Jus' Pedallin' Parts
Whether you're building a '40s- or '50s-style hot rod or a '60s-style gasser, period-correct parts are probably going to be high on your shopping list, and the popularity of authentic builds these days means many repops of obsolete or extremely rare parts are being made available almost daily. So how about this Hot Rod Pedal Assembly from Lucky's Speed Shop, which though not an exact reproduction, combines the look and feel of Ansen and Moon pedal assemblies from the '60s and '70s with modern day technology and materials.
CAD designed, laser cut and fully TIG welded, the bracket and pedal material thickness has been increased over those originals, while the pivot diameter is also larger, and features a dry lube bronze flange bearing, eliminating lubrication and thrust loading issues. With a GM stoplight switch included, and precision clevises and pins, this is a sturdy piece. A new GM single reservoir, dual master cylinder is also included. For more information contact Lucky's Speed Shop
at (480) 940-3911 or www.luckys-speed-shop.com.
Hard Skin
We all understand the value of insulating our car's interior these days, both from heat and noise, not only for a quieter, more comfortable ride, but also to save our A/C or heater from working overtime trying to cool or heat an uninsulated cabin, which equates to better gas mileage! While there are products that can be glued, or stuck in place using self adhesive backing, they can't get into every nook and cranny to totally insulate your interior.
LizardSkin, however, can do this, because it is sprayed on seamlessly. Two coatings are available; Ceramic Insulation and Sound Control, and both are environmentally friendly, so there are no worries about spraying them. They're claimed to reduce engine and solar heat transfer by 30 degrees F or more and sound transfer by 12 decibels or more, always protecting the substrate from moisture and corrosion. Mascoat Products, who originally developed LizardSkin, has reacquired the product and has dropped the price of LizardSkin and the Super Pro Gun required to apply it, though the quality and formulation has not changed. Sounds good to us! For more information contact LizardSkin at (800) 549-0043 or www.mascoat.com.
That's Cool
Most of us are aware that excessive heat will kill an automatic transmission, but how many of us still use the trans fluid cooler built into our radiators? Add in the fact that the trans is in a tight tunnel, and most exhaust systems run right by the transmission, usually on both sides, and it's like inviting trouble. Surely your trans deserves a dedicated cooler.
Derale already makes 10-, 16-, and 25-row Stacked Plate engine and transmission coolers, and has now introduced a 19-row version. They all feature 2-inch-wide turbulator plates, furnace-brazed aluminum construction, and a four-point mounting option, and are available with AN-6, AN-8 and AN-10 male fittings, sold separately. For more information contact Derale at (323) 266-3850 or www.derale.com.
Cool Wall
While the aftermarket has numerous companies offering sound and heat insulation materials to cover floors, firewalls, and even the underside of your roof, sometimes it's nice to use a factory version, especially on resto rods or projects where you're not removing the entire interior. Chevs of the 40's now offers just such firewall pads for '37-54 Chevy cars and '47-50 Chevy trucks.
The pads are brand-new reproductions and fit exactly like the originals, so whether you are fed up either with chills or heat coming through those holes in the firewall or radiating off that bare metal, you know where to go. For more information contact Chevs of the 40's at (800) 999-2438 or www.chevsofthe40s.com.
Rad Idea
If you read our radiator article a couple of months back , you'll remember that aluminum radiators are a very efficient heat conductor, enabling the coolant to drop in temperature quickly. Mark 7 Radiators can build you an aluminum radiator, specifically for your vehicle, for less than most off-the-shelf generic radiator suppliers, with those superior cooling benefits as well as the appearance of an original style radiator if you so wish.
If you're going for the totally restored look, or the polished show look with engraved top tank or natural aluminum, they can accommodate those too. They also offer 16 colors of anodizing, the semi-gloss radiator shown built to handle cooling a 750hp big-block in ambient 100-degree weather. For more information contact Mark 7 Radiators at (877) 777-7505.
Ramp It Up
While we're not fans of trailered cars, there's no doubt that trailers are supremely handy for moving project cars around. However, most of our cars tend to be on the low side and often getting them on and off a trailer involves planks and blocks of wood to extend the ramps, as well as raising the tongue of the trailer as high as possible. Even then we've managed to catch exhaust systems, and in one case, damage the back of a truck cab, as the vehicle high-centered on the back of the trailer.
Then we heard about Race Ramps. As the name implies, they're designed to facilitate getting low race cars in and out of enclosed trailers, the step at the end of each ramp is designed for the door to drop into. By safely extending the ramp, they provide a shallow angle of approach and eliminate grounding. That's the Project '49 Chevy in the picture, and getting it on and off my open trailer was always a hassle. Now, with Race Ramps, I don't even have to raise the front of the trailer and the rear bumper clears the ground. Available in 4-, 5-, 6-, and 8-inch heights (the 8-inch is shown here), even the highest and longest weigh only 15 pounds each. The lightweight but strong plastic ramps won't slide, dig into, or scratch your garage floor, can accommodate 6,000 pounds, and don't take up much storage space when not in use. Also available are custom ramps, ramp extenders, wheel cribs and Flatstoppers. All useful stuff you didn't know you needed! For more information contact Brute Industries Inc at (866) 464-2788 or www.raceramps.com.