Cheap Tricks

[midniteblues]

need to lube a cable?

drop it in your oil drain container for a good while. pull it out hang it up wipe it off and let it drip dry.

this works on those pesky seized e brake cables usually i clamp them in the vice and work'em for a while. this will also tell ya if they are any good.

heater cables,choke,speedo,ac.


hang a soapy spray bottle near your welder and use it to check for leaks when you change out your welding/torch tanks. also comes in handy for a small fire instead of dousing everything with a extingisher unless it is REALLY needed.


this one is gonna tell ya all i'm really a cheapo.
instead of tear offs in your blast cabinet window try some of that home window shrinky dink insulate plastic. i used it in a pinch and it held up for a lil' while.

[midniteblues]

here is another redneck idea i did.

most of the high temp paint calls for bakeing the part after painting.
i had a almost new set of headers that had surface rust on them from the cheap paint that burned off in a short while.

i blasted the headers.

had a old electric dryer in the scrap pile so i gutted it used the cabinet. i used the exhaust outlet for the inlet and some ducting hung a full sized painted header in it and used my turbo heater to bake them.
i had a heat deflecter(sheet metal) in it so the heater dissapated the heat and the flame didnt touch the header.
wow did it get hot.
it worked great and the high temp paint is lasting alot longer than the original crap paint i did 3 coats of high temp primer and 3 coats of paint baking after each coat.

suprizingly no smoke a lil' fumey but i did it in the driveway.

i have painted headers in the past without bakeing them and the paint didnt last long at all.

oh and my header wouldnt fit in my oven dont tell my
wife but i actually tried wouldve given me the perfect excuse to get rid of the electric stove and go with gas.

tell me i'm not a cheap azz

[El Dorado Jim]

subscribed

[kehstr]

definitely subscribing

[Andy4639]

I just learned this trick and so far it's working fine.



I've been trying to figure out a way to cut my fans off at hwy speed without spending $200.-$300. on stuff.
This little micro switch which didn't cost me a thing has done it.

I cut some sheet metal and made a paddle for it and at speed it opens the contact up and no fans. This keeps them from running when driving which I didn't need.
I wired it into the AC clutch engagement wire so anytime the ac is on it will run the fans but when I take off down the road it shuts them off automatically .

[NONHOG]

So the paddle is in the air stream? Great idea.

[ole dollor]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

I just learned this trick and so far it's working fine.



I've been trying to figure out a way to cut my fans off at hwy speed without spending $200.-$300. on stuff.
This little micro switch which didn't cost me a thing has done it.

I cut some sheet metal and made a paddle for it and at speed it opens the contact up and no fans. This keeps them from running when driving which I didn't need.
I wired it into the AC clutch engagement wire so anytime the ac is on it will run the fans but when I take off down the road it shuts them off automatically .

Andy you are the man ......good idea ,

[Andy4639]

NONHOG,
yes just installed it in behind the grill and let the air push it.
To adjust it you either put a bigger paddle on it to cut off quicker are trim it to make it take longer to shut off. I drove the truck last night for about 30 minutes just seeing how it worked. It did great. It's nice knowing my fans will live longer now.

ole dollor,
Thanks!
PS,
I also wired a small light to the dash to LMK when the fans are running.

[ole dollor]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

NONHOG,
yes just installed it in behind the grill and let the air push it.
To adjust it you either put a bigger paddle on it to cut off quicker are trim it to make it take longer to shut off. I drove the truck last night for about 30 minutes just seeing how it worked. It did great. It's nice knowing my fans will live longer now.

ole dollor,
Thanks!
PS,
I also wired a small light to the dash to LMK when the fans are running.

the light is a good idea.....does not hurt to be safe.

[OregonNed]

I came up with an idea, and it worked great - but I doubt many people will have the resources available. I guess more than anything, it is a bit humorous too.... I needed to drain my radiator and couldn't find a hose to put on the petcock to avoid flowing out on and hitting the power steering box. My wife is an RN, and she had a supply of tubing in a box of medical supplies in the garage. The largest one was perfect - however the tip had a couple of small holes in it. I cut the large end off, (which fit the drain perfectly), and routed the other into a bucket - so I could reuse the coolant. What I found out later is that a "foley" is a brand of catheter. Couldn't help but laugh afterwards - but it worked great!

