1969, the moon launch. Was living at my grandma's house, along with my mom and two half-brothers. I was twelve. I watched the launch, and then they mentioned how long it would be before they reached the moon and actually landed. Could not understand why it would take so long. That big ole Saturn 5 looked SO FAST, and the moon didn't look all that far away from grandma's yard. The wait seemed forever! When the landing came, there I was, like everyone else, glued to our old black & white TV. Was awful proud of those men. ... View more

I bought one of those battery cable crimping tools last year.  I was redoing the entire wiring system on my C4 Corvette, including a remote battery in the rear, a remote kill switch, a gear-reduction starter, and a high-output alternator.  The tool, I bought from Harbor Freight.  The wire, I bought from a wire manufacturer who sells on eBay (100% copper).  That tool came in so nice!!  I was making perfect cable ends real quick, and used my wife's hair dryer to shrink wrap them.  Because the new alternator (228 Amp top end vs. 90A) is the one-wire type, versus the 1984 factory type, I needed a alternator relay between it and the emergency kill switch, so if you use the switch while the engine is running, you won't instantly burn out the very expensive alternator.  Moroso makes a very nice alternator relay.  The remote kill switch is required by most race tracks in case of an accident, but the Flaming River one I got also has a lock-out feature, you can padlock when the car is not running, which should help deter car thieves.  Another tool I bought at the same time is a fancy, heavy duty wire stripper/crimper, for normal sized wires.  For years, I always just twisted wires or used one of those cheap crimpers you often see in the $5 bargain bin at the parts store.  This one does what the cheap ones are supposed to do, but is so much more sure, and much easier to make perfect crimps every time.  Another tool I bought last year that paid for itself, was a nice OBD II scanner.  I had a weird problem going on in our 2005 Trailblazer, that could have been VERY expensive to just guess-diagnose.  The scanner instantly told me I needed a new coil pack (and which one), and saved me a chunk of money.  It has since saved me even more on two other vehicles.  Lastly, I tracked down a electrical multi-meter that will read up to 20 Amps.  You'd be surprised at how few will do that.  Usually, they are limited in the milli-amp range.  Most cars will have 20A and 30A circuits, so checking current flow becomes more problematic.  That multimeter has paid for itself already too.  Good tools are worth the extra money you spend on them! ... View more

My 1886 Winchester Deluxe 45-70 lever action rifle, to remove the front sight, last night. ... View more

Amen!  And from what I have heard from people who met him, was even though he experienced REAL racism (as opposed to the phony kind Wallace whines about), Scott remained a true gentleman to the end. ... View more

Talent??  Talent for losing, running his mouth and whining like a little racist girl.  He's had good equipment, he just doesn't know how to use it. ... View more

Forever done with NASCAR and their political crap. Bubba Wallace was the final straw. He thinks he is some sort of Wendell Scott, but he isn't fit to shine Wendell Scott's shoes. THAT, was a man to admire! Not some whiny little loser who plays the race card to cover the fact that he sucks as a driver. Add in plans to make everyone's cars alike, and move to electric cars, and all I do is yawn. ... View more

I met him some 20+ years ago. He was at a Walmart in KCMO with his car. Most of the people going in and out of the store had no clue who he was. I got his autograph for my son. He was a hell of a nice man, very down to earth. ... View more

OBD II tester.  Hate computer controlled cars, but finally broke down and bought a tester that also checks transmission codes.  Paid for itself right away by pinpointing which of the fuel injectors on our Trailblazer was acting up.  Also pointed out problems on our 96 Chevy K1500 and our 2007 Toyota Avalon.  Handy little gadget!! ... View more

A dear friend of mine, was an officer in the US Army in WWII. Post-war, serving in occupied Germany, he had one of these cars. He loved it. I thought it was the dumbest looking car I had ever seen. I have photos of it. ... View more

I did that as a kid, using a butter knife and my mom's kitchen stove on plastic model cars I customized.  Pissed my mom off, ruining her butter knives. ... View more

