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FCP Euro Service Kits

FCP Euro Kits

So what does 2017 have to offer? To start with, you will get 525,600 minutes or 8760 hours or
365 days or one trip around the sun, depending on how you prefer to look at it. Regardless, it is
a new year for car enthusiasts to set some time aside and get going on long overdue projects.

A year from now you may wish you had started today. —Karen Lamb, Author

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Too many awesome cars sit, eagerly awaiting TLC from their masters, and unfortunately are
neglected when days turn in to months, months into years and years in to Craigslist. Why?
Well, I believe it is all too often that we feel the task will be too daunting and so we put it off in the
hopes that one day it will become somehow easier. Of course deep down we know that is not
the case and so one simple repair now mounts as time passes and before long the neglected
car falls into disrepair.

One of these days is none of these days. —H.G. Bohn, Publisher

Now that a very depressing picture has been painted, it’s time to get up and do something about
it! Set a goal and turn that goal into a plan and methodically work through the project or projects
to get your car back on the road in 2017.

 

When generating your plan, consider the following:

Time Needed (looking for parts, waiting for parts, working on the project, time with a mechanic)

Budget (parts, parts you don’t suspect, extra tools, specialty tools, misc. equipment, outside
help, towing)

Parts Needed (add up everything you could possible need)

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Never neglect to build in extra time and money when planning. As we all know, things rarely go
as planned. Never count on the one broken or malfunctioning component to be a simple or only
fix. Many secondary items often fail behind the scenes and one thing leads to another, but that
is what will get your car back to where it needs to be, on the road.

Take heart, it’s not all gloomy. There are many ways to save money when taking on a new
project. As it relates to brakes for example, consider rebuilding the calipers or master cylinder
yourself if they are in good enough condition. While purchasing new calipers is easier and
faster, rebuilding your existing calipers can save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on the
brake job.

Frugality includes all the other virtues. —Cicero, Roman Philosopher

If the job does seem beyond your level of comfort or ability, get multiple opinions and estimates
from shops in your area. Consider also that a shop might be able to help you do portions of the
job like pressing bearings in or out, or turning rotors etc. This will allow you to continue working
on other aspects of the job and keep the car at home, saving both time and money.

Also, get to know others who own the car or cars you own by joining a local car club.
Exchanging ideas with others who have gone before you can be a major benefit, again, saving
you time and money. Learn from others mistakes and shortcomings and see if it relates to your
particular problem. It is advisable however not to take advice without properly vetting it against
your particular situation.

By seeking and blundering we learn. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Writer

Case in point, many classic cars have been butchered, wrong parts, backward parts, missing
parts are all parts of the puzzle. Never assume what you are looking at is correct, always check
it against factory specs before you draw any conclusions. I have unfortunately made shocking
discoveries on all my classics, from major to minor and without the shop manual, I would have
installed many parts improperly, again! While some of these situations would not cause any
significant issues with performance or safety, a number of them would have.

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Photograph and Label
Always label and photograph the parts and jobs you are working on. Taking pictures from
beginning to end can save you hours of frustration and labeling parts will make reinstallation a
breeze.

Work Clean
Many car parts rely on being extremely clean, free from any grit or grease and in some cases
even lint and finger prints can cause problems. In the same vein, cleaning something with the
wrong cleaning agent or tool can destroy many parts. Before you brush, scrape, polish or use
any chemical including water, know exactly how the part is to be treated. Even “0000” steel wool
can destroy finely finished surfaces.

Inspect
Throughly examine each and every part you remove for signs of abnormal wear, rust, pitting,
looseness, cracking, etc. If rubber parts, seals, etc, are part of the component you are working
on, replace them. It is always easier to do it at the time then having them leak later. If a screw or
bolt has a beat up head or worn threads, replace them, it will only cause major headaches down
the road. When in doubt, replace it.

Double Check
Each step of the way, double check your work. Even with photographs and notes, it is easy to
make mistakes. While an installation error is not often detrimental, there are instances that will
ruin a part or parts if assembled out of sequence or fitted with a part that can not be used again
if it has to be removed. If a part indicates it is to be replaced once it has been removed, follow
those instructions, even if the part is new and was just installed. And, don’t have left over parts!

Don’t Force It
One of the worst things to do is force a part into place that is not meant to be forced. Don’t beat
on things that are not meant to be beaten on and know first what type tooling can be used to
loosen components from one another. Example, using brass, copper or aluminum or even wood
drifts is critical to preserving many parts—even metal. The slightest deformation or burr from the
wrong tool, can render a part useless. If a part does require force to extract or refit, the shop
manual will dictate exactly how it is to be done and the force that will be required. Be sure to
have various mallets such as rubber, plastic, and brass on hand.

The flip side of this is removing interior or exterior trim which after many decades can become
one with the car. Many cars of the past 40 years received more and more plastic parts to comply
with EPA CAFE standards that are now extremely brittle and will shatter like glass if undo stress
is applied during removal. Dashboards are particularly susceptible to splitting when being
removed and much time and care should be taken during the process.

Test It
Once the job is done, throughly test your work, especially if it is one related to electricity, fuel,
brakes, or any part(s) that could detach while driving. Even minor jobs involving electrical
components can cause major fires and small fuel leaks can do the same. If it’s rattling, leaking,
sparking or overheating, go back to the drawing board and make it right. If possible, test as you
go, it will save you mental anguish in the long run.

To be successful, the first thing to do is fall in love with your work. —Unknown

 

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Written by :
Alex Fiehl


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