Back In The Fast Lane!

They say distance makes the heart grow fonder. Since Stude’s spent the past 3 months suntanning her metal in the Mojave sun outside Gene Winfield’s shop…I’ve grown fonder then ever. The great news is (drum-roll please,) she’s back on the road!!! Not only is she back, she’s running better than ever!

Learning How-To Gap Spark Plugs

I’ve known for awhile that I needed to change the spark plugs in my Studebaker. But I’d heard things. Things like you could break the plug inside your motor if you did it wrong and to be sure to tighten the plugs to the correct tension. So although I knew they should be changed, I was scared to do it on my own, and my spark plugs in there were working…right???

As I’m learning, I’m seeing that spark plugs (although they don’t cost much and are small little things) are a major, MAJOR component of your engine. Without ‘em, your engine wouldn’t run. Without ‘em working at their best, your engine won’t run at its best.

So as part of last weekend’s wrenching adventure up at Gene Winfield’s in Mojave, I changed my spark plugs…for the very first time! Gasp! The fellow at the local parts store recommended Autolite over ACDelco plugs which I had been running. Then, when he informed me the gap for my application was .052 I was surprised, and a little confused. Gap…what?!?

While perhaps some people just throw a set of spark plugs in their engine – if you want your engine to run at its best, you’ve got to adjust the spark plug gap prior to putting them in.

Exhaust 101: How-To Choose A New Exhaust System

The best way I can explain what an exhaust system is to your car is its like how your car breathes. When I started driving my Studebaker three years ago, I knew the exhaust system would only be temporary. It was transplanted from a different model Studebaker and had been cut and pieced together to pseudo-fit into mine. But I just figured a pipe was a pipe and couldn’t make too much difference.

Changing a Tire 101

Once I’d decided to start gettin’ my hands greasy – the first thing I went for was the tire. It couldn’t be too hard to take a tire on and off, right? Right! Changing a tire is as easy as 1-2-3!

Wrench like a Girl: Video #1 – Changing Distributor Wires

With so many fun things to do lately, I’ve had trouble doing the writing for the little mechanic issues that have come up with Stude! And since creating a resource for you ladies (and gentlemen) who might also want to work on cars or understand them better is important to me – I thought I’d give videos a try. Let me know what ya think about this format!