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I
ordered from RockAuto for the
first time this month. I found
the online catalog easy to use
with many choices. Ordering was
easy and the parts came faster
than I ever expected...
Thanks for a great
source of high quality, inexpensive
parts.
Fred in Connecticut
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Upcoming
Events
If
you would like
your event
featured here, email us
with details. |
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Trans
AM Nationals
8/28 - 8/30/2009
Huber Heights, OH
website
Thrill on
the Hill
2009
9/4-9/7/2009
Alamogordo, NM
e-mail
25th Southwest
Mopar MiniNationlas
9/5/2009
Garland, TX
website
4th Annual
Car and Truck Show
9/5/2009
Cullman, AL
e-mail
Hoosier Old
Wheels 37th Annual Car Show
9/6/2009
Plymouth,
IN
website
Delevan Fall
Festival Top 40 Car Show
9/7/2009
Delevan,
IL
e-mail
24th Annual
Chicken Ranch Krooz
9/12/2009
Billings,
MT
e-mail
27th Annual
Palouse Days
9/12/2009
Palouse,
WA
e-mail
6th Annual
Corvettes for a Cure
9/13/2009
Collgeville,
PA
e-mail
Hot Rod Hootenanny
9/13/2009
Jefferson
City, MO
e-mail
Dash to the
Dells
9/18-9/19/2009
Wisconsin
Dells, WI
website
Club 57's
4th Annual
Golden
Anniversary
Classic
Car Show
9/19/2009
Waseca,
MN
e-mail
Heart of
Texas
Mustangs 9th
Annual
All Ford
Round-Up
9/26/2009
Lorena,
TX
e-mail
Motors
for
Miracles
9/26/2009
Russellville,
AR
e-mail
Cub
Run
Days
Car
Show
9/26/2009
Cub
Run,
KY
e-mail
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Performance Electric
Fuel Pumps |
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RockAuto
has just added Performance Electric
Fuel Pumps to the RockAuto
catalog. Find the fuel pump you need
for your 2005 Chrysler Sebring, maybe
your 1998 Volkswagen Beetle, or even
for your 1981 Fiat 124 Spider. Manufacturer
direct pricing is sure to make Performance
Electric Fuel Pumps a great choice
for your next fuel pump replacement.
Performance
Electric Fuel Pumps is a global supplier
of automotive electric fuel pumps
and strainers. All pumps are engineered
and manufactured for performance
to meet or exceed OEM pump flow and
pressure specifications. Most pump
models are designed using a proprietary
balanced lightweight zytel nylon
turbine design impeller and an encased
precision balanced armature that
significantly reduces the amount
of movable parts to provide near
silent operation, efficient pumping
characteristics, and longer pump
life. Performance Electric Fuel Pumps'
OEM Module Repair Kits contain a
new fuel pump motor, hoses, strainers
and other necessary hardware that
are designed to be a "drop in" replacement
to repair OEM fuel pump modules.
Check the ‘Fuel/Air’ category
of the RockAuto
catalog today and
see if RockAuto has the fuel pump
you need for your repair!
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Forum of the Month |
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Japanese
Nostalgic Car is the premier
English language magazine and online
community devoted
to classic Japanese cars. It's been
over 50 years since Japanese
cars first went on sale in the US
and in recent years, interest in
the originals that made that splash
has grown at a breakneck pace.
Much of this interest is fueled
by nostalgia for the 60s, 70s and
80s. Whether your interest lies in
Toyota Crowns or Datsun 510s, early
Mazda rotaries or Dodge-branded Mitsubishis,
there is a place for you at JNC.
We have about 75,000 visitors to
our website each month. They hail
from all over the globe, sharing
information about all types of Japanese
cars, including obscure models and
variations sold only to particular
markets. We pride ourselves on having
a tight-knit community that is knowledgeable,
friendly, and passionate about our
cars.
If you are the
administrator or member of a forum
and you would like to see your
website featured in an upcoming
newsletter and receive a discount
code to share with your members,
contact jessa@rockauto.com.
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Repair Mistakes & Blunders |
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Back in about
1981 my friend Mike and I were
17 and 19 years old and we both had
1969 Camaros that we were fixing
up. I was
driving
by Mike's place one day when I saw
him in the driveway working on his
car and decided to go back and give
him a hand. Mike was adjusting
the fenders for fit before sending
the Camaro for paint when I showed
up to see the new work. I hadn't
heard the engine run yet so Mike
turned the key and the sound of the
Duntov cam and the open headers came
to life, but she wouldn't stay running.
We fired it up again and began adjusting
the carb and changing the timing
until the Camaro was idling on its
own. The excitement of the
new fenders and fresh 302ci Z28 engine
got the best of us. Now we were really
pumped with adrenaline and it was
time to see
what the little Chevy could do.
We
took an
easy drive for about two or three
miles before turning around to head
back.
