<VV> Paucity of Corvair mechanics

[Craig Nicol]

As a sort-of professional mechanic - who happens to work on Corvairs -
here's my take:  It's not so much "the fear of the unfamiliar" but an
efficiency thing. Good mechanics get experienced with certain jobs and
equipment and they start to get efficient and competent in performing them.


If I can pick from two jobs, one where I've done it 25 times and can be
confident about the outcome or another job that I haven't done and might
face a bunch of research or making bone-head errors (leading to unpaid
comebacks), I'll take the first type all day long. 

These days a garage mechanic is in front of the boss if he doesn't flag at
125%, meaning 10 hours of paid labor in an 8 hour shift. Some guys "beat"
the time (efficiency) or work two or three at once (waiting for parts,
cleaning cycles, drying time), again, an efficiency thing. If a guy or gal
in a shop like that just bills straight time on a single job, the other 25%
he could be making comes right out of his pocket AND in the case of the
typical riavroC owner, straight time is still way too much money.  Here we
have two parties who don't have a meeting of the minds.

When I had my shop, I took in a little Corvair work because I know it inside
out and I'm efficient at it. Mechanics who have been burned by taking in the
unfamiliar learn to be smart enough to say no.

Any owner of an old car will have trouble finding a mechanic just because
mechanics aren't familiar with them - the problem is oldness + Corvairness.

It's a good thing these cars are relatively simple!
Craig Nicol