Tips, Tricks and Tools of the Trade

There are so many ideas I have inside this big head of mine and a lot of things I would like to share insight on.  But first, allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Bobby Dawson and I am from Ohio.  I am happily married with two kids.  I have worked in numerous fields to include security, police, computers, the Army, made toys, sanitized pie lines, fast food and much more in my 28 years of life.  

Enough about the professional stuff and on to the fun.  I love baseball, my favorite team is the Cleveland Indians, no matter how horrible they have played.  I love to play baseball too.  Cant forget the Xbox 360 and PS3, I love to play me some Battlefield 3 and some Halo.  I also fix and help fix friends, family's and sometimes complete strangers cars and trucks.  I guess you can call me a "shady tree mechanic" if you will.

My passion with cars and trucks mostly lies in custom audio and video installation, minor and intermediate repairs and electrical issues.  

Also, since I am a family man, my posts will mostly be on family vehicle comparisons. But I also will be posting about audio/video installation, vehicle repairs and viewer requests/question submissions.  I have been working on vehicles since I was a young kid,.  I learned mostly by watching and sometimes helping my father fix cars, trucks, and more.

On some repairs, I will be posting pictures and possibly video to help you get a better understanding of what to do and how to do it.  If you have a question or if you would like to see anything specific, don't hesitate to ask.  

A 2 wheeled American Icon

Hello my name is Jeremy (ROB) Robertson I am CO Author of Monkey Wrenching Around. I am what they call a gear head but not how you might think. It's not cars that peek my interest instead, for me, it's motorcycles, but not one make and model I love all bikes. Today I will talk about an American classic; the Harley-Davidson. It is the most well know motorcycle in the world. I love a great motorcycle; it's the freedom of the open road and time you spend with your self and your bike. With a Harley there is no better time spent. Rather it is the sound or the look of the bike does it for me, it's that thing about the bike that draws every person to the it. For me it is everything about it the sounds, the look, the different engines that have been offered through out the years. Since 1903 Harley-Davidson has been producing some of the best motorcycles ever seen throughout the world. That is not just my opinion that is something that has been proven by motorcycle enthusiast all over the world.

The history of Harley-Davidson is a long and awesome one.  They were used throughout World War 2 which is when the biker culture really began. After World War 2 soldiers came home with their Harley's and began ridding together. This is how MC's (Motorcycle Clubs) came to be and Harley was the bike of choice.

My personal favorite engine, produced from the late 1930's to 1940's, is the knucklehead. It has this name because of the engines design, it looks like knuckles on a fist. The Harley-Davidson is an American icon which is adored by motorcyclist all over the world,and from every walk of life, from outlaw motorcycle clubs (1%er) to military, to doctors.They have been around for 110 years and I see them being around for many more years to come. They have a more comfortable ride with your feet placed toward the front of the bike with the handle bars in a more relaxed positioned. Which will cause less back problems and will make it an easier long distance ride. However it will cost you around 16,000 dollars to have one made to your specifications. They are amazing machines and a piece of American history and there is nothing in the world that could compare.

Why not have both?

This week is going to be a little different.  I'm not going to be comparing cars or giving a run down of a particular classic.  This week is about the nature of classic cars as they are now, and the things that could be possible. 

I'm of the mind that some designs should not be altered. Why try to fix it if its not broken? I understand the principal of innovation in design, I'm all for it in fact.  There are times when some things deserve to be left alone; left to their original glory and stature and preserved in that state.  As a car enthusiast and student of restoration I find the work that goes into restoring and maintaining a classic car, truck, or motorcycle an en devour worth the effort.  Muscle cars and cruisers, lead sleds and drag cruisers, they bring us back to a simpler time and remind us what true craftsmanship and ingenuity look like.  I'm not trying to take away from the cars of this or any other generation, but fact stands that when a car becomes a classic it becomes something to be respected as well as admired.

With that said, why can't we keep the same style and design of these classics and produce them with modern methods and materials?  With all of the innovations in automotive technology and manufacturing you can't tell me that it couldn't be done.  Safety could be greatly improved in the vehicles as well, I have a 1967 Chevy C10; it's a beautiful truck and it still hurts my heart that I had to leave it in storage while I am stationed in Germany.  My greatest fear while driving that truck is getting in a head on collision with just about anything.  You see the truck only had lap belts and while it would be easy to swap out the original belts for a three point seat belt set, I am doing my best to keep the truck as original as possible.  Sadly if I ever wish to take my kids for a drive one day I will be forced to change some things around.  If newer models of classic designs were produced they could have all the best safety features offered by their respective manufacturers.  Fuel economy could also be improved through a number of different things:  Newer and lighter alloys such as aluminum and high strength steel could be used to construct the body and frame to reduce the weight of the vehicle, engines could be designed for greater fuel economy while still providing the optional power and torque of a high performance machine. Comfort and options inside the vehicle could be modernized while still maintaining a classic look and feel inside the cab. 

The point of this article is really a simple one: Why can't we have a car that looks like it's classic contemporaries without altering it to the point of being unrecognizable?  I love the new Camaro, the Challenger, and the Mustang; but they have picked and chose from previous generations to create something all together different.  That's the nature of the beast though, it's about pushing limits in design and production to create something exciting and new.  That doesn't mean that we couldn't benefit from having cars and trucks from the 60's, 70's and 80's maybe even the 50's recreated in their original outward appearance, but re-imagined on the inside.

I know I'd be one of the first ones in line to buy one if they did.