About Tinkerah

Tinkerah

Thanks for this!...The first transformer?

Tinkerah

I would've followed that procedure even if it weren't a rule.

Tinkerah

Kyle before you buy a drill press I strongly encourage you to consider an entry level benchtop mill/drill machine. For about twice the money and the same bench space it'll triple your axes of capability. If you can swing the investment (I deliberately didn't say "cost") it'll become your second most versatile tool after your dominant thumb.

Tinkerah

Fuel is only expensive if you consider driving your classic is strictly for transportation. It is not: it's an exciting, nostalgic, visceral experience. My overpowered ill-handling iron can get maybe 20 mpg if I'm gentle, half that if I'm enjoying myself. At $3.00/gallon, that's thirty cents a mile. BARGAIN.

Tinkerah

"Hot Rods and Rock & Roll" has been my catchphrase for decades!

Tinkerah

My wife encourages me to build/buy/spend time fixing whatever I want. It makes me happy to keep her small fleet of aging Sidekicks/Samurais/Trackers running as well as I can. And great to finally hear your voice Sajeev! Where can we hear your drumming? With our Drive at Dawn hats!

Tinkerah

Respectfully disagree. All of my American branded vehicles from 1967 up, including light trucks were/are split into front and rear. Master cylinders on front disc/rear drum vehicles even have different reservoir volumes to account for their different requirements.

Tinkerah

The biggest issue I've had with "Right to Repair" is the title. We've always had the right to repair, just not necessarily the right to proprietary information that would facilitate it. Semantics I know, but words mean things to me.

Tinkerah

Sam's writing is so good it inspires better writing from the commenters.

Tinkerah

In the clip, with my very good headphones, it sounded like a hot four cylinder to me. I'm braced for the hate but I stand by my opinion.

Tinkerah

I do but hot rods by their nature were modified per their owners' taste with no consideration of preservation.

Tinkerah

Don't give up on the sinking jack just yet - top off, or replace some of the fluid with brake fluid. It'll rejuvenate the seals and you (or a thankful donee) will get another 30 years out of it.

Tinkerah

TomPettylives I beg of you, teach us how to post photos!

Tinkerah

I've lost track of all the opponents I've beaten who didn't even know I was racing them....Sorry Doc, you walked into that one.....

Tinkerah

Now that you mention it some short video clips would be further illuminating.

Tinkerah

I've always been fascinated by marketing, both brilliant and abysmal. As PR goes, I think VW should've quietly let that one go. It was not only complimentary but quite possibly true!

Tinkerah

Owing largely to the universally accepted requirements of aerodynamics.

Tinkerah

Both of your ideas, which I haven't heard anywhere else, seem worth exploring to me.

Tinkerah

There was a radiator shop just like that a short drive from me that always satisfied my wacky requests for very reasonable cost. And a carburetor shop near that. Just carb parts and repairs! Both gone decades ago. And yes, the B-52's did indeed say that!

Tinkerah

Oh My Gawd a million-ish people might be seeing my immature snarky comments?? I will start minding my manners....NOW.

Tinkerah

I wanted to be the one dissenting vote but....can't. I loved it too.

Tinkerah

Sure, if it was ghostwritten by Sam 😉

Tinkerah

Congratulations Kyle!!

Tinkerah

I'm in the minority with you. I don't think anyone restores a classic car to drive it, they do it as a simple investment. Otherwise you'd give it what it needed to enjoy it without stressing over every scratch. Cars restored to this degree (I'm a hard pass on the unsealed battery too) are intended as time machines to fetch top dollar and we are not its intended market. This car will never see another raucous night out just cruising full of the owner's buddies, but I also appreciate that it will serve as an accurate reference for years to come that I don't have to pay for or store.

Tinkerah

Make note of my first ever disagreement with Kyle: those reservoirs aren't attractive, they're vulnerable.

Tinkerah

Up to a point. Beauty and emotions play a significant part. How many of us have suffered through ridiculous impracticality for the love a sensuous curve.....

Tinkerah

PC or not that is a genius line. In its defense I'd argue that ugly is a matter of taste but the "damage" would already be done.

Tinkerah

I'd like to know how he gets what look like drone shots. And the photographer should've known not to be anywhere near the outside of any turn.

Tinkerah

To bring the conversation back to the point of the article: I'm not the least bit concerned about parts for my old iron. All the shelves of stupid serviceable used and repairable parts I've allowed to take up precious storage space for 30+ years will eventually be called into play. And VW has got SOME NERVE to even mention their emissions in ANY context.

