March 2015 Newsletter

Welcome to the new ETCG newsletter format. I’ve trimmed things down and given you pretty pictures to look at. Just pick a topic you’re interested in and “Read more”, or click this link to read the Full Newsletter. You can also click on some of the images for more info. You’re in control, enjoy.

No More Rolling Around On Cold Concrete!

The biggest thing to come to ETCG since I started came last week in the form of a new BendPak 2 post lift. To say I’m happy about this would be a monumental understatement. As you know I’ve spent the past 6 years working on a piece of cardboard on the floor. Those days are over and I’m not looking back.

This new lift will allow me to work more efficiently than ever. I’ll also be able to work at more comfortable heights to make things easier on my back. There really isn’t one bad thing I can say about having this new lift. Yes, it does mean that I won’t be facing the same challenges as many of you that are still working on the ground, but it does mean that I’ll be able to do a greater volume of work at the shop. A greater volume of work means that I’ll have more vehicles coming through the shop. A greater number of vehicles means more repairs and therefore, more repair videos. In fact this new addition has tipped the scales in my mind and I’d like to add  even more equipment going forward. Things like a new compressor that can handle a tire machine. In the end I’d like to have most of the major equipment a shop needs to do most repairs. I have plans in mind for when I reach that point, but lets not get ahead of ourselves yet. For now, I just want to revel in the fact that my life at the shop has improved significantly. Thank you BendPak!

Reorganizing the Shop

Since the new lift has gone in, I’ve spent a bit of time reorganizing the shop to accommodate my new workflow. I’ve moved all the ‘junk’ near the door for a quick exit for one. I also had an electrician add additional lighting and a new electrical receptacle that also has provisions for compressed air. BendPak also supplied this ‘module’ which is often mounted to the lift itself for easy access to electric and compressed air. I chose to mount this on the wall because it seemed to work better in my current space. When I install a new compressor I’ll run a line to this module and add an air hose for easy access when working on the lift.

Thank You Mr. Heater!

Early in the month I did a review on the heaters Mr. Heater provided. I no longer fear the cold when going to the shop to work. Yes, I’ve had a gas heater at the shop since I moved in, but it was too expensive to run. I’ve been getting by with some small electric heaters but they have their limitations. The new heaters I got from Mr. Heater keep the shop nice and toasty. Between the lift and these new heaters, I’m not sure I know what to do with myself. I feel so spoiled.

Cabin Filter Replacement Videos

February was a short month, but not without a volume of work for me. Cameraman Brian and I have been shooting several cabin air filter replacement videos for Filtrac filters, 15 so far. These videos need to go through an approval process, but when they’re done, I’ll have a nice library of cabin filter replacement videos for you should you need to use them. Doing your own cabin air filter replacements can often save you quite a bit of money. Most are pretty easy to do. FYI, so far Nissan seems to have some of the most difficult filters to replace. As a result of taking the time to produce these videos, I haven’t been at the shop as much to shoot new repair videos. Now that I have the new lift, I hope that changes in the near future. Till then, the pickin’s are pretty lean I’m afraid.

EricTheCarGuy App!

ETCG’s getting an app! A couple of months ago the people at Beachfront Builder reached out to me and asked to help develop an app for ETCG. Well, we’ve finished development and once it gets the OK from Android and iTunes, you’ll have an new ETCG app to play with. Trust me, it’s awesome. This app includes direct links to all my videos in easy to navigate categories. It also has direct links to the FAQ articles I wrote on my website. It’s easy to use and will probably be the best way to access ETCG repair info on the go. Look for that sometime in March. I’ll make the announcement on my social networks when it goes live so keep your eyeballs pealed.

New EricTheCarGuy.com Under Construction

My web developer (Wyatt Talley aka Onyx) and I have also been working on an updated website for EricTheCarGuy.com. This new site will be a trimmed down version of the existing site that is more mobile friendly. We’re also working on a new forum template that we hope will address many of the issues with the current one. Before the end of this year, likely by the time the snow melts in the northern hemisphere, I’ll have a new website and an app for you. The idea behind all of this is to make accessing ETCG repair information easier than ever, not to mention fun.

