Look around your interior long enough, and you’ll come to the conclusion that just about everything in it is there for the sole purpose of the driver’s and passengers’ comfort and pleasure. The seats are there for the comfort of your hind end; the … [Click here to read more...]
Muscle Car Interior Restoration: Where to Start?
Pop quiz. You’ve just bought your first muscle car. You saved your pennies for years to buy the exact car you’ve dreamed about, stripes, scoops, and all. To the consternation of your wife, you cleared out a spot in the garage just for it while the … [Click here to read more...]
Automotive Engines: Flaw Detection
To achieve the highest level of precision engine building, you must perform diligent detective work and pay close attention to detail. When using flaw detection equipment, you are searching for damage that’s more and less apparent. And many kinds of … [Click here to read more...]
How to Blueprint Engine Blocks
To blueprint an engine block, you must accurize it. You must achieve the proper bore dimensions, but also must consider the total geometric state of the block and correct any deviations from ideal geometry. This means that you inspect and machine in … [Click here to read more...]
Drag Racing Traction: Suggestions for a More Consistent and Winning Car
At the beginning of my 40-plus years of drag racing, someone with a fairly consistent car and good starting-line reflexes could win his or her share of drag races as I did on national, state, and local levels. When I first started drag racing 60-foot … [Click here to read more...]
Porting and Flow Testing to Increase Horsepower
As I have established, high-airflow potential, especially through the cylinder head, is a key element in producing power. If you are starting with as-cast parts, a means of reshaping them and testing the subsequent flow results are very useful aids … [Click here to read more...]
How to Build a Wiring Harness
This chapter covers the last major topic—harness basics. In addition, I’m going to present a number of examples that tie together what you’ve learned in the first eight chapters of the book. I chose examples that I feel most readers of this book will … [Click here to read more...]
How to Build a Pro Touring Chassis
As mentioned in earlier chapters, the stiffness and strength of the components play a large role in making a car handle and perform well. The same can be said for the vehicle’s chassis and body structure, which is the backbone of the entire system. … [Click here to read more...]
How to Upgrade the Oiling System in Buick Engines
The single biggest weakness of any Buick engine is the oiling system. The original design of the oiling system has more than a few issues, including small oil feed holes, misaligned bearings, and poor cam and lifter oiling. All of these issues are … [Click here to read more...]
Basic Welding Guide: Prep, Adjustments, Beads and Joints – Part 3
There are dozens of books on the market that describe the welding process. Beyond that resource, there are tutorials and welding instructions freely available online. There’s no need to repeat all that information in this book. Instead, this … [Click here to read more...]