# Where to start??? **URL:** \ **Category:** SON240sx Automotive\ **Created:** [June 19, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550 "2005-06-19T22:11:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlanD911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AlanD911](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AlanD911)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 10:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/1 "2005-06-19T22:11:01Z")
Hello all, I see how everyone has knowledge about painting your car, welding, swaping in your own engine and all. Yet I have completely no knowledge of this. Where would I start in order to begin having some skills in not just modifying your car but rather doing body work and learning how to change motor parts things like that. Where should i start or where can I learn to be a home mechanic like some of you seem to be so good at allready? ---
**Author:** ![cloudzero3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@cloudzero3](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/cloudzero3)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/2 "2005-06-19T22:13:51Z")
if you’re still in high school take co op… if not, buy a piece of crap and take it apart wherever you have room. i haven’t had that opportunity ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Alex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Alex](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Alex)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/3 "2005-06-19T22:33:27Z")
the only way to learn is to try it. when something needs to be done on your car, do the research, then try it yourself. sometimes you’ll fix it and think damn that wasnt hard at all. and othertimes you might get in over your head and have to learn from your mistakes. hopefully all it costs you is time. there is always others who can give you a hand now and then too. first time i ever touched a car it was to change a clutch. only took me 2 weeks but hey i did it. now i know how and can do it in a day. ---
**Author:** ![AlanD911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AlanD911](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AlanD911)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/4 "2005-06-19T22:52:06Z")
> [@cloudzero3](#): > > if you’re still in high school take co op… > > if not, buy a piece of crap and take it apart wherever you have room. i haven’t had that opportunity ☹ Haha I am no longer in high school 🙂 However what would you consider a piece of crap to take apart? I would be interested in purchasing an older car for my first car that I could mess around with that wouldn’t be too much on insurance and the parts would be easy to source. Any ideas? I think a 240sx might be out of the question due to high insurance costs but im not sure. ---
**Author:** ![AlanD911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AlanD911](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AlanD911)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/5 "2005-06-19T22:52:55Z")
> [@Alex](#): > > the only way to learn is to try it. when something needs to be done on your car, do the research, then try it yourself. sometimes you’ll fix it and think damn that wasnt hard at all. and othertimes you might get in over your head and have to learn from your mistakes. hopefully all it costs you is time. there is always others who can give you a hand now and then too. first time i ever touched a car it was to change a clutch. only took me 2 weeks but hey i did it. now i know how and can do it in a day. Thanks for the information. Are there any cars you would recommend for a first car that I would be able to work on that isn’t too expensive and wont break the bank on insurance. I’m looking at a 240sx but i’ve heard insurance is high on them ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sven](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sven)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/6 "2005-06-20T17:55:14Z")
Buy whatever car you can afford to insure and drive daily. Then pick up one of the cheap / free shells going around here and mess with it … learn and make your mistakes with that … Sucks trying to work on a car when you don’t know exactly what you are doing and you start missing work or something when it becomes undrivable. ---
**Author:** ![AlanD911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AlanD911](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AlanD911)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 9:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/7 "2005-06-21T09:06:48Z")
> [@Sven](#): > > Buy whatever car you can afford to insure and drive daily. > > Then pick up one of the cheap / free shells going around here and mess with it … learn and make your mistakes with that … > > Sucks trying to work on a car when you don’t know exactly what you are doing and you start missing work or something when it becomes undrivable. wow that is really good advice im going to follow that route, one question though. What is the shell of the car exactly? (IKnow this sounds noobish) but bare with me 😛 ---
**Author:** ![AlanD911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AlanD911](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AlanD911)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 9:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/8 "2005-06-21T09:22:38Z")
hold on, what the heck would i do with just the shell? I’m assuming a shell is a 240sx with no engine or tranny or anything at all so what could i do with that. ---
**Author:** ![Sasha\_SG](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/sasha_sg/32/5477_2.png) [@Sasha\_SG](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sasha_SG)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 9:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/9 "2005-06-21T09:41:12Z")
> [@AlanD911](#): > > hold on, what the heck would i do with just the shell? I’m assuming a shell is a 240sx with no engine or tranny or anything at all so what could i do with that. do body work on it buy a motor put it in sell it ---
**Author:** ![AlanD911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AlanD911](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AlanD911)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 11:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/10 "2005-06-21T23:11:28Z")
i know but isnt a shell just the stripped down car? with no interior or anything like that? In that case wouldnt it be more expensive to get a free shell and have to buy all the interior and everything plus the engine/tranny/ wheels / suspension ---
**Author:** ![Sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sven](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Sven)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 11:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/where-to-start/86550/11 "2005-06-22T11:30:32Z")
^^^ if you rebuild it to stock … yes but if you want to work on a car I assume you don’t want stock.