A recent Popular Mechanics article written by Glenn Harlan Reynolds says that Americans are losing their DIY touch. Could this be true, and if so how can engine builders benefit from this phenomenon?
The article states that science-fiction
author Robert A. Heinlein once wrote: "A human being should be able to
change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a
building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone,
comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone,
solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a
computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.
Specialization is for insects."
I could probably do about a dozen of these if I really tried, but it just seems easier to hire someone else to do them. Hence my theory that racers and performance customers are not building engines but buying an appliance, much like purchasing a microwave oven. If you want the best you go buy it and plug it in.
These days it seems more likely that a teenager (or younger) can rebuild a computer and understand the inner workings of anything digital than they can understand (or care to understand) the inner workings of an engine. It also seems unlikely that most adults today can do half the things their parents and grandparents did with their own hands. (My grandfather forgot more than I'll ever know about building things.)
According to the PM article nearly 4 million AAA members requested roadside service last year for a flat tire. (Now that's sad.)
Many performance engine builders already know that the level of mechanical competence has been on the decline, which can be proven by the amount of hand holding and "turnkey" engines you deliver to racers today vs. 25 years ago. Racers today are more likely accountants or small business owners who don't have the time or knowledge to build and maintain their own race cars. This is a bit of a blanket statement, but I think you see this situation becoming more common in racing. The good news is that most racers are not building their own engines. They rely on your expertise to supply the most competitive package they can afford. Racers and other performance customers want this "package" without having to learn how to do it on their own. After all, top builders have the experience and equipment that backyard mechanics and weekend warriors only dream about.
So is it necessarily a bad thing that Americans are becoming less handy?
Just food for thought...