Stude’s Famous!

…well kinda.

She’s been featured in magazines before – but never a book! That’s right, my 1955 Studebaker is one of the featured cars in a new book, Rat Rods: Rodding’s Imperfect Stepchildren by Scotty Gosson. You may be wondering about Stude’s label as a Rat Rod. I know everyone has their own thoughts about that term – there I things I both like and don’t about it. But in the end - to me, a rat rod is nothing more than a creative rod that’s more about function than form. Most importantly it’s supposed to be fun and go fast. I would say that’s a little bit like my Studie!

The book will be selling on Amazon – to be released February 15th…get your’s in time for Valentine’s Day(it’s 10% off if you order early.) Click here for the Amazon page.

Lookin’ Forward to 2012!

2012 New Years Car Resolutions

I always look forward to starting things fresh each January. While most people focus on life goals –  I love making garage goals. Looking back in my archives for the last “wish list” I wrote – I was surprised that it wasn’t written last January but for 2010! Seing that it’s been 2 years, I’m glad to see that I’ve accomplished most of the list.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas gifts have been a good excuse for me to practice my pinstriping! It’s finally getting to the point that I feel ready for bigger projects (like cars!) Speaking of presents, I got my Christmas present early – a GearWrench electronic torque wrench!

I couldn’t be happier with it – and it sure will come in handy while I’m rebuilding the Falcon’s engine! This is one tool I’ve been dreaming of adding to my toolbox! I’m off to enjoy the holidays with family…but not before I posted my pictures & story from the Mooneyes Xmas Party…

Check ‘em out, enjoy your holiday, and the stay tuned for my 2012 Car Resolutions!!

Happy Trails,

Kristin

Picture of the Week

High Performance 1964 Falcon

I received this great image in my inbox from graphic artist, Brad Leisure. He’d just finished it for Trumpeter Models for a ’64 Falcon “Competition” model kit they’re releasing. I love that the girl is the one wrenching with the fellow looking on! Enjoy!

Building My Toolkit

In my quest to learn about working on cars, I’m realizing that there’s a lot I’ve learned about tools alongside learning about cars! When I first started working on my newly purchased Studebaker around five years ago – the only tools I had were neatly packed into an aptly named “Do-It-Herself” toolkit I’d received for high school graduation years before. Those got me by around the house – but weren’t much help in the garage.

Having a handy and helpful Dad, it didn’t take him long to wrangle me up some spare tools from his garage. Soon enough I had a starter mechanics toolkit. A small assortment of sockets, wrenches,and a screwdriver were about all I started with. Its also about all hot rodding young people had back in the fifties!

But as anyone who’s worked on cars know – different jobs call for different tools. Sometimes you can make do with what you have and sometimes you’ve gotta go out and buy or borrow the right tool for the job. For everybody else out there who’s learning as they go or just getting into cars – here’s my most basic list of must have garage toolbox items.