I guess I'm late to the conversation. I just dropped into LotusTalk and noticed the thread.
Just to clarify, the LOON Tech Session isn't a class that repeats periodically. If someone has some repair to do, and wants to do it himself, then there are enough technical resources in the club who are willing to help them. Then if other's wish to attend and learn something along the way, they're welcome to attend and we call it a "Tech Session".
We've done that most often for rebuilding 907 / 910 engines, but we've also done it a number of times for rebuilding the Citroen transaxle, once for a UN-1 transaxle, and often for maintenance work like replacing timing belts, rebuilding brakes, rebuilding the steering rack, R&R'ing the radiator, or the ugly one, R&R'ing the fuel tanks.
For the last Tech Session, all the prep work took place over the Winter as the owner's time and check book could support. That included taking the crank to a machine shop for a polish and to have the pilot bearing (spigot bearing) bore modified to accept a ball bearing. But mostly it included all the tedious, time consuming work like cleaning, soda blasting, checking clearances, gapping rings, shimming valves, etc, etc.
With all the preliminaries finished in advance, the Tech Session Calvin talked about covered final engine assembly from bare block to complete. We talked about the work that was done in advance, and demonstrated some processes, but without the time consuming repetition. The engine ended the day still on the stand, so the rear main seal housing, flywheel and clutch were not installed.
This Summer, Mike G is planning to build-up a spare 910 for his '83 carb-turbo, so he was allowed to do much of the actual wrenching as a dress rehearsal. Stephen T spun a bearing in his SE, and plans to rebuild it himself; so he was there to learn about the process before actually doing it (we have his engine is apart and the crank & rods are at a machine shop, but he hasn't started the rebuild work yet).
On other occasions, we've included a larger group for the complete process from removal & tear-down through final assembly, install and start-up. In that case, it was a more hands-on process (work with supervision) that took place over a series of Saturdays, or weekends, spread over an extended period of time.
It takes longer to show people how to do something than it does to just dig in and get it done. So the approach we take depends upon how much time the owner is willing to devote to the rebuild. The longer, more involved projects usually take place over a Minnesota Winter when the car will be off the road for five months anyway. The amount of wrenching picks up over the Winter, and Summers are more for driving.
We have 'Drivers', 'Polishers', and 'Wrenchers', and mixes of all three. No one thinks twice when the drivers get a group together and head for the good roads; but how often do you hear of the other groups getting together. Well, here at the LOON, the 'Wrenchers' also get together regularly. Fixing something is as much of a club social event as driving some good roads.
I'm not sure why it's become such a common thing here in the LOON, but a non-event in many other areas. Wrenching is a great social activity, it helps owners who might not be able to handle the job alone, and teaches others how to take care of their cars.
Later,
Tim