Sprayday
If you've tackled automotive paintwork, you've probably heard of Sata, DeVilbiss, and the like. Well, there's a new name on the block that can compete with them in terms of performance and reliability. Razor gravity spray guns are new products from Sharpe, whose parent company, Graco, provides finishing equipment for OEMs, such as Ford, GM, and Toyota. The new Razor guns offer precision performance and are favorably priced, featuring ultra-long-life needle packing and a range of fluid tips from 1.0 to 2.5 mm.
The silver- and nickel-plated guns have stainless steel fluid needles, nozzles, and passages, a polished 23-ounce aluminum cup, and 3M PPS adapter. Probably best of all, they come with a three-year warranty. For more information, contact Sharpe at (800) 742-7731, or www.sharpe1.com.
Great Lakes
Lakes-style side pipes have been popular accessories for custom cars ever since the fabulous 1950s. There's only one problem: When you combine chrome pipes with a low-riding custom, road debris will have them chipped and rusting in no time. Leave it to "Speedy" Bill Smith to find a solution to this age-old custom conundrum-stainless steel. Yep, Speedway Motors now offers nostalgia-style lakes pipes in durable stainless steel. Made from heavy-gauge 2-inch-diameter tubing, these stainless side pipes are available in 60-, 70- or 80-inch lengths. All pipes come with smooth stainless end caps that, just like the pipes, will never rust. Stainless mounting brackets are also available. For more information, contact Speedway Motors at (800) 979-0122, or www.speedwaymotors.com.
Stainless 'n' Painless
Grandpa's Hot Rod Co. has been casting finned aluminum accessories-brake scoops, dashes, and column drops-for a while now but has just stepped up to produce stainless steel parts, too. Still traditional in flavor, the theme with the stainless parts is not fins, but holes. Lightening holes have always been a part of hot rodding-think Swiss-cheese'd chassis, I-beams, and wishbones-and these parts are no exception.
The combination headlight bracket/shock mounts are fabricated from #304 stainless, designed to fit the shape of Ford chassis, and are fully polished, as are the bolt-on Flathead V-8 engine mounts. The steering arms are investment cast from 17-4 stainless, and Grandpa has done his homework, as they have a tensile strength of 145,000 psi and a 38 Rockwell hardness rating, should you be wary of their strength when used as such a vital component. Designed to fit '28-48 Ford spindles, this is about the neatest way to achieve traditional push/pull steering that we've seen. For more information, contact Grandpa's Hot Rod Co. at (626) 966-2529, or e-mail grandpahrc@aol.com.
Well-Dressed
You're limited in your choice of valve covers if you're running a late GM small-block with the center-bolt fixing, but PML just added one more option to your arsenal. Available with vintage Chevrolet or Corvette script and fins, the design has removed the PCV and oil fill holes from the top surface, as well as two of the boltholes. The sand-cast-aluminum construction is so much stiffer than stock that you do not need four bolts to apply pressure evenly to the gasket. Holes can be cut into the intake side of the valve cover if they are needed for oil fill or PCV; baffles are cast into the underside in two locations opposite where the holes would go. The covers are slightly taller than stock to allow roller tip rockers; they're designed to use the stock gaskets; and they're available in as-cast, black, or Chevrolet Orange, powdercoated with brushed fins and script, and polished finishes.
PML also has valve covers for the Gen3 Small Block LS series. Featuring internal cast baffles, PCV/breather holes on the inlet side, and two recessed mounting boltholes, the top surface is finned. Supplied with custom gaskets and mounting hardware, and available in as-cast, powdercoated, or polished finishes, these are a great way to improve the looks of an LS motor. For more information, contact PML Inc. at (310) 671-4345, or www.yourcovers.com.
Jack Rack
Dunno 'bout you, but if I'm not tripping over my floor jack, I can't seem to find the thing-so that's why I have two, but I digress-which makes T&J Manufacturing's new Jack Rack one of those blindingly obvious "why-didn't-I-think-of-that?" ideas. The Jack Rack was designed to offer convenient storage for aluminum and aluminum/steel floor jacks by mounting them on a wall for easy access.
Made in the USA with a powdercoated finish, the mounting holes are 16 inches on center for easy mounting on almost any wall surface, including stud walls and concrete walls. A cradle holds the jack, while a tapered hook secures the jack handle, and all mounting hardware for stud mounting is included. For more information, contact T&J Manufacturing at (727) 462-9968, or www.thejackrack.net.
Bright Idea
While we know they're in the minority, there is still a bunch of cars out there running six-volt electrical systems, which means they're also running very dim brake lights. This isn't good, especially when your average driver is used to bright, modern bulbs. If this is you, check out this neat converter from Watson's StreetWorks. It changes six-volt DC input to 12-volt DC output, thus allowing the use of a bright 12-volt LED third brake light in a six-volt vehicle.
It's not designed for use with any type of motor or fan, and can't be used for any electrical system drawing more than half an amp, but it will work with StreetWorks' LED third brake lights or any similar light. For more information, contact Watson's StreetWorks at (860) 859-0513 or www.watsons-streetworks.com.