Number one – Sam Crac

https://www.youtube.com/user/Samcrac/videos

This guy is very entertaining. He is very good, especially with body panels and wheels and hubs. He often says that if he can do it, anyone can do it, and he does make some pretty neat repairs look easy. But he also buys a lot of salvage title cars, and approximately breaks even on the process. But if you need a car to drive, can take the time to find it and and fix it, and would really love to find exactly the cool car you have in mind, nobody on Youtube teaches you more about Copart and getting a car and getting it fixed.

Number two – D.I.Y Gang

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe_PCAZ_-FXxYoK8hfdXQ1w/videos

Jose is out of our league. But if you are stuck at home right now, binge watch his Burnt Hellcat Rebuild. Jose never seems to sell anything. In fact, it looks like roughly five times more than his Youtube revenue gets spent on paint and rent. He must have a day job at a body shop, there is no doubt he can make a good living at wreck repairs. And if the Youtube covers his studio rental, he might figure he has a enough fun doing it that it is all worthwhile. This is also an excellent family channel. Jose tries really hard not to swear too much. And his wife knew about facemasks before we ever heard about a flu epidemic.

Number three – South Main Auto Repair

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtAGzm9e_liY7ko1PBhzTHA/videos

Now this is a serious guy. Unlike the first two guys, this guy actually fixes problems. A lot of problems in his Youtube series are really hairy, and it’s fun to watch a real mechanic, who tries to explain things also, go through the headscratching on real world car problems. If you just need to keep your car running, or your wife’s car (husband’s car?) then this is a great channel to watch. It is the most inspirational channel to watch when it comes to taking on a car problem.

Number 4 – Mustie

https://www.youtube.com/user/mustie1/videos

Mustie told me not to use his name, so I won’t. Mustie (not his real name) fixes the occasional car, but where he is really fun is with lawnmowers and blowers and tillers and trimmers. If it has a motor, Mustie has tried to fix it. In one video I watched, he was looking at an engine and it looked like a bolt had gotten loose and into the piston sleeve and scored the walls and he said “This isn’t worth fixing” but he kept working and I kept watching. Two cycle engines frustrate us all, but Mustie gets into a lot of them, and maybe will give us the courage to clean them up and get them running. One thing Mustie has, and I need, is an ultrasonic cleaner. Seems like he fixes a lot of carburetors, or at least gets the engine running better, by doing some spring cleaning where ever gas gets to the intake valve. Mustie is not only an inspiration, he is a cheapskate and has practiced social distancing since before it was cool.

Number 5 – Westen

https://www.youtube.com/user/BDAY1901/videos

Westen said it was OK to use his name, as long as I didn’t show his face. This is Diesel Heaven. Westen is a talented diesel mechanic, we’ve seen him tackle pickup trucks, a bulldozer, a Peterbilt and now he is putting a big honkin’ diesel engine into a Ford Mustang II body. Yup, the guy is insane, but not because he is trying to prove how crazy he is, it isn’t the narcissistic sort of dysfunction, no, it is truly the ranting of a problem individual. He even has his mom in one video. I am sure she would tell us that when Westen was born, she was standing up. Over concrete. On a ladder. And he came out head first. But Westen is another guy that makes it look easy, and he really enjoys his channel. Like Sam Crac, and unlike the other three guys, Westen totally puts his entire mess out there, not just his mechanic quirks, but every messy facet of someone that could spend hours talking to a cow.