Featured Hot Rods How to tell real gearheads?

When the wife is out of town means the cylinder heads are in the dishwasher...

-rick

 

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT,
Do not put shop rags in the washer. If her boulder holders and other items come out later smelling like zinc, 40 wt, 60 wt (for the bikers) and have an oily sheen to them, you are in deep dodo.

 

That’s what laundromats are for.

 

Well thats a good way to tell sometimes….. if you’re like me I’m anal about having an organized box with clean tools. Blame my dad on that one because if the tools were dirty when he grabbed one he would ban me from the garage and as much as I loved working on cars that wasn’t gonna happen
Here’s a perfect example of what I was taught

 

Are you speaking from experience
Dan

 

Livingroomlathe....if you don't have stuff in your house you're a poser...lol

 

They have names such as...

Marty Strode
Brian Bass
Fitnessguy
Flop
Squablow
J.Ukrop
metalshapes
HOTRODPRIMER
Highlander
Bandit Billy
wraymen
bchctybob
Brent
Kiwikev
Littleman
31 Vicky with a hemi
Hitchhiker

So many others.

 

Ya ever see one of those guys who.....even if he JUST stepped outta the shower and put on a clean white shirt and tie ...combed his hair and walked into Church...he still had that "dusty/unkempt-look".
Yeah....that's a car guy.
6sally6

 

Tastes like chicken and grape Kool-Aid !
6sally6

 

Like John Force !

 

I don't know anyone who isn't a gearhead with the exception of family.
I limit my social contact to only piston powered events.

 

Didn’t see it, think most car guys have given names to their rides of affection…talking about their cars/trucks

 

Shed should always be bigger than the house, last three places I've had have been that way.

 

Funny, my shop is 485 sq. ft. bigger than my house. Almost like I planned it that away.

 

There may be signs

 

Signs…….yeppers


How about having a spare garage so full of parts and stuff that you can’t see your convertible sitting in there…..

 

That's when I'd make up a story and "confess" to an extramarital affair ,because I know I'd be in less trouble.

And Loctite tastes OK
Also the enjoyment of smelling race gas wafting through the garage after you shut down the engine.

In my case my lawnmower and 4 stroke line-trimmer run better on leaded race gas [the smell makes a tedious chore more pleasant]

 

They refer to the '59 Corvette that they saw at the ice cream stand last night as a '59 Corvette and not a "C1".

 

They aren't "experts".

More accurately...
They actually are experts.
But they aren't out to prove it.

 

90 weight gear line is cologne.

 

Yep this ain’t Bingo
Dan

 

Rickybop, expert is defined as "ex" is a has been and "spurt is a drip under pressure"

 

After looking closely at the pictures you posted, you are an excellent example of a "Gearhead" because you just made my case for me. I highlighted your pictures to show that your toolbox is full of mismatched and well used tools.......and that's a compliment.

Let me explain. Anyone who uses their tools a lot will have many old wrenches that aren't from a full set anymore. You (Me) don't throw them away, because some time or other they will be just perfect to fill a need. We also have incomplete sets........anyone who wrenches on cars at home has some incomplete sets after a while. You can tell that many of your wrenches have lost their luster somewhat from use, even if you wiped the grease off of them. Then there are the specialty tools we buy along the way and keep on hand, like gear pullers, pry bars, wire crimpers,ring filers,valve spring compressors, brake bleeders and on and on. Thats the kind of stuff that tells me someone is a gearhead at heart. If that stuff is missing (never owned) or all the tools in the box are full sets and in pristine condition.............probably NOT a gearhead, just a wannabe. You my friend ARE a GEARHEAD (IMHO).

(Click on pictures to enlarge)





I counted some of the wrenches I have and there are about 20/25 different brands. I keep a nice set and somewhat organized toolbox in the leanto where I work on engines and have a lot of specialty tools for engine building. Out in the main pole barn I keep the general purpose tools. Yes I wipe them clean if needed but my method of organizing is based more on convenience than looks. Thats what works for me and it gives me the ability to see most of the different shapes/types for any size.






Then I have about 10 old drafting table cabinets organized into a workbench. Bought em for $12 ea at an auction years ago. I put all the extra tools in there so I can always find the size I need if I misplaced the ones on my pegboard next to the lift.

I have a couple of Craftsman top boxes for wrenches.....Metric or Standard sitting atop the drafting cabinets and then use an individual drawer to hold each wrench size. A drawer for 9/16s and another for 5/8s etc.
Organized by size and makes it easy to grab what ever shape I need for that size. Also easy to throw them back when done. My way of organizing makes it easy to find and grab what I need without pulling them from plastic holders. Thats what works best for me. So, from one gearhead to another........keep up the good work!

 

Here is some of the more nicely organized stuff that I keep for engine building in the lean-to on back of the pole barn. You can see it doesn't get used as often, but I also have a lot of engine specialty tools and I wanted all this stuff easily available so I don't have to hunt for it.

 

I am the opposite of Anal, unorganized would more describe my tools. Exhibit A, my attack cart, with it I can
drill, grind and cut most anything .
.

 

Want to determine if a guy is a real gearhead? Ask him about particulars on his car. Real gearheads can go on and on forever about every little detail because they did it all, or know their car inside and out. The rest just bought somebody's work and only know a smattering about the car.

 

Real gearheads spend more time actually working on their cars than posting on social media.

 

Since my Dad usta stir around in an old rusty bread box with a screwdriver" looking for that 9/16" box end"....
I guess I HAVE improved a lot !!
(NOT like your picture but....I do keep my box-ends in one compartment of a drawer)

 

A lift in the garage, and naturally more than one way to pull an engine.
Of course if those items are there then the rest tell's the same story.