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In this relatively brief “You Can Do It”, we’re going to cover how to inspect your car’s differential housing and gears, not a total rebuild. You won’t need a lot of tools for this job, just a standard socket set, flat-blade screwdriver and a hammer or mallet. Your “tinware” will include new gear oil, clean rags, a container to collect the old oil, and a new differential cover gasket.
Time: 3-5 hours
Tools: standard socket set, standard wrenches, floor jack and jackstands, rubber mallet, ball joint separator or pickle fork, mini sledge
Cost: will vary depending on the components used; typically anywhere between $500-$1500
Tinware: disc brake kit, wheel bearing grease, brake fluid, brake cleaner, small rubber hose, “catch” container
Tip: A much-overlooked detail in the disc brake conversion is the placement of the wheel by the hub assembly. Often times, the mounting plane of the new hub will cause the wheel to sit further outward in the wheel well. Depending on the wheel and tire size, this slight variance can create all sorts of clearance problems. Check it out before installing or assembling the parts!
Performance gains: Disc brakes are far superior to the age-old design of drums. They stop faster, last longer, and greatly improve the agility of your vehicle.
Time: approximately 30 minutes (for one part: eg. door, trunk, etc.)
Some examples may not pertain to a Tri-5 Chevy, this is a general article on weatherstripping.
Tools: putty knife, utility knife
Cost: price varies depending on seals or number of seals
Tinware: new weatherstripping, weatherstripping adhesive, weatherstrip remover (aerosol can).
Tip: If you happen to break or lose a plastic retainer during installation, try using 3M weatherstrip adhesive in its place. The glue is super tacky and forms a lasting, watertight seal.
Performance gains: a quiet, weatherproof interior and trunk
My love affair with classic cars began in the early ’60s when I was in high school. My first restoration project was a long-time family-owned 1962 Impala Super Sport. This car was featured in the June 2011 issue of Chevy Classics magazine.
After having shown this car for several years and receiving several awards including a Platinum Certificate at the Flagstaff national show, I had a deep desire to restore another car.
Time: 1-2 hours
Tools: standard socket set, standard wrenches, torque wrench
Applicable years: all
Cost: $200-300 (average for non-specialized units). Prices on ultra-high performance torque converters can run into the thousands of dollars, depending on application.
Tinware: torque converter, transmission fluid
Tip: Consult with torque converter manufacturers before selecting a new converter.
Performance gains: well-balanced driveline, smoother shifts, maximize your engine’s power band
I have owned “DALE” since 1974. I was at the Chevy Classics Club’s first convention, and so was this ’57, but at that time it was “just” a Two-Ten– showing in the modified category.
I started following NASCAR during the late ’70s, and it wasn’t too long after that I figured Dale Earnhardt was “my guy”. I wanted to do a tribute car to him, but never got around to it. After Dale passed away in that wreck back in 2001, it gave me that much more push, so to speak.
Corvette Mania – Kind of like Beatlemania– sort of, anyway; there are a few similarities. The Corvette took a few of years to catch on and then it ignited like wildfire. It had a huge run for a long stretch and then came some darker periods; great and not so great. Overall, The Beatles live on in our hearts and memories as one of the greatest rock/pop bands ever. The Corvette – with its incredible history and its brilliant resurgence since the advent of the C6 (and now C7), has forever cemented its place in our hearts as the greatest, and America’s only, Sports Car.
If you’re a custom car shop owner who takes such pride in your work that delivering each completed car is like giving one of your kids away, then you know how David Buff of Monroe, GA feels about his work. Dave had purchased a nice ’69 Chevelle SS 396 and planned to build it as a shop project, with lots of extra time to be spent on it to make it absolutely perfect. Although the car was in decent shape, Dave decided to do a complete nuts and bolts restoration.
My fascination with '56 Chevys began in 1962 when I met Phil, my husband-to-be and his car. He drove a Harbor Blue 1956 Chevy 2-door One-Fifty sedan that he purchased from his brother for the grand sum of $200.00. The car was powered by a 265ci motor that was bored .060” over and was mated to a three-speed transmission in order to compete with the local hotrods of our era. It was then that I fell in love with Phil and his Chevy.
When my son was around the age of 15, a few years before he could drive, he said that when he became old enough to have his own car he wanted one of those cars with the “Cat’s Eyes." Way back then, I really didn’t pay much attention to what particular car he was talking about.
A few years had passed by and while driving though a local neighborhood we spotted a '59 Chevy for sale with the crazy wings and wide rear lenses, I finally realized what my son meant. We negotiated a price, brought it home and did a mild restoration. He had the car for many years, much to the amazement of his friends.
