Could you put a car together?
Posted on: October 19, 2009 - 8:38am
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Could you put a car together?
Assemble it from scratch?
I could. Well, a simple car, that is.
Slowly, and checking the drawing, of course; having the proper tools.
But there are people so mechanically inclined that they would do it WITHOUT the schematics, I'm told. NO!
Would you put this Volkswagen together, for example? http://imager.cc/page2/explodedcarparts/
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I've never tried a whole car, but I have rebuilt engines, transmissions, brakes, carburetors, and myriad internal parts. I've done body work and repainted and stuck in an occasional window or electric controller. I've repacked wheel bearings and adjusted steering gears.
Sometimes, I have done these things without a manual, but usually I buy the manual first. I remember a Chevy Citation transmission that had some parts left over after I finished, but it worked better!
I've had failures, too, even with a manual. Sometimes, more experience and even training are needed to accomplish tasks. In an automotive plant, workers do not know everyone else's job. Teamwork is a lot easier for building entire cars. For one person to build an entire car from parts would, I assume, take a very long time. That doesn't mean it isn't done - I've seen a lot of people building up and restoring old cars and taking them down to bare metal.
I have considerably less exp. than Herk. I've never rebuilt a trans or rear end or painted a car, but I have done half the work on several engine swaps, and installed a load of performance stuff. I've changed clutches, changed out brake pads, rotors and drums, swapped out small calipers for 4 piston calipers etc.
Still I think I could manage to put a whole car together.... from assemblies! Give me a built tranny, rear end, and engine etc, and I could get through it. Starting from that exploded view where everything is in thousands of pieces is a little too daunting for my tastes. Transmissions are extremely complicated (to me,) and require special tools as well as engines and some other assemblies.
I plan on doing another project car someday. I'm going to build a Datsun 240z with an engine swap (Toyota 1uz V8 or Nissan vq37 turbocharged) super lightweight, powerful, and sleek. Donations for my dream anyone?? J/k!
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Perfectly aligning the wheels manually is something that would scare me to death. The rest of the assembly, maybe with less difficulty.
Me and my dad have put a car together. A father son project you might call it. Admitedly it was a custom car so not as many parts as that VW. But a car all the same. It just didn't have the extra bits that make the inside look nice. However many of the pieces did come already assembled but not all. But then my dad is a mechanical engineer although he specialises in ship engines. But given the time and correct tools and instructions I would say yes.
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With a guide and proper tools, I could.
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I have built a four head stitcher/trimmer from scrap parts in a basement, but not a car.
Close to the same number of pieces and wiring including detectors and vacuum hoses though. One month of spare time, a vertical mill, a lathe, a drill press, a metal cutting bandsaw, and much profanity.
I think I could do a car if given the base materials. 3-cylinder engine ok?
It would most certainly be fun to watch me try. lol. Rated MA for language and violence.
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What he said....
Still, I have gone “off book” many times and having a basic understanding goes a long way towards getting the job done.
For example, one time a friend of mine could not remove his key from the driver's side door of his car. Yet he did not have the door locked at the time.
I got the panels off of the door, got the lock out of the door and opened the tiny parts up on a tray in my kitchen. He ended up with a door lock that was one tumbler short of what the manufacturer had ibn mind but he was able to drive away.
None of the above was anything that I had any experience with but even so, I got him going and he bought me dinner for the event. If he had had to call a wrecker, it would have cost him a good deal more than it did.
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