Engine building

Posted 11/11/09. One of the benefits of going on a book tour is being able to meet the people who are reading my books, and learn from them. Here are a few of the things I learned from the people who came to my talk last night at Clayton Books:

     • How computers are killing the ancient and honorable practice of teenagers building car engines. Used to be they could take apart a Ford or Chevy engine, install new parts here and there, clean and repair the old ones, and then put the whole thing back together better than before. But the computers used in car engines today require specialized training and specialized (and expensive) equipment beyond the reach of many do-it-yourself backyard mechanics who just want to work on their cars to make them run faster. Plus, it's just not as much fun to work on cars with computers than the old ones that pre-date the computer age.

     • What wrecked the American car industry? You could fill ten books with opinions on this subject. In the view of one knowledgeable car and truck collector last night, one reason was the idea of planned obsolescence. He said he once visited a friend at a Ford factory who took him to the floor where the engineers were doing "failure testing." If some piece or part was built too well and lasted too long, the engineers sent it back to the drawing board. They demanded parts that would break down more quickly, forcing customers to buy new models every few years, and over time this approach eroded the quality and reputation of American-built cars, problems that haunt them today.

     • In the 1950s and '60s, on a road on the far western edge of San Francisco known as the Great Highway, they set up a two-mile long drag racing strip for teenagers and others. The timing trap ran from Fleishacker Pool toward the Cliff House, and it was a perfect spot for dragging. On one side was the Pacific Ocean and on the other was Golden Gate Park with very few roads spilling out onto the Great Highway. And what roads there were, could be easily blocked by the police and car clubs that organized this activity so teens could have a safe way to blow off steam in their cars.

     Finally, on a personal note, another benefit of going on a book tour is being able to visit bookstores around the area. Every bookstore has its own ambience and feel, and Clayton Books in Clayton, which sells both new and used, has a unique feature that I've never seen anywhere else. The authors who speak there all sign a door at the back of the store, and I was proud to add my name to this illustrious list.

            Onward to the Hayward Area Historical Society on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. Here is a story that Eric Kurhi did on me for today's editions of the Oakland Tribune and Daily Review. And he added a positively hilarious post on me for the Review blog that also may be enjoyable to some.