Is your show on CMYRYD's Car Show List for "2018"

Just fill out the block on event page and hit send.  We will try to have your event posted in 24 hours.

TOP TEN CLASSICS  UNDER $10,000 THAT ARE HOT NOW!                              

WE CAN STILL REPAIR THEM

By Monty Wallis

 Years ago, I bought a 1999 Ford Ranger Pickup from a local dealership.  As part of the deal, it came with “Lifetime” Oil changes.  Needless to say, I’ve saved a few bucks utilizing that perk.  I drive my vehicles for a long time, and try to make them last.  But over time, the dealer has made it harder and more frustrating to use this freebee.  They now make you go through the service department rather than driving up to front door of their quick lube building.  The formerly 20 minute oil change now takes over an hour from drive in to drive out. Not exactly a "quick lube." And to top it all off,  I’m getting the feeling that their free service may be substandard.  Are they sending me a message that this "lifetime agreement" mayb be coming to an end?

 This last oil change was a good example.  When I left the service department my check engine light came on within a mile.  Rather than turn back, I preceded home and found that the mechanic had failed to snap the air filter box closed.  Easy fix…right?  Well, usually…but after resetting the check engine light, it came on again within a few days.  So, I’m now going to borrow the computer to find the code that’s triggering the light; and check through the usual culprits like the MAF sensor, Idle Air Control Valve, ERG and PVC systems.    

 So, why you ask, don’t I take the truck back to the dealership and have them fix the problem that didn’t exist before the oil change?  Frankly, because I’ve lost trust in them to perform even basic services like an oil change.  And I don’t want to sit in their waiting room for hours drinking stale coffee and reading year old magazines and then fight them when they come back with a bill for something they caused.

 The great thing about old cars and trucks is their simplicity.  Usually, we still can fix them.  It’s not major surgery to change plugs, wires, thermostats, filters and sensors.  Not so with the new cars of today.  In most cases you can’t even locate the offending part in the engine compartment.

 So "old" can be good, and taking care of our vehicles is still possible.  With hundred dollar per hour shop rates and all the inconveniences involved,  it pays to still have basic skills solve problems. 

Time to Store again

 By Bill Henry

Just in case you haven’t noticed, we live in a very dry climate.  Even our skin and hair are dry and this time of the year, the humidifier runs constantly.  Well, this dryness takes its toll on our cars too.  If you notice those little cracks along the sidewalls of your tires that run into the tread, it means just one thing… dry rot.  And dry rot doesn’t just happen to your tires, anything rubber or vinyl is a prime target. These materials naturally degrade over a period of years depending on climate, temperature and humidity.  How you store your vehicle can either help or delay this process.  With tires, the air pressure inside your tires is also a determining factor.  The common denominator in all these products is oil. As the oils in the rubber and vinyl begin to evaporate, the dry rot process begins.

 So what can you do to prevent this happening to your classic car?  First, drive that car often, especially during the winter storage period.  Drive it at least once per month and more often if you can.  Pick a nice day when there is little or no moisture on the pavement and put as many miles on the car as you can.  Get the tires up to highway speed and let the rubber compounds heat up.  This helps prevent dry rot and gets the oil compounds circulating in the tires.  Also, keep those tires up to rated pressure.  Under-inflated tires seem to crack and decompose more quickly.

 Where you store your car makes a difference.  Storing a car near excessive heat or in direct sunlight will speed up the deterioration process.  Also, try getting your tires off the cement.  Just driving onto boards can make a difference, but be sure not to use treated lumber.  The chemicals in treated lumber could possibly react with the chemicals in your tires over a long period of time.

 For the inside vinyl, regularly using a good vinyl or leather cleaner and sealer will help keep the moisture in place. Door panels, dash boards, seats and consoles all need to be cleaned and treated on a regular basis.  Rubber seals and trim should also be treated to keep them soft and pliable.

 Years ago, a doctor friend was discussing the aging process.  When someone asked how he was doing…he jokingly said…he was in a constant state of deterioration.  Well, that is true of both people and cars.  How well and how often we do maintenance on ourselves and our vehicles can determine how long we and the vehicle last.  Another one of the doctor’s favorite saying was…”I would rather wear out than rust out.”  If exercise is great for the body then the same holds true for cars too.  So the best prescription for a long life for us and for our cars may be a good dose of preventative maintenance and regular exercise.   

Top 25 Cars

Modern classics,  built in the 1980s and later are the classic car market’s strongest segment according to this month’s Hagerty Vehicle Rating.  Click here to see the latest list.   Courtesy Hagerty.com

Bottom 25 Cars

The collector car market has been superheated over the last 24 months, but certain classics seem to have cooled considerably. In fact, the bottom 25 cars in this month’s Hagerty Vehicle Rating include plenty of familiar faces.  Click here to see the list  Courtesy Hagerty.com

Built Ford Tough: A Flathead V-8 Rebuild Time-lapse Video

Six days. More than 40,000 photos. One fully rebuilt Ford Flathead V-8. All boiled down to an intense 6-minute video...Courtesy Hagerty.com