Let Me Hear Your Old School Car Tricks

[70fireturd]

I am a fairly young guy so I never had to work on cars during the days without the giant,one stop shop,ship next day, just pick it out of a catalog parts store. If I want a cam with more lift I just get on the web and find it. I don't have to go to a junk yard and find a station wagon or try to find a wrecked corvette. If I want to cut my rear end down and need shorter axles I just pick up my phone and order some. I don't have to find two 4x4s and get the short axle from the front differentials.
But, hearing my old man and his dad talk about the old days of racing and their tricks got me thinking what other cool tricks are out there. Let me know what you guys got........... Let it be known posting on this thread does not make you old.......just knowledgeable...... yeah knowledgeable.

[406 Q-ship]

You mean like using a 8 3/4 axle out of a 340 Duster in a 66/67 Box Nova cause it is damn near a bolt in, and a 12 bolt for a box Nova is rarer than a Harley Biker Dude at the Ballet?

[shmoov69]

Lots should be posted on this!
Let's see, for me it isn't because I'm old, just tight! Lol.

[John Wright]

You mean like using a 8 3/4 axle out of a 340 Duster in a 66/67 Box Nova cause it is damn near a bolt in, and a 12 bolt for a box Nova is rarer than a Harley Biker Dude at the Ballet?
Since we're mentioning rear axles....a 9" rear comes in some of the Ford Granadas that is a decent length for many cars...I used one under an S-10...just had to cut off the Ford spring perches and weld back on the Chevy stuff in the right location for the leaf springs. In return I got larger drum brakes than the S-10 came with and a sturdy gear set up that my little 350 wouldn't break.

[70fireturd]

Oh here is another one I heard. If you have a valve stem seal that is leaking and your in the middle of a race or you are just to lazy to pull the head. You can retro fit an air fitting to a spark plug and fill the cylinder with enough pressure to keep the valve in place while you replace the seal. Other wise the valve will fall into the cylinder when you remove the spring and locks.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

Don't know if you consider it old school.
Poor mans ignition retard.
Put a 5 pin HEI ignition module in place of a standard 4 pin and run the extra pin to a switch then to ground and when you close the switch it gives you 6° of retard.

[70fireturd]

Don't know if you consider it old school.
Poor mans ignition retard.
Put a 5 pin HEI ignition module in place of a standard 4 pin and run the extra pin to a switch then to ground and when you close the switch it gives you 6° of retard.

Hum I haven't heard that one.

A guy I bought a firebird from a few years a go told he would plumb the windshield washer spray into the carb and fill it with liqud nitrous and spray as they drag raced. Everyone would claim they were spraying but nobody could find the bottle. I don't know if that's true but it sounds like it could work.

[TonyHuntimer]

Oh here is another one I heard. If you have a valve stem seal that is leaking and your in the middle of a race or you are just to lazy to pull the head. You can retro fit an air fitting to a spark plug and fill the cylinder with enough pressure to keep the valve in place while you replace the seal. Other wise the valve will fall into the cylinder when you remove the spring and locks.

Here's the cheater way to do this that can come in handy if you don't have compressed air.
Let the engine cool down. Remove rocker arms on the cylinder you're working on...so you don't bend a valve. Hand-rotate the crank (with a wrench on the crank) the get the piston to BDC. Pull the spark plug. Feed a few feet of rope (preferable nylon ski rope or something that won't compress too much) into the cylinder through the spark plug hole...leaving at least a foot of rope hanging out. Hand-rotate the crank to move the piston upwards...pushing the rope up against the valves. Replace the valve springs, locks, and keepers. The valve won't fall into the cylinder. By hand, rotate the crank in reverse to lower the piston. Pull the rope out, install the spark plug and rocker arms and you're ready to go.

Tony Huntimer
RaceHome.com

[LSx_88_Ciera]

Hum I haven't heard that one.

A guy I bought a firebird from a few years a go told he would plumb the windshield washer spray into the carb and fill it with liqud nitrous and spray as they drag raced. Everyone would claim they were spraying but nobody could find the bottle. I don't know if that's true but it sounds like it could work.

He lied for nitrous oxide to be in a liquid state it has to be under a pressure that is much higher than what a windshield washer system can handle or be below -88.48°C (boiling point)
I always get a laugh when someone states something like that.

