Back in the day..there were Mechanics

There were no "Technicians", which is probably why the country was so good back then. People knew how to fix machinery and keep it running. They could improvise, a little bailing wire, a little chewing gum, a little spit with a piece of wood and they could repair anything. These people kept the gears turning, the belts running, the pumps pumping and the engines....engineering? OK...running. It didn't matter if you had a Buick, a Packard, or a Chevrolet, It could be a motorcycle, a truck, an airplane or the clothes washing machine, they fixed it with what was on hand until they could get or make the correct replacement. 

 Now we live in a specialized society, nothing is made here, and what is, has elements from other country's, even the old icon Harley Davidson, has parts from other countries in it. Today your car goes in for service where a "Technician" who has been schooled by the manufacturer takes a look at the vehicle, runs a factory diagnostic  orders the correct part and moves your car outside to await the parts delivery as they move on to the next vehicle in the diagnostic assembly line.

We are a victim of our own technology. Back a couple decades and even racing was different, the mechanic rode in the car alongside the driver, if it broke during the race he jumped out and fixed it as fast and as easy as possible...keep the car moving