1/2" flexible metal electrical conduit to cut to length for garage workbench power strip project.  Hacksaw works pretty good, but the dremel with a cutoff wheel makes a nicer cut. ... View more

All I could get back was $100 bills, gosh-darn-it! ... View more

Places out here in the west have gone corporate also.  LKQ parts bought out Foster Auto Wrecking who knows how long ago, so I don't go there anymore.  The Pick-n-Pulls out here are owned by Schnitzer Steel, so they have a source of scrap metal.  Even so, you can still wander around the yards panning for gold.  Can't tell how many times I've gotten ideas and parts off other cars for an engine swap or cooler project.  The cars only sit in the yard for 30 days before heading to the crusher, so waiting for the weather to improve is not an option.  Many layers of clothing, as well as light fabric gloves, have been needed at times, as more than once I've pulled parts when it was snowing.  The tool box is JY-only and JY-specific use; the box from Walmart and tools from Harbor Freight, so there's no delay in gathering my stuff to head to JY, and no worries if gets wet or lost.  SAE and metric sockets and combo wrenches, metric tubing wrenches, snips, pliers, screwdrivers, torx bits.  The large combo wrench serves as the ratchet cheater bar.  The screwdrivers have hex shanks. ... View more

Meh... ... View more

Thank you for reminding me how spoiled we are in Washington state regarding longevity of vehicles. And some of my non-gearhead type friends wonder why I still have 29 year old and 35 year old daily drivers.... ... View more

It looks really nice in off-white. The two-tone classes it up some. Is that green wagon a Buick of some sort? ... View more

And with all the sheet metal stampings that AMD makes now - especially for E-bodies - that is likely to continue for some time. ... View more

The 2JZ runs as smooth as butter, too. Way nicer than the 7M did. Just like the Packard ad said, "Ask the man who owns one!" ... View more

And, to add, what's with the ratchet strap? Was it a temporary solution for attachment that became permanent? ... View more

Same here. Since Amsoil is so pricey, I try not to waste a drop. So the oil caddy does double-duty as funnel drip collector, and just-recently-used oil bottle collector. 5 or 6 receipt points on it for differing funnel (with clear vinyl hose extension) and bottle sizes, since some of the FWD vehicles have weird transmission fill locations. ... View more

The article should more accurately be titled "Manufacturers, Dealers, and Salesmen Don't Like Enthusiasts", but that doesn't really roll off the tongue. I have not quibbles at all with Jack's article. All the above parties are simply trying to make a living. Those of us not in the car business like to complain about the cost of cars these days, when we have no idea of the costs involved and the hoops that have to be leapt through, just to keep the lights on. Same is true for most industries. People love to whine about the cost of their airline ticket. Then they overlook the fact that the airline has to keep making the payments on the $50 million 737 they're sitting in, or the 15 gallons of Jet-A being consumed in flight for each minute it's airborne. ... View more

It is very satisfying to get to mark niggling little projects that need doing off your to-do list. No one else will notice that they're done, but you can take pride in doing them and knowing they're done with care. And, as Oldcars noted, what's with the writers and foreign cars? And in this case, all European, which virtually guarantees twice as much work and effort in keeping them running. Maybe that's intentional so they have plenty to write about... Nevertheless, keep 'em coming Rob. Love hearing the (mis)adventures. And Zelda's wheels look great! ... View more

I have to second what Miguel said.  Not long ago I had to get a rear seat belt retractor replaced as it had stopped retracting whatsover, making that seat essentially useless.  Acura dealership didn't charge a penny for the work saying it was covered under a lifetime seatbelt warranty.  Would've gone to a JY, but the cars are almost impossible to find anymore.  '92 Acura Vigor. Nice work on the floor mat, by the way.  ... View more

Toyota brings back the Supra. Oh wait - they did that, didn't they? Sort of... ... View more

An appropriate reference, Oddball, as back in the '70s the Eldo was just about as righteous as one could get. Even in a different Eastwood movie, he gets to drive off into the sunset in a convertible Eldorado. My how times have changed... ... View more

I always enjoy reading Rob's stories. And the pictures are usually quite pertinent and provide great reminders of "been-there-done-that". However, as someone who doesn't think twice about eating a wife-prepared sandwich with just-finished-on-the-car hands, even I am a little disturbed about the need for some nail clippers in one picture... ... View more

I thought a Nomad was two-door. Am I missing something here? ... View more

Looking forward to seeing the first 5.0L V8 swapped into an earlier Toyota chassis. What's it gonna be...? ... View more

Except for the '71-'72 Riviera, they all look like Oldsmobuicks to me. ... View more

Maybe that's why my projects have taken on a glacial pace; too much planning, parts accumulation, research, time management, fear of failure. Maybe just do it like I did when I was 18; dive in, and cross the inevitable hurdles as they present themselves... ... View more

I guess if they say it's a Supra, then it must be a Supra. But I doubt that in 34 years from now - like my Supra - it will still have the original, operative wiper motors, window regulator motors, seat adjustment motors, headlight retraction motors (if it were equipped), differential, or transmission. I'll grant that an original engine may or may not make it that long. Mine didn't - but it did go out in a traffic-eclipsing cloud of blue, black, and white smoke. But its replacement (a different Toyota engine) was an improvement. Kaizen indeed. ... View more