Tinkerah

"We replaced the horse for work but we still keep them for pleasure." A great observation that should encourage all of us.

Tinkerah

I routinely boast that I can fix "anything with moving parts". From an analog meter movement ("D'Arsonval") to freight elevators. I've only been beaten once: by an IBM Selectric II.

Tinkerah

You must be new here - Welcome! This is where I (and possibly many others?) learn about auto-related stuff that wouldn't otherwise get on my radar.

Tinkerah

This is terrific, as well as the comments, so this may be a bit of a tangent: Buzz Aldrin's VW endorsement (yup, I read every word of that too) mentions their Computerized Self Analysis system checked the car's front end alignment, in 60 seconds to boot. A few minutes pestering Google turned up nothing on how that might've worked. Does anyone know anything about it?

Tinkerah

A beautiful, elegantly simple solution!

Tinkerah

Cheaper to insure while exponentially more dangerous. Why aren't I surprised??

Tinkerah · ‎30-06-2021

I read that three time myself to grasp it and couldn't figure out what I was missing. You've given me the confidence to pile on.

Tinkerah · ‎30-06-2021

Not as brave as I sound; since it doesn't work at all I won't make it worse.

Tinkerah · ‎30-06-2021

Those auctions are worlds away from my life so I don't follow them but I wonder if the houses lowball the expected sale prices to help initiate interest?

Tinkerah · ‎30-06-2021

It does seem a touch disappointing to break up such a set.

Tinkerah · ‎30-06-2021

I'll be learning on my wife's car this week heh heh heh....

Tinkerah · ‎30-06-2021

That's the routine here if it's a hot day.

Tinkerah · ‎30-06-2021

I'm assuming they've put more forethought into this than we're seeing here. It looks like they just cut away everything that was in the way to get the motor between the wheels. Not counting them out though, and the visual and auditory impact is already sky high!

Tinkerah · ‎29-06-2021

A genuine supercar at a yard sale price.

Tinkerah · ‎29-06-2021

Thanks for nothin' Sajeev. You've pointed out the one tool I don't already own so now I have to go shopping.

Tinkerah · ‎26-06-2021

I think CG is already there. When it's done well it takes a trained eye to question it. I still marvel at Jurassic Park which was...THIRTY YEARS ago?!?

Tinkerah · ‎25-06-2021

"don't come with any paperwork"? Tragically (at least in Massachusetts) they are for off road use only, display or parts. I had a hell of a time getting my first-gen Camaro registered and I've owned it over forty years WITH paperwork.

Tinkerah · ‎24-06-2021

If you want realism watch the news. When we go out to a movie we demand to be entertained. When my wife (who shares this opinion bless her heart) and I go to a FF movie we expect to see sexy people talking tough and doing cool stuff physics be damned. We both laugh at the ridiculousness at the same time as loving the spectacle. I doubt anyone who has ever turned an ignition key believes the FF movies are anything but cartoons presented with realistic visuals.

Tinkerah · ‎22-06-2021

Yes gremlins, especially computerized ones, can appear and then vanish. My previous car began acting exactly the same way. Good pressure and hot sparks be damned. Bought a "noid" kit to verify injector pulses; all good. Interestingly whenever a noid was connected to any injector plug the car ran great on the other three cylinders. All four injectors connected became a no start issue. I took to driving it with one injector off since it was reliable on three. Months later I was challenged to demonstrate the problem to a non believing acquaintance but when I plugged in the last injector in.....it ran fine on all four. I sold it because "I didn't trust it".

Tinkerah · ‎22-06-2021

I know you're not me, and you should be thankful for it, but if you were you'd pull the pull the pump out for a good ol' look see at the inlet sock. If there's not a significant obstruction then certainly keep the gauge in the car while you drive it and possibly a bottom-dollar pump with the tools required since it's among the easiest to replace.

Tinkerah · ‎22-06-2021

The first Blues Brothers film is an absolute master class in film making on every level. From unique stunts (all practical, before widespread use of CG), comic writing and timing, music selection, managing ("massaging"?) local authorities to gain permission to stage dangerous stunts in a major city, managing a drug addicted star, etc., etc., etc. The film also exposed the blues legends who appeared in it to new audiences. A key moment that for me demonstrates Elwood's callous attitude toward the police: he doesn't turn Sam & Dave down during the traffic stop.