i been thankin about some of the small seemingly insignificant stuff that i did for so long it just didn't seem that important to me--you know, just no big deal. just do it almost without even thankin about it. certain procedures just became sorta automatic. certain parts on my race cars became standard equipment on every car i built. thru the years you can pick up a lot of good ideas that will benifit you in some way--like maybe save you some time or $. but if you don't have an old hand around 2 pass these little tid-bits of info down 2 you--then you'll just have 2 learn by doing. some guys don't want anybody tellin them anything--but some are glad, even eager 2 learn. i was fortunate enuff 2 have a few of the latter type that raced with us. i taught them everything i knew about wrenchin & racin, & had the enjoyment of watching them have fun & success in racing. so i've decided 2 share all the little tips i can think of that may help some gearhead out there. i'm gonna call it "speed barn tips" (sbt). i'll just post em along, occasionaly, as i can recall em. some of these i picked up from reading tips in hr & other car mags--some i just stumbled across myself. if you are an old hand at this stuff, then you probably know a lot more than i do, so these tips won't help you & may seem rediculous--but when i discovered them, they helped me then & thru the years.
this 1st 1 i picked up myself. i bought up all the goats & birds i could find that were cheap--soon had a sizable pontiac boneyard in the barnyard. that reminds me--they're gettin scarce--if your gonna do this, try 2 start your own small yard of the type of cars you want 2 fool with--its great 2 just go outside & snatch off a part when you need it! whether you have 1 or a yard full, there'll probably come a time when you need for the car 2 be able 2 roll on all fours. for a racer, you may not want 2 leave the track tires on it all week, especially the rears. & after you leave a car outside for awhile you'll have flats--some that won't air up. if you need tires with air, then it'll be real handy if you have at least 4 that will hold air. it seemed that there at 1 time i never seemed 2 have enuff spares with the rite bolt circle, when i needed em. i usually needed 4.75" bc wheels, but all i could find with air would be 4.5" or 5". so i'd have 2 jack up another car 2 get rollers. when trying 2 fit a 5" on a 4.75" 1 day, i noticed that the studs only lacked going thru the holes by just a fraction. so i got out my 3/8 drill & a carbide burr & opened the inside of the holes very slightly--just enuff for the wheel 2 slip onto the studs. it don't have 2 bolt up tite or even straight, cause it'll only be rollin very slowly for a short distance. a 4.5" wheel will require the slight enlargement on the outside of the holes. so, just scrounge around from neighbors & friends & gather up lots of air holders(don't matter if they're wore out) & if they're not the rite bc grind on em just a bit & you'll have plenty of spares 2 move your roller. if you don't have a 3/8 carbide burr, you need 2 get 1. it has been 1 of my handiest & most used tools.
