That's great to hear and I'm glad to have been of help! Hope your 'vette is back on the road and running cooler in no time. ... View more

@Rob1 If you are looking to upgrade a water pump while you've got the system drained,  I highly recommend water pumps by Stewart Components.    https://www.stewartcomponents.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=60_66    Summit Racing and Jegs sells their products as well.   They're Michigan made (I live in MI and take a little extra pride in that) and if you go with their "Stage 1" pump they're pretty reasonably priced and will do the job just fine. Have put at least 3 of them on big block trucks that had previously ran hot under load with great success. ... View more

@Rob1 I'd start with Mid-America Motorworks.  https://www.mamotorworks.com/ Like @Sajeev mentioned, I would go with the best fitting one and base my decision solely on that aspect. Standard copper/brass should do the trick. Don't bother or worry about an upgrade unless you really want one. In my experience running big block chevys, a high quality water pump with an impeller that flows better than stock will do more in a normal driving situation than an upgraded radiator will.   Because I know someone will eventually preach the benefits of an aftermarket aluminum rad. I'll mention that I have a family member who is an engineer at a major company who designs/provides cooling system components to the OEMs and has been there for a couple decades. I got his advice on materials when looking to upgrade the 66 Caprice I owned to a big block. He told me that from a thermal efficiency standpoint with how aluminum rads are made (unless you get a high quality unit intended for high performance applications) they don't offer an appreciable advantage. ... View more

It's winter here in northern Michigan and salt has been on the roads for some time. My sacrifice to the salt is a very high mile 2003 Silverado 2500HD. 8.1L and Allison 1000 equipped, so it isn't a total snore. Looking forward to spring when the 69 Poncho can come back out. ... View more

It’s been a long time since I’ve had it, but I absolutely loved my 92 Blazer that was my daily in my early 20s. I upgraded it with a 400 Small Block under the hood which I got to play nice with the TBI system. I truly miss that truck and the fun I had driving and upgrading it.   ... View more

Ever completely bugger up the threads to the balancer bolt on an Oldsmobile V8? Ever try to find a balancer bolt, let alone a die to fix your buggered up balancer bolt for your Oldsmobile V8? Well I have and I am not proud of it. Clean your threads kids and you won't need to go on the world's worst hardware scavenger hunt. ... View more

My 197,000 mile, Michigan rust infested 2003 Silverado 2500HD. It has the 8.1L V-8 and 5-speed Allison transmission. Has been a great hauler despite the gas mileage. It is comforting to know that whatever I put in the bed or on a trailer it can handle it. ... View more

Top fuel dragsters are hands down the loudest "car" that I've heard. So loud that they shake the ground and you feel it in your chest. ... View more

Valuing a project car is too nuanced to put up an exact figure. Things such as retaining the original driveline would be a major factor in value now as well as when a restoration is finished. I think that will also greatly affect salibility. If you're serious about selling, I would recommend putting together a comprehensive list of original parts and chat with a Shelby expert as they will have the best idea of what a car in its current state would be. ... View more

Any car from the show "Pimp My Ride" ... View more

@Jasonsrq Good morning, I am the associate editor of the Hagerty Price Guide and can offer some perspective. We do not look solely at auction results to calculate a market range as that is only a small picture of the overall market. We review for sale listings, online auctions (bring a trailer, Cars & Bids, eBay, etc.) on top of traditional auctions to determine our values.   With that said, the 350Z has only recently experienced a modest gain in our guide and the Mecum sales mentioned that I located are not recent enough to have effected our market analysis for the last update which went live on May 1st. Keep in mind that the biggest increase was to the top of the market and we consider #1 cars to be those that are still new in the wrapper with no miles, the average enthusiast does not own a #1 car, heck the average enthusiast doesn't own a #2 grade car by our standards, which is essentially a car that was taken out of the wrapper but still is hardly used.   Hope this helps, if you have follow up questions, or would like further clarification, please let me know. ... View more

The 2019 Chevrolet Blazer. Granted, the concept wasn't that well known, but the expectation of the usage of the name warrants inclusion to this list. The new Bronco being such a knock out just adds a truckload of salt to that wound for Blazer/Jimmy fans like myself. ... View more

Having experience selling parts in a past life, there are two warranties with the batteries for the most part. There's a replacement warranty where they hand you a new one at no charge, then there's pro rata warranty where you go over the replacement period (usually 1-2 years) and you pay a pro rated amount on a new battery based on how much time is left on the warranty (usually 5-8 years on the pro rata portion).   The important part to pay attention to is fit and cranking power. If you take care of your battery, don't let it draw down to dead, and put it on a trickle charger during long periods of not running, you can expect 3-5 years out of it. You will probably see less out of a cheaper battery from a big box store like Walmart or Costco or a little more out of an expensive battery from say Interstate, Optima, etc.   Based on my experience, there really isn't any massive change in warranty from when I sold parts 10+ years ago to now. At least the ones you get from a parts store. And batteries aren't of inferior quality when you buy one from a parts store. They've just gotten far more expensive for a good one. It is absolutely worth paying the extra money for a good one. ... View more

I like the 1973-87 "square body" style, but I have a heavy lean towards the 73-79 trucks. I really like the styling traits of them over the 80 and later.  ... View more

Mighty Car Mods just released this video today and it is perfect for anyone looking to get into cars. It covers things such as basic maintenance and affordable, effective upgrades you can do to your car.   https://youtu.be/OM8l6fuzg_c ... View more

I think anything low power is great to learn on. I learned on a 4-cyl. S-10 pickup. Teaches you a lot about building revs and controlling the clutch release to keep from stalling. ... View more

