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sema

How To Wrap Your Car Mirrors In Carbon Fiber

So we noticed at SEMA this year that carbon fiber has become the new matte black. And if you remember, as we learned from SEMA last year, matte black is the new black. Now, because of a desire for the "carbon fiber look" — lovers of tuners of all shapes, colors and chrome appendages are taking the time-honored tradition of finding ways to lighten their cars — and throwing them out the window. Most of us already know that instead of fabricating new carbon-fiber parts, many lovers of the over-pimped are merely wrapping their pre-existing car parts in carbon-fiber. Yay, 1.25 times the weight, and 1.25 times less performance. Anyway — if you happen to be one of the silly people interested, the folks over at VolvoSpeed have put together a little "How-To" on wrapping your car parts in carbon-fiber. Although it may seem like we're aiding and abetting, we've gone and galleried 'em up below in the hopes of showing the little ones what not to do with their side mirrors. You know — for the kids. Don't follow along with the step-by-step instructions under each one of the pictures.
[via VolvoSpeed]

10:45 AM on Mon Nov 26 2007
By Ray Wert
3,430 views, 27 comments

Latest by n/a: HAHAH look what else those idiots did. The wrapped a car in carbon fiber: [graphite.volvospeed.com] more »

how to

On-Roading: How to Keep Your Car Out of the Snowy Ditch

With wintry weather a real possibility for those traveling tomorrow, we thought we'd share some safe winter driving tips. Those of you in the north are probably better prepared for snowy conditions, but the chance of snow and slush in Texas can only mean a lot more of this. Anybody have any special tricks? More »

2:45 PM on Wed Nov 21 2007
By Matt Hardigree
1,836 views, 49 comments

valet parking

A Guide to Valet Parking Your Ride

[This guide was put together by valet parking expert/Jalopnik commentator M0L0TOV for your edification - ed. note] Once again, the holidays are upon us, parties, shopping, and other social events loom overhead. Some of us that are impatient or don't have the time will see the signs for "valet" and cough up the money to save us parking stress. However, if proper steps aren't taken, the convenience can be more of a headache than its worth. More »

4:30 PM on Tue Nov 20 2007
By Matt Hardigree
12,685 views, 50 comments

Latest by n/a: I currently manage a valet service for a high end luxury hotel, been there for over 5 years now and have hired and fired numerous people throughout my time. Most of the firings occured because of being late or not more »

how to

What to Do if You Put Gas in Your Diesel Tank

At one point we were switching between driving a gas-powered Taurus and an older diesel Mercedes sedan, which provided very different driving experiences. Because the Benz sounded like a tractor, it was rare that we got even close to putting regular gas in the tank. Though modern diesel sedans aren't common over here, the advancement in technology means that you could accidentally put premium in your oil-burner. What to do?
More »

4:15 PM on Tue Nov 20 2007
By Matt Hardigree
5,799 views, 58 comments

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Install New Windshield Glass

We've all heard the argument of the do-it-yourselfer. Doing the job on your own can bring a sense of satisfaction and save money. When things don't go right the results may not be so warming or economical. Thirteen beers or three fried alternators into a pile of sheared bolts and bruised knuckles can result in a job costing far more than planned. Sometimes the financial outlay in tools, materials, and time, don't add up to any savings for the do-it-yourselfer. Worse still is a job done wrong can be potentially dangerous. Replacing a cracked or old front windshield glass is one of these times. More »

Feature

1:00 PM on Fri Sep 7 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
3,427 views, 21 comments

Latest by lascauxcaveman: I had a nice-as-new windshield in a parts car and the windshield guy refused to swap it over for me, saying "It's impossible to remove one intact". I took a B string off my guitar, worked the bead around the windshield more »

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Rebuild Your Carburetor

Back in the days of carbureted and plentiful used Plymouth Satellites, B-52's frontman Fred sang of the devil in his car. Beehive sporting singer Kate did Fred one better by wailing that she had the devil in her CAR-buretor! Having Beelzebub in the float bowl and demons clogging the jets is not a good thing at all. A carburetor rebuild can help exorcise evil spirits. More »

Feature

1:30 PM on Fri Aug 31 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
2,472 views, 24 comments

