  is being insincere, deceitfull , or posturing by looking at his master with "puppy dog eyes" hoping for a nice ear or belly rub.

Sorry you see it the way you do..................Bob

 

 

Edited August 15, 2017 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[JACK M]

ARRG,

So the kid gets a lawnmower and a belly rub? 

[lump]

You might put the word out that you would like to get old non-running cars running again for people, and will do so for the cost of parts and materials alone.

 

[28 Chrysler]

4 hours ago, Roger Walling said:

 Try the FREE listings in Craigslist.  Stay away from the free boats, they are nothing but a hole in the water that you throw money into.

As a high school kid I lived on a  32' house boat  during the summer months .At 15 I was repairing small boats (12' to 35') bought and sold a few also.

My father was a big help when it came to things like  pressing bearings  or for tools I didn't have.

Keep your eyes open , ask around,

[keiser31]

3 hours ago, lump said:

You might put the word out that you would like to get old non-running cars running again for people, and will do so for the cost of parts and materials alone.

 

Good idea. that way, the car stays with them and you become somewhat of a mobile mechanic which is needed everywhere. You won't have to worry about space because they keep it.

[lump]

I was drawing on LONG TIME AGO personal experience, somewhat. Once my dad had showed me a few of the basics, I would hang around anyone in the neighborhood who was working on their car. I just LOVED it when they were stuck with a problem that I knew how to deal with. I learned a little here, a little there, etc. Eventually I started asking if I could work on old cars some folks had sitting around. I was an awesome feeling when I could get one running. 

[padgett]

Just if you take that route make sure any car you drive further than in the driveway is both licensed and insured.

[lump]

Once a kindly old gentleman down the street had his Rambler up on jacks and an adult friend was trying to help him with a repair.  I was walking down the street that day and noticed them under the car, and came over to watch. The nice old guy said something like, "This boy's father has antique cars. Maybe HE knows how to solve this problem!" He was sort of joking, and the other man said, "Sure, at this point, I'll take advice from ANYONE." He then explained that they had the oil pan off, but no matter what adhesive they tried, they could not get the gaskets to stay on the side rails of the pan while they tried to wedge it back into place. I felt a spark of excitement, because my dad had mentioned an old tip he had learned for problems like that. "Just get a spool of thread and tie a loose loop through every bolt hole," I told them. "Then once you get each bolt started, snip the thread and pull it back out with needle nose pliers." The two men looked at each other in astonishment, and burst out laughing. They tried the trick, and it worked as advertised. The two of them kept congratulating me, and telling me how impressed they were with my knowledge. I must have been 14  or 15 at the time, and actually knew very little. It was a miracle that their problem was one I knew an answer for. I never told them that I didn't know much more than that. I just walked down the street grinning,  completely proud of myself. LOL

[auburnseeker]

12 hours ago, Roger Walling said:

 Try the FREE listings in Craigslist.  Stay away from the free boats, they are nothing but a hole in the water that you throw money into.

Though free outboard motors without a boat attached to them can be very good money,  even if you sell them for parts. 

[mike6024]

 

Get a non-running Sea Doo Jet ski with a Bambardier 2 cylinder engine for a cheap price. You can take the engine out, get it running, and sell it separately for a profit and scrap the jet ski. I think those engines are also used in snowmobiles and maybe ATV's. They are well made. Maybe you could make a high performance riding mower or go-cart using one.

 

Here's what a Rotax - Bombardier engine sounds like, it is a 2-stroke.

Edited August 16, 2017 by mike6024 (see edit history)

[cahartley]

On 8/14/2017 at 9:27 PM, Wildwillis said:

Hello,

I am 16 and very interested in motors. I have built my own motorized bike, restored and sold 1994 MTD mower and also tinker with push mowers, weed wackers etc.

 

Can somebody please suggest to me things I can easily restore and find for real cheap. Such as mopeds, ride on mowers, motorbikes. Basically anything I can fit into a little shed and moves. (No cars).

t

Thanks heaps!

 

 

I admire your enthusiasm....... 

This country needs a whole lot more young men like you!

[bobg1951chevy]

On ‎8‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 10:27 PM, Wildwillis said:

Hello,

I am 16 and very interested in motors. I have built my own motorized bike, restored and sold 1994 MTD mower and also tinker with push mowers, weed wackers etc.

 

Can somebody please suggest to me things I can easily restore and find for real cheap. Such as mopeds, ride on mowers, motorbikes. Basically anything I can fit into a little shed and moves. (No cars).

t

Thanks heaps!

You show a very positive attitude, a very good trait ! 

I have presented  you with  your first "thumbs up" ...... look just above the word "post",  and below  your avatar..

Fix what you like, but always enjoy what you do.

You'll earn money working, but it will never feel like work.

Best of luck.