Tag Archives: Tech Stories

Old School Repair: This Dude Welds A Crankshaft Back Together Like A Boss! It Was Broken In Two!

Dec 23, 20211320 Engine Tech, 1320 Tech Story, Apex Engine Tech, Apex Tech Stories, ENGINE, TECH, Tech Stories, Videos, XL Engine Tech, XL Tech Stories

Old School Repair: This Dude Welds A Crankshaft Back Together Like A Boss! It Was Broken In Two!

If you watch videos from other countries, where guys are doing repairs that would seem nearly impossible without modern tools, you start to appreciate and understand what our grandparents and great grandparents were doing to make similar repairs. It’s a true testament to how good something can be even without CNC machines or what have you. In this video, the only equipment used to fix this completely snapped crankshaft is a drill press, a stick welder, and a lathe. The lathe isn’t anything new, but it does seem to work well, and the guy using it clearly knows what he’s doing. But the lathe could be 50 years old or 5, it’s all the same.

Watch as this guy cleans and machines each end of the broken pieces, which might actually be from two different crankshafts, slides them together, indexes them, and then gets his arc welding on. He then straightens the crank, machines the crank, and finally drills the oiling holes in it and then sends it on its way to be used in some truck or what have you. It’s impressive and you’ll dig it.

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LS Corvair Project: Figuring And Fabrication, That’s All It Takes To Put An LS4 In A Corvair Right?

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Dyno Proven 500 Horsepower Combos: Three Stock Bottom End 5.3 LS Combos That Will Make You 500 Horsepower Or More.

Dec 23, 20211320 Engine Tech, 1320 Tech Story, Apex Engine Tech, Apex Tech Stories, ENGINE, ENGINES, TECH, Tech Stories, Videos, XL Engine Tech, XL Tech Stories

Dyno Proven 500 Horsepower Combos: Three Stock Bottom End 5.3 LS Combos That Will Make You 500 Horsepower Or More.

I get asked about LS engine combos all the time, and the overwhelming majority of them are from people who think that they need to build an engine with all aftermarket parts. When I ask them how much horsepower they want to make, the vast majority say something like 450 horsepower. This makes me shake my head, because making 400 to 500 horsepower is simple and doable if you have a 5.3 LS that runs. Stock they make 350 horsepower, so anything you do from there will make real power improvements. A camshaft and headers will make over 400, and when you combine an intake, heads, etc, there are real power numbers to be had. And then there’s nitrous! Okay that’s another video, these are completely naturally aspirated combos that are based on a stock bottom end 5.3L.

Check out Richard’s combos, dyno results, and more in the video below.

Video Description:

HOW DO I MAKE 500 HP WITH MY 5.3L? DO I NEED FORGED INTERNALS TO MAKE 500 HP WITH MY 5.3L? CAN MY 5.3L MAKE 500 HP WITHOUT BOOST? WHAT IS THE BEST CAM TO USE ON MY 5.3L? WHAT ARE THE BEST HEADS TO USE ON MY 5.3L? WHAT INTAKE SHOULD I USE ON MY 5.3L? CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO ON THREE (3) DIFFERENT 5.3L BUILDS THAT NOT ONLY EXCEEDED 500 FLYWHEEL HP, BUT DID SO WITH THE STOCK BOTTOM END (STOCK BLOCK, CRANK, RODS AND PISTONS). ALL YOU NEED ARE THE RIGHT HEADS, CAM AND INTAKE (WITH HEADERS) AND YOU TOO CAN REACH THE 500-HP MARK.

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Facebook Find: This 1980 Z28 Camaro Is Throwback Greatness I Would Drive Like A Boss

Best Torque Wrench? $450 Snap-On vs Craftsman, ICON, Kobalt, DeWalt, SK Tools, Proto, Wera

Several years ago the guys at Car Craft Magazine did a torque wrench shootout and found that the high dollar models from the big tool brands weren’t better, and in some cases were worse, than the cheap brands like you’d find at Harbor Freight, Home Depot, or Lowes. So when I saw this new test being done by the Project Farm youtube channel I immediately clicked on it. There are a lot of ways to test a torque wrench, but none are as good as using an actual torque wrench tester and that’s exactly what has been done in this video.

In addition to the torque wrench tester, they also did 1,000 cycles to see how accurate the torque wrench was after a lifetime of clicks. Accuracy was measured along with variation and all the results are given in this video. Check it out and see not only which torque wrench is best but also which one is right for you.

Video Description:

10 Wrenches Tested: Snap On, Wera, Craftsman, Kobalt, ICON, DeWalt SK Hand Tool, Proto Tools, Performance Tool, Lexivon, and a vintage Craftsman. Torque wrenches tested for initial accuracy when new at 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 foot pounds. Wrenches were then tested at 50, 150, and 250 foot pounds in the counterclockwise direction. Subsequently, the wrenches were cycled 1,000 times at 100 foot pounds and then tested again for accuracy. My goal is to ALWAYS provide accurate and honest test results by avoiding outside pressure from manufacturers. To do this, I ALWAYS buy all of the products that I test along with the test equipment and supplies used for the testing. So, thank you very much for helping me achieve this goal by your support of the channel.