[flashed]

After just having a Catheter removed I dont want to do that one ,LOL. But it is a trick I have used with fuel line .

[Grumpy old man]

Use bronze wool instead of steel wool when cleaning chrome ,it works the same but the bronze won't scratch the chrome or leave microscopic pieces of steel wool embedded in your chrome that makes pitting worse .

When repainting your truck you can lift the rubber windshield gaskets using a glass tool and insert a length of 10-12 gauge wire around the lifted gasket .this will give you a raised edge to mask to allowing the paint to get under the gasket and avoid pulling the glass and give you a clean paint / gasket line when removed . Nothing looks worse than paint masking lines on a gasketed window .

[davischevy]

Grumpy, I like your windshield gasket trick.

[ole dollor]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

Use bronze wool instead of steel wool when cleaning chrome ,it works the same but the bronze won't scratch the chrome or leave microscopic pieces of steel wool embedded in your chrome that makes pitting worse .

When repainting your truck you can lift the rubber windshield gaskets using a glass tool and insert a length of 10-12 gauge wire around the lifted gasket .this will give you a raised edge to mask to allowing the paint to get under the gasket and avoid pulling the glass and give you a clean paint / gasket line when removed . Nothing looks worse than paint masking lines on a gasketed window .

great idea Grumpy , who would have thunk ......

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by ole dollor

great idea Grumpy , who would have thunk ......

I would I owned a restoration shop for many years ,Not every customer could afford a full restoration and we had to come up with every idea we could to produce a high quality product on a budget, like always polishing stainless windshield trim before removing the trim/glass from the truck ,the gasket holds it for you and there's less chance of bending/distorting the trim from the high speed die grinder fitted with a 4" buffing wheel .I've built limos in the 80s and that's where I got the idea for the power rear window in my 67 restomod and my old limo parts supplier had all the parts cheap .I built aircraft/yacht interiors for 30+ years and we would use many tools ,ideas and designs from those fields in everything we built . I had some very skilled guys in the shop and everyone was involved in every project .lots of Indians 1 chief , too many squaws

[A1971Blazer]

I cheated a little on this one because I have a milling machine but I needed a tubing straightener and just didn't have the heart to pay $80.00 for a store bought one....
A piece of scrap aluminum plate and 6 patio door rollers ($22.00) from HomeDepot and it works just as good the store bought ones...




Made it for 1/4" tubing first but I can just relocate one row of holes slightly closer for doing 3/16" tubing
Not fancy.......... but very functional.

[ole dollor]

Originally Posted by A1971Blazer

I cheated a little on this one because I have a milling machine but I needed a tubing straightener and just didn't have the heart to pay $80.00 for a store bought one....
A piece of scrap aluminum plate and 6 patio door rollers ($22.00) from HomeDepot and it works just as good the store bought ones...
Attachment 1534748

Attachment 1534749

Made it for 1/4" tubing first but I can just relocate one row of hole slightly closer for doing 3/16" tubing
Not fancy.......... but very functional.

very nice work , I have a hand bender , kinda of hit a miss deal......

[ole dollor]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

I would I owned a restoration shop for many years ,Not every customer could afford a full restoration and we had to come up with every idea we could to produce a high quality product on a budget, like always polishing stainless windshield trim before removing the trim/glass from the truck ,the gasket holds it for you and there's less chance of bending/distorting the trim from the high speed die grinder fitted with a 4" buffing wheel .I've built limos in the 80s and that's where I got the idea for the power rear window in my 67 restomod and my old limo parts supplier had all the parts cheap .I built aircraft/yacht interiors for 30+ years and we would use many tools ,ideas and designs from those fields in everything we built . I had some very skilled guys in the shop and everyone was involved in every project .lots of Indians 1 chief , too many squaws

you have some very good info.....just can't beat experience .......