[70fireturd]

Can't let this thread go without at least one Smokey Yunick trick. I especially like his basket ball inside a oversized gas tank trick. Judges think the gas tank is full and then right before the race starts deflate the basket ball and top her off. Does anyone remember any other of Smokies' tricks? Im blanking on his others....... Come on Pontiac guys lets honor a legend.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

Smokey's reverse rotation engine ran for one race then NASCAR outlawed it. Gave him an advantage off the corner cause torque shifted weight toward the inside tire instead of the outside tire.

[shmoov69]

Didn't know about smokeys engine....interesting!
On the valve with a rope, just remember to pull the rope out...had a buddy that forgot that! Lol. Never heard of the HEI trick either, pretty cool.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Since we're mentioning rear axles....a 9" rear comes in some of the Ford Granadas that is a decent length for many cars....

And don't forget, the dressed up brother to the Granada, the Lincoln Versailles had disc brakes on 9" that are basically bolt ins.

[Takid455]

the washer fluid in to the carb was either water/methanol mix or simply washer fluid. both helped atomize the gasoline and increase octane level. the atomization is not need for FI engines as it is does so under the high pressures of the system.

12 bolt center section into a 10 bolt housing with a little finessing the case. old trick used in Cheater Stock Drag Racing

some old racers used to have fuel in the roll cages. would flip a switch or activation device and let the fuel flow into the tank.

noisy rear end...Saw dust or banana peels. not kidding on the monkey treat.

[outlaw 03]

My Dad used to put mothballs in a gallon of fuel and after a few days strain it out and put it in the washer fluid. Then run the washer fluid lines to the air cleaner.

[John Wright]

And don't forget, the dressed up brother to the Granada, the Lincoln Versailles had disc brakes on 9" that are basically bolt ins.
I was gonna mention that one...but I had a hard time finding one of the calipers....you could still get plenty of one side, but the parts places never had any of the opposite side in stock, it was always on back order for some reason....maybe that has changed?


...Oh and the Versailles was 31 spline vs the 28 spline in the Granada....a tad stronger.

[2ndgenhunter]

Black pepper in the rad stops small leaks.

[critter]

Not for the faint of heart but if you have a carbureted engine and are experiencing a lot of pinging you may have carbon build up. The old school way to clean it was with a shorty Coke bottle full of water and a friend. Friend holds the throttle at 2000 RPM while you trickle the water in the primary on the carb. The result was an internal steam cleaning of the engine. Then you found a sucker to stand behind the car as you racked it off a couple of times. That kind of black stuff doesn't wash out. :) :) :)

[critter]

Oh, this one I still use. Got a nut that you want to thread on a bolt you can't reach? If you can reach it with a shorty socket and an extension, pack that socket full of grease to hold the nut in place. That has helped me more than once.

[ProdigyCustoms]

Not for the faint of heart but if you have a carbureted engine and are experiencing a lot of pinging you may have carbon build up. The old school way to clean it was with a shorty Coke bottle full of water and a friend. Friend holds the throttle at 2000 RPM while you trickle the water in the primary on the carb. The result was an internal steam cleaning of the engine. Then you found a sucker to stand behind the car as you racked it off a couple of times. That kind of black stuff doesn't wash out. :) :) :)

We use automatic transmission fluid. Makes a HUGE smoke cloud, cleans it right out!

[parsonsj]

I amazed my kids by using an oven and freezer to hand assemble press fit parts.

Daughter: "Dad, why is there a piece of aluminum in the oven?"

Me: "That's nothing. You should see what's in the freezer. Don't tell Mom."

jp

[67rstbkt]

Here's the cheater way to do this that can come in handy if you don't have compressed air.
Let the engine cool down. Remove rocker arms on the cylinder you're working on...so you don't bend a valve. Hand-rotate the crank (with a wrench on the crank) the get the piston to BDC. Pull the spark plug. Feed a few feet of rope (preferable nylon ski rope or something that won't compress too much) into the cylinder through the spark plug hole...leaving at least a foot of rope hanging out. Hand-rotate the crank to move the piston upwards...pushing the rope up against the valves. Replace the valve springs, locks, and keepers. The valve won't fall into the cylinder. By hand, rotate the crank in reverse to lower the piston. Pull the rope out, install the spark plug and rocker arms and you're ready to go.

Tony Huntimer
RaceHome.com

I've actually done this on my litle brother's Supra engine.....does that mean I'm old? :scared:

[CamaroAJ]

smokey had a vacuum can with a on off switch with lines hooked to the master cylinder cap. when they came in for a brake change they would flip the switch and the vacuum would pull the pistons back in the calipers to make the swap quicker.