Did Chip Foose design this butt-ugly monstrosity? ... View more

When shopping for a multi-meter, look for one that reads amperage up to 20 amps. They are hard to find with that capacity, but they are available without spending a fortune. I found a blue one on Amazon at a reasonable price. Being able to handle up to 20A is important when tracing electrical problems in a car, especially when hunting down parasitic drains on your battery. A good OBD2 scanner that also reads transmission codes is a good investment too. ... View more

Even this moron cannot screw that car up any more than it already is. ... View more

eBay is full of morons! Just had one offer me $120 for a piece of jewelry in mint condition that retails for $900. Yeah, sure! Needless to say, I told him to shove his $120. ... View more

Just what we need, this moron screwing up the USPS more than they already are! God, I hate this clown! ... View more

No way, no how! ... View more

I do hope they open it up to the occasional days when individuals can rent tract time without belonging to SCCA, etc. I have been planning to take my Corvette out to Heartland Motorsports in Topeka, for that reason, but would much rather run it on this track! ... View more

So, anyone who doesn't agree with you is a jerk...  My, but you are quite the sensitive one, aren't you!  I suggest you grow a spine and quit being so easily offended and attributing your perceived insult to something it isn't.  Perhaps someone being rude to you doesn't have anything to do with your age, or theirs, but rather your attitude and hostile nature.  Maybe they are just jerks, or maybe you are acting like one.  You don't deserve a participation trophy because you like cars.   This ageism nonsense in your comments and in the article is all BS.  I am an old guy, and I am here to tell you that people acting like jerks has nothing to do with age.  I have watched, and endured jerk-ish behavior from old and young alike.  Sometimes it is based on economic status, sometimes it is based on personal preferences.  And sometimes it is simply because the offender is just a jerk, and there is no reason or trigger whatsoever.  The question is, why do you take such crap personally, and let it color your own behavior?   Personally, I don't go to car shows, join clubs, don't do cars & coffee, or participate in any organized activity whatsoever.  True, you will encounter jerks wherever you go, but my reason is that I don't have any need to feel validated by socializing with other car people.   I build cars because I love cars, and would do it even if I was the only car owner in the world.  I don't care what other people think or do.  I live by the motto of "my car, my money, my work".  If you like what I do, fine, and if you think it is hideous, that is fine too.  I simply do not care, either way.   I am currently building an old Corvette.  I am modding it heavily.  There are Corvette snobs out there who scoff and think what I am doing is a crime of nature.  There are also people who think what I am doing is awesome.  Neither negative or positive reactions of other people effect what I do whatsoever.  It is what "I like", that drives me.  And that is all that matters.  It has been that way since I first picked up a wrench as a kid.   I don't attack other people for their choice of car, color, brand, style or preference.  If you like it, that is all that matters.  I may think that something is silly, but I mostly keep my opinions to myself, unless you ask my opinion.  Then I will give you an honest answer.  By the same token, I don't ask others for their opinion.  If someone tries to force their opinion on me, I meet it with the reaction it deserves.  I don't waste time trying to analyze why that person is a jerk, or let it offend me other than a momentary reaction.  I am too busy doing my thing to worry about others.  If you are going to work on cars, you need to grow thicker skin, literally and figuratively.   The only people who bother me are economic snobs.  The guys who never work on their own cars, and pay someone else to do their dirty work, and whose biggest dilemma is what car polish to buy.  And they don't really bother me, but rather make me laugh at them.   In summary, you need a spine, you need a thick skin, and you need a sense of humor.  And just focus on what floats your boat.  You, or nobody else is going to change the world! ... View more

Your snarky, insulting comments throughout, identifies YOU as why some of those grumpy old guys treat younger people the way they do. Get off your sanctimonious high horse, look in the mirror, and grow up. ... View more

You start out with "What an astonishing display of pure ignorance." and then bombard us with pure ignorance. ... View more

