4. Grease Lubrication: What is lt? • What Does It Do? • Where Is It Used? • White Grease • Manual Transmission/Rear Axle/Steering Gear Box Lubricant • Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

5. Automatic Transmissions: Torque Converter • Gear Train • Hydraulic Control System • Transmission Housing • Automatic Transmission Fluids • Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

6. Wear of Tires, Hoses, Belts, and Other Rubber Parts: Theory of Wear • Tires • Hoses • Belts • Other Rubber Parts • Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

7. Shocks, Mufflers, and Brakes: Shock Absorbers • The Exhaust System • Brakes • Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

8. Mechanical Tune-Ups: Carburetion • Bolting • Compression and Vacuum • Fuel Pump • Valves • Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

9. Electrical Tune-Ups: The Car Battery • Electrical Connections and Wiring • Spark Plugs • Distributor, Alternator, and Timing • Starters • Electronic Ignition • Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

10. An Integrated Tune-Up: General Procedure • The Correct Steps • Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

11. Car Body Care: Inside • Outside • Shelter • Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

12. The Cooling System: Types • Components • Air Conditioning-Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

13. When Trouble Strikes: Warning Lights and Alarms • Signs, Sounds, and Odors • Organizations • Spare Parts • Emergency Tool Sets • Summary of Recommendations • Mechanic’s Tips

14. Year-Round Driving Tips: Spring, Summer, and Fall-Winter Driving

15. Putting It All Together: Schedules • Record Keeping • Dealer Contact • When to Sell

16. Minor Maintenance Activities: Oil and Filter Changes • The Grease Job • Automatic Transmission Service • Changing V-Belts • Changing Hoses • Changing Tires • Servicing Shocks and Mufflers • Degreasing the Engine • Servicing a Carburetor • Servicing the Battery • Cleaning and Gapping the Spark Plugs • Servicing the Distributor • Repairing Minor Rust • Flushing the Cooling System

A Short Course in Buying a Used Car

Metal Fatigue

Dictionary of Automotive Terms

Our merchant partner has recognized changes in the automotive customization and restoration marketplace since its inception and has always placed customer satisfaction at the forefront. There has been greater demand for products geared to muscle cars, street rods, trucks, and motorcycles in addition to the classics and vintage automobiles over the last several years. The recent growth of the sport tuner market has also placed a demand on our merchant partner for innovative products that make projects easier and the hobby more satisfying. Our merchant partner continues to add high quality, pioneering products to their line. Hotcoat has expanded to allow the coating of much larger parts and new lines of automotive accessories allow the customer to use our merchant partner as a one-stop-shop for both restoration and customization needs.

Recommended Books

Our merchant partner is a leader in automotive restoration. Here's why...

Better Than Paint - our merchant partner's Hotcoat powdercoating system revolutionized home workshops in 1997. By bringing an economical and easy to use powdercoating system into the garage, the DIY hobbyist automatically had another alternative to paint - an alternative that was more durable, shinier and easily lent itself to custom work. In September of 1998, our merchant partner received the Pennsylvania Governor's award for "Environmental Excellence" for the HotCoat Powder Coating System. This product, developed exclusively by our merchant partner, was recognized for its low environmental impact. HotCoat also received the Automotive Restoration Market Organization's "Best New Product" award for 1999.

In 2003, the introduction of the our merchant partner's Interchangeable English Wheel and Planishing Hammer brought these high-end metal shaping tools to a wider audience. Utilizing a common rigid frame enabled economical manufacture to allow our merchant partner to offer both of these tools for under $1000.00. Our merchant partner's greatest advocate is and has been their customers. By listening to customer needs, our merchant partner has been able to develop better tools, processes and techniques.

Day-to-Day Necessities:

Batteries, Chargers and Cables

Body Repair Parts

Brakes

Lights & Lighting

Suspension & Chassis

Hypermiling / Eco-driving tips ...

