So, I installed a CD player in my GP today. (Should say reinstalled, seeing as the old one was stolen out of it last year.) I also upgraded to a set of 6x9 speakers in the rear. As I was making custom brackets and enclosures for them out of zip-ties and foam weatherstripping, it got me thinking about how many other things in my car are rigged up like that. My headlight switch is also held together with a zip-tie. I've had my dash apart so many times, half the screws that hold the gauge lenses and faces on are either missing or stripped out. I broke the track the PRNDL indicator slides on, and reconstructed it out of Mighty Putty and...you guessed it...zip-ties! I want to know what some of you guys have MacGuyver'ed in you cars, or anywhere else for that matter.
What's your most 'ghetto-rigged' repair/mod on your car?
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LOL
soup can and hose clamps to hold the exhaust together was my favorite before I had it welded solid. Also using assorted bolts to block unneeded vacuum lines is a good one
on the GP, it is definately this "torque chain" which is largely there for show, rather than function...
but much worse than this, I once had a Saturn wagon with the front frame held together with zip-ties... those things are mighty strong when used correctly
Because no one makes a dipstick tube that'll work with both passenger side oil pan locations and long tube headers, I have a bolt held in with some RTV. Temporary hopefully.
Today's was using a washer to space out the flange holding the cat to the head pipe. Why? Well... it was raining and I needed the car to deliver pizza for 12 hours and the cat is plugged. Rather than miss out on the income, I decided to rig it so I could make money. As it was loud and not a perfect fix, I also kept the engine under 2500 rpm the whole day. I will probably fix it tomorrow before work and after I drop my truck off at the trans shop for a rebuild.
My '79 Malibu wagon was so rusty in the back, that the mounting tabs for the driver side bumper shock broke loose from the frame, and under the weight of the bumper, it let the shock fall down through the frame rail (told you it was rusty) and left the rear bumper hanging by a thread.
First we tried welding a couple pieces of steel to it after work to hold it up, but it was too rusty, and couldn't make it stick.
My solution was to buy two $10 ratchet straps from the gas station.
I first hooked the strap in the somewhat solid frame rail just behind the rear tires, pulled it back and looped it around the bumper shock, then tucked the strap in between body and the rear bumper filler and up through the tailgate. Then, I swung the strap over to the opposite side and hooked it onto the corner of the metal cargo floor and tightened it up so there was an X pattern across the rear cargo floor. Worked like a charm.
Rocked it like that for over 2 years until I finally stopped driving it. I miss that car.
First we tried welding a couple pieces of steel to it after work to hold it up, but it was too rusty, and couldn't make it stick.
My solution was to buy two $10 ratchet straps from the gas station.
I first hooked the strap in the somewhat solid frame rail just behind the rear tires, pulled it back and looped it around the bumper shock, then tucked the strap in between body and the rear bumper filler and up through the tailgate. Then, I swung the strap over to the opposite side and hooked it onto the corner of the metal cargo floor and tightened it up so there was an X pattern across the rear cargo floor. Worked like a charm.
Rocked it like that for over 2 years until I finally stopped driving it. I miss that car.
I will share another one with the class: I was stopped at a 7-11 out in the sticks for some unknown reason one night when a girl/beachball had her car die right there in the parking lot. I always carry a lot of tools, so I proceeded to try and help. well, the problem with her bland piece of FWD 80's GM crap ( J body or N body) was a shredded alternator belt. It was 11pm and she needed to get home about 5 miles away. What was my solution, you ask? Well, she had a lanyard around her neck, so i had her give it to me, and I cut it down to the proper length and made a new belt out of it. I loosened the alternator to it's max looseness, tied it on and tensioned it. Then I had her let the car run for a few minutes after jumping it to give her a full charge to the battery before leaving. That way if the thing broke again, she could at least get home and get out to buy a belt in the morning by getting a ride.
most ghetto rigged piece on mine currently, is probably just when the electric choke decides to stick, my girl tosses me a hair tie to keep it open, as long as iit doesnt have a random back fire through the carb it works well.
I have been de-ghettoing it from when my uncle had it. Here are the mods he did:
(1) Heater core was leaking so he ran heater hoses through holes in the firewall to an aftermarker underdash heater unit that was just sitting on the passenger floor. It was wired directly to the battery and had house light switch wired to turn it on and off. A dryer duct hose was routed from the heater outlet to the windshield for defrost action and it was clamped to the instrument cluster padded dash surround. The clamp mark is still there, unfortunately.
(2) Horn didn't work so he had a bicycle honk horn on the dash to pass inspection.
(3) Tailgate lock was busted so he grinded down a piece of metal to fit in the hole that would turn the latch.
(4) Clothespins on the fuel line to prevent vapor lock???!?!!??!? WTF?
(5) Driver interior door handle broke off the lower door panel was ripped off and a rope was tied to the rod that unlatches the door.
I think that's about it.
(1) Heater core was leaking so he ran heater hoses through holes in the firewall to an aftermarker underdash heater unit that was just sitting on the passenger floor. It was wired directly to the battery and had house light switch wired to turn it on and off. A dryer duct hose was routed from the heater outlet to the windshield for defrost action and it was clamped to the instrument cluster padded dash surround. The clamp mark is still there, unfortunately.
(2) Horn didn't work so he had a bicycle honk horn on the dash to pass inspection.
(3) Tailgate lock was busted so he grinded down a piece of metal to fit in the hole that would turn the latch.
(4) Clothespins on the fuel line to prevent vapor lock???!?!!??!? WTF?
(5) Driver interior door handle broke off the lower door panel was ripped off and a rope was tied to the rod that unlatches the door.
I think that's about it.
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