European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 24, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse A chief worker in Mildenhall a car by Dave Didio staff photographer or chief master sgt. De Morton slinging wrenches at the Auto Craft shop is a a a a. A my background is aircraft Maine. Nance a he said a a in be been coming to the Auto Hobby shops for 23 of my 26 years in the air Force. Its a Good Way to take my mind off my work.�?�. Morton a logistics operations superintendent at Raf Mildenhall England puts in a lot of his free time his own car at the Auto Craft shop a so much so that he can to suppress a Grin when he professes he a almost a fixture there. A i guess i come Here about two or three times a week. Some of the Guys who come Here done to know me because of the Way in a dressed a he said waving his inward turned hand toward his and pants. A they think i work Here because in a Here All the but working on his own car moans More than just giving Morton a pleasant diversion from his work. A this piece right Here a he said pointing to the exhaust pipe a would Cost you two or three Hundred dollars to get fixed because a garage would replace the whole he runs his fingers along a welded strip along he exhaust pipes Side. A fall because of a Little crack like this a he said. For a $5 per hour charge for use of the shops welder and another $1.50 per hour for the use of the stall Morton figures he got a bargain. Morton finds most everything he needs at Milden Halls Hobby shop even for extensive repair work like rebuilding an engine. A a they be got everything you need Here a maintenance books All the tools. Some of those books would Cost $60 if you had to buy them but they be got them Here a he said. A i overhauled this engine a he said pointing under the Chassis of his 1984 Mitsubishi Colt. Although the entire project was spread out Over a couple of months Morton was Able to store the vehicle inside the Craft shops compound when he was y not working on it. The Only thing that delayed the project was the wait for parts he had to order. A once the parts got Here it Only took three or four hours to put it Back together a he said. Morton a love affair with Mildenhall a Auto Craft shop will come to an end next month when he transfers to Aviano a Italy. Rest assured the first thing he will Check out is Aviano a Auto Hobby shop. A amps Davo Didio de Morton hands on at Mildenhall a Craft get a Brake with new Naples shop by Marian Hamilton Mediterranean Bureau americans stationed in Germany have Access to army and air Force Exchange service car repair facilities military strip Yards Auto Craft shops and English speaking mechanics on the Economy. For years the Only american facility open to those stationed in Naples Italy was the Navy Exchange Auto Hobby shop italian mechanics there could give advice or even do some simple repairs if their customers did no to know How and if they could provide the parts but help if a customer needed a front end aligned or a Cooling system repaired. They just did no to have the equipment. Customers were a Little luckier when it came to ordering american car parts. They could order parts through the country store an offshoot of the Navy Exchange system. As of june customers can get foreign car parts As Well Navy Exchange mechanics get the parts from local garages and resell them to their american customers. The Navy Exchange does not have the room to Stock foreign car parts. Tech sgt. Michael Brown was at the Auto Hobby shop recently working on the struts of his 1986 Chevy Nova. He said he did no to particularly want to work on his own car but a Over Here i done to have much Choice i just pull my Book up and go at it Brown said he has worked on cars for 10 years and Learned most of his skills a through trial and working on his own car is a one of the biggest challenges of being overseas especially in this area a he said. A. Brown 30, figured he saved $200 in Naples by doing the work himself. A. It. Starting monday in Naples customers who done to speak italian and Don t want to do their own Auto work will have a new facility to take their cars to. The Navy Exchange is opening the Auto part a garage with . Trained mechanics and new equipment. Customers can get brakes fixed tires balanced Cooling systems repaired a the usual. Most of the new mechanics were formerly Erh played by the air Force base at san Vito Dei nor Manni Italy until its draw Down. Bruno Carlucci worked at san Vito for three years before going to Naples. He specializes in tune Oil. Changes water pumps and Cooling systems. He works on All types of american cars. Mario Calabretti worked on american cars at san Vito 25 years. He is optimistic about his new Job at Naples. A we will be Able to do everything Here automatic transmissions front end alignment tire balancing tire repair. Anything an american garage can do we can do a he said. Calabretti said the new shop will be Able to Workon Ford pm and Chrysler cars As Well As some japanese models a Over there we will have the garage and Auto parts. If we done to have the parts we will order them and in one week two weeks the parts will be in a he said. A a a. A every two years we go to an american base in Germany for More training. Its very difficult for us to work now because we done to have the Correct equipment but when the new place opens it will be much much better.�?�. A a a a. A amps Marian Hamilton Michael Brown proves to be one wheel of a Mechanic while working on his Nova in Naples Italy. 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