The styling on the body of those Cougars truly is timeless. ... View more

Odometer display technigue works on Jeeps also - at least it does on my sister's '04 Grand Cherokee. ... View more

I had a Blue Devil destroyer that I and (mostly) my dad built, which I used in the family pool. Had battery powered propellers and a cam wheel system that allowed it to cruise through different manuevers. After running it so much that the petroleum jelly shaft packing gave up, it ended at the bottom. ... View more

Also why Factory Service Manuals are handy; so a work-around can be accomplished if some ridiculous "brake light bulb failure module" or other nuisance piece of electronics can be bypassed after its own failure. ... View more

Mom had a 1980 Honda Prelude. No catalytic converter. ... View more

Thanks for the correction. My kids are teens now, so it's been a while since I've seen the show. ... View more

Looks like this might the inspiration for the snowmobile that was driven by the mailman/storyteller Bing Crosby at the beginning and end of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" stop-action animation show from around 1965-ish. "Bumbles bounce!" ... View more

"Push the button, Max!" ... View more

Only learned about the JIS fastener recently also. Fortunately it was BEFORE starting on a brake rotor replacement on my sister's Honda. The manual impact driver helped a bit, too. ... View more

Good story. Just the right amount of suspense and a nice ending. More evidence that there really is karma in the car hobby, as in most endeavors. Keep the stories coming. ... View more

I looked and looked at that '66 Fairlane a long time, too. Even the lighting is unbelievable. The light coming through the "garage door", and the light coming through eave rafters above the wall? Simply astounding! ... View more

When I was a kid in Portland, the owner of the swimming pool service company occasionally came by to visit. He had a '66 or '67 Toronado, light metallic green if I remember correctly. That was the coolest car ever, with those pop-up headlights. So big, and yet sleek at the same time. Never forgot it. ... View more

In Washington state, 8.7% (at least here in Clark County) excise tax on registering/titling any car to new owner, base on "reported" sale price. ... View more

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has turned a little job into an unnecessarily big job! ... View more

Agreed. A rear suspension project is going like this. "A bushing a day" is what I tell the wife. So one bushing may take 15 or 30 minutes to press out, or press in. The progress seems to be self-reinforcing. Last night, I had to be reminded 3 times to come in from the garage for dinner. ... View more

Tried BAT last summer. Submitted lengthy description with warts and all on a one-owner always-garaged 1980 Prelude owned by my mother. Over 260 photos uploaded (of course, 200 is the limit). Two weeks later, "not accepted". I'm sure those folks in the Bay Area were not wanting to waste their time and money on car that might bring in a couple hundred dollars to them. I suppose that's reasonable. So me wasting their time is not okay, but them wasting mine is acceptable. Then tried eBay with the "premium" auction. 24 photo limit with a link to photos elsewhere. 2 bids that met the reserve ($2500), and neither "winning bidder" or second chance bidder felt like buying. Then you discover that even though you thought a "bid is a contract", that is out the window for real estate and vehicles. More wasted time and money. Finally sold with Hemmings, but 4 weeks from submittal to ad going on the site due to slow response times from ad rep at Hemmings, with only 3 or 4 back-and-forth clarifications. From the first weekend in July spent washing, cleaning, cataloging service records, and describing car, to a sale finally mid-October. Not a fun process. ... View more

My dad was in barge and rail car sales when I was young and always drove an Olds. Usually got a new car every few years - always a full size and usually a Ninety-Eight. As an Olds man, mom usually drove a Vista Cruiser. The first was a '66 Vista Cruiser to replace her '59 Chevy (Impala, I believe; loved those wide wing-like fins). The next was a '68 Vista Cruiser. A '73 Vista Cruiser followed that, but my favorite was the '68 (especially with the bigger engine). My best friend's folks were GM people also; his was a Caprice and his mom had an Electra 225. My brother's and sisters' rooms were right off the carport (remember those?) at our home. One night the dog was barking up a storm, but dad apparently didn't bother to get up to see what the ruckus was about. Us kids, of course, slept like the dead. But that night some ne'er-do-wells stole the engine and transmission out of his car right in the carport! This was back in the early to mid 60s, but I can't imagine that was easier than simply jimmying the door lock and rolling the car out of the carport and down the street. ... View more

Just a reiteration of the silicone spray on the door weatherstrips. In fact I use the exact stuff in the picture. Often the doors would be near impossible to open in the morning after a night of sub-freezing temperatures ('01 Durango). So much so that I worried about breaking the (plastic) door handles off. Treating (all) the weatherstrips on the doors and hatch eliminated the problem. I suspect that the doors were more of a problem due to multiple weatherstrips that each door had (cabin sealing strip, lower tire spray strip, upper drip rail strip). Huge doors make for a lot of weatherstrip area, which probably doesn't help the situation. As an aside, I see that Matt - probably like most of us - has his garage stereo system as well. Nothing like a little KGON 92.3 (if you're in the Portland area) while you're puttering around in the garage! ... View more