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Replace Spark Plugs

Along with swapping out the air filter and changing the oil, replacing the spark plugs is one of the few things left that require service on a modern gasoline engine. Some newer than the twenty-year old junk classics in our garage have negated even this task with spark plugs made of space-age materials that can live with their head stuck in a combustion chamber for 100K miles or more. The first and most obvious task of the spark plug is to light the gasoline and air mixture aflame when the piston reaches the top of its compression stroke. The resulting burn pushes the piston back down in the cylinder. So it goes. The second and less obvious function of a spark plug is equally important. More »

Feature

1:00 PM on Fri Aug 10 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
5,715 views, 28 comments

Latest by eb110americana: One more time with feeling... more »

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Weekend Projects Roundup

With the weekend nearly here, it's time to pop open the hood and take a trip down the trail of parts. Those battery terminals and posts that look like a high school science experiment gone wrong need to be cleaned. As long as you're there, find the right dipstick and check the oil. If it looks as if it could be bubbling up from the La Brea Tar Pits, then bust out the ramps or jack and jack stands and change the oil and filter. If the oil was that filthy, then checking and swapping out the air filter might not be a bad idea. After all that it will certainly be time to wash those microscopic contaminants and grubby hand prints off the car so you can look good while driving to get a Coney Island.

12:30 PM on Fri Aug 3 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
393 views, 12 comments

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Replace Axle and Oil Seals

The automobile contains a number of fluids that should all stay where they're supposed to be. Oil spots, coolant leaks, mystery drips, and other tell tale signs of fluids leaving their rightful place in the automobile are a sign to take heed of maintenance. Denying the existence of the ever-growing number of oil spots on the driveway is not going to make them go away. The source of the leak needs to be fixed. More »

Feature

12:15 PM on Fri Jul 27 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
1,332 views, 6 comments

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Finding Repair and Service Manuals

In our explorations into parts and parts replacement, we often mention the service manual. While there are certainly a large part of the monkeywrenching public who would throw directions to the wind, instructions can be a good thing when it comes to things like working brakes and wheels not falling off the car. Finding the service manual can be half the battle. Read on for a few tips for locating the books for everything from a 1971 Ford Pinto Rallye to a late-model Honda That's.
More »

Feature

12:30 PM on Fri Jul 13 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
2,003 views, 17 comments

Latest by n/a: Hi guys, I have a few service manuals and I am trying to find out how much they could be worth. My oldest is a opel gt 1968-1973. I also have:Holley 92/93 performance parts catalogChilton's repair and tune-up guid for more »

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Replace Brake Pads

While there is a difference between brake pads and shoes, the desired result is always the same when the foot goes down on the brake pedal. Brake pads clamp down onto a rotating disc. Brake shoes push out Flintstones-style onto a rotating drum. Inertia gets turned into heat via the miracle of friction. If all goes well things slow down. Each time the brake pads clamp themselves onto the rotor to put on the whoa, a small amount of the pad itself turns to dust. A smaller amount of the brake rotor also turns to dust. Brake pads are by design supposed to wear out, and for obvious reasons should be inspected and replaced once in a while. Read on for a brake pad bonanza. More »

Feature

12:30 PM on Fri Jul 6 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
4,935 views, 14 comments

Latest by salguod: Nice write up. I'd add that those little flat heads holding the rotors on are frequently not necessary. They are there because the brake assy comes to the factory from the brake manufacturer pre-assembled and they need something more »

avoiding pork interference

How To Live In Your Van Without Hassles From The Man!

"Get set up ahead of time if you can, as much vehicle living is rather impromptu (i.e., 'Get out!', or coming home to a padlock on your door), if possible, try to get the van ready beforehand." This and many other tips on living in your van, courtesy of Matt Howe in his fine essay describing his experience living in his van while attending school in Fremont, CA. – Murilee Martin More »

1:00 PM on Thu Jul 5 2007
By Murilee Martin
2,277 views, 14 comments

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Bleed the Brakes

The fluid that exists as brake fluid is in reality hydraulic fluid. The helpful property of brake fluid is that it cannot be compressed. This comes in handy when the brake pedal is pushed down. Brake fluid links the parts of the brake system together as one. Brake pedal goes down. Friction is achieved! A hydraulic clutch also uses this same principle, and brake fluid to make shifting happen. An unfortunate property of brake fluid is that it is hygroscopic. Over time brake fluid draws moisture into itself all by itself. Bleeding the brake lines of air is an important step after brake work, and is also helpful to purge contaminated brake fluid from the brake lines. More »