(from: ecomodder.com)

1) Drive less
The best way to reduce fuel use is to drive less:

a) Live closer to work;
b) carpool;
c) bicycle;
d) walk;
e) take public transit

2) Park and ride (bicycle)
If part of your commute is not biker friendly, travel to a point that is and then bike the rest of the way.

The "park and ride" concept can also be applied to carpooling and mixed private/public transit travel.

3) Attend a driving clinic
Hybrid owners groups are popping up in cities around the world - and non-hybrid owners are often welcome to attend regular meetings. Fuel efficient driving techniques are commonly discussed, and clinics are sometimes offered by experienced members.

4) Clean junk from your trunk
The additional weight you carry in your vehicle doesn't ride for free. It takes energy to move it around. Removing unnecessary stuff from your vehicle saves fuel.

5) Let the most efficient driver drive
More than one licensed driver in the vehicle? Let the most efficient driver drive! And take the opportunity to learn from his/her wisdom.

6) Join a fuel economy forum
Join an outstanding forum to learn ways to increase your fuel economy by talking to others who share your enthusiasm and goals.

7) Remove unused roof racks
If your vehicle come with a roof rack and you don't use it, remove it. Same holds true for bike racks. Doing so will reduce aerodynamic drag, resulting in better fuel economy.

8) Check tire inflation regularly
Make sure that your tire pressures are, at minimum, set to manufacturer specifications. The higher the pressure, the less rolling resistance.

Remember that pressure is affected by ambient temperature. As temperature drops, so does your tire pressure, so keep track as the seasons change.

9) Track your fuel consumption
One of the first steps in improving efficiency is tracking fuel consumption.

Get in the habit of saving all your fuel receipts, recording distance traveled and fuel economy (MPG). Keep a small notebook to record trip type and new techniques employed to monitor your progress.

While the slower pace of tank-to-tank feedback isn't ideal for feedback on driving technique, recording and monitoring your "big picture" progress is great motivation.

See the Ecomodder Blog for more information on tracking fuel consumption.

10) Use a fuel consumption display
Feedback is absolutely critical to improving driving habits.

Tank-to-tank monitoring of your consumption is not good enough. You need instrumentation that lets you reset the readout at will so you can track individual trips, or even portions of trips you regularly travel.

Options for vehicles without factory installed fuel economy computers include the commercial ScanGauge and PLX Kiwi. Open source choices include the MPGuino and SuperMID. Even the venerable vacuum gauge can help you improve efficiency when driving with load / target driving.

Get information about fuel consumption displays on the efficiency mods list.

Route selection and trip timing ...

How to Hypermile

Product Categories:

Main Catalog: Everything Automotive: Parts, Accessories, Gifts

The Repair of Vehicle Bodies: Fifth Edition

Features and Benefits:

* The leading vehicle body repair text for both class and professional workshop use
* Updated and revised to meet latest Automotive Skills Council standards, NVQ curriculum and IMI Technical Certificate requirements
* Ideal for body repair work, refinishing, painting and hobby vehicle builders

Description:

The most comprehensive construction, repair and finishing of vehicle bodies text. Fully covers the underpinning knowledge needed for the Automotive Skills Council vehicle body and paint operations requirements, City and Guilds 3980 Vehicle Body Repair Competence courses and the NVQ and the Progression Awards of both City and Guilds and the Institute of the Motor Industry at levels 2 and 3.

Essential reading for all those involved in the trade and insurance assessment, as well as for professional vehicle restorers and DIY enthusiasts working on the restoration or adaptation of classic and modern cars.

From the Back Cover:

This well respected book has been revised and updated, with new sections and questions covering all aspects of construction, repair and finishing for Vehicle Body Repair students. Serving as a comprehensive manual, the book fully covers the underpinning knowledge needed for the Automotive Skills Council vehicle body and paint operations requirements, IMI Body Repair and Refinishing Technical Certificates (VRQs) and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), City and Guilds 3980 Vehicle Body Repair Competence courses, and the NVQ and Progression Awards of both City and Guilds and the Institute of the Motor Industry at levels 2 and 3.