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New Product Install: New Mid-Mount Gen III HEMI Front Accessory Drive – HEMI Swap Greatness!

Dec 23, 20211320 New Drag Race Products, Apex New Products, ENGINE, ENGINES, New Products, TECH, Tech Stories, Videos, XL New Truck Products

New Product Install: New Mid-Mount Gen III HEMI Front Accessory Drive – HEMI Swap Greatness!

One of the most annoying and frustrating parts of any late-model engine swap can be fitting a bunch of accessories that never came in your car up front and in between the engine and radiator. Whether you realize it or not, almost all of the late model V8 cars are considerably larger than their previous counterparts. A new Challenger is bigger than a 1970 Challenger, for example, and so is the underhood space. These new cars are designed to fit around all the stuff that needs to be on these late model engines, and the older cars weren’t. Thankfully the gang at Holley has come up with the solution. Their new Mid Mount accessory drive system is a game-changer.

When Holley came out with accessory drive systems for the LS engine it made swapping one into just about anything much less of a headache, and now Mopar fanatics are going to benefit from the same technology. Their bracketless design means everything fits tight to the block minimizing any chance of interference between accessories and the chassis, body, etc.

Video Description:

Holley’s new Gen III Hemi Mid-Mount Accessory Drive Kits offers a simple, clean and reliable way to install all of the serpentine belt-driven accessories for your late-model Mopar engine onto our patent-pending bracket-less design. This allows the alternator, air conditioning pump, power steering pump, and everything else to be mounted tighter to the engine, making a Gen III Hemi swap an easier affair, regardless if you are using a VVT or non-VVT engine in your build! https://www.holley.com/products/engin…

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Best Torque Wrench? $450 Snap-On vs Craftsman, ICON, Kobalt, DeWalt, SK Tools, Proto, Wera

Sheet Metal Tech: How To Spot Weld In Bead Rolled Floor Pans With Your TIG Welder

Hereis the latest video from Karl Fisher at Make It Kustom and, as usual, this kid impresses us. Not only does he make rad bead rolled floor pans for this Model A Project, but he shares the methods he uses to build them, to install them, etc in his videos. In this video in particular Karl is going to share his method for “spot” welding in the pans using his TIG machine. The results are clean, strong, and easy to clean for that ultra slick look some folks are going for. This is metal finishing in all the right ways and we dig it.

So watch the video, learn something, and above all be inspired to do something in your own garage this week. Get your projects going, spend time learning how to do stuff better or how to do stuff period. You might be able to do more than you think, and imagine the satisfaction you’ll feel!

Here is the video description from Karl:

On this episode of Make It Kustom, I am working on the 1931 Model A roadster floor. I’m also fabricating a seat frame so that I know where to weld in my threaded inserts in the floor braces before spot welding the bead-rolled floor panels down. I also talk about my process for spot welding with a TIG welder.

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HOW TO MAKE CHEAP BBC POWER. JUNKYARD 454 VS NITROUS AND TURBO. DIY POWER, BOOST, BIG BLOCK.

Oct 08, 2021ENGINE, ENGINES, TECH, Tech Stories, Videos

HOW TO MAKE CHEAP BBC POWER. JUNKYARD 454 VS NITROUS AND TURBO. DIY POWER, BOOST, BIG BLOCK.

Just because the LS engine has been so popular the past several years, doesn’t mean that other engines are irrelevant, and I often refer to a Big Block Chevrolet as a “man motor” for a reason. They make big power, big grunt, and are still BY FAR the most popular engine platform for racing. Period. They also happen to be a great engine for towing, when properly setup, and they came in a jillion trucks over the years. I happen to own a big block powered square body dually and have been debating what to do to make the 454 under the hood even more capable while pulling a big trailer down the highway. Should I go for a turbo combo? A blower? More inches? We shall see.

But what if you want to make cheap power for your hot rod? This video is all about DIY horsepower using the big block you already have, and I love Richard for it. Watch, learn, and tell us what you think.

Video Description:

HOW DO I MAKE CHEAP, JUNKYARD BIG BLOCK CHEVY POWER? THE ANSWER IS EASY, JUST ADD NOS OR BOOST! NOTHING BEATS THE JUNKYARD FOR AFFORDABLE, PERFORMANCE MOTORS. CHECK OUT THE TESTING ON THIS GEN 6, 454 BBC. TO ILLUSTRATE HOW EASY IT IS TO ADD BIG POWER, I FIRST COMPARED THE FACTORY EFI INDUCTION TO A SIMPLE CARBURETOR AND DUAL PLANE. THEN, I APPLIED A LOWBUCK (HOLLEY SNIPER) PLATE NITROUS SYSTEM. THEN AFTER ADDING A CAM AND SPRINGS (TYPICAL UPGRADE), I SHOWED HOW EASY AND EFFECTIVE IT IS TO ADD BOOST FROM A TURBO(S). WITH RING GAP, THIS TURBO 454 EASILY EXCEEDED 800 HP! WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH 800 HP AND OVER 800 LB-FT OF TORQUE?