Feature

1:00 PM on Fri Jun 29 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
5,063 views, 15 comments

Latest by Khufu01: I have also heard that it's a good idea to not pump the brake pedal past it's normal range of travel because the seal in the master cylinder could hit deposits it normally doesn't get to on the cylinder wall more »

copo no no

You Don't Need It: MSN Money on Unnecessary Car Features

Most informed car buyers know, working the options sheet as if it were Vegas's Carnival World Buffet is the road to flash poverty. But check off those boxes judiciously and you'll save thousands and still get a car that won't leave you feeling like Cookie Jarvis at diabetes camp. But do you have to be an options teetotaler to achieve satisfaction. Check out MSN Money's list of eight options to avoid, and our take on each one after the jump. – Mike Spinelli
More »

10:20 AM on Wed Jun 27 2007
By Mike Spinelli
6,794 views, 62 comments

Latest by lascauxcaveman: @Mad_Science: "Best feature ever: floor drain holes in Jeeps. These plus some tubing will make for no-stop long haul driving." Geez, I don't need no newfangled tubing. I have a good aim, why waste money on expensive, redundant, failure-prone tubing? more »

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Compression Pressure Test

Mechanical know how in our case has come largely from two sources. There have been those kind enough to show the way, and there has been the hard way. A long and proud lineup of 500-dollar cars has steered us mostly down the latter route. The way we learned about how and why to run a compression check on an engine came only after bolting on every conceivable replacement part to a 318 V-8 in a 500-dollar '67 Plymouth Barracuda in an effort to make the thing run better. A compression check revealed that the engine was closer to a V-5 and-a-half than a V-8. More »

Feature

12:30 PM on Fri Jun 15 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
4,599 views, 6 comments

Latest by n/a: I have 95 Ford Ranger and dropped the drive shaft last week on the way home from work. I dont have time to fix myself so I paid to have it done. The vehicle failed it's emissions test back in more »

better mileage through chemistry

Can Adding Acetone to Fuel Increase Gas Mileage?

Granted, Jalopnik advising on fuel chemistry is like Lindsay Lohan interpreting the Dead Sea Scrolls. But we've been hearing about this acetone fuel-additive trick for years now, and we've just been hipped to the supposed video test proving its worth. Apparently, acetone aids in the vaporization of fuel, which increases thermal efficiency. In that way, it makes gasoline act more like propane or natural gas, which is often said to be the most efficient of the fossil fuels for internal combustion. We're not advocating running out and trying this without serious considerations, especially since an acetone spill will make your paint look like Shrinky Dinks, and you could blow yourself up if you're smoking or near an open flame. Any takers? [Thanks to Nelson for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli More »

11:30 AM on Wed Jun 13 2007
By Mike Spinelli
4,526 views, 22 comments

Latest by Evownz: This guy seems to know his stuff: [www.lubedev.com] more »

from the creator of wanky the cat

Turbo II, Junkyard Boogaloo - Part 2: How To

There's no need for me to describe why it was necessary to build a boombox out of plywood and car parts. It's obvious that we all need such a thing. Now, if you're not interested in the nitty-gritty and merely want to see the finished result — here is the post for you. However, if you've got the moxie to see how the Turbo II Junkyard Boogaloo Boombox came to be, all your questions can be answered below the jump ... More »

11:31 AM on Tue Jun 12 2007
By Murilee Martin
22,650 views, 35 comments

Latest by n/a: the 8-track is a nice touch, I used to own some of those pictured more »

and you will know us by the trail of parts

Wash and Wax Bonanza

For a long number of years even the idea of washing and waxing our car was unnecessary. Cleanup meant maybe a hosing off, and adding another layer of rattle can primer to key spots. The first paint job worthy of a wash and wax was a defining moment. Washing and waxing the new paint on the old car was suddenly an exciting novelty! For somewhat newer cars, a regular wash and wax keeps the paint from decaying to the clean it with scrub pad and can of spray paint stage. Sure the local car wash is great, but nothing beats the satisfaction washing and waxing your own ride. More »

Feature

12:30 PM on Fri Jun 8 2007
By Mike Bumbeck
6,584 views, 31 comments

Latest by Sketch242: Is this the Jalopnik reality garage? A 240SX, a Starion, nn MR2 MkII, and is that the roof of an FC? BTW, try Zymol Auto wash. It's all natural and you will never be able to use a chemical more »

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