Route 60 Garage

For hotrod, sports cars and older cars, especially cars that are infrequently driven, overheating and corrosion are all too common problems. Many people are surprised to learn that the traditional 50/50 mix of water and anti-freeze is not the most efficient way to cool your engines. Water alone is the most efficient medium, but there are two problems associated with water as the only coolant. First, water will freeze in the winter and usually cracks the engine block. Second, antifreeze includes corrosion inhibitors and water pump lubricant, both necessary for you cooling system. Here's how to get around those problems. Replace your drain petcock with a sacrificial zinc anode or have an appropriate-sized bung added to your radiator. These anodes are commonly used in marine engines and - surprise - the hot water heater in you house uses one. It's proven technology and you can buy them at boating supply stores or Amazon. Add a surfactant like Water Wetter , available a...

In October 2008, I attended the Goodguys Nationals at Charlotte, NC. Besides driving my '39 Plymouth coupe on the Lowe's Speedway at a little over 100mph, I won a 1 of 26 chance to win this car, a very cool 1970 Chevy Nova. Details of the car are here . The color (Butternut Yellow) is much worse in person that in the picture in my opinion. FOLLOW UP: I did not win, but the fellow that did employed my strategy, so you should consider it if you ever get the chance to try for it. The way the final chance works is that they line the 26 people up and each gets to select an ignition key from a bowl. Then, each in turn attempts to start the car; only one key will work. I figured that the guys running the show would be too lazy to make 26 individual keys, so there would be 25 identical keys plus the one unique key that would start the car and win. They made it easy by providing 25 keys that were essentially blanks with smooth edges on the top and bottom. Then they made it ...