I was 22 years old, rolling in dough, single and had a great paying job. Some sailor came back from Europe with a baby blue, 1958 Gulwing with no,  no flaws. He would park it on Grand Ave. In Waukegan, Ill and put it up for sale. Asking price $ 5000. I wanted it and was chastised by my father, my girlfriend and few friends for wanting to pay 5 grand for a 6 year old car with 35,000 on the clock. I finally capitulate. OMYG. Never did again. Sad. The only positive my girlfriend has been my wife for 56 years. You never know.   Jim ... View more

These are all good tips. I must admit that if I couldn't just take it apart, lay the part down on the bench, throw the tool in the box, grab the next tool and take the next part off etc., etc, I shouldn't be doing the task.   Jim ... View more

Just a word to the wise. Take battery out and put it inside if you use a car cover. I and Haggerty had a horrible experience a few years back. We had what the locals call the winter from Hell, cold, cold cold and then it got colder. I had as good a car cover that money could buy over my GTO, somehow or other the lack of heat caused the acid to "boil" out of the case and fall to the floor. It then evaporated up into the open bottom cover and the fumes got trapped. The next Spring when I took the cover off all of the chrome and aluminum trim was eaten up. The stainless trim was not effected at all. When it was all repaired my large deductible was gone and nearly 3 grand of Hagerty cash was gone.  Just put it inside. By the way Haggerty was very professional all through the deal. Good outfit. Jim  ... View more

For snowbelt guys you missed the point. Take it from a Winter resident (the worst 4 moths) of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, road clearance is as important as anything but 4 wheel drive. Those low slung yuppie and millennial go karts just won't cut it. The backup for that statement is the number of them that we pull out of the banks every month and drive them to a warm place while they wait for the tow truck that's busy tow their brethren out of the banks. Mostly at the local watering holes. Me, I use a Ram 1500 Laramie the 3rd one in a row for me all with between 145000 and 225000 miles on the clock, no problem ever.  They have all the bells and whistles, ride great and are pretty. The only change for the next one will be that its on air. Getting harder, as I get older to get up and in. Evan with the great running boards to assist. Jim ... View more

If the T BIRD is in fair condition then my GTO is in Concourse de Elegance shape.   LOL Jim ... View more

Add vac gauge, pressure gauge, thread gauge, micrometers, and high and low temp thermometers. All should be dual purpose metric and English. The fact of the matter is "You don't know where you are at if you don't know where you are at." Jim ... View more

Outstanding, who else collects Gitfiddle bluprints ??? Jim ... View more

I could not help but chime in on this. First if I were Young and hot blooded I'd go about this the right way, buy a bigger garage, buy a lift, get a good end mill, get every tool known to man, get a good compressor, get a tig welder then all them all and buy a great car that needs nothing. I spent too much time in his shoes.   Jim ... View more

Of coarse it would be next to impossible but I would love to see Can Am racing today with 1960's technologies as the upper limit. Everything has gotten way too sophisticated and way too expensive.  To hear those big block Chevy's thunder around road America, sit on the grass at the start of the long straight, eat some brats and quaff a few Old Styles while basking in the Wisconsin July sun it couldn't get any better.  Jim ... View more

Now there is a car guy and good guy. Jim ... View more

I live in the real world and these monuments to engineering ego reside in LA LA Land and in the realm of Chapter 11. Don't forget one of the greatest rules of fast cars. " There is nothing colder than last year's hot one."    Jim ... View more

All I can say is start by getting an electrical engineering degree then buy an Italian car and forget everything you learned prior to that.  Ciao Jim ... View more

About every two years we just pull the mill out clean it completely, mask everything and paint it. After you've done it once or twice its a piece of cake. You know what wrenches to pull out of the box, where all the nuts and bolts are, what order to remove them, the best way to rig the hoist etc,etc. Does not take that long. Additionally if any maintenance is required its a lot easier on the engine stand than in the engine bay. Its really not as difficult as it sounds and the engine bay looks great. Folks always comment on how nice and new it looks.  Jim ... View more

