Pennsylvania College of Technology

A popular mantra in the United States these days is “Bring back shop class.” Thanks to near-universal experience with automobile maintenance in the U.S. during World War II, America was a nation of mechanics. That gave the Greatest Generation the can-do attitude and the hands-on experience to keep U.S. forces rolling, flying, sailing, and fighting in that mechanized conflict.

But as technology has gotten increasingly sophisticated, proprietary, and cheap, the idea of fixing things has largely fallen by the wayside in this country. Those who don’t want it to be that way are heartened by the revival of interest in craftsmanship that seems to be slowly but steadily gaining traction.

Old vehicles, as readers of this magazine well know, are an