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Makeshift Car Repair -- Most You've Done with the Least
Posted on 3/12/19 at 11:46 am
Posted on 3/12/19 at 11:46 am
Warning: This is a crotchety post from an old dude.
Back in the day when I was poor, I fixed cars anyway I could. You just made it run with duct tape, JB Weld, and a pair of pliers.
When the solenoid went out on my 67 Chevy Pickup (rusted through on the floors), I jumped it with a screwdriver to start it until I could afford a new one.
When the fuel hose broke on my VW bug, I got a piece of tubing from a lab on campus and spliced it in until I could get a new one from the junkyard.
A buddy of mine fixed a hole in his muffler by pounding a tin can flat then soldering it over the hole.
What's the most makeshift thing you ever did to keep a car running?
Back in the day when I was poor, I fixed cars anyway I could. You just made it run with duct tape, JB Weld, and a pair of pliers.
When the solenoid went out on my 67 Chevy Pickup (rusted through on the floors), I jumped it with a screwdriver to start it until I could afford a new one.
When the fuel hose broke on my VW bug, I got a piece of tubing from a lab on campus and spliced it in until I could get a new one from the junkyard.
A buddy of mine fixed a hole in his muffler by pounding a tin can flat then soldering it over the hole.
What's the most makeshift thing you ever did to keep a car running?
24
Posted on 3/12/19 at 11:51 am to JudgeHolden
Used a square block piece of wood and wedged it between the exhaust line and heat shield to stop a loud vibration noise. Worked great until the wood block caught on fire.
Posted on 3/12/19 at 11:58 am to JudgeHolden
In college for a short time I had a 1979 POS Chevette.
Hole in the driver's side floorboard was covered with an old license plate and a floor mat.
The retainer ring for the stick shift was plastic and wore out a lot, so I shifted it with a long handled screwdriver.
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:04 pm to JudgeHolden
A friend had a VW Bug and his oil filter had a problem.
He could only find another oil filter housing, but was too big, so he mounted it on the rear bumper and ran hoses to it.
Best I've seen online is the home AC window unit mounted in the car/van.
He could only find another oil filter housing, but was too big, so he mounted it on the rear bumper and ran hoses to it.
Best I've seen online is the home AC window unit mounted in the car/van.
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:09 pm to JudgeHolden
I used a piece of floss to keep the truck nuts on my dad’s King Ranch
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:11 pm to JudgeHolden
There’s another word I use to describe what you did
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:20 pm to Walt OReilly
quote:
There’s another word I use to describe what you did
I'm sure you mean "jury rigged" or "jerry rigged."
There were other words I used back in the day. I don't use those any more. And I shouldn't have back then.
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:21 pm to TheHarahanian
quote:
The retainer ring for the stick shift was plastic and wore out a lot, so I shifted it with a long handled screwdriver.
I love it. Buddy of mine used a bungee cord to keep the stick from jumping out of fifth gear.
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:23 pm to JudgeHolden
Checked oil at gas station. Forgot to put cap back on. On the way home I start smelling oil. Pop the hood and the engine bay is covered. Realized my mistake. Put a leather glove over the hole and zip ties it on. 
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:25 pm to JudgeHolden
I took thumbtacks and used them to keep my headliner from sagging and touching my head in my old s-10 Blazer.
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:25 pm to X123F45
quote:
Checked oil at gas station. Forgot to put cap back on. On the way home I start smelling oil. Pop the hood and the engine bay is covered. Realized my mistake. Put a leather glove over the hole and zip ties it on.
Another good one.
I had one similar. Left my gas cap on the pump at the station. This was back before the filler tubes had that flapper valve, so gas was sloshing out. I stopped at the grocery store, got a potato, cut it down to size, and used it to hold my gas in until I got back to the gas station to pick up my cap.
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:26 pm to East Coast Band
VW Bugs did not have oil filters- air cooled - you had a strainer , you cleaned and changed gaskets
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:26 pm to JudgeHolden
baling wire tightly wrapped around rear wheels in lieu of chains during an ice storm
Didn't work too well - one wire cut loose and skimmed the paint off around the wheel well
Didn't work too well - one wire cut loose and skimmed the paint off around the wheel well
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:28 pm to X123F45
My list is too long but will share two
1. Zip Tyed friends complete front bumper and grill onto his old Grand Prix
2. Rebuilt 58 ford - spent all the money on the 427 engine - bought an old bucket seat from junk yard and pipe strapped a lawn chair on the passenger side
Looked terrible but dusted rich kids corvettes all night long
1. Zip Tyed friends complete front bumper and grill onto his old Grand Prix
2. Rebuilt 58 ford - spent all the money on the 427 engine - bought an old bucket seat from junk yard and pipe strapped a lawn chair on the passenger side
Looked terrible but dusted rich kids corvettes all night long
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:29 pm to 756
quote:
bought an old bucket seat from junk yard and pipe strapped a lawn chair on the passenger side
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:29 pm to JudgeHolden
Use a road sign bolt to fix a broken axle bolt on a 69 VW Bug on the side of the road once.
The threads weren't the same but it held long enough to get it home.
The threads weren't the same but it held long enough to get it home.
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:31 pm to JudgeHolden
Would take too long to type
Filled radiator up with ditch water once
Filled radiator up with ditch water once
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:32 pm to JudgeHolden
I tapped some wooden wedges in the AC Clutch after the clutch went out,and ran car with ac on for 2 years controlled temp. with inside controls.
Cost $1.50
Also use Liquid steel on Radiator cap outlet. Worked for years.
Cost $1.50
Also use Liquid steel on Radiator cap outlet. Worked for years.
This post was edited on 3/12/19 at 12:46 pm
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:33 pm to bamarep
quote:
Use a road sign bolt to fix a broken axle bolt on a 69 VW Bug on the side of the road once.
Now that is improvising. Impressed.
Posted on 3/12/19 at 12:36 pm to JudgeHolden
Girlfriends sister was a terrible driver. Ripped the front bumper off of her Accord backing out of carport. I popped it back on and wrapped nylon string around the bumper and frame in like 4 different places. She drove that car another 3 or 4 years like that.
I used a coat hanger to hold a muffler to the heat shield in my old Corolla.
I used a coat hanger to hold a muffler to the heat shield in my old Corolla.
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