Old Style Ignition    By: Dennis Overholser     Painless Performance  Old school styling is making a come back. Wide whites, three deuces and flat black paint is becoming common place again. Car enthusiasts want to relive their past and have more good times like they remember. The art of car building has changed dramatically over the past… Continue reading Ignition Systems – Old School Ignition Article from Painless Performance

Markings on Hex Bolt Heads What do those slashes and numbers generally mean on a hex bolt? It’s very simple, generally speaking on a clear zinc plated bolt you will notice 3 hash markings on the head. This represents grade 5 which carries a tensile strength of 120,000 psi. A gold color zinc plated bolt… Continue reading Bolt Head Markings

Flex Line Tip  from  Welder Series I used these little front panhard tabs (Welder Series part #219445) to hold the front section of my rear flex lines. I drilled them out to one little size smaller than 7/16″, which is a press-fit for the -3 end of the hose. This way I don’t have to… Continue reading Tip for Flex lines from Welder Series

Things  To Do With a Bracket”    Tips from  Welder Series NEWS:  I’ve ordered clamshell packages for all our little gussets, tubes, spacers, and small kits like hairpin axle brackets, U bolt kits, U bolt eliminator kits, adjuster kits, etc.  This will make it much easier to display Welder Series product on pegboard.   Keep some gussets… Continue reading Things to do with a Bracket … several tips from Welder Series

How To Accurately Bend LinesStory & Photos By Jim Clark (The Hot Rod MD) Copper, aluminum and mild steel tubing is relatively easy to bend which allows for correcting some mistakes when you bend it in the wrong place.  Stainless steel tubing is not so forgiving; when it is bent that is it.  So you… Continue reading Bending Brake Lines Story & Photos By Jim Clark (The Hot Rod MD)

Remote Battery Installation“Remotely Connected”  by Dennis Overholser   Painless Performance  Gizmos to gadgets, there are countless numbers of electrical options we now put in our classic rides. Not to many years ago a radio was about the only option, now air conditioning, power this and power that is the norm. In dealing with all the power needed… Continue reading Battery Installation – Remote Battery Installation article by Painless Performance

Mono-Leaf vs. Multi-Leaf SpringsFrom Eaton Detroit Springs, Inc The following opinion is from someone who has actually been making springs for nearly 30 years for a company that has been making springs for 70 years. Now, just don’t skim over this, read it, pay attention and learn It may save your life! Before we can… Continue reading Mono Leaf Springs vs Multi Leaf Springs from Eaton Spring

Blocks…. to use or not to use…          by Eaton Detroit  Springs Blocks are a cheap, down and dirty, quick way to raise or lower a vehicle, but they are not the best way. The use of blocks is the leading cause of axle wind-up and poor vehicle handling. A vehicle is most stable when the… Continue reading Blocks by Eaton Spring

The Only Way to Measure Leaf SpringsFrom Eaton Detroit Springs(or skip all this and go right to the Measuring Form)  There is no big secret on measuring leaf springs, just a bunch of bad information. The WRONG way to measure is eye to eye. While this may seem to be the easiest, it is not accurate. The… Continue reading The ONLY way to measure springs from Eaton Spring

Selecting the Proper Rearend Gear Ratio What:Selecting a rearend gear ratio (ring & pinion set) to provide the desired highway cruising speed, 60—65 MPH, for a modern hot rod. How:    A number of factors must be considered when selecting a rearend gear ratio (ring & pinion set).  Tire diameter, transmission choice (with or without overdrive)… Continue reading Gear Ratio