#howto

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Detroit, 6:03 AM
Wed Feb 10
27 posts in the last 24 hours

#howto

How To Not Get Screwed On eBay Motors, From The Horse's Mouth

(Ed Note: The auction wizards at eBay Motors have been following the saga of McFly, the Once and Future Hyundai Owner. Because neither eBay nor Jalopnik want you to get screwed, we asked the 'Bay for some buying tips.) More »

02/03/10

18,799

89

By Danny Chang, eBay Motors

#howto

Improved Timelapse BumperCam Proves Reliable, Still Getting Good Race Photos

The first BumperCam, an ancient Kodak bolted to the rear bumper of a LeMons Volvo, took good photos but its large size made it vulnerable to crash damage. Not so with BumperCam II, survivor of three punishing races! More »

01/31/10

2,883

29

By Murilee Martin

#howto

Waste Oil Is Free: Use Car Radiators For Cheap Household Central Heating

You say you're tired of paying the gas company for natural gas to heat your shack while at the same time throwing away perfectly good, energy-laden hydrocarbons every time you change your engine oil? Problem solved! More »

01/23/10

14,008

120

By Murilee Martin

#fieldexpedientengineering

Junkyard Boombox Virus Spreads: Meet The Catbox, Featuring Genuine Lucas Electrics!

More than two years have passed since I built the car-battery-powered Turbo II, Junkard Boogaloo boombox, and finally some other ~~masochist~~ innovator has decided to experience the ~~headaches~~ joy of a homemade boombox ~~afflicted~~ blessed with genuine Jaguar components: Catbox!

01/16/10

9,718

68

By Murilee Martin

#cotomersevis

Do Your Car Keys Weigh Too Much?

Keychains are a great way to organize all the little things you need in day-to-day life, but adding too much to yours could damage your ignition and prevent you from starting your car. How much is too much? More »

01/15/10

14,023

236

By Wes Siler

#junkyardnightmarebuildqualitychallenge

Junkyard Build Quality Challenge, Door Panel Edition: USA vs Germany vs Japan!

Those of you who read my posts about easy Honda speedometer replacement and hellish Ford window regulator replacement know my oft-repeated rants about German over-complexity, Detroit quality corner-cutting, and Japanese cheap-but-well-thought-out engineering. Where do I get my facts? The junkyard! More »

12/13/09

23,508

140

By Murilee Martin

#24hoursoflemons

Inside The Angry Hamster V65 Magna-Powered Honda Z600

Never mind that the Angry Hamster Honda Z600 finished in 140th place at the 2009 Arse Freeze-A-Palooza, because the team took home the coveted Dangerous Homemade Technology trophy and generally knocked us on our asses with their car's awesomeness. More »

12/12/09

7,343

31

By Murilee Martin

#howto

Adventures In Speedometer Replacement, or: How Honda Builds Good Stuff For Cheap

Since I'd already fixed an annoying problem in my Crown Vic, I figured I might as well fix an equally annoying problem in my '92 Civic: when the temperature dropped below about 50°, the speedometer stopped working. More »

12/12/09

23,978

172

By Murilee Martin

#racing

LeMons & ChumpCar 2010 Tech Rules: By The Numbers

Your crappy 1977 Ford Pinto with the serious-looking six-point roll cage wants to race in the 24 Hours of LeMons and ChumpCar. Jalopnik is here to help you pass tech in each series. More »

12/12/09

3,120

31

By Rob Krider

#howto

Crown Victoria Power Window Regulator Replacement #8, or: How Detroit Cuts Production Costs

A couple weeks ago, when I debuted the Ghost Ride The Whip Box at the '09 Arse Freeze-a-Palooza LeMons, I decided I needed to roll my Crown Vic's balky driver's window down all the way… and heard a terrible CLUNK! More »

12/06/09

19,934

87

By Murilee Martin

#howto

Ghost Ride The Whip Box Relies On Junkyard Goodness, Gets Thumbs-Up From Tigra And Bunny

The Ghost Ride The Whip 24 Hours Of LeMons penalty doesn't need much explaining: screw up on the track, you and your team dance your way around the paddock while on or around a LeMons Supreme Court Official Vehicle. More »

11/29/09

6,418

37

By Murilee Martin

#tech

Cracked Brake Hoses, Baaaad. New Brake Hoses, Gooooood.

Much as I like to get my parts at the junkyard, I tend to feel a little uncomfortable using junkyard brake hoses. Anyway, there's been a real Spridget drought at my local self-service yards. More »

11/28/09

4,910

54

By Murilee Martin

#howto

How To Lap Lime Rock Park

Last month, we reviewed the Skip Barber Advanced Two Day Mazdaspeed Racing School at Connecticut's Lime Rock Park. Here's what they taught us. More »

11/24/09

7,649

30

By Wes Siler

#safedriving

Five Tips For Staying Alive While Driving in a Flood

We may not live in the Waterworld formerly known as Virginia, but we know what it's like to be stuck in a downpour with no end in sight. Here's five tips to get you and your car home safely. More »

11/13/09

0

63

By Sam Smith

#howto

How To Drive An 18-Speed Semi Truck

Every wondered what that manliest of man, the trucker, is doing high atop traffic in his chrome cabin? Grab some horse tranquilizers, pull that imaginary horn with your right arm and head over to Car and Driver.

11/11/09

14,044

88

By Wes Siler

#questionoftheday

How Well Organized Is Your Junkyard Fastener Collection?

You're at the junkyard pulling some parts, and you toss all the fasteners into your toolbox. Next time you clean out the ol' junkyard toolbox, you'll move all those nuts and bolts and washers to… where? More »

11/08/09

0

57

By Murilee Martin

#howto

How To Change Your Oil (the French Maid TV Way)

What better way to reintroduce the modern motorist to the joys of vehicular self-maintenance than with well-endowed women with fake French accents showing how to change the oil on a Citroën SM? NSFW More »

11/03/09

11,772

40

By Peter Orosz

#howto

Make Your Own Animatronic Screaming Skull Brake Lights With Junkyard Parts!

As you know, I like building dumb projects using junkyard parts, particularly when they're all about safety! This tale of building your very own Skull Brake Lights has more than the usual twists and turns, so buckle up! More »

10/26/09

22,596

58

By Murilee Martin

#howto

How To Build A Woodill Wildfire In Under Four Hours

Keeping with the "speedy how-to" vein we've fallen into, here's a clip from 1955 wherein a team of men transform an old-and-busted ‘47 Ford into a fiberglass-bodied Woodill Wildfire kit car in only three hours and fifty minutes. [JalopyJournal]

10/23/09

2,460

20

By Ben Wojdyla

#howto

How To Swap A Ford Escort Engine In 32 Seconds

Changing a VW Bug's generator belt in five seconds was darn impressive, but this team of British Royal Marines swapped an Escort's four-cylinder in an impossible 32 seconds. Amusingly, it took ten seconds to drive 33ft and finish the challenge. More »

10/23/09

20,085

59

By Ben Wojdyla

#howto

How To Change The VW Beetle's Generator Belt In Five Seconds

Say you've got an air-cooled VW Beetle and all of five seconds to change the old belt on the thing. Here's a helpful how-to on this speedy one-tool procedure. (Thanks for the tip Jon)

10/22/09

17,457

79

By Ben Wojdyla

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Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.

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