Why Do I Think I Qualify ?

So what makes me think I'm a gear head ?

I have a love of mechanical devices, a hands on ability, and a passion for doing tasks to the best that I am capable of. That is good enough in my mind but let me expand on the subject.

Since the age of eight I have had a love for cars, which evolved into the mechanical aspects of virtually anything mechanical (including a mechanical engineering degree from General Motors Institute). 

I worked on and modified my bicycle(s) (still do), I built and modified model cars. Built, modified, and raced slot cars. I actually designed and made my own frames for the slot cars. I disassembled and made running a lawnmower motor in 7th grade. Painted my first car three times, with a little custom paint. Swapped motors in my first car. Custom painted cars in High School.

My first job was working for my grandfather at his airport. My grandfather was a mechanic and I was exposed to a lot of mechanic processes in working with him. Light aircraft are just full of neat little mechanical devices. I continue to be fascinated with mechanical devices and new technologies.

I'm a big fan of Hot Rods, kustom kulture, racing, motorcycles, choppers and whatever is cool in the mechanical or automotive world. Pinstriping and traditional hot rod flames are artforms that I have tried and had some success with, though mostly for my own enjoyment.

Early adoption of technology is something that I seem to be attracted to also. Computers, PDA's, digital camera's, CAD software, MP3 players, smartphones have all been tools I have used. Yes I even have an iPad that I love, which originally I thought was too limited in use. I'm a spreadsheet junkie. I haven't re-written a contact list since 1994, when I stopped using a Franklin Planner which I used religiously.

Somewhere along the way I learned to machine parts and pieces using a mill, lathe, or grinder. Alas I have not had the opportunity to learn welding.

I'm not a big a gearhead as an Ed Roth, Micky Thompson, Bryan Fuller or Chip Foose (who I met once), but I think I qualify and that's what counts.

Wow this blogging thing ain't as easy as I thought it would be. I started this a couple weeks ago and just managed to finish it.

What is a GearHead ?

So, what is a GearHead? Well, it's not a comic book character as described in Wikipedia, and it's not in the dictionary.

A gear is a mechanical linkage that is used to transmit rotational motion. It can be used to increase or decrease torque and speed. I started my career working for Chevrolet Muncie, and later was the gear engineer on GM's EV1 drive unit, so I have an intimate knowledge of this type of gear.

It is also used to refer to equipment used for many things. Camping gear, fishing gear, hiking gear, audio gear, scuba gear, my gear or your gear are some examples of gear (George Carlin called it stuff, but that's another tale). The point  being that gear is something we use to assist us in doing other things, usually to make life easier. Our gear can be a necessity or just something that appeals to us. Usually gear affects our senses in some way, by sight, touch, smell, sound, or taste

Head can mean the top, the start, the wisest, most powerful, or just the place that our brain lives. Our brain is what controls us, gives us our intelligence. It tells us right from wrong, and gives us our emotions. It's these emotions that  are at the heart of us. It gives us our passions.

In a nut shell (or cranium) a GearHead is one who has a passion for an object that they become attached to. Though I believe the term Gearhead is mostly used in the realm of cars, bikes, boats, and planes or the transportation segment. Why, because people are passionate about them, so passionate that they usually cannot leave them alone. They have to customize them, usually doing the work themselves when they can. I'm not saying that there are not GearHeads in other areas, but for the last hundred years transportation has been at the head of the class. That said, I also believe that this era may be winding down and electronics will be the passion of the next generation of GearHeads.

The other characteristic of a GearHead is that because of their hands-on approach they can be skilled craftsmen. They are the example of do it right, the best you can, and they take pride it what they have done.

Most of all GearHeads are pretty cool and good to have around.

Next time, what makes me think I qualify.

In the Begining....

If someone wrote a book about your life, would anyone read it? That is a question in a military recruiting add several years ago and I have pondered on that question ever since.

Actually I think that I have done some cool things in my life (not to be compared with a lot of people out there), so to see if anyone wants to hear about it I'm going to learn how to blog.


My Grandfather is probably where I got my gearhead gene from. He was a mechanic, racer, pilot, and flight instructor. He built the airport in Winchester, Indiana. So I have been around mechanical "thing's" all my life. 


At 8 years of age I built my first model car for a Boy Scout project. A 1960 Ford Starliner. What's interesting about this is that ever since I have had a car it has been a GM Product, never owned a Ford. From then on I have always been interested in cars and car related subjects.


To further seal my fate, those same grandparents got me my first subscription to Hot Rod magazine in 1963.


So thus was the creation of this self proclaimed gearhead.