Backdating a 2000 Sportster to look like my first bike, a 1983 Harley Davidson XLX-61.
Is the Sportster a chick bike? Of course it is. Or maybe not. I'll just report and let you decide. No Sportsters were injured or damaged in the production of this article.
Thoughts on iron head Sportsters in general, and specifically my 1983 XLX-61 - my first motorcycle.
My review of the Husky 290 piece mechanics tool set as sold by Home Depot.
Building a Chrysler Slant 6 on a budget can be a challenge, but it's still cheaper than a V8 swap. It's easier, too, and just as satisfying.
Follow along as I build my 1964 Plymouth valiant station wagon to take to the 2023 No Name Nationals in Sikeston, MO.
We use our Vitaclay clay pot rice cooker every day. The clay pot cooks the rice more evenly than either aluminum or plastic, and there is no risk of toxins seeping into the rice.
Model railroading does't have to be expensive. "Cheap model trains" isn't about price, it's about attitude and learning to do things on your own. Like kitbashing and detailing a plastic RTR locomotive instead of buying expensive brass... scratch...
In the United States, February 25 is Pistol Patent Day and marks the day in 1836 that Samuel Colt received a patent for his Colt Patterson Revolver, the first commercial firearm to use a revolving cylinder with multiple chambers aligned with a single, stationary barrel....
January 24 marks a very important holiday - Beer Can Appreciation Day. On January 24, 1935 for the first time in history beer in a can was available for sale. For the very first time in history, ordinary people could keep large quantities of beer at...
Insanity has been described as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. By that definition I'm possibly insane because I keep working on my daily photo project without a plan or even a general idea of what I want to...
A switch engine (or shunter) is a small locomotive used for switching (shunting) railroad cars. If you love model locomotives, switch engines are the cheapest, most fun, and easiest way to get a lot of model train engines. With a little care you can...
Taking a picture a day, every day, for an entire year - are you up to it? The first 2 times I tried it I wasn't. My first attempt at completing a photo a day challenge ended after only 65 days. My second attempt was even more pathetic. I started on...
I'm having lots of fun with my 365 Photo Project so far. Last month I did most of my shooting with a Canon ELPH 100, with a couple pictures from my Droid and an ancient Nikon Coolpix 4800 thrown in. This month, I hope to do some of my shooting with...
Taking a picture a day - every day - for a whole year. Are you up to it? Not just any picture, but one that has actual meaning to you and is hopefully nice to look at - no pictures just for the sake of saying you took a picture? Are you still up to...
It's looking like I won't have a lot of time to work on my daily photo journal this month, so most of my shooting will probably be done with my Droid or my ELPH 100. I haven't been getting good pics with my Fuji X100 - I can coax a few very nice...
The 365 photo challenge - how simple could it be? Just take 1 picture a day, every day, for a whole year. Can't get more simple than that, right? OK, how HARD is the 365 day photo challenge? One picture a day, EVERY day, for and ENTIRE year. Rain or shine, healthy or sick, bored or "too busy tod
Lomography (low tech photography with cheap, junky plastic cameras) lets you have a lot of fun taking pictures without spending a fortune on equipment. If you're burned out on expensive cameras and gear, give lomography a try.
The Holga is a cheap plastic camera that takes great pictures. If you're interested in lomography photography and don't want to spend a small fortune getting started, you can buy a Holga 120N for less than $30 delivered to your door. The Holga comes...
Learning how to write your name in Chinese is easy and it's lots of fun. Chinese characters are beautiful, timeless, and they even make great designs for tattoos or art work. Unless you know the Chinese language though it's easy to get a design that...
Find out where to get your check engine light checked for free, how to turn it off, and how to get it fixed without getting ripped off.
Building a crystal radio is a fun project to build with your kids or even by yourself. Crystal radios are beauty in simplicity - they receive and play radio signals without an external power supply. They're one of the most simple electronic circuits...
The MC14500 is the smallest microprocessor ever produced - it has a 1 bit data bus. You probably wouldn't want to build a general purpose computer with one, but the MC14500B was very useful in industrial control applications, where it replaced...
One of the easiest and best ways to get started in model railroading is with a 4x8 train layout in HO scale. Get some track planning ideas here.
My first computer was a COSMAC Elf. I built mine from a kit, but Popular Electronics Magazine had an article on how to build one from scratch. With modern computers having billions of bytes of memory and spectacular video displays, the idea of a...
A train set is one of the best Christmas presents you can give a child. Model trains and toy trains not only make for a traditional Christmas, but they can grow into life-long hobbies that can be passed from generation to generation. I still...
I love my 66 Barracuda. The interior is trashed and it has a puny, weak 7-1/4" differential but the body is straight and rust free and the paint looks pretty good. When I bought it, it came with a 273 2-bbl and 904 auto. I replaced the engine with a...
In the early 1970's, Personal Computers hadn't been invented and the slide rule was the standard way to make scientific and complex mathematical calculations. In 1972, a small company called Hewlett-Packard put an end to the slide rule era with the...
"They once roamed the face of the North American continent in great numbers. They were awesome, powerful beasts, shaking the earth beneath them. While they existed, they were feared by the weak. Their stay on this planet was brief - less than two...
The Mopar 340 Six Pack was a special version of Chrysler's 340 small block, produced one year only for the 1970 AAR Cuda and Challenger T/A.
Tips and resources to build a small-block Mopar 360.
Find the best parts for your Mopar 340 - 340 race blocks, Mopar restoration blocks, racing and high performance cylinder heads, pistons, connecting rods, forged crankshaft, and more The 340 Mopar is the best choice for building a high performance or...
Here's how to build a 318 engine step by step with resources, recommendations, and suggestions from experience.
The Mopar 273 was Chrysler's first LA small block V8. It was introduced in 1964 with a 2-barrel carburetor and made 180 HP.
The Chrysler Slant Six is a great car to build and upgrade for performance. And it's fun!
The Station Wagon is an American classic. Station Wagons look better, handle better, and are more practical than any mini van or "SUV" could ever hope to be. They make great project cars, hot rods, and even race cars. It goes without saying that...
I love my 1964 Plymouth Valiant station wagon. It's the first car my wife and I bought together (for only $500) and it's the car I taught her to drive in. I also like it because it reminds my of my best friend's 64 Valiant Signet he had when we were...
Building a great running small block Mopar is easy - as long as you know what parts to use and have a machine shop that's knowledgeable about the finer points of Mopar power. Running a small block Mopar also makes a statement. Nothing against Chevy,...