Mike brought her up to about
60 mph, then dropped a gear and put
the pedal to the metal. The sound
of the high revving engine and the
feel of [Editors note: It's probably
too late for the driver to be cited
for speeding, but just in case, the
speed achieved has been removed] ***
mph put a smile on our faces until
the
front
right
fender
began to vibrate and shake. Suddenly
we had lift off! The fender flew
off the car and catapulted over the
power lines running along side the
road and landed in a swamp. We pulled
over and ran back in search of the
lost fender, finding it in some bushes
about 100 ft. from the road. We were
expecting a mangled mess, but to
our amazement the fender suffered
only a few minor scratches.
What did we learn:
Finish the job you start before
moving on to the next (tighten down
fender), don't let the excitement
of the moment cause you to lose your
focus (the sound of a small block
Chevy), and lastly, keep your speed
down, you never
know what might happen next.
Marty
in New Brunswick, Canada
Tell us about
your most infamous auto repair
blunder
or unconventional fix. Use your woe
to help others avoid similar mistakes
or share off-the-wall solutions that
worked (at least for awhile!). Please
email your story to flamur@rockauto.com.
Include your mailing address and
shirt size (large or extra large)
and we will mail you a RockAuto "Do
it yourself?" t-shirt if we
publish your story (see the t-shirts
under Extras in the catalog). The
story will be credited using only
your first name and your vague geographic
location (state, province, country,
continent, etc.) so you can remain
semi-anonymous!
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Using the Right
Tools |
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When
I was in high school my parents gave
me a nice set of hand tools from
Sears. For a long time I thought
a tool that was not included in that
set must either not exist or not
be necessary.
One of the most vivid wake up calls
came about twenty years ago when
I stuck a pair of needle nosed pliers
into my forehead while attempting
to use them to attach a brake spring.
Needle nosed pliers also got me into
trouble when I tried to reinstall
a snap ring on a CV half shaft. That
snap ring is probably still in orbit.
For a decade I stuck with a 12V electrical
tester that was a piece of junk when
it was new. First solder the electrical
tester back together and then test
the circuit on the car. I used a
tiny hydraulic jack to raise cars
in small stages.
I just shake my head when I think
of all the time I wasted and the
unnecessary risks I took using the
wrong tools. A brake spring tool
costs about $5 and set of snap ring
pliers costs about $15 at RockAuto.com.
A heavy-duty electrical tester costs
less than $10.
Luckily I came to my senses before
losing an eye or any limbs. I might
not be sitting here today if I had
tried using a vice rather than a
spring compressor to compress the
springs on that first set of struts.
Before doing
a new type of repair for the first
time, I go to the RockAuto.com
catalog and hit the “Extras” tab
at the top. That is where RockAuto’s
inventory of tools is listed. In
addition to every sort of compressor,
puller, wrench, etc. imaginable there
are some cool tools I never even
thought to look for. For example,
on some of my old cars it was always
a struggle to get a wrench on the
timing bolt at the base of the distributor.
I put a complicated bunch of extensions
on my socket wrench, but would still
bang my knuckles and risk stripping
the bolt head. Look under Extras
and then Ignition to find a distributor
wrench made to curve around the distributor
right to that pesky bolt!
Another of my favorite new discoveries
is an extension
cord with a little
light bulb built into the socket.
With the thirty-year-old electrical
outlets in my garage, I was often
trying to guess if the electric hand
tool was dead or just not getting
power. Now I just watch for the end
of the extension cord to light up.
Under Extras there are also some
fun accessories. Until RockAuto stocked
it, I never knew there was an air/fuel
ratio gauge to monitor readings from
the oxygen sensor. Several of my
cars are new enough to have oxygen
sensors so I was pretty excited!
Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com
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Kevin's
1978 Datsun 280Z |
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This
is my 1978 Datsun 280Z. I loved
the looks of the car from the beginning
but I didn't want one when everyone
else had one. Now that they are somewhat
rare, I enjoy the nostalgic feel.
There is a large
group of middle aged men
who were
too late for the muscle car era and
whose idea of classic is anything
before 1980. While there are a
few collectible Japanese cars, the
early Datsun Z was very common and
therefore has quite a following as
a modern vintage car.
This particular
car was well used and abused over
its 30 year life
having multiple owners and mishaps.
To my fortune it was a very inexpensive
starting point for my goal of removing
the top and making a cheap convertible
to tool around in on the weekends.
Little did I know of the countless
hours
I would put into making it
look the way I wanted and bringing
it back to a reliable condition.
The finished car is aptly dubbed
ZZNOTOP.
Thanks to RockAuto
for supplying most of the engine
rebuild
parts like bearings, seals, and
rings; it was not an expensive ordeal.
Now
we enjoy the fellowship of the
local Triangle Z club and the many
events
and shows like Zdayz centered on
the Z heritage.
Thanks,
Kevin in North Carolina
P.S. You have one
of the only e-mail newsletters that
I don't delete without reading. I
usually read it and then forward
it to my fellow gearheads. |
Share Your
Hard Work
Do you purchase
parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto
would like to feature you and your
car or truck in our monthly newsletter.
Please email flamur@rockauto.com with
details.
© 1999-2009 RockAuto,
LLC - Madison, Wisconsin USA. RockAuto
name and logo are registered trademarks
of RockAuto, LLC. Manufacturer names
and logos in the RockAuto catalog
are trademarks of their respective
companies and are used only to identify
their products. All rights reserved.
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