Chronicles of Alan; Automotive Equipment

Besides The Mechanical Stuff ( Cars, Bikes ,etc) Also got involved in Electronics.

Automotive Equipment in Isando were looking for another Technical Electronics Guy for their Service , Workshop Division.

I was tired of the Post Office Rules and Regs crowd , and also constantly telling you how lucky you were to be working there!

I Went for the Interview , got the Job and we agreed on a Salary. The Workshop Manager was a Guy called Mike D , I knew his younger Brother from School Days.

I no sooner started , than I was given A House to purchase in Witpoortjie ( Had put my name down when I was an apprentice ,) and we obtained a

Brand new 3 Bedroom House for a R200.00 Deposit!

First Months Salary is less than what I was promised and I am doing an extra 30Km's per day due to the move. " We will adjust at Financial year end"

So , I was travelling quite a Distance and Chris is now Pregnant ! Medical Aid won't cover this if I go somewhere else.

Year End comes Nothing happens and nothing I can do about it.

Set up Electronic Wheel Balancers, Car Tune Up Machines, Dyno's etc. Wheel Alignment

Go out to set up a Wheel Balancer in Carletonville , Guy says his Turbocharged BMW is vibrating on Kyalami Race Track. Reset Machine , insists I come with for a test drive ,

doing 260 kph on the Backroads , known for their sudden sinkholes!

This Guy is Crazy, but happy with the Balance, vibration gone.

We sold a lot of fancy tools there as well , one day a Fellow with one of the First Mobile Workshop Vans came around to visit , everbody admiring the custom advertising Spray Job( which cost a fortune) I say, "They spelt Carburettor wrong" Reply ,"No they didn't." " There are not 3 r's in it. ( from me) . Much Horror.

Called out to Basil van Rooyen's Workshops to set up the Dyno, get there Holden Monaro 350 GTS on the Dyno, " Can you move it please, Sir"
Nie n F... nie! Afrikaans for not going to.

Huge Guy about 6ft 7inches tall , probably 350Lbs. Massive arms folded across his chest , My Car's going nowhere till these Guy's get it right.

I ask one of the Mechanics who is not suddenly indentured to this Monster ," Where's Basil?" . Ran up the road when he saw this Guy arrive.
Evidently this "Gentleman" had spent a small fortune having this car modified before an open day at Kyalami ( Ton Up Day) and it had been much slower than before , would not rev up.( which caused intense embarrassment to our Hero). I mention

" With all these Mods you Guy's have done , have you fitted colder plugs?"

I left , but they phoned me later , hit the nail on the head. When you raise a Car's compression a lot , you often need to change to a Colder grade Spark Plug ,to prevent a high rev misfire.

Anyway , after a while Chris and I were blessed with a Beautiful Baby Girl ,

Shakira ( FG) and as soon as the Bills were paid, I wanted to resign, The Main Guy called me in offered me a share of the Workshop profits , and all kinds of benefits to stay.

I had been forced to sell all the equipment I had accumulated to open my own Workshop to survive, real Dream Buster!

Caught me once , I was out of there ,

rushed back to the Post Office where I could work overtime if I was short.