Hopefully I can help, and I am sorry for your loss. I am the associate editor of the Hagerty Price Guide and get this question frequently.   Survivor cars do not follow the usual condition based formula of the typical price guide as much of the value lies in the preservation of the car. Paint, metal, upholstery and more are only original once and when any of those aspects are restored a lot of that additional appeal and value is lost. A preserved car with documentation (build sheet, original bill of sale, window sticker, etc.) may be in a condition consistent with a "good" or maybe in rare cases "excellent" condition rating per our guidelines, but in the right circumstances have sold for "concours" level prices in the past.   All that said, to establish a solid value, especially for settling an estate, it would be appropriate to seek an appraisal to help further the vehicle's document trail. It is important to keep in mind that if you go down that road, it is important to seek out an appraisal by an experienced individual who is accredited by a well established, and widely respected group like the American Society of Appraisers (https://www.appraisers.org/) or the International Society of Appraisers (https://www.isa-appraisers.org/) just to name a couple. ... View more

Admittedly, I am guilty of removing the cat on a few older vehicles I have owned in the past. Mainly as a cost savings move for dealing with a plugged bead type unit. Here in Michigan there's no emissions testing, so there's no enforced penalty for removing it. That said, I agree that there is little to no real benefit for removing it, I think for anyone worried about a restrictive exhaust, changing the muffler will allow for better results, however I think that exhaust technology in general is quite good these days. The only reason to swap a muffler on a new vehicle is for sound purposes. ... View more

This video is a really good starting point and covers most of the bases for your own conversion.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2u7d8kajVI ... View more

@Sajeev has a great suggestion on the YouTube front that I'd like to expand on. If you don't know a direction you want to go in, but just want to gain general knowledge, on how to do simple maintenance or cheap upgrades, then I highly recommend you check out the channel Mighty Car Mods and look at some of their early stuff. It is all simple how to videos and at that time, they did everything in a driveway. Most importantly, they are not afraid to get help when the task is more specialized. A lot of channels do not show this, but they do which I believe sets a great example and earns a lot of respect from me.  ... View more

@Sajeev, I couldn't agree more. The 69 Grand Prix SJ would be my pick. My 69 with a 400 is a potent car, so I would imagine the SJ to be a rocket. Royal Pontiac also did at least one conversion on a 68 GTO, which would be a riot.   https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0117-269530/1968-pontiac-royal-bobcat-gto/ ... View more

@Pepperallswas pretty thorough.   I will echo his comments on the hood braces on the earlier trucks. They are a must on those trucks, no exceptions.   I have noticed the most common rust spots being cab corners and rocker panels.   Dash pads almost always crack, finding intact ones is an occasion worth celebrating.   I have seen only a couple trucks optioned this way, but a factory tach could be ordered, they took the place of the giant fuel gauge.   My family has had many 454 trucks over the year and here is one interesting thing we've found. There are two different intake port sizes on the trucks, "oval port" and "peanut port". We have found the larger oval port heads on trucks through 1978. These larger port heads respond very well to even mild upgrades. Peanut port heads, we have found on 1978 and newer 454 equipped trucks. In anything other than a stock restoration, the peanut port heads have little to no performance value and are worth their weight in scrap and can't be given away. We've tried. ... View more

I agree with @Sajeev Wheel Vintiques should have what you seek for new wheels. I've had several Oldsmobiles in the past and I think the wheels you are asking for are the SSI as the SSII have clip on centers and the SSI looks more era appropriate with the Magnum 500 look.  ... View more

Another one is that the age limits for cars to enter need to go away. I've noticed in my area that there have been a few holdouts that only let 1970s and older cars attend. I think that sort of thinking will slowly strangle those events out of existence. Even though my car is a 69, I tend to avoid those shows on general principle and would rather have the oldest car at the local millennial meetup.  ... View more

It depends. If your engine was previously rebuilt with hardened exhaust seats, you are good to go. If not, or you are unsure, I would say that it is worth consideration. Now this is just personal opinion, but if you are only driving your Corvette a little bit, I wouldn't worry about it too much and would worry about whether or not your car is getting enough octane in the gas. Personally, I am not convinced that lead additives have enough substitute to really add the protection that leaded gasoline had. The best (but most expensive) answer would be to pop the heads off and have the seats done. I do not use it in my 69 Pontiac and have had no issues. To the best of my knowledge the exhaust seats have not been worked on. But that is a chance I am willing to take with my car and I do put other fuel stabilizers in which may had added benefits that I don't consider.    Please keep in mind that this is one person's opinion, and you are likely to get an answer from someone else saying that you absolutely have to. I think if it helps you sleep better at night knowing your car is protected, then I'd say that is reason enough.  ... View more

Couldn’t agree more. While I don’t think they’ve gained widespread collector acceptance yet, I think that day is approaching. Personally, my pick of truck from that body style is the 92-99 full size Blazer/Tahoe/Yukon. I’ve had a couple in the past and they’re great trucks. ... View more

His best way to clear up the question would be to get a Marti Report. If anyone can put this to bed, it would be him, but yes, the swap theory would be most likely. ... View more

Most immediately we have R33 Skylines trickling in with the LM specification coming up soon, the Subaru WRX 22B, Mitsubishi Evo Tommi Makinen and of course the R34 Skyline will begin to become legal in 2024. ... View more

If you're absolutely committed to a definitive answer, then a report form Marti Auto Works is the best source of truth. Either way, sounds like an awesome car! Hope you can get out driving soon! ... View more