In the middle of rebuilding my C4 Corvette, I decided to see if I couldn't fix its air conditioning. Discovered a rats nest of jury rigged wiring, and a sure sign that many others before me had tried and failed. Took a gamble, and charged it, which made no difference. Decided then and there to just delete the whole thing and be done. IF, at some point in the future I want an AC, I will look at rigging up an aftermarket one with all new components. Wouldn't cost any more than replacing all that ancient factory set-up. In the meantime, I will enjoy driving with the targa top off and the wind in my hair. ... View more

Watching racing between these billionaire and millionaire owned cars is much like watching polo. Boring! ... View more

How dare this moron think he could shine the shoes of Carrol Shelby, much less get inside his mind? God, I hate this clown! ... View more

Who buys, builds or customizes a car to recoup their money?? Idiots. I am building my car because I love it and want to drive it. If I want a investment, I'll look at real estate or the stock market. ... View more

It doesn't take much to be smarter than Chevy engineers! My C4 Corvette is a prime example! ... View more

Had a old Chevy PU with front drums. Put new bonded shoes on it. A few months later, on the freeway, a blind old lady in a Caddy cuts in front of me and slammed on her brakes. I hit my brakes. The bond on one shoe broke loose, and a chunk of brake material got caught between the drum and the opposite shoe. The drum snapped, and I had zero stopping ability. I swerved onto the shoulder, and coasted to a stop. From then on, I would only buy riveted brake shoes. ... View more

Thanks for making me vomit! ... View more

Love the ingenuity! ... View more

Well, aren't you special! NOT! Lump me in with him while you are at it. Arrogant imbecile. ... View more

I love it! My older brother had a metal scale model of this car back in the 60's. ... View more

Weird, but I like it! ... View more

Crappy imitation of Euro cars. Need to pull the engine just to change sparkplugs. No way would I ever buy one. Any previous generation of Corvette would be better! ... View more

After going through Covid last December, January and February, I was anxious to get back to work on my C4 Corvette project.  Even though my Crossfire fuel injection worked fine, I began a mechanical transformation on the C4.  I stripped all the Crossfire stuff off, and proceeded to degrease everything.  I discovered that my number-matching engine had been rebuilt in the past, and was a 383.  I always strongly suspected that it wasn't a vanilla 350, but never had the proof.  I installed an Edelbrock performer intake, and a Edelbrock 1405 carb.  I replaced the thermostat with a 160 degree one, and replaced the water pump with a high volume one.  I also replaced the 90A alternator with a 228A single-wire one.  I did a remote battery conversion, and added a remote kill-switch and kill-switch replay (along with what felt like miles of heavy gauge copper cable).  I replace the factory radiator with a new aluminum 3-row one. I also added a set of new wrapped headers, and a new dual exhaust with x-pipe.  I did a Monster Transmission manual overdrive conversion.  I also replaced the factory distributor with a Accel racing HEI distributor and a set of heavy Moroso spark plug wires.  I also replaced the well-worn starter with a heavy duty gear-reduction one.  There were a hundred other lesser jobs that got done, but also many that remain unfinished.  Still, not bad for an old man recovering from Covid.  Now, I anxiously await Spring so I can get back to wrenching! ... View more

What the hell do you mean that Billy Bob Thorton isn't really Santa? ... View more

I'd buy a C7, or a C6, but NEVER a C8. Perfectly contented with my non-computer C4 though. ... View more

The Daytona, the GT and the Cobra are what I hope Santa brings me! ... View more

Is there any doubt?  The Cobra kit, of course!  Providing I could afford it. ... View more

Inspiring story! ... View more

The first dealer I dealt with was a sleazy inter-city used car lot.  The only thing it inspired, was to never trust sleazy used car dealers.  As for positive inspiration, Kansas City used to have a Triumph dealer.  I got to drool all over and even drive one of the new Triumph Spitfires they had.  I already loved sports cars, but that was the first time I was within reach of getting one of my own.  Sadly, the deal fell through after I pissed off my step-dad and he backed out of helping me buy one.  Taught me a valuable lesson, though! ... View more