Been using Amsoil in everything from MY '72 to MY '09 with no problems. All 5 cars over 100K miles each, 2 at over 200K miles. Main reason for the switch (back in the '90s) was a for a small improvement in fuel economy, but now the reason (besides the longevity and fuel economy) is for reduced oil change intervals. I change the oil in all of them every September. Doing oil changes now for me is like doing yardwork; I can't stand doing it, but it's gotta get done. ... View more

Motorsports: Couldn't agree more. I stopped watching stock car racing (when did it change to Nascar anyway?) when they stopped being stock cars. Although if #43 was in the race, I couldn't resist. Manual trans and what makes you happy: 3 out of 5 are sticks, and only because the other 2 weren't available as sticks ('01 and '09, different mfgrs.) Even the wife's old car (which I kept) is a stick; a 1992 Acura Vigor. With a 2.5l engine, it's an underpowered, front wheel drive, 4-door sedan. Possibly the epitome of uncool, but it always starts, gets over 30 mpg on the highway, and it's a stick. And since it's worth doodly-squat to sell, might as well keep it, if for no other reason than as a spare driver. The stick makes it tolerable to drive. ... View more

Transport Minister Morris is a perfect example of the typical government official bent on "protecting the public" from some product being used in a manner not intended. Next up after guns is kitchen knifes. After the public is "acclimated" to the control of "dangerous products", it'll be baseball bats, ropes, skateboards, and hula hoops... ... View more

Most of us don't drive our vintage cars at night, but most headlights are lame in design.  The power goes through the bulkhead, through the switch, and then out through the bulkhead connector again.  Plenty of opportunity for resistance and voltage loss along the way.  Putting the headlights on relays (two or more, depending on how you prefer to do it) will reduce the power through the bulkhead connector and switch, reducing heat buildup in the switch.  And it will improve voltage to the headlight beams.  Pretty easily reversible, also, if desired.   Many outfits make kits, but anyone with some basic electrical knowledge can do it, and even make it look factory-ish. ... View more

Got evidence of indestructibility sitting on my desk right now; an 8 mm hex head bolt about 5/8" long that bounced around on top of an intake valve (or valves) in the head of a Toyota 7M-GE engine for at least 80,000 miles by my reckoning.  Engine ran fine and bolt was apparently too big to drop into combustion chamber (which would have changed things).  It was in there long enough to round the hex head into a near-circle and wear all the threads off.  Only discovered after head was removed for a blown head gasket (typical for that engine). ... View more

"Instead, I adjust the tie rod ends. If it is showing left when straight ahead, you move the left side out in small increments, say 1/4 turn, and move the right in 1/4 turn. That way the wheels match the steering wheel."   Of course, which way to turn each tie rod end will depend on whether the tie rod ends/rack/steering box/drag link assembly is in front of the axle or behind it.  On '70s Mopar B- and E-bodies and a '92 Acura Vigor we have, it's behind.  On 3rd gen Supras, it's in front.  Also, many steering wheels have a master spline that only permits the wheel to be mounted at a specific clocking. ... View more

Lazenby did a pretty creditable job in the movie. But like most here would probably agree, few can match Sean Connery for the cool factor- particularly when he is first introduced at the card table in Dr. No.  My wife and kids think I'm nuts for enjoying the older Bond movies over and over, but part of the appeal is seeing the classic - just plain-jane 60s and 70s vintage - cars again and again.  They'll never be forgotten if you get to keep them in a video collection. ... View more

On that Lexus SC400, that was my thought as well (regarding the ECU).  Sometimes you can find a SC400 at the u-pull-it.  I pulled a spare ECU for my 1UZ at a place south of Portland.  89661-24230, luckily, the federal version, not the California version.  $50.  Super easy;  pull up carpet in passenger footwell, 10mm socket and off to the races.   As to "all-in" or "back out of the cave", the Supra rear suspension after 34 years was at the same point as Rob's steering.  Once you realize it's not as tight as it should be, it's all you can think about as you're going through some curves.  On the rear subframe assembly, I'm going "all in." ... View more

Glad to say I never saw a single one of the movies.  Once I saw a movie trailer showing a Charger doing both a wheelie and burnout at the same time, I figured the rest would be just as absurd.  At least with Sean Connery as James Bond, you could enjoy some witty repartee. ... View more

Thank you Jack.  Some people do seem to demonstrate some "cognitive dissonance" when they have to travel - particularly fly - somewhere.  I usually don't feel too bad about sub-15 mpg in the old car or even the SUV, as my employer burned over 700,000,000 gallons of kerosene last year getting our customers where they wanted to go.  (That's no typo - https://www.transtats.bts.gov/fuel.asp?pn=1) .  I did my part at an estimated 260,000 gallons for 2019. ... View more

I'm not really a Chevy guy, but that Impala (is that a '61?) has some very nice lines.  The hardtop really cleans it up also.  The Hudson is pretty cool, too (but maybe I think so 'cuz I like the Disney movie "Cars"; and who doesn't like Paul Newman in that role?).  The Cougar? Meh. And the T-bird? Not in THAT color! Yuk. ... View more