Favorite books and misc questions

[Carnoobe]

Hello everyone, thanks for the replies to my previous post. Now I hope to hear your opinions on books that you'd recommend for a total beginner to autos, as well as some intermediate level books for the future.

Between "Auto repair for dummies" and a few Haynes manuals I've managed to replace a blown head-gasket and valve cover gasket on an old tracer, recharge the ac on a cavalier, and diagnose a broken stabilizer arm on my Grand Caravan. Other than the occasional oil change, that's about all I've done.

So what books are must haves in your opinion? I'm interested in overall information as well as specific systems and projects. For example suspension or something like custom fiber-glassing. I've been on amazon.com and find a few to be interesting, but am interested in your favorites, especially if they apply to Festivas.

Now for my misc questions/statements
1) Engine rebuilding sounds like fun to me - the name makes sense. However I have also come across the term blueprinting an engine and don't have a clue if thats the same thing or totally unrelated.

2) In regards to wheels and tires - in some of the photos of the "Eye of Ra" you can see them sticking out from the fenders. Is this accomplished by selecting a very wide wheel? or is it some sort of axle? extension?
The effect I'm interested in achieving is more old school Hot Rod "Big n Littles" for stance. So how would you do it on a Festy?

Those questions have been bugging me. Hopefully you can help, and take it easy on me, I'm the new guy

Eric

p.s. books other than the ones mentioned above I have on cars
1 Builders Guide to Bolt together Street Rods
2 How to Build a HotRod
3 Monster Garage - How to Customize Damn Near Anything

[Carnoobe]

No replies?

So everybody here came across their knowledge through word of mouth or osmosis?
I find it hard to believe nobody has an auto book they'd recommend. Oh well. :roll:

[FRANTIK]

or raised by a mechanic that loved chevys therefore was swapping motors all the time :wink:

[fastivaca]

There isn't one particular book that's helped me. What I've done is picked up the Haynes or other manual for whatever car I have or will be working on. I like to learn by doing.

One of my favorite model specific books was, and still is, "How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive, a manual of step by step procedures for the compeat idiot" by John Muir. Bought this when I had my '59 Beetle. It's a laugh just to read some of the procedures. For example when it lists tools and materials it includes "Friend" when a second pair of hands is needed.

Bought the updated version for the Rabbit. Scirroco & Jetta when I had the Rabbit and also had a Jetta.

I currently have the Haynes and factory manuals for the Festiva.

If in doubt, check out what's available at your local library or see what texts are being used at any trade school.



Ian
92 GL Sport
Calgary

"Good judgement comes for experience, experience comes from bad judgement" (seen on the back of an well prepared 4X4)

[nonamekid]

Check out the Haynes EXtreme books. There good books for new folks or even if you want a basic look at how alot of things are done. The engine book is really good.

[booster1976]

Zen and the art of motorcycle repair.

[Carnoobe]

That's more like it. Thank you.

Unfortunately my father who knew a lot about older cars never really showed me much. He kind of gave up on stuff "since they started putting computers in everything" I'm envious of Frantik!

I like Fastivacas advice about checking the texts at the trade schools - hadn't thought about that. I'll try to find the Haynes Extreme books - think I saw one on interiors at Pep Boys. Not sure about the engine one. I've heard of Zen and the art of motorcycle repair, but never looked at it.

Good - a growing list!

As a side note, I stopped and looked at the Festiva that is broken down on the highway. A 93, with automatic trans. Now I have to find out what happens to abandoned cars and get it for myself.

Thanks guys, I really like this forum

Eric

[Whittey]

The Zen of Drinking Alone


-=Whittey=-

[CryptokiD]

maximum boost hepled me alot.

to get a big and little stance, on a fwd festiva, you should do the opposite of a muscle car. have big meaty tyres in the front, and little pizza cutters in the rear.

[Carnoobe]

Well, on No Name kid's advice I looked at the Haynes Xtreme books. I have to agree, they are great. I got the Sports compact Performance book ($35). It's for my birthday in a few days.

Very good for someone like me who has looked at websites showing you how to modify things, but not knowing the whys of modification. Goes over lots of basics. A great section on detailing your engine for cheap.

I'll try to get the other one on interior stuff and maybe eventually the entertainment system book - but a ton of money on speakers and amps isn't really my thing.

I also saw an interesting book - Making the cars of the Fast and the Furious. Lots of ideas in that one.

Cryptokid - is maximum boost a book or a product?

Whittey - a fun article to read - some strange truths are to be found in that one.

Thanks again,
Eric

[CryptokiD]

maximum boost is a book, probably the best book ever published for an end user like most of us here who want to add a diy turbo kit to a car that originally did not have one.

http://www.bentleypublishers.com/product.htm?code=gtur

[qaking]

Maximum Boost is an excellent book!

I also learned quite a bit from the Ford Fuel Injection & Electronic Engine Control book.
http://www.bentleypublishers.com/pro...GFF9&subject=7 :wink:

[Whittey]

Here's a good portion of books i've got.


Here's a link to some better pics. I don't have all of them up yet, but one of these days i'll get off my ass and finish them up. I'm planning on writing reviews of each as well.

http://whittey.mine.nu:8080/books/

-=Whittey=-