1. Buy at least a shop manual, plus a Hollander and a Motors manual if they
are available for your year car.
2. Have a full set of hand tools including duplicates of commonly used sizes
such as 7/16. 1/2, and 9/16 sockets.
3. Have equipment for basic old car tuneup including dwell meter,
vacuum gage, fuel pressure gage, Timing light, MityVac, and others as
needed.
4. Know prices of parts for your car.
5. Use common sense, including safety first.
6. Do not assume- check, test, and recheck, measure and remeasure.
7. Have at least 6 catalogs from parts suppliers for your vintage of vehicle,
especially mechanical and electrical.
8. Have at least one friend you can count on for assistance and information.
9. Never buy and use used mechanical or electrical parts unless you or
someone you trust can THOROUGHLY rebuild those parts.
10. Be patient. If you are working on a time constraint or in a poorly lit
or
junk filled disorderly location, allow your self four times the
estimated hours
needed ( or 4 times the frustration level), rather than the double it
will usually take.
No charge for the above golden rules. If I follow them my work gets done
correctly and the car runs reliably. Shortcut any of them and you can extend
your required repair time accordingly. Having followed the above for the
last 10 years, I have never, thats NEVER, had an on the road breakdown no
matter the climate or speed I cruise at. I am not a master mechanic but the
above rules seem to have proven themselves over time.
Now that I writ em down, I am gonna print em BIG and post it in the garage
and the basement!!!!
Lars
56 Plymouth Sport Suburban V8
41 Plymouth P12 2 door
ex 38 Plymouth pickup
ex 51 Merc two door
Guess its cold out (just above 0) and nothing else to do?
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