This thread is as brilliant as Bob Hovorka's "Fix 'Ems" column in SRM. Simple things that result in elegant solutions. More!
Don't know if anybody has already posted this but I went to Walmart's housewares department and although I had to buy a 3-pack of different sizes, I scored a wonderful stainless tach cup! I'll weld on a nice column-mount.
I also found a lunimum cake pan at the thrift store for fiddy cent that was just the right size for an oil shield under my intake manifold. Just drilled a couple of drain back holes and mounted it under the plenum and walah!
Great thread!! I love the mentioning of "under the sink" stuff to be adapted to a hot rod. BUT one of my pet peaves is the chrome flex radiator hoses and I've adopted the saying "they belong under a kitchen sink, not on a hot rod"...I've seen some beautiful nostalgic flatheads with these awful hoses...just ruined the nostalgia look and most of the time they are used - someone is just simply too lazy to find the proper rubber hose with the correct bends and cut it to fit!! Joe
I couldn't find a shifter boot from any of the hot rod suppliers that would work for me. I know its been done before but I got this from Lowes and it worked great for me.
My favorite were the hold down straps on the hood of the Pulp Friction Model "A". Four canvas belts and buckles from the clearance rack in the WAL-MART boys department. $2.99 each. They were on their during the 2013 HAMB Drags when it ran 120 mph out the back gate...LOL!
Need cheap Louvers? HVAC air inlets and outlets. Repurposed ventilation covers from scrapped industrial equipment such as generators, air compressors and auxiliary engine weather covers. Find ones configured close to what you need and graft them to existing sheet metal or resize and form them into replacement panels as needed.
I'm always looking for (and finding) hot rod parts at the hardware store, army surplus store, etc. As several have mentioned already, its all about being aware of the shape you need and recognizing it when you see it no matter what environment its in. This is a great hobby
I had to replace the black furry stuff which the door glass slides along inside the door (inside the "U" shaped steel channel) so I had a look at a fabric/dress making shop. They had rolls of self-adhesive velcro, different widths and colours. I bought just the black "loop" stuff, 25mm wide, bent it around a steel ruler, and stuck it into the old channel (after removing all the old crap of course. ). If any hangs over the edge, trim off. Exactly the same stuff as they sell at the Resto shops, about 1/4 of the price.
Was working on a '31 Chrysler dual cowl phaeton. Needed some pivot bushings for the convertible top frame. Home Depot keeps them in the bi-fold closet door hardware section.
not Walmart but Fred Meyer, 'needed a bell for the top of my column, found a 1/2 cup measuring cup removed the handle and cut a hole in it and voila
I found some unknown origin headlite pods for the T (big flat bottomed ones). They didn't have reflectors but stainless steel electric oven under the burner pans fit perfectly. Made an adapter to mount halogen lights and used the burner hole to mount an inside the pod turn signal.
not so much a hotrod trick...more of a workshop trick...even though I have a hoist in my shed I some times need to crawl under the car so go to my local retailer and get a few refrigerator cardboard packing boxes..they are nice and thick and make sliding under a car super easy....and comfortable...and cheep
I'm a scoop/air cleaner whore, I admit it. That said, I picked these up at the recycle yard the other day. They are electrical pole inlet thingamabobs. Need to be cut down and fashioned in some way. Back burner rainy day project.
When I worked at Home Depot I noticed these mixing pans and immediately saw a lot of possibilities. I use them for draining fluids, mixing garden soil, cat litter box, mini-sandbox for grand kids etc. (disclaimer: I don't use the same one for cat litter and grandkids sandbox)
A couple of years ago there was a recall on a certain brand of tumble dryers, the engineer would come and replace the back panel of the machine and some internal component with modified pieces, the old back panel was louvred , so I used part of it to fabricate a panel to fill in the gap between the top of the rad and the shroud in my truck. (smaller rad than original and a 2 litre turbo diesel engine)works fine .
OK guys I'm gettin' old and the corona virus is chasin' me, so I think NOW is my last chance to build or find my dream car. Well I can't believe it, but I think I may have found it here on the HAMB, a traditional old school custom.... Listen guys, aside from the usual custom features it is loaded with many one of a kind features such as a rare hard to find, vintage MontgomeryWards wheelbarrow firewall designed to accommodate any engine, and to stop any engine vibrations it has been set up with period correct NOS Canadian hockey puck motor mounts. Even though it currently has no motor, the exhaust system and throttle linkage is present. The exhaust system is made from heavy duty galvanized fence posts coupled by real WWII Army issue steel beer cans terminating in authentic Harley Panhead mufflers to give it that deep throaty sound according to the current owner. All of this has been hung with farm store baling wire and hardware store adjustable plumbers pipe strap. The undercarriage was cleaned with molasses and is show ready. The throttle linkage starts with a fence lock hasp, sheet metal screwed to the floor boards with a re-purposed Firestone tire tread glued to the hasp to prevent foot slippage. It is then connected to a fully adjustable bicycle chain carb linkage to fit almost any engine. Inside the trunk the current owner states that there is a roll of #15 roofing felt gasket material, more than enough for any engine with enough left over for several more. Also in the trunk are various round cake and pie pans modified for use as air cleaners for multi carb setups and several square pans for an as yet to be installed frenched license plate. Large can lighting fixtures for again yet to be installed frenched headlights as well as numerous mailbox reflectors are included. The interior has avant garde chrome, taper legged, fiberglass bucket seats with plush low nap bedroom carpeting over traditional road sign floorboards. The dashboard is accessorized with genuine imitation plastic pull nobs and toaster lever push nobs pirated from his kitchen. Sound is provided by speakers set in coffee cans on the package shelf. The current owner states that acoustics are unheard of and the ambiance is sublime with a keyless lighting fixture as a dome light sporting a red bulb. Green, blue and yellow bulbs are also included. The only drawback to the car is it has a shower curtain tube grill with black and chrome dresser drawer nobs set in a checkerboard pattern. Unfortunately I guess that the soap scum didn't protect it well as the chrome is pitted. One highly unusual exterior mod is is the high performance hood scoop ( the other half of the sectioned wheelbarrow ) Who would have thought of that? Talk about traditional!!!! OK guys, I really want this car but I can't see it in person. The current owner says first come and best offer. I don't want to get ripped off. What do you guys think it's worth? I'd like to ask a fellow HAMBER to check it out for me but I am hesitant to ask for fear that it might be bought from under me. All the hard work is done but on a budget, but I think with a little work this car could be a RIDLER winner. PS...Would you buy this car? 9
My local Ace Hardware sells a lot of hardware that I've incorporated into my car builds. First was their aluminum tubing. It's thinwall, and nicely finished, so only need a good polish with Mothers Polish to become chrome like in appearance. I used it on the drag link and tierod of the Austin gasser in my avatar. Just slid it over, and polished it up. Cheap at about $20 a length, and way cheaper than chrome plating! Then on my current project I needed the support rods from the firewall to the radiator for my '39 Chev coupe. Back to Ace and found they carried solid aluminum round stock. Bought a stick, and cut it in half. Threaded both ends, and then used my 1/2" emt bender to shape it the way I wanted. Those rods cost big bucks when I checked the pricing, and they were plain black steel. I like the polished aluminum for a fraction of the price!
This is not as clever as many of these suggestions, but i like it. On several occasions I wanted some polysomethingorother for a spacer or a cover etc. that white plastic type stuff. Walmart, Dollar Store, whatever, chopping board, they come in different sizes and thicknesses, and are pretty cheap.
The Jalopy Journal
