Folks,
Rob posted a note about us submitting the little tips and tricks we've learned along the way.
Let's get them sent in to him so's we can all learn.
The more we know, the smarter Rob is. errrrrrr, we are.

Thanks,
Jim
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Time is natures way of keeping everything from happening at once.

Need an emergency funnel? Grab your handy 24 oz. soda bottle and wack the bottom off of it. Generally they'll fit really nice into the oil fill and make filling a cinch. I even use one for "non-emergency uses" around the shop to fill just about anything. I can never find a funnel when I *really* need it.

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Bradley Miller
http://morris.accesszone.com -- Honey I shrunk the street rod

I typically own/drive less than show quality. My kit includes several alligator clip wires of roughly 1 to 4' in length and # 18, 14, 10 wire. Never failed me yet with on the road type repairs, usually well into the wee hours.
Case in point: A failed 1 wire alternator and the only thing available was an antique and external regulator at 2 AM on the way home from vacation in the 35 Buick a few yrs ago. Clip and purr.
Another is to carry a real points type distribuor/coil for when the fancy one fails...also in the wee hours. Experienced that one in a BBC during vacation in Canada last summer.
Wonder if anyone has collected data at the failure hour? Mine usually happen between 1-3AM but Im also a Nite Owl.

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Carl
Automotive gold is everywhere; you just have to learn how to dig for it

You can check out my tool definitions here www.prixmo1.50megs.com/ Here a trick I picked up many moons ago. Fill the open side of your side cutters with silicone gasket stuff, let it dry , cut a slice in with a razor going the same way as the cutting edge of the cutters, then when you cut a wire the one end will be caught by the silicone and you wont have to fish for it while in the dark under your dash, and when you cut that wire that was only 1" to long, the piece wont fly down the nearest uncovered hole in your engine you forgot to cover up while rewiring under the hood.
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New site upgrade www.prixmo1.50megs.com

When the wife throws away a muffin pan or cookie sheet. Take it to the garage. Glue on a strong magnet on the bottom and cover the magnet with felt. Now you can just throw your nuts and bolt on the pan/sheet without them rolling off. Even works putting tools on them, they keep in place without rolling around.

Rick
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awsum34

1) When cleaning nuts and bolts and other dirty parts. Throw them on a cup or bucket with Easy Off oven cleaner. Works great. You can also use Easy Off to clean your engine. (before painting).

2) when changing your oil save some. Throw some in a bucket of sand. Just enough to get the sand wet. Now if you have any rusted tools, put them in the bucket of sand for a day.
also great for those pliers that are tuff to use. also great for garden tools too. when finished working with them push them in the sand then wipe them off and hang. keeps them from rusting.

3) When looking for dents in your car. take a fluorescent light and put yellow plexiglass over the front of the light. You'll see the dents better.

4) When you don't want your hands real dirty working in the garage. Rub some hand lotion on them. Make sure you leave the lotion under the finger nails.

5)!!!!WARNING!!!!! Do NOT do welding with a bic lighter in your pocket. A spark from the welder could land on the lighter and take your leg off. (had a friend that done this)

6) When working with hard rubber and you need to bend it. Take a heat gun or put it boiling water for 30 seconds. Softens it up and easier to work with.

7) Save your bubble wrap. Reuse it on your new rechrome parts. If it's big enough you can also use it as a fender cover. Also you can put it one the fenders when your storeing your car for the winter. Just incase somebody drops something on the fenders it helps to protect them.


Rick


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awsum34

To make a simple set of slidehammers.
ready rod 4 feet long.
2 21/2 trailer balls that have the bolt that threads into the ball.
drill out the the remaining material in the ball.
weld a large nut on the end of the ready rod and you're off.
I've used my set for years on 350 and 400 trannys as well as frost plug removal.
Beats 100 dollars in the Snap On truck
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Jeff Reid

Another fiberglass trick! As if there wern't enough already! When you need to make a strip of 'glass and especially if it's curved, find some galvanized sheet metal strips usually around a sheet metal fab shop where you can find cutoffs for little or nothing. Being galvanized. the fiberglass will not adhere to it but will "stick" to it instead making for easy removal. If you have a curved strip, bend the metal to the proper shape, and simply lay up however many coats you may require. Once the "glass sets up, simply pop it loose from the metal backing. Then just trim to fit. A similiar system is to use the form, we'll use cardboard on this one. Say you want a new and tougher glove box liner, make a form using light cardboard or a manila folder. Then coat the form with epoxy to help stiffen it up and then lay on the required 'glass cloth to finish it up and that's it! Fred
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Fred P.

More old timey ham ingenuity eh Fred! Galvi can also be easily soldered....do it outdoors....and create what ever shape you need. Makes laying up glass for custom features fairly easy.
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Carl
Automotive gold is everywhere; you just have to learn how to dig for it

Just noticed a "duh" on my part!!! There's a more appropriate place for all of these neat ideas....It looks like....I can just make it out...I think it sez "Tech Stuff"....so far it only contains 2 tech ideas. Guess Steve wasn't watching us too closely on this one. Sorry Steve, if I come up with another (old brain cells do tend to rise) idea I'll know just where to put it and not where my wife sez most should go...
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Fred P.

and that's just the point Fred.
I was trying to stir things up for the Tech Section.
I learn a lot here and love to share stuff.
Jim
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Time is natures way of keeping everything from happening at once.

Thanks, everyone, for submitting your tips. It took me a week or so, but I finally got things set up so that I can easily add them to the Tech Stuff section. This section will display the newest 10 tips, and the rest will show up in the right hand column under "Quick Tips Archive". I'm very happy with the response I've had with this new section. Keep the tips coming!! You can send them to quick_tips@streetrodstuff.com (or click the ad at the bottom of the Tech Stuff page). Feel free to attach a picture with your tip.

Thanks again.
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Rob Zakrzewski
Streetrod Stuff, Inc.