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006Shop manual

The shop manual

Torque figures, failure modes and the two things that turn a two-hour job into a weekend. Written by people who have done them, not by a content agency.

SHEET
006
SUBJECT
SHOP MANUAL
SCALE
1:1
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A
Buyer's guides

Square-body buyer's guide: what rust actually costs

Six failure points that decide whether a 1973–1987 C10 is a project or a money pit, and how to check each one in the ten minutes you get before committing.

The CLASSIC PARTS GARAGE counter10 min readAug 16, 2026
SHEET 006 · FIGURE 01
SQUARE-BODY BUYER'S GUIDE: WHAT RUST ACTUA
Buyer's guides

Reproduction, NOS or used: choosing parts for a driver versus a show car

The three ways to buy a classic part, what each actually costs you, and why the right answer changes completely depending on what you are building.

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Buyer's guides

Reading GM casting numbers and date codes

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7 minAug 2, 2026
Buyer's guides

Early Bronco buyer's guide: where they rot and what it costs

Values have climbed far enough that a rusty Bronco now costs real money. Here is where to look before you agree a price, and what the bad news is worth.

11 minJun 7, 2026
Buyer's guides

Datsun 240Z buyer's guide: the six places rust hides

The S30 is a monocoque, which changes everything about how you inspect it. There is no frame to fall back on — the rusty panel is the structure.

10 minMay 31, 2026
Buyer's guides

Copper-brass or aluminium: choosing a radiator for a classic

Aluminium is not automatically better and copper-brass is not automatically correct. The right answer depends on what the vehicle is for.

8 minMay 24, 2026
Buyer's guides

Carburettor sizing: why a bigger carburettor usually makes less power

The 750 looks like the serious choice. On a stock 350 it will be slower everywhere you actually drive, and here is the physics of why.

7 minMay 17, 2026
Buyer's guides

Wheel offset, backspacing and bolt pattern, explained properly

Three numbers decide whether a wheel fits, and two of them measure the same thing from different directions. Get one wrong and it rubs, or it does not go on at all.

8 minMay 10, 2026