I've made it a practice for several years now, to buy a digital copy of the factory service manual for every car I buy.  Printed copies are usually way overpriced, but I did find a good one well priced for my C4 Corvette.  Don't usually buy Haynes or Chilton manuals anymore, but I did when I was a teenager. ... View more

The GT would be my first pick, followed by the Jag.  The CB 750 was what a friend of mine was killed on.  The rest, blah. ... View more

And this is why I won't EVER buy a new car again! ... View more

Love the Chevy truck, but hard to believe that a 454 was only putting out 230 & 255hp!  And they had the audacity to call that an SS!  Looks good though! ... View more

Beautiful! ... View more

Okay, maybe your mini isn't worth what it could potentially have been.  Big freaking deal.  You had fun with it, right?  Its just a car.  Drive it until the wheels fall off, and enjoy it! ... View more

Love this article!  "And in that light, anyone who takes issue with you building your dream should probably lighten up. More important, they’re just plain missing out."  "Carve out your piece of the rock, and don’t worry what others think. And most of all, when in doubt, fling open that garage door and just drive the thing."  Amen brother! ... View more

Man, when I was a kid, I vowed to marry Diana Rigg when I grew up.  But, I was also going to be Superman too.  Obviously neither ever happened.  Rest in peace beautiful Lady! ... View more

I salute all these builders, and love the cars!  The only thing I don't like is those stupid band-aid tires.  The dude who built that Datsun knows what I am talking about. ... View more

C4 Corvette's underappreciated?  Yes they are.  The people on here talking trash about them don't have a clue of what they are talking about.  Did they have problems in the various years, caused by Chevy's moronic engineers?  Yes, but show me a car ever made that didn't.  When the C4 was first produced, it BEAT every one of Europe's high-priced prima-donnas in road racing; so much so, that they were outlawed, and Chevy was forced to create C4 Corvette-only racing events.  I know a guy that even today regularly beats C5's and C6's on the race track with his "lowly" C4.  Only a fool would buy a C4 thinking he is going to restore it to factory fresh and make money on it.  People buy C4's because they fall in love with them.  You get a lot of bang for your buck, and you don't need 1000 HP to have lots of fun.  As for those stupid problems that Chevy created, dedicated owners have long ago solved most of them in some pretty creative ways.  There is a huge and loyal community of C4 owners out there who help each other, share ideas, and generally act like true ladies and gentlemen (unlike many of the snobs you'll find in other generations of Corvette owners).  There is a solid online community, from a C4 forum, to many C4 dedicated groups on social media.  I used to run a group on Facebroke with hundreds of members, and a friend of mine ran another with an even bigger membership list.  I currently run a C4 group on MeWe; having gotten fed up with the nazi's who run FB.  The 92-96 C4's are okay, and yes, they had more horsepower than the 84-91's, but I certainly would not dismiss the early C4's.  They can all be made to go faster than you really want to drive, and because prices are low, you can build a hot rod fairly cheap.  Because prices are not likely to shoot sky high in our lifetimes and C4's become rare collector items, you are not obligated preserve it in immaculate factory condition like a C1 or C2 in order to reap financial rewards.  Think of a C4 as a blank canvas ready for you to customize to your heart's content.  And many people do.  The 84 C4 was the first one to come out with a computer, so it is very easy to do away with said pretty much useless computer, if you like non-computer cars.  Also, the majority of 84's came out with the Z51 suspension package that was truly race-ready.  So many people complained that the 84 Z51 was too stiff, that in 85, Chevy started wimping them down for those who wanted a Cadillac style ride.  C4 Corvettes were never intended to be drag racers, although some people do that.  They were designed to go fast around curves and corners in road-race style driving, and they do that quite well. ... View more