[moreHP]

If you have a broken bolt that you need to get out and there is some of the bolt sticking out or even flush with what it is stuck in you can weld a nut to it. Just find a nut that is either the same size or slightly bigger and then use a mig welder to weld it to the broken part. Let it cool for a couple minutes as the heat transfer usually helps loosen the broken part and then use a wrench to try and get the bolt out. Depending on the part its broke in, you can warm the surrounding area with a torch. I have saved so much time over drilling and trying to use an "ez-out" with this method.

[rohrt]

A couple of my favorites.

If you have the BOP pressed in axle bearings and no slide hammer. Use a log chain bolted to the wheel studs and give a couple tugs.

We needed to remove a main bearing on an engine but didn't want to pull the crank. (Don't recall why) Take the main cap off and turn the crank to expose the oil hole. Use a cotter pin and put it in a T shape and drop it in the oil hole and turn the crank and spin the bearing right out.

[70fireturd]

Man I hadn't heard some of those Smokie Yunick tricks. Another one of his tricks I like was the suspension setup he had that would allow the car to drop in ride height when a couple of pins where sheared.

[shmoov69]

I did this last week to two of the stainless bolts holding my centercaps on. They siezed up in the aluminum and stripped the Allen out. Couldn't even see that I had done it on the wheel or cap!

If you have a broken bolt that you need to get out and there is some of the bolt sticking out or even flush with what it is stuck in you can weld a nut to it. Just find a nut that is either the same size or slightly bigger and then use a mig welder to weld it to the broken part. Let it cool for a couple minutes as the heat transfer usually helps loosen the broken part and then use a wrench to try and get the bolt out. Depending on the part its broke in, you can warm the surrounding area with a torch. I have saved so much time over drilling and trying to use an "ez-out" with this method.

[JEFFTATE]

I amazed my kids by using an oven and freezer to hand assemble press fit parts.

Daughter: "Dad, why is there a piece of aluminum in the oven?"

Me: "That's nothing. You should see what's in the freezer. Don't tell Mom."

jp

I always use the heat method when installing a harmonic engine dampener.
I heat it in the oven 'till it expands and then press it on the crank snout..
This makes it a lot easier , and you don't have to beat the dampener to death to get it on.

[70fireturd]

If you have a broken bolt that you need to get out and there is some of the bolt sticking out or even flush with what it is stuck in you can weld a nut to it. Just find a nut that is either the same size or slightly bigger and then use a mig welder to weld it to the broken part. Let it cool for a couple minutes as the heat transfer usually helps loosen the broken part and then use a wrench to try and get the bolt out. Depending on the part its broke in, you can warm the surrounding area with a torch. I have saved so much time over drilling and trying to use an "ez-out" with this method.

I helped a kid get his wheel locks off that way. He had no clue what to do and the fibers from the tire was showing.

[rohrt]

I also liked that trick of finding 12 deg BTDC with a lighted lead tester. It was in another post on this site I believe.

[JEFFTATE]

We always used to turn the stock air cleaner lid over to give it a small air gap.
It gave the carb a little more air and the Quadrajet would be a lot noisier..
Cool !!....

[70fireturd]

Here is a awesome trick on Top Gear. Their tire comes of the lip of the rim and one of there techs fills the tire with propane and lights it one fire. Pop the tire is back on the rim.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aadKpDjPXMA

I have to say that Toyota Helix is the jam.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

Here is a awesome trick on Top Gear. Their tire comes of the lip of the rim and one of there techs fills the tire with propane and lights it one fire. Pop the tire is back on the rim.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aadKpDjPXMA

I have to say that Toyota Helix is the jam.

Very dangerous I know someone that nearly lost an eye using that trick. Piece of debris missed his pupil by less than a 1/4", granted safety glasses would have prevented it but still dangerous because of the pressures that the explosion creates can separate the tire.

[Tom Welch]

how about the 'curve kit' for distributors, i made a few and bought a few of 'em. no one ever believed that such a simple trick was worth a few mph in a quarter mile.

[novaderrik]

I always use the heat method when installing a harmonic engine dampener.
I heat it in the oven 'till it expands and then press it on the crank snout..
This makes it a lot easier , and you don't have to beat the dampener to death to get it on.

you know they make a tool for that, right?

[John Wright]

I always use the heat method when installing a harmonic engine dampener.
I heat it in the oven 'till it expands and then press it on the crank snout..
This makes it a lot easier , and you don't have to beat the dampener to death to get it on.Uh...does that kill the rubber that makes it a dampener?

