My gas filler trim ring started life as a drain in our old kitchen sink. I cut the bottom out years ago to fit a Rochester 2 barrel and mated it with a piece of aluminum to make a 4 barrel air cleaner adapter. Still had it laying around when I built my current truck and thought it would work pretty good for a trim ring. Even if you bought it new, they are about half the price of the fuel cap bowls I've seen in catalogs.
I also recently change out our bathroom sink faucet and the little chrome knob on the drain pop up is the perfect size for my glove box door.
I once suggested that the gamer's chairs they sell in Wal-mart looked a lot like the seats for the custom interiors that came in some of the old AMT 3-in-1 kits, and it quickly devolved into an anti-Wal-mart, anti-Made-In-Asia-Somewhere thread. I see they still sell them, though. Can't be any worse than the guy in 1961 who used the chairs from his dinette set for custom seats. I used a couple of sheets of Home Depot $7.50 a shot hardboard for interior panels in my van - the same crap as pegboard with no holes - dunno why it wouldn't work for door panels on any car with more or less flat interior panels, or ones that have some curve if it's only one way. I used Reflectix behind it to try to keep it cooler inside, but I'm not sure that's worked that well other than it's a lot quieter than when I first got it. No reason you can't then stick whatever cabinet handles on it you want, either. I would watch the cull bin for some scraps of thin plywood to back up handles with, though. And the expanding foam did a nice job sealing some rot holes in the same van, but that's really cobbing it up (in this case, just keeping it rolling and keeping me dry and I don't give a crap).
Not mine so I cannot verify but this guy cut these into his hood to fit the air cleaners and then made the rim out of (drum roll).... Plastic chrome door edges that you put on there to keep from scratching your door. Cost about $5 he says. Pretty cool, you could do it to whatever.
Plus I just remembered something. So I was flipping through jegs magazine and saw that they had wire and fuel line covers. Great idea, too much. So whilst I was at home depot earlier I went over to the plumbing area and found stainless steal braided tubes. Just what was in jegs, but affordable. So for you saftey conscious guys... yeah.... Plus who here wants to run cool colored fuel lines? They have those too in the plumbing area. Now I am not sure which one I was in or which one was cheaper but a little driving to see could and will save you quite a bit of money.
Went to Lowes the other day to help a friend load block. While we were waiting for the forklift to bring them to the front of the store, I wondered over to the flooring section and found black carpet by the foot. Carpet for my truck from a vendor is 99-150 bucks. Lowes was 40. Also, if you happen to be there check out the insulation, they sell the al. backed stuff for less than the 25$ for a 4x6 piece you buy some vendors.
You can make a steering column floor mount from a conduit connector. The sizes are close, just file to fit. Cost is less than $5.
Thanks for starting this thread. I have a friend who runs a Recycle Yard. A few times a year I go over and look at the Stainless and Aluminum pile. Found some really cool different stuff that can be used. Stuff you do not find everyday. It is a Great Source too..
A couple of things that come to mind, Old TV antennas are plentiful now. Those aluminum tubes are split. You can polish them with a little effort and use them in grills or to hide wires. I have also heard that a lot of people with those large mesh satellite dishes no longer use them. They are made out of aluminum and often have the linear positioning motors attached that you can use for things. You can sell the rest for scrap, or turn it upside down and use it for a roof for a gazebo. Should work great if you let some vines grow all through it, no one would know.
I cut up a wheelbarrow for my lower rear quarters on my 50 Chevy. The rollpan is the crown from the trunklid of a 53 Chevy.
The thin 1/8 hardipanel works great for interior panels. I made "covers" for the rear of a wagon. Just cut to shape, cover the bottom with aluminum bubble wrap stuff (yes, it's cheap as hell at the home improvment stores) and cover the top with "automotive carpet" sold at Menard's really cheap. I had about $35 dollars in the whole deal and the rear hatch area of my car looked great, was protected for hauling gear, and was alot quieter to boot!
At Menards or Lowes they sell the two sided aluminum faced bubble type insulation. It is alot cheaper than the stuff at swap meets and works great. It is sold in different widths too. Two sided carpet tape by 3M works very well to hang it on the panels and the stuff can be removed alot easier than spray on. Also, check out the sticky rolls of stuff they use between a foundation and sill plate in home construction, it has many uses.
Theres a fellow that shows up and a few cruises around here in a beautiful Mercury Wagon..maybe a 50...he is great to talk to about the car. He has found stuff at Kroger, Wallmart, and K-Mart . But you'd never know it...
My 48 Merc Sled, Dome light Home Depot socket = $4.95 Bulb 12 volt(Wally World) =$1.70 Pull chain accessory = $0.99 Tax = $0.46 Total$ 8.10
MD: Thanks for posting that. I agree. Anyway you shake it, lifting, stealing, whatever you want to call it ain't cool. No two ways about it. How would you feel if you found someone in your kitchen taking your silverware and other "small" items? Why not, you got a bunch more. No harm if I take 4 of your 8, right? C'mon, man. Think about what you are going to say before you post shit like that...
Dang, that is going to one hell of tough 1/4 panel. You could go into demolition derbys with those suckers! Great way to reuse, bro!
In this picture alone - all from menards. 1. Hardboard behind the door panels. 2. Rubber vent stack boot as steering column seal. 3. Autobond carpet, 48 cents a square foot, cuts easy and doesn't unravel. 4. Sill plates made from Aluminum carpet border.
When I bught my Studebaker, I got looking at the steering column where it passed through the firewall and thought "what the H***?" Yep, the previous owner used this idea too and it works great (cheap to replace when the rubber cracks, too).
Not a car part, but I made my parts washer out of a free old cast iron sink, used kerosene for solvent. just keep a piece of plywood or something for a lid when not in use.
"flat four" molded trailer connectors for instrument clusters, gauge feeds. 12" sq. asphalt floor tile for "redneck alignment turntables". Cut down aluminum picture frame for groovy tag holder. Storage bins and "Purple Power or Super Clean" for a redneck parts washer. Green Scotchbrite pot scrubbers for rust and metal finishing. Paint thinner (mineral spirits) for cleaning parts. Frozen pizzas and Jose' Quervo
The Jalopy Journal
