Hello, welcome to my web site.  I try to document a few things that I think other people might find useful, or just enjoy reading.  I started this web-site about the time I retired, so if you root around in the various projects here, you will see that I've been thoroughly enjoying this part of my life. Feel free to email me if you have questions or comments.

Brian Contact:


What's happening in the shop:

Ford V8 240Z This is a description of installing a small-block Ford V8 motor (289/302/5.0) into a Datsun 240Z, along with some other upgrades: 240Z conversion to a Z8

Engine Run-In Stand Here's a motor stand project that allows you to test an engine before installing it in the vehicle: Motor Run-In Stand

British Style Harley Sportster Here’s a project where I made a new Harley Sportster look old, and from a different continent: GB1200R Sportster

Model-A Coupe with hydraulic brakes and T5 5-speed Here’s a little about Model-As, and the modifications I've made, such as aT5 transmission and hydraulic brake conversion: Model-A Coupe

Electoplating I tried doing my own metal plating, here's a report about it: Electroplating at home

Datsun Powered Morris Woody This is a story about how an old Datsun transmission turned into a car project. Included is conversion to disk brakes, 5-speed transmission, and Datsun A-series power: Morris Minor Woody

Morris Minor Woody If one Morris Woody is good, then two is twice as good! Here's the story of my second car (the one that went on the 48-state trip). It discusses switching from RHD to LHD, installing a better heater, and some odds and ends: Another Morris Minor Woody

Deere Gator 6x4 Box Extension A very simple project to allow the John Deere Gator to haul more "stuff": Gator Box Extension

Remote Mailbox Warning Alarm Wondering if the mail or paper has arrived yet? Here's a transmitter/receiver project that lights an alarm LED (and makes a chirp) when the box is opened: Mail-Box Alarm System

Crab Pot Windless How about an electric crab-pot puller with capstan windless: Crabpot Puller

Crab Pot Windless Making a self-propelled horse arena groomer from an old riding lawn mower: Arena Groomer

Crab Pot Windless Off-beat little projects that most folks would consider in the category "He has too much time on his hands!" Cannon, Beer-holder, Remote-holder, Lathe tool-holder storage rack

Crab Pot Windless Here's a 49" RC-controlled boat that I designed to catch fish, I call it the "Fishing Machine". This should probably be in the "too much times on his hands" section: RC Fishing Boat

1949 Victory Pedicab Here's the story about the restoration of a 1949 Victory Pedicab (variant of a rick-shaw): Taiwan Pedicab

1933 MG-J2 with flathead V8 This is the story of the restoration of a 1933 MG J2. I did a restoration, and some hot-rodding type modifications to get this old car back on the road after being apart and unused since 1970 or earlier: 1933 MG J2

Bugeye Sprite Disk Brake Hydraulics This is a short blurb about getting the hydraulics sorted out if you are putting a Datsun 5-Speed transmission into a Sprite or Midget: Sprite 5-Speed Conversion

Full Sized RC Tractor This is the story of adding RC control to my tractor: Remote Control RC Tractor

Full Sized RC Tractor This is a hidden waterless urinal for your shop - so you can spend more time there: ShopRelief Urinal

Grading Tractor This is the story of adding laser-controlled leveling to my tractor: Automated Laser Leveling

Gator 6x4 This is about a project to converting a burned-up John Deere Gator 6x4 UTV to be an electric vehicle: Gator EV Project

paint shaker This is about making an aerosol can paint shaker: Paint Shaker

I'll try to keep this updated as projects come up, or as I do more on the projects above.

Regarding these projects:

I enjoy writing up this odd collection of projects, and I hope that they are a little help in some cases. Or inspire you to do even better projects. Since quite a few people happen to run across them, I get requests to make some of the parts that are shown or described. Unfortunately, even though I'm retired, I just don't have time to make more of these parts for the number of people who request them, I'm usually busy on my own next project. Instead, I've tried to include drawings so that you can make the parts, or have a machine shop make them. I'm happy to try to answer your questions, though.


Trip Reports:

In about 2004, my brother Mark and I headed east to recover a Bugeye Sprite that he had purchased.  It didn't go smoothly, here's the story:

In late 2012, I decided to head cross country in my '58 Morris Minor Woody to go to a car show. Then I expanded my trip to include being in all 48 contiguous states. Here's the story:

I went to truck driving school to get my CDL. If you're interested in big trucks or getting your commercial driver's license, maybe you will enjoy reading this:

I have a weakness for small, underpowered cars. Here's my report on travelling from LA to the Seattle area while fetching a new (to me) Honda classic car:

I enjoyed fixing up a VW Beetle a few years ago, then sold it to make more room in the garage. But regretted that. Just through luck, I found her again, and this is the trip report from driving her home in the middle of winter:


Shop and Instruction Manuals:

I've run across a couple of older manuals that might be of use to you as PDF files. I don't suppose the manufacturers would mind since they don't sell them anymore.


Ramblings:

Once in a while I write something for submission to a paper or magazine, or just for fun – here are a couple:

Here’s a handy chart to print out and hang on your shop wall. If the wrench you are using doesn’t fit, it’s an easy way to find out which wrench (metric or US) is just a little bigger or smaller. Also includes a conversion chart for Newton-meters to Ft-lbs for torquing fasteners:


Commerce Section:

See this web site (my hobby business) for a couple of products that can be used for automotive conversions. MeterMatch is a converter to let most gauges and meters with resistive senders to be interchanged, yet still work. It can also be used to improve the accuracy of a gauge. TachMatch is for making tachometers work even though the cylinder count might be different between the engine and tachometer, or if they are electrically incompatible. Diff Mount (based on R/T Mount) is an extra strong front differential mount for Z-cars with too much power. ShopRelief is a hidden waterless urinal for your shop.


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