We have the same problems here, we only have 2 maybe 3 good parts guy's here. I've come to the conclusion that we're a dying breed. The new,(young)guy's that are coming in to the shop's around here just don't have the experience around pretty much anything mechanical. You should see the blank looks I get when I have a newbee try to look up points and condensor.
As for the salt, I believe that instead of being the Motor City, we should have been called Sodium City. Lots of fuel lines and oil pans.