Has anyone read the Hot rod to the rescue in the July issue on the 390 Ford. New engine to him that was not running right took it to 2 shops came out of the second shop with no PCV valve in the system just a open vacuum leak, a solid lifter cam adjusted like hydraulics zero lash plus some more and a carb that had the needle valve leaking and we wonder why the general public is down on mechanic shops.
There has always been horror stories from both sides of the fence. Customers have caused as many if not more nightmares.
Hell yea there's still stuff to learn. Weeding out the non traditional stuff at times is a pain but it isn't all bad.
I've heard many here say Hot Rod has become a waste of time, like it--great, don't like it--still great. The current issue of Hot Rod has a killer 32 roadster in it that has had some of the best craftsmen in the industry work on it, but to guys that like to label(categorize) cars you might just want to (waste) your time doing something else. Some issues of (many) magazines might have just one car worth reading about, does that mean I'm gonna stop getting them. NOPE Call me non-traditional but this car just exudes cool, be for-warned though; there are no red steelies or white walls in sight. Nothing personal Ronnie.
I just read it (actually, skimmed through it) about 5 minutes ago. I agree, not much traditional stuff, but I can always learn something too. Besides, I'm paying like 38 cents per issue. Lol
I haven't read that story yet but from the looks of it there may have been a communication gap somewhere in the process. Quite often that gap is right up at the service desk where the customer gives the service writer a detailed description of the problem and the service writer writes down "check for a miss". It can also be because the customer didn't properly describe the problem. I had one back years ago that said "check for rattle in front of car". I put a wrench on every front suspension bolt and checked everything under the hood and on the chassis and couldn't find anything. Customer comes back and says that the rattle is still there. Takes me on a test ride on a washboard street a couple of blocks from the shop and sure enough there is a rattle in the DASH in the defroster duct. He got billed for ten hours of my time for dropping a #2 yellow pencil down the defroster duct and not giving a correct description of the problem. A coworker in the same shop got a car in with "check for miss" on the work order, on the dash was a typed note, "Mr Mechanic my car runs rough when I am pulling such and such a hill at XX mph." That hill was about a mile from the shop so he goes out and test drives the car up the hill at the speed she said she had the problem and sure enough it acted up just the way she said it did. He hunted down and fixed the problem and had a customer for life. I'm not going to get into the HRM good or bad thing but I have had a subscription most of the time for the past 56 years and still have most every issue. While the feature cars aren't always what I like there is always a bit of knowledge to be gained somewhere in the magazine.
I read HotRod-there's lots I don't know, I like the old history pages and it's cheap-just like me. Honestly, how can you be a car guy and pick up any car magazine and not find something of interest?
Problem is most shops just do not care, its a check to them. Theres no oversight. Some shops will take any job because its income. They have no conscience
Yeah. It's real easy to bag on a magazine that was there first before most of those who yak on here were gleams in their pater's eyes. I know it doesn't appeal to all and everyone, and never did; but really, it must be doing something right because it's paying the light bill and turning over money for whoever publishes it, now; or it'd have its toes turned up toward the sun. Damn! Just tell me there's not one person on HAMB wouldn't glow like they were radioactive they had a parking space and little corner office and worked for Hot Rod. Damn right I'm right. So they write some crummy stuff. Ever read a lot of the stuff on here? No matter what field you're in, there's always going to be more weeds than flowers. Think about it. Mechanics. Says it all. You don't work on your own stuff you're at the mercy of the world.
I read several magazines, the problem is I never know which ones I'm going to receive. They get bought out ,closed up ,re-routed ,subscriptions cancelled so often its like a lottery. Beside ,my mailman likes to set down the block on his lunch time and read my car magazines. I think its in his union contract,who am I to change his working conditions.
I read Hot Rod Deluxe. Not an abundance of tech but then that's one of the reasons I come here to the HAMB. Plus 20 years worth of HAMB friendly photography. I'm paying a little more than 38 cents though.
The Jalopy Journal