The Fairmont Project

The Fairmont Project has been progressing nicely. I’ve been trolling Craig’s List for 79-92 Mustang GT’s with 5 speed transmissions. Surprisingly I’ve found quite a few. Some are in really nice shape, others not so much, but they all contain the parts I’m looking for, and it’s got me to thinking. I could conceivably find a donor Mustang that has all the parts I’m looking for, remove all those parts from the donor, and bolt them onto the Fairmont. That is one of the main reasons I chose the Fairmont in the first place, the interchangeability and availability of Fox Body parts. This would be the quickest, dirtiest way to get the job done and would not require a whole lot of expense. Considerably less than my original budget if I get the right car. With the new lift, this is more doable than ever. In fact, I could just drop all the parts out the bottom of the donor car and lift the body right off of them. I’d just need to come up with a solution to move a vehicle without wheels once I take all the parts I want. I’m thinking since I have a welder I could make a rolling jig, or there’s likely something out there in the world that I could find suited for this very purpose. Either way, the Fairmont project is at the front of my mind and I’m looking to get working on it ASAP.

Thinking of a Shop Truck

Mustangs aren’t the only thing I’m on the hunt for vehicle wise. I’ve also been thinking about a shop truck. I was originally thinking that I’d find one for about $2000 and fix it up, but after thinking that I realized that my ‘fleet’ would increase to 5 vehicles. Too many for my needs. So the next thought was to trade in my Honda Element on a newer truck. I might have found one in this 2010 F150. Some have mentioned it doesn’t have the best engine and I agree. Might make for some good future repair videos if I need to get into the timing chain and cam phasers. That said, this truck is set up for hauling, trailer brakes and all. One of my ulterior motives for getting a truck is to have a vehicle that can haul a car trailer. A car trailer will come in useful for my future plans. Not ready to talk about those yet, but I like the idea of getting a ‘real’ truck for the shop. Makes me feel like I can finally wear the big boy pants.

Premium Member News

Premium Members got 2 new videos in February. The first was an extended version of the DVD install. This video contained more detail about the headliner removal that I left out of the YouTube video. The second was an exclusive video of me and my new Bendpak lift just after it was installed. The electric hadn’t even been fully hooked up yet. I talked about the installation and used it for the very first time in the video. Premium Members get at least 2 exclusive videos per month in addition to early releases of all of my videos and discounts on VManuals. Memberships are $1.99 per month and $9.99 per year. To get more info and sign up, click here.

The 2015 ‘Meet Up’ Date Announced

As some of you may know, I do a ‘Meet Up’ at my shop each year. This years ‘Meet Up’ will be on July 18, 2015 starting at 12pm EST and running until 5pm. This will be the 4th annual ‘Meet Up’! Some visitors have come since the very first one 4 years ago. Last year was the biggest turn out yet. I also gave away a MIG welder from Longevity Welding amongst other cool items. We also grill out and generally have fun during the event. So if you’ve thought about meeting me and checking out my little shop, this would be the time to do it. This year I’ll also be showing off my new lift and any progress I’ve made with the Fairmont project. Location information and details about the 2015 ‘Meet Up’ can be found on this page. Hope to see you there!

If You’ve Made It This Far, You’re Awesome

So that wraps up another newsletter. It’s been a heck of a month and March looks even busier, as well as better. I want to thank all of you that watch and support EricTheCarGuy. I know darn well I owe that new lift to you and your viewership, as well as the hard work that I’ve put in over the years. Going forward I hope to make even better repair videos. In fact, I can’t wait to get started. Once again thank you for your continued support and helping to make my job awesome.

And once again, thank you BendPak!!

Be safe
Have Fun
Stay Dirty

ETCG