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by A1971Blazer

I cheated a little on this one because I have a milling machine but I needed a tubing straightener and just didn't have the heart to pay $80.00 for a store bought one....
A piece of scrap aluminum plate and 6 patio door rollers ($22.00) from HomeDepot and it works just as good the store bought ones...
Attachment 1534748

Attachment 1534749

Made it for 1/4" tubing first but I can just relocate one row of holes slightly closer for doing 3/16" tubing
Not fancy.......... but very functional.

That's cool , we used to pull coiled tubing thru a 3' long stainless tube mounted to a table with the inside diameter the same as the outside diameter of the malleable tube we were working with , not as cool as your setup but it worked .

[Grumpy old man]

You can also build your own bucket seats from 2 bench seats by cutting the center section of the bench out and rewelding the 2 outer halfs and use the factory seat tracks mounted back into the factory floor outer bolt holes and drilling the floor for the inner seat track . To get the correct measurement on where to cut the seat frame remove the covers and bolt the seat frame back into the truck now take a straight edge yard stick and align it on the center of the steering wheel ,bring that line down and Mark the seat frame ,now you have the correct measurement to cut both sides of the bench frame and weld those two halves back together ( this ensures that your drivers seat is correctly centered on the steering wheel when your done ) leaving the seat springs cut long over center so that the two ends overlap and can be rejoined using spring clips .Now you have "factory bucket seats" using factory seat tracks .I built a few sets of these and added dual armrests and headrest robbed from a dodge minivan second row seats , I have an extreme custom set of real leather covers on mine in my restomod 67 I'm building for the 2017 power tour with a 50 year old truck. Ill be offering a few sets for sale in the near future custom built with custom all leather covers . One of a kind for the high line custom guys.

[RenoKeene]

Very glad to see this thread still active. There is a HUGE amount of priceless knowledge in here. Exactly what I wanted when when I started it. Very cool!

[ole dollor]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

You can also build your own bucket seats from 2 bench seats by cutting the center section of the bench out and rewelding the 2 outer halfs and use the factory seat tracks mounted back into the factory floor outer bolt holes and drilling the floor for the inner seat track . To get the correct measurement on where to cut the seat frame remove the covers and bolt the seat frame back into the truck now take a straight edge yard stick and align it on the center of the steering wheel ,bring that line down and Mark the seat frame ,now you have the correct measurement to cut both sides of the bench frame and weld those two halves back together ( this ensures that your drivers seat is correctly centered on the steering wheel when your done ) leaving the seat springs cut long over center so that the two ends overlap and can be rejoined using spring clips .Now you have "factory bucket seats" using factory seat tracks .I built a few sets of these and added dual armrests and headrest robbed from a dodge minivan second row seats , I have an extreme custom set of real leather covers on mine in my restomod 67 I'm building for the 2017 power tour with a 50 year old truck. Ill be offering a few sets for sale in the near future custom built with custom all leather covers . One of a kind for the high line custom guys.

another cool idea .....Don

[midniteblues]

i was out doing some pressure washing this past weekend. i did my wifes lawn swing and a few yard things before the engine bay in the k.

wet and soggy i wanted to change to get dry that when i realized i forgot to bring out a clothing change.

looking at my nasty grimy coveralls hanging on the wall to put something dry on i though hmmm.

out they went I layed them out on the hard flat ground and started out with a lil' purple power then blasted them with the wide spray nozzle on the p washer you'all shoulda seen the yucky muck flowing out of them

they look clean and new now. there was no way the wife would've let me put them in the washer.

when i was done i hung them on the wash line to dry. back in the garage too strip then streaked in my skippys too the house too change luckily it was getting pretty dark by then.

[kehstr]

bump

[Grumpy old man]

When getting ready to replace your windshield or the gasket and have stainless trim always polish the stainless while it's still mounted in the gasket in the truck after masking off the paint , The rubber will hold it firmly in place and you can use a high speed die grinder with the buffing wheel kit sold thru harbor freight along with their buffing compounds. and using corn starch as a final buffing compound will bring that brand new shine back and then you pull the glass . Much easier than trying to hold the loose trim while buffing and less chance of dings and scratches