Technical Little tips and tricks for garage hobbyists.

If you've got a couple of guys helping you do whatever it is that's going to get everybody greasy and you've promised them beer and burgers after you're done, baby oil is NOT the best hand cleaner. Raw hamburger is much better

 

For hard to reach drain valves.

A quickly made tool using an old socket from a junk drawer.

The drain valve was too tight for my old fingers and I could not get a pair of pliers around the headers.

NOTE: For the unofficial traditional police: This series of engines was first produced in 1962. In the summer of 1965, I replaced a head gasket on one of these engines. Somehow, that little 4 cylinder head has gained a lot of weight in the last 56 years .

Russ

 

HOME MADE HEADER SPREADER

The exhaust header had to to be stretched to fit over the studs. I had one belt tension jack - When I stretched one side - the other side got shorter <sigh>. I needed two...

Googling "belt tensioner" did not find anything that worked. I checked the parts stores in town - no luck - one guy almost my age remembered them, had not seen one in years.

Martinez at Merle's tried a lot harder - he found that it was a Supco "belt tension jack". Could not get it, but gave me an Amazon printout (Thanks again Martinez!). Once home, I found several sources, at various prices and "estimated" delivery dates. Since it was late Friday, the best options were still "next week".

I decided to make my own from stuff in the shop and storage sheds. Took me less that 2 hours, mostly hunting for parts would do the job. From left to right:
1-1/2" exhaust clamp (size to fit your header tubes)
3/8"-16 Allthread scrap - magically was the right length
3 each - 3/8"-16 nuts
3/8" washer
3/8" plastic hose - serves as a spacer in the 1/2" pipe
1/2" iron pipe cut to length - 3/8" pipe would be better, did not have any
3/8" nutsert
1-1/2" exhaust clamp (size to fit your header tubes)
short 3/8"-16 bolt

Russ

 

MUCH more expensive!

Ben

 

Here in the UK fish and chips has much the same effect. It's ok until you realise where all the dirty oil that was on your hands went.

 

After a few beers, they won't even notice the motor oil smoke coming from the grill.

 

Place D Rings in the concrete floor of your garage to attach a winch to so you can pull project cars back in the garage with the winch without help or pushing on nice paint etc.

 

This has been one of my "to do" projects for while. Thanks for the reminder.

 

My winch does double duty,in the lifting beam or bolted to the floor.

 

They actually make a manifold spreader for the SBC! Some stock exhaust manifold will “ shrink” after you take them off! I went to my parts store to buy one and the manager thought I was joking! I had to get the book and show him!The look on his face when I showed him a picture of one was priceless!







Bones

 

i bought a pair of stretchers for sbc years ago i used them all the time but not so much any more. i still keep them in my box just in case.

 

If you are one who uses nitrile gloves that fit well once they're on
but are a bitch to get over the fat of your hand first dust/rub on some
baby powder.
This works for me and they come off easier so you can use them again.

 

I'm not coordinated enough to have D-rings in the floor... my fumble feet would trip over them . I've got a heavy lag bolt type screw-eye screwed into the front of my bench. Lets me connect a block-and-tackle or come-along and pull cars back in to the shop. Going the other way, I attach the lifting tackle to the towbar of my daily driver, leave the daily parked and pull cars out of the shop. Really handy when you are working alone.

Cheers,
Harv

 

Not really a tool but a tip for new garage build. When pouring concrete floor add short pieces of chain with a plate welded to the bottom in places around the edge of your shop. That way you can use your shop floor for a frame machine and other pulls. That is if you can get all the junk out of the way (mine) shop! Lol
The above post reminded of what I did 25 years ago!





Bones

 

Another way to get nitrile gloves off is stick your air nozzle in the cuff and shoot air in. It dries the moisture, puffs the glove up and they come off very easy. Learned that trick at work and have used it for ??yrs

 

Can I ask how those overhead beams are supported?

One other comment: Where you have the cables/ropes/straps going thru under the roof of the car. I would suggest putting some rags or padding between them and the roof as they wrap around the metal. I did just like you are doing using a wide strap, and it bent the metal in a little. Later I made a fixture that spreads the load and used an engine tilter so I could keep the body level.

 

Just lubed the heater control cables on my '56 Chev with this little gizmo. Clamp on and spray in your favorite aerosol lube, shoots it down the cable. Got it at a motorcycle shop years ago.

 

They work very well, mine is black instead of blue and I've had it since the 70s when I worked as a motorcycle mechanic

 

I have never seen one before and I've been riding motorized two wheelers since I got an old Cushman in '57. Cool tool!

 

That's a handy little tool.

 

Most motorcycle shops would sell them or off the net.

 

amazon has them $11
https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-0...ocphy=1021108&hvtargid=pla-460266440593&psc=1

YouTube video showing the tool in action

 

Be aware though, if your cable has no plastic covering, like a choke cable, lube will squirt out at any tight bend, since it's basically a coil spring. Best if you can undo one end and straighten it out first, and have a rag handy.

I see they have two knobs now. Maybe have to upgrade.

Motion Pro sells a lot of great tools. Their tire irons are terrific.

 

Emergency cable lube: A few years ago my throttle cable broke at night during Hot August Nights. No replacement available. The pickup has a hand throttle but the cable was sticky and binding from lack of maintenance & salt from Bonneville trips. For the 30 mile drive home I wrapped the cable with raw bacon I got at a cafe. With the engine heat melted the fat & by the time we got to Virginia City it was working well. The down hill run to home was easy. The next morning the dogs got it with their breakfast.

 

^^^ Out of necessity comes some offbeat inventive ideas ^^^

 

Saw this dandy little tool for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Should be easy to make your own.

 

Good on gas and low on pollution.

 

I made a oiler for bigger cables out of fuel hose! I just clamp it on the housing with a hose clamp. The turn it up and pour oil or diesel or a mix in it. Then I push the barb fitting into the hose that has been adapted down to an air fitting, like in your tire! I then hold it up and apply air pressure to it and the air forces the mixture through the housing and out the other end! It is amazing the crap that comes out of it! And how much easier the cables work after this procedure!
I learned this trick working on fire trucks that have many cable operated items! Way easier, quicker and cheaper than replacement!








Bones

 

I just learned a neat trick, accidentally, the other day and used it again today!One of the hardest jobs, for me anyway, is cleaning the inside of a windshield ! It seems the more the slope the harder it is , for these old hands to clean! I looked around to find something to clean my windshield and spotted a roll of toilet paper, that I carry for emergency’s! Just use the whole roll , kinda like a brush! It worked fantastic! The easiest time I ever cleaned the inside of a windshield! And if it gets dirty, just roll off a little! Might not mean much to others…..but sure made my day! Lol










Bones