There’s a well-told story of how a certain NASCAR racing team named Petty came up with its signature “Petty Blue” hue. The color, created entirely by accident in 1959, has graced decades worth of stock cars wearing the number 43. Essentially they scrounged up whatever leftover paint was laying around […]
Technical
How to Treat Bare Metal After Media Blasting
Media blasting is one of the most effective ways to remove old paint and rust from automotive surfaces. In almost no time it can strip away unwanted finishes, dirt, and corrosion, revealing the bare metal underneath. This is a crucial step in automotive restoration as it provides a clean surface […]
Prevent, Treat, or Remove? How to Deal With Rust
As automotive enthusiasts, our love of cars extends beyond the thrill of the drive. Gleaming paint, pristine bodywork, and meticulously maintained chassis all add to the pride of ownership. But lurking just below the surface often awaits a silent and relentless enemy – rust. Driven by a complex interplay of […]
How To Form Perfect Brake Line Flares
Replacing brake lines or fuel lines is never fun. One of the most frustrating challenges of making new lines from scratch is getting a good flare on the end. And without a good flare, you’re practically asking for future leaks. There are all kinds of tools to make flares, but […]
Detail for Resale: How to Maximize Your Vehicle’s Value When It’s Time To Sell
When it comes time to sell your vehicle, it’s only naturally that you’ll want to extract as much value from it as possible. And if there’s one universal rule of buying (or selling) a car, it’s that first impressions matter. The better your vehicle looks the first time someone sees […]
The Truth About TIG Welding
Yesterday I sat down with Cody, one of our product managers who’s also a talented engineer, so that he could teach me how to get rolling with TIG welding. I have MIG welded previously, admittedly with mixed results, but was hoping to expand my skills to include TIG welding. My […]
How to Polish Convertible Top Windows with Eastwood Concours Polishes
Whether you drive an old roadster or a modern 4×4, there’s a good chance the vinyl windows in your soft top are going to become increasingly cloudy as they age. Most tops are lucky to see a decade’s worth of service before they need a full replacement. But even if […]
Why is Sheet Metal Measured by Gauge Instead of Inches?
Have you ever wondered why carpenters get to work with 1/2″ drywall but metal fabricators have to specify sheet metal thickness in terms of gauge? It’s a legitimate question that a lot of folks who are new to metal fabrication wrestle with. To make matters more confusing, the range of […]
How We Painted Brand New Brake Calipers Before Installing Them
It used to be that brake calipers were merely hidden mechanical equipment not worthy of special finishes beyond maybe a cadmium plating. That changed in 1993 when Porsche introduced larger brakes on its new 3.6-liter 911 Turbo. Finished in glossy red paint, these filled the space between the five-spoke wheels […]