Martyn Knowles brings you news and product reviews from the automotive industry
New Year. New You. New Skills to fix your car!
Many enthusiasts dream of fixing their own car, saving hundreds, or indeed, thousands of pounds worth of workshop bills, but many lack the confidence or experience to do it. Bedfordshirebased Motor Skills Training has the perfect answer – a series of accessible and carefully thought out modular training courses that can elevate the average petrolhead from zero to hero, in spannering terms, over just a few days.
Under the watchful eye of respected TV Mechanic, CM contributor (see July 2022, pages 58-63) and multiple-manufacturer acclaimed lead-engineer, Ralph Hosier, Motor Skills does exactly what it says on the tin, teaching classic and retro car owners how to keep their cars on the road by themselves, learning valuable skills, having fun, and in some cases, even opening the door to a whole new career!
A multitude of courses are available, and each one can be accessed individually, for those looking to perhaps fill in a gap in their skill set, or indeed, as a full run of modules that would effectively equip the trainee concerned with the basics to start a full restoration. Covering the choice and use of tools, welding, fabrication and metalworking, electrics, diagnostics and even OBD protocols, each course equips its students with extensive ‘hands-on’ application throughout the day.
Commenting on the new syllabus for 2024, Ralph said, "These new course modules are the result of us discovering precisely what people want to learn about working on their own cars. We pack a lot into each day, but we also have a lot of fun, and it’s fantastic to see the genuine ‘Eureka’ moments that our guests have when the knowledge truly clicks into place during the course. The most wonderful thing we can do as a country is bring back our fabulous ‘make do and mend’ culture, and by equipping enthusiasts and owners with the talent to do that themselves doesn’t just save them money, and the planet’s resources, but it’s also incredibly mentally rewarding. Taking something that’s broken and making it work again will never get old..."
Course bookings for February and beyond are now being taken. Find out more at motor-skills.co.uk
SK1 – Workshop tools How to use workshop tools, screwdrivers, ratchet, torque wrench, vice, fabrication tools, etc. Includes where to buy good quality tools and how to set up a home workshop. 1 day – £300+VAT
SK2 – Welding for beginners MIG techniques, types of joints, preparation methods, sill repair, wheelarch repair, exhaust repair. 1 day – £350+VAT Additional PPE available at cost.
SK3 – Fabrication and metalworking How to form metal parts, use of hand tools and power tools, design of basic parts. Builds on existing fabrication skills to take you to a higher l