...I used to heat the crank gear for the timing chain in the oven and take a glove and slip it right up onto the crank snout.

...never tried the dampener though.

[avewhtboy]

There was an IMSA team with RX7s that got caught running nitrous in their roll cage back in the 90's that I remember.

[John Wright]

There was an IMSA team with RX7s that got caught running nitrous in their roll cage back in the 90's that I remember.
That sounds dangerous.....can't imagine that the roll bar tubing was designed for those kinds of internal pressures...sounds like bomb to me.

[critter]

Ah, they're just Mazda drivers. (DUCKING NOW and yes I was just kidding)

[online170]

Heres one i came up with when i was 18 because im a cheapskate and had no money. I wanted to lock out my distributor @ 34* but didnt want to buy the metal peice that does it.

I went looking for anything that could work in my garage and found this peice from an old lamp fixture or possibly half a door hinge. It was the perfect size, held on with some "goop". I drove the car for 2 seasons this way, and no problems. The goop is not permanent so you can remove it if you want to go back. I beleive the peice is something you get from home depot, and is probably less than $1, i bet everyone has one of these in their house somewhere :D. I filed off the corners and drilled a couple extra holes in it to make it fit perfect.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[KacyZ28]

Oh, this one I still use. Got a nut that you want to thread on a bolt you can't reach? If you can reach it with a shorty socket and an extension, pack that socket full of grease to hold the nut in place. That has helped me more than once.

better then using grease grab a plastic from a bag of some sort put over the nut then push socket on the plastic covered nut.the plastic will wedge it in the socket and when you pull the socket off its not full of grease

IF your planning a tear down on a running engine you can add transmission fluid to the engine oil for like 15 miles and it helps loosen any sludge from the engine and make it drain to the oil pan for easier clean up and inspection

[shep]

Have a non magnetic screw to put in an awkward place? Use a wax ring used to seal a toilet to the floor dip the screw driver in it and the screw will stay on the tip of the screw drive makes less mess than grease.

[online170]

Another one my dad showed me is filling a gas tank with a BIG jerry can the lazy way. (those 20gal ones get hard to hold up after a while).


You take a hose long enough to go from the jerry can to the gas filler neck, and place the jerry can higher than the gas tank. Usually you can open your trunk and put it in there.

Seal your hand around the spout of the jerry can where you stuck the hose in, and blow into your fist (leave the vent hole closed). The high pressure in the jerry can overflows the gas into the hose and down into the tank. Once it starts flowing it will keep going.

This is instead of sucking on the far end and getting gas in your mouth, yuk!

[Scott Parkhurst]

We've probably all seen nails driven into rubber bushings to stiffen 'em up, right?

As an old street racer, I used to 'tweak' my rear suspensions on leaf-sprung cars (I used to be a Mopar guy) by running empty air shocks and taping up the front half of the leafs so they wouldn't separate under load.

The empty air shocks would lower the car and minimize travel, and the taped-up leaf springs were stiffer. I couldn't afford nice 50/50 shocks and Direct Connection "Super Stock" springs...but these backyard tricks got me into the 11.90s on Pro Tracs. Not bad for the '80s...

[MonzaRacer]

For frozen threaded parts, heat them with torch then after the red leaves(if using acetylene torch) start squirting synthetic oil on it as it cools, this will do 2 things, iron oxide or rust balls up when heated and the surface tension wicks the oil into the threads.
another one is on cars with frozen bleeders on calipers if your pulling them out so you can retract the pistons and not push all the bad crap behind the pistons back into the system, use a ball peen hammer and peen the metal around the bleeder, then use a good penetrating oil on it.

Oh and as for WD40, and PB blaster, those SUCK. Living in Indiana I have found 3 or my favorites, Cyclo Break Away, Aero/Kano Kroil and SeaFoam, Deep Creep. PB Blaster used to be awesome but when it got bought away from original company its crap now.
Had a 20-30 year old can, well very very old, it worked great, bought a new can and it didnt even look or smell the same and new stuff was way more runny, then found another old can, same thing it worked great compared to old stuff.

If you buy a car with the older stainless steel cap covered lug nuts and the nut under it is rusted up and swelling it up, take a cold chisel and hammer and go around the edges where the hex flats are and cut it off the split it down side, the cover falls off and an 18mm will remove lugs then or maybe 17mm if overly rusted.

[2blownstangs]

cool thread here