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Sheet Metal Tech: Fitzee Shows Us How To Make Truck Bed Floor Panels With Simple Tools You Have

Fitzee is awesome to watch, not only because he has great sheet metal reproduction skills, but also because he is willing to share all his tips and tricks in his great how-to videos. And while he frequently shows how to fix quarter panels, rockers, cab corners, etc, there are a lot of folks who need to figure out a way to repair and replace parts of their steel bed floor in a truck. Or, they are making a custom bed floor for a notch or something and need to make some panels that look stock so they fit with the original bed.

Fitzee makes this with simple tools and a homemade sheet metal brake that you can build yourself no problem. His simple but effective methods will inspire you and should help you with your projects by getting rid of the fear to try it. The worst you can do is screw up a piece of sheetmetal, so why not go after it? I don’t own a truck that has a bed floor currently in need of work, but I have a square body dually that at some point next year will likely need a factory looking notch cover in the bed and I’ll certainly be using Fitzee’s method to make what I need.

Check out the video below.

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An Electric Subaru Brat? Okay, This Is An Electric Vehicle Swap We Think Might Be Real Fun!

Jul 10, 2021CAR FEATURES, DRIVETRAIN, ENGINE, Hack of the Week, Project Cars, TECH, Tech Stories, Videos

An Electric Subaru Brat? Okay, This Is An Electric Vehicle Swap We Think Might Be Real Fun!

The idea of taking a gas or diesel-powered car and making it electric intrigues me. I think it would be a fun project and have been thinking about a few different fun cars to do the conversion on. Of course, I have a jillion other projects going so there isn’t much need to be worrying about anything in the short term, but I certainly think it’s a fun idea and love checking out projects that other people are doing. So when James Fleischman at Flash Drive Motors sent me an email with a link to this Brat build I was intrigued.

Finding out that he’s located just outside of Austin, which is only a few hours drive from me, also made me want to go and play with electric cars so trust me that’s on the list of must-do things this summer.

But back to this project. This one is a Subaru Brat, you know, the little truck that came with the seats in the back. It was in really good shape, as it had been driven on the road up until 2017 but it still needed to get redone. Luckily, Flash Drive is all about restoring cars and not just making them electric. In fact, they will gladly work on your gasoline-powered ride, do EFI conversions, etc.

But I digress! Here are the first two videos in the Electric Brat conversion series, and we’ll have more tomorrow!

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How To Make An F-Bomb Out Of Aluminum! This Is One Cool Project You Should Check Out.

Jul 04, 2021Hack of the Week, OTHER, TECH, Tech Stories, Videos

How To Make An F-Bomb Out Of Aluminum! This Is One Cool Project You Should Check Out.

I’m not saying everyone wants to make a miniature bomb, but the steps required to make this thing sure could come in handy when building something else in the shop. And the lesson is coming from the master of metal manipulation, Ron Covell. I mean this dude knows what he’s talking about, has been teaching others how to do it for decades, and is about as humble as they come when talking about his skill. And he’s partnering with 6061.com on this one so you know the end result is going to be fun as hell! I can tell you that if you are not familiar with building bucks or forming metal, then these two videos will be life changing for you. Seeing just how easy it is to manipulate aluminum sheet into the shape  that you want will be an eye opener for sure. I’m not saying that you’ll be a master in a day, but with these two videos and trying out this project, you will be changing how you view sheet metal projects for sure.

And they don’t require special tools! In the second video Ron goes over shaping three identical pieces of aluminum and does each one using a different method. The first is literally just using a hammer on a metal workbench. That’s it! Then there is a planishing hammer and then an english wheel. Guess what? Each one does the job perfectly fine, with just a slight difference in finish work required. I’m telling you, this is a video series to watch. Here are the first two in the series, we’ll bring you the rest as soon as they are out!

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Solid Axle Swapping The NBS Chevrolet Truck Continues: Let The Welding Begin!

May 09, 2021SUSPENSION, TECH, Tech Stories, Videos, XL Suspension Tech, XL Tech Stories, XL Videos

Solid Axle Swapping The NBS Chevrolet Truck Continues: Let The Welding Begin!

I hate watching these videos, because all it does it make me want to buy an IFS 4×4 so I can solid axle swap it. It’s been too long since I had a lifted truck and now I want one. Thanks a lot Bruce Cook! I did not need to add anything to the list of things I want to buy and build.

In this new video series of his, Bruce is taking on a new off-road project and doing things a bit differently. He’s built other trucks and stuff, but always with help from different shops or manufacturers. This time he wants to do as much as is humanly possible, on his own from his wheelchair. As he puts it, he’ll have to have some help with heavy lifting, but nothing us upright folks wouldn’t have to have a hand with. He also knows what he can and can’t do, like setting up the new gears in the axles, but that’s about knowing his skill level and has nothing to do with the chair or his injury.

As a big fan of Solid Axle Swaps in general, and with one floating around in my head for a future project, this one is right up my alley. And since we like following other folks project around here, we figured this one looked like fun. So watch, and let us know what you think. And maybe Bruce will inspire you to get out into the garage to do some wrenching this weekend.

CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED THE OTHER EPISODES OR DON’T KNOW Bruce Cook’s STORY

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