The most comprehensive text on the construction, repair and finishing of vehicle bodies. Updated and revised to meet the latest Automotive Skills standards, IMI Technical Certificate curriculum and NVQ requirements. Ideal for body repair work, refinishing, painting and hobby vehicle builders

This text is essential reading for all those involved in body repair work or in insurance assessment, as well as for professional vehicle restorers and DIY enthusiasts working on the restoration or adaptation of classic and modern cars.

Contents:

Forward; Preface; Glossary; Abbreviations and symbols; The history, development and construction of the car body; Health and safety; Hand and power tools; Metals and non-metals used in vehicle bodies; Metal forming processes and machines; Measuring and marking out instruments; Methods of joining; Soft and hard soldering methods; Gas welding, gas cutting and plasma arc cutting; Electric resistance welding; Manual metallic arc welding; Gas shielded arc welding; Craft techniques and minor accident damage; Major accident damage; Bodyshop planning; Reinforced composite materials; Automotive finishing and refinishing; Modern apprenticeship topics; Index.

top of page

Best Sellers:

Abrasive Blasting items

Get started in auto painting with this great starter set: 2 Devilbiss Finishline HVLP Paint Guns for $99.99!

Body & Fender / Tools & Supplies

Buffing & Metal Finishing Supplies

HotCoat Powder Coating - Powder coating is a durable alternative to painting. Click the link to see our how-to video!

Pinstriping, Airbrushing and Custom Art Guns, Supplies, Templates, and Stencils

Rust Encapsulator Beats POR 15 in Independent Tests!

Free 50lb bag of media with Purchase of a Soda Blaster

Free shipping on all CoverCraft Car Covers, Motorcycle Covers, Tonneau Covers, & Seat Covers!

Improve performance and update your vehicle with our complete line of Diagnostic and Tune-up Tools!

Welding: Huge selection of Mig, Tig, Arc, and Stick Welders, plasma cutters, welding tools and supplies

House of Kolor high quality custom paint products!

Books:

Camaro Owner's Handbook: Maintenance, Restoration and Repair How-To's for 1967-1981 Camaros by Ron Sessions

This essential guide for owners of the first- and second-generations of these ponycars includes step-by-step photo how-tos that make it easy to complete over 30 repair, maintenance, restoration, and upgrade projects in a single weekend or less.
top of page

Challenger & Barracuda Restoration Guide, 1967-1974 (Authentic Restoration Guides)
by Paul A. Herd, Paul Herd top of page

Automotive Detailing: A Complete Car Care Guide for Auto Enthusiasts and Detailing Professionals
by Don Taylor
Like every other component of the automotive industry, detailing has gone high tech, with state-of-the-art compounds for polishing, cleaning, restoring and protecting every finish on a vehicle, from ABS plastic to stainless steel. Detailing is an entire system of car care designed not only to make your vehicle look good, but to extend its life and protect its finish from the elements. This book shows how to care for that professional paint job, with fully illustrated sections on how to detail for show competition, the latest in detailing technology, products and equipment, setting up an auto detailing business, and more.
top of page

Mustang 1964 1/2-1973 Restoration Guide (Authentic Restoration Guide)
by Tom Corcoran, Earl Davis

Completely revised and updated, this guide to restoring Mustangs now covers models built from 1970 to 1973. It places the emphasis on originality and provides the restorer with all the information needed to ensure that all details are correct. top of page

How to Restore Metal Auto Trim by Jeff Lilly

How to Restore and Modify Your Corvette 1968-1982 by Richard Newton
top of page

Automotive Restoration and Customization

How to Save on Your Automobile Expenses

Automotive Industry Career and Job Guide:

Guide to Troubleshooting and Repairing Diesel Engine

Automobile Maintenance and Repair Guide:

Day-to-Day Necessities:

Hypermiling / Eco-driving tips ...

Product Categories:

Best Sellers:

Books:

Links: