Upcoming Tech Articles you'd like to see

I agree that would be a pretty good short tech article. Especially for those guys who have a four door and want to make it look a little sleeker.  

I'd like to see an article on side steer gear box's for T and A framed rods. Maybe mustang, VW bus,Dodge dart and corvair done right. What weight limits for these box's? I have an orphan on my A that I think is from an early Dodge. Thanks. Mike  

opps  

I am always looking for ideas, I was an engineer at Ford. taught automotive classes. I plan on building my 29 nash roadster and a 32 ford glass roadster low boy channeled, using late jag front suspensions and jag xjs rears, on my own frames.   I like to see more stuff you can do with a welder, hacksaw, drill for the kids just starting out like I did in the 50's ... I now have a 5k sq ft shop with lots of tools just not a good heating system for the long winters  

I'd like to to see in depth engine tech,not too over the top,but more than usual.I'm sick of seeing bolt on tech,I'd like to know what works and why,also what doesn't work and why not.Sponsors are important I understand,but sometimes you just need to go a different route.  

i'd really like to see some tech articles on engine building..alternative powerplants though..4's, 6's, maybe even something on inline flathead 8's?  ha!  

I like the idea of a ground up project but WITHOUT KITS. I don't want to see articles that show how to install a kit. I want to see how it is done the hard way and what the  engineering considerations are. R&C is better than most in this regard already, I would like to see the magazine keep heading in a direction that serves the do-it-your-self rodder. There is plenty of material out there already for Bought Rodders.

In particular I think DAN G is onto something, How about some tech stuff on how to set up a straight axle front end, I know how but I see a lot of cars that must have miserable bump steer. I've never seen it in print (that I can recall) where it says "your drag link and hair pins should form a paralellagram"  

Some more "How To" ideas:

Clutch Linkage
How about how to design and build clutch linkage.
Like what the overall leverage ratio should be and how to figure it out, what materials to use, and getting the angles right. I think there are a lot of guys that would prefer to build rods with 3 pedals but opt for a slush box because of the engineering issues related to designing and builing clutch linkage. I have done it a couple times, but I did the math first, then cut steel. It wasn't that hard; well within the ability of anyone armed with a calculator and the usual welder, torch, and drill press.

Extracting Broken Bolts:
During my tenure as a machinist I dug many broken bolts out after the mechanic made a mess of it. Of course I had a bridgeport mill available to me but in most cases if the mechanic had started by using a center drill or a carbide burr to get his hole started on center (or reasonably close to it) he then could have followed by drilling it through without getting into the threads. Then of course an easy out would be much more effective. The other thing I found was that about 1 time in 4 if a left hand drill bit is used it will back out the broken bolt when the drill just starts to break through the bottom of the bolt, you know right when the drill bit usually hangs up.

Extracting Broken Taps
I have seen Electrical discharge machining save some expensive parts by "burning" out the broken tap, it works great when the part can be taken to a shop with one of these machines, (usually refffered to as an EDM). I have cut out taps with a carbide drill in the trusty Bridgeport. I have used tap extractors which most people have never seen but often work well. Then there is blowing them out with a torch, or shattering the broken tap and picking out the pieces.

Repairing a stripped harmonic balancer mounting hole. A friend called me all freaked out because the harminic balancer mounting hole was stripped out in the 396 in his '41 Chevy. That's WAY bad right? Well, I made a fixture with 2 bushings: one to guide a drill bit on center, and  another bushing to guide a tap on center. He took out the radiator and I repaired the crank in the car in about 45 minutes. Of course I spent a couple hours making tools first. Still way better than the alternative...

I can give detailed instructions to anyone who cares. And I can send pictures of the tools I made for the harmonic balancer job.
Scott

PS: How to dial in a bell housing. How to sort out the wires on a steering column without a wiring diagram. How to build progressive throttle linkage. How to replace a starter ring gear. How to tap the holes straight in 331 hemi crank flange. How to fabricate a steel roaster tub.  

hi my name is  donald m. i just signed up and new internet person. i'm trying to place a event car show for
august 29th 2009. but could'nt find were to do it. i'm into studebakers and have a major studebaker/packard show each year. could you please e-mail me with address or site. thank you dmorgan828@yahoo.com  

you can try a front axle from a 1949-54 chevy pickup to see if it bolts directly to your spring pads...giving you instant hydraulic brakes.....maybe the rear also since from a 1954 pickup is open driveshaft....i would like to know what you are going to do with the original star parts....i might be willing to buy them if price was good....regards, garallard....(i have a 1927 star and two durants)