Bob Hamil

Latest from the Garage

What to Prepare Before a First Consultation

Before you bring a classic car in for a first look, there are a few things worth gathering so the conversation stays productive. This post walks through the paperwork, the known history of the vehicle, and the specific symptoms you have noticed while driving. It also covers what to photograph in advance and which questions to hold back until a mechanic has seen the car in person.

Choosing a Service Format That Actually Fits

Not every classic car needs the same kind of attention, and picking the right service format saves both time and money. This article compares a full restoration, a mechanical overhaul, and a targeted repair so you can match the work to the car's condition and your budget. It explains what each option includes, how long it typically takes, and what you should expect to handle yourself afterward.

Questions Clients Ask Before Starting

Owners of older vehicles tend to ask the same practical questions before committing to a repair or restoration project. This post collects the most common ones, from how long a rebuild might take to whether original parts are still available for a given model. It also covers what happens if a problem is discovered mid-project and how the final invoice is structured.

Guides from the Workshop

Step-by-step articles on engine care, carburetor tuning, and brake checks for classic cars. Each guide is written for a home garage, with the tools and safety steps spelled out.

Diagnosing Common Failures in Classic Engines Strange noises, rough idle, loss of power: this guide walks through the usual suspects in older motors and how to test each one without expensive gear. It covers ignition timing, compression checks, and fuel delivery, then explains which faults you can fix at home and which need a specialist. A practical checklist at the end helps you work through the symptoms in order. Carburetor Adjustment: Techniques That Work Getting the air-fuel mixture right changes how a classic engine starts, idles, and responds to the throttle. This article explains the basics of idle and mixture screws, how to read spark plug color as a tuning signal, and what to do when the engine hesitates under load. It also covers the small differences between common carburetor models found in 60s and 70s cars. Brake Inspection: Safety for Your Classic Old brake systems need more than a quick look. This guide covers pad and drum wear, fluid condition, and the telltale signs of a leaking hydraulic circuit. It explains how to bleed the system properly, when to replace flexible hoses, and why modern brake fluid specs matter even in a vintage car. The final section lists the checks to run before every long drive.

More from the garage bench

Reading spark plug color before you touch the carburetor

A quick look at the insulator tip tells you if the mixture is lean, rich, or close to right. Pull the plug after a warm run, not after idling, and compare the ring against a fresh plug.

Bleeding drum brakes without a second pair of hands

A length of clear hose and a one-way valve from a bicycle tube lets you purge air from the wheel cylinder alone. Keep the reservoir topped up and work from the farthest wheel to the nearest.

Why old ignition points drift out of spec

Wear on the rubbing block changes the dwell angle slowly, so a tune-up that felt right in spring feels flat by autumn. Check gap with a feeler gauge and re-check dwell after a few hundred miles.

Storing a classic so the fuel system stays clean

Drain the float bowl, run the pump dry, and add a stabilizer to the tank before a long rest. A dry carburetor saves you from varnish and a stuck float needle when you bring the car back out.

Read the full guides
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