It got Apollo 13 back. Jim ... View more

I'm fairly certain it was never a true Hertz. Yes I think all Hertz models were autos. Jim ... View more

I was about to book my flight for the auction but then saw the photo and realized it was an auto. Just have to wait until a real one with a stick comes up. LOL. Jim ... View more

I've used a sawed off broom stick for years. I have the mechanics stethoscope but far prefer the stick, it provides more of a specific sound for each different type of noise.  After a lifetime of repairing things you get sense of what each different tone likely is. Evan the dreaded " Oh no that's a rod bearing".   Jim ... View more

These could well be the least intelligent posts of the last year or two. Who gives a **bleep**??  I'm unfamiliar with  Paul's work.  That doesn't mean I have anything against him. I'm very familiar with THE KING OF COOL, and enjoyed his work. That doesn't mean he was a giant among Men. This whole deal reminds me of the "Which are you a Chevy or Ford man?" question. There is know answer. Unless your a MOPAR guy. Wake up and enjoy both of these guys.  Jim ... View more

KY, a little help here for the readers. Chevy trucks and Vettes from the late 50's until about 10 years ago had this problem, not every one but many. I've had many of both and I was taught this trick by a friend. Take a large drift pin and knock out the pins one at a time using whatever is available to assist in supporting the door. Use a grinder to remove all rust and whatever on the pin, use emery cloth rolled up to do the same for the inside of the hinge tube, lube both liberally with WD-40. Do all the same upper and lower. It's worked for me many times. The best I can figure is that Chevy truck and Vette doors are longer or heavier than others and the ailment only manifests itself regularly in these modules. I would guess they all rust a bit and accumulate the same crud, it just doesn't play out the same.   Jim ... View more

We've owned pickups and cars for the last 50 years, I'd rater sell the pontoon, slate Bruswick pool table and all the assorted toys one accumulates over coarse of a long life than one of  2 trucks we currantly have. Its the sentimental favorite. A 2002 Ram 2500 stretch cab we bought as soon as the 2003's came out.  For the last 8 years we've only driven it for about a 1000 miles a year. It has 434,000 miles on the clock, has been in a high speed collision with a trophy Buck, $ 14,000 a 40+ vehicle pile up on the interstate. By the way if that ever happens to you immediately turn on you flashers, most didn't and the semi and cars just kept coming. Crash, bang, Crash bang for about a minute and a half. Its a mess when you hit a minivan and 18 wheeler hits you. Yep another $ 20,000. The old girl burns no oil, engine has never been touched, its rust free, looks great, trans it perfect. By now some of you have probably surmised  that she's a Cummins. Runs like new even after sitting all winter she fires right up. Albeit in a cloud of black smoke that should result in someone dialing 911 and reporting a forest fire. Great side item  it clears out all the early summer mosquitoes, of which there are copious amounts in the UP of Michigan. Selling her would be like turning your back on an old friend. As soon as she's old enough she's going on our Hagerty's policy. Jim The only toys the truck would take a back seat to are the 2 GTO's and the Stingray. ... View more

Does 4 wheel steering negatively effect tire wear. Anyone? Jim ... View more

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Before the old girl goes into Winter hibernation the following is always done.  1. Place aluminum foil over the air cleaner horn and both exhaust pipe tips. 2. Place a disposable bowl with copious amounts of mothballs on each seat and each floor pan. Additionally place one on top of the engine. Doing this will save you carpet, seats and under hood wiring. I spread mothballs used the car to help with the exposed wiring. 4. Wash all the glass and all exterior lens and cover with Saran wrap. Beats the heck out of washing off all the Winter crud off in the Spring. 5. Top off all fluids except gas, leave the gas atad low do to expansion in warmer weather. 6. Never ever leave the battery in over the Winter. About 5 years ago Hagerty and yours truly had a  $3000 plus joint problem because of this. Compounded by the high dollar car cover I had over it. Put it inside where its warm and use a maintainer. Not a charger on  even a trickle charger. 7. Last I always get a magnetic key case and put it on the under side.  I dare not venture a guess as to how many folks can't find the keys in the Spring. Of coarse this has never happened the author of this comment. Jim ... View more