You're never too old to learn especially if you have an interest in a subject. I'm 54 now though I've been in the trade for 30 years - but always learning something new. You only stop learning 1.) When you think you know it all 2.) When you convince yourself you can't learn any more - otherwise get into scoping cars and you'll soon know more than 90% of the qualified people in the trade.
Getting involved in discussions because I have a lot to learn still.
I just got into it full time at 37. You'll just have to figure out where you want to start. Oil change places are a common place to get I to it since most places aren't going to start you out doing actual repairs if you haven't demonstrated that you can do them. I got into a dealership doing the oil change tire rotation gig.
Are you interested in going to school for it? You can usually work right into a shop as a co-op in their programs.
Some places might want to see you have some tools too, which you probably do!
I've been working on cars for 14 years though... Just in the junk yard, lol.
Tell you what though, I can remove damn near any rusted siezed fastener, and I can torch the nuts off header bolts without damaging the threads on the studs thanks to that experience.
That's where I got my hand skills and tool skills. Found Scanner Danner who gave me electrical and troubleshooting skills, then started proving myself by fixing the cars that came out to be crushed after the mechanics had given up on them.
If it's something you want to do then you just need to find a way to put yourself where you'll have the opportunity to get hands on with things, and if you have the apptitude and ambition, hopefully everything will fall together.
