Practically Used Homestead Wheels

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Old components are "tender," so drive gently. If a big old car like the white Caddy hit a pothole hard enough to bend an axle, a used replacement could cost almost $1,000 installed. But so could the axle on the 1969, 127"-wheelbase Chrysler Imperial Crown that you got by swapping a half-bushel of zucchini.

Spend A Little To Save A Lot

Never use the lowest priced, 87-octane, "economy" gasoline except in an "Iron Duke" or other industrial-strength four-banger. Especially in smog pockets during winter, where the EPA requires methanol and other "oxygenators" be added to reduce C02 emisssions, the cheap stuff gives new EPA cars indigestion, and will barely run an older car. "Pinging," dieseling, and knocking can get so bad they could damage tender old pistons. Use midgrade in small engines, premium in the big ones routinely, and premium in every old engine in winter.

Even if they do look brand new, replace all heater and radiator hoses and fan/water pump/accessory-drive belts. And check for proper tension after a few days. Repack wheel bearings and install new grease seals, and grease everything. Old water pumps, generators, distributors, steering columns, and pedals have grease cups or zerk fittings that need service, but Lightning-Lube may not have charts that go that far back. Buy a reprint of the original owner's manual from a mail-order catalog, get the full-size Chilton Repair Manual at a good auto-parts store, and learn how to maintain your own vehicle. Don't use additives such as top-lube in the oil or water-pump lube in coolant unless factory-recommended.

While the vehicle is still a novelty, wirebrush or grind all visible rust to bare metal and spray with primer. Protect with paint right away, as primer absorbes water and encourages rust; a good parts store can custom-mix quarts, dip tubes, or spray cans of your actual (faded) color from paint chips. Replace seal beam headlight elements and all other lamps; keep still-good old ones for emergency use. Change all fluids: coolant, engine, tranny, and differential oils plus the transfer case on 4WD vehicles. Examine old lubricants for signs of wear: metal chips, grit, burned smell, water, or discoloration to anticipate problems. Especially look for water in oil or oil in water. This means a bad head gasket or worse; have it fixed before it becomes terminal. Have an experienced pro drain and replace the brake fluid, as it's easy to break a bleeder fitting. (Remind him how old the car is and to use a torch to break threads if they don't part with gentle pressure.)

Use the best-quality fluids you can find. I buy a gallon of distilled water from a pharmacy to mix half and half with an tifreeze (even when I'm in Florida) to retard cooling system rust and keep minerals in tap water from gumming up the radiator. The new artificial lubricants are expensive but worth it. But, ignore their claims of long lube life. Changing engine oil and filter every two months or 3,000 miles and other lubricants every 9,000 miles or 12 months can double an engine's working lifetime.

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