Project-car progress takes center stage as the hosts swap wheels and wait on filters, then dig into Weber carb intake fitment and Volvo temperature-sensor thread adapters. The conversation widens into classic-car and listing sleuthing—AI-written ads, pre-war definitions, and guessing models from engine clues—before landing on hands-on suspension and exhaust leak troubleshooting. Between wrenching stories, they also talk ADHD-fueled hyperfocus, decluttering a Porsche 944, and even an RC build, plus NASCAR heat-management and drafting strategy.
The Toyota Camry is a regular everyday car (a sedan) made for comfort and easy driving. People talk about it a lot because it’s common and generally dependable. In the episode, it’s just referenced as a specific Camry someone wished they had.
01:30
Term
oil changed
An oil change means replacing the engine’s oil. It keeps the engine lubricated and helps prevent wear.
01:43
Term
tires and wheels
They’re talking about changing the tires and wheels. Tires affect traction and ride, and wheels affect the car’s fit and stance.
02:13
Term
filters
They’re waiting for some filters and checking whether the parts inside will fit. With car filters, the shape and height can affect whether everything clears and mounts correctly.
02:52
Term
trumpets
On a carburetor intake, “trumpets” are like tuned intake tubes. Changing their size can change how the engine pulls air, and it can also help fit everything under the hood.
03:05
Term
chokes
A “choke” in a carburetor is a part that controls how air flows into the engine. Changing it can change the fuel/air mix so the car runs better.
03:22
Brand
Weber
Weber is a company that makes performance carburetors. People often upgrade or replace parts on Weber carbs to improve how the engine runs.
03:28
Company
carparts.eu
carparts.eu is an online shop the host uses to buy specific carb parts. The point is that it’s a source for parts that are otherwise difficult to track down.
03:58
Brand
Pegasus auto racing
Pegasus Auto Racing is a racing/enthusiast parts store. The host mentions it because they can get the filters they need for their carb setup there.
04:15
Brand
ITG
ITG is a brand that makes air filters. The host is saying the filter-related parts they found were made by ITG, which matters for fit and quality.
05:05
Term
5 eighths dash 18
That “dash” number is part of how screw threads are sized. The host is pointing out the sensor fitting uses a specific thread size, and that mismatch is what makes normal sensors not fit without an adapter.
05:05
Term
NPT
NPT is a common screw-thread standard used for pipes and some fittings. The host is saying the sensor connection on this engine isn’t the usual NPT type, so they need an adapter so a different sensor can screw in.
1000 cars sir you have a thousand cars I don't think I'd attempt to try this
stunt or we owe this horsepower to Uncle Sam's too big a car like I put my beer belly on
it yeah you can't immediately tell somebody how many cars you have you'll
really give those up at a yuppie something to think about stay on the bar
don't go off the bar with your Bronco 1980 Volvo horns what's right man's
coolant he's like oh I thought I'd be small it's for a small car and oh yeah
but it's still an automatic transmission they're never gonna be light
it's definitely gonna have to crash starting off with Brad by another car
that's the West you know is this a Nigerian oil print I also wish you drove
a tan Camry anyways that's a very horrible podcast content very inside
joke they'd love to be driven hard
well to our topic hello Brad eat an Andrew how are you I'm good hoping you
did some project our stuff because I have not I did a little bit I'm waiting
on a few more parts like the car is basically ready to drive I the oil
changed in the Volkswagen because I've just been busy and what was over at
Autobahn I threw the tires and wheels for the Volvo in the back of the car and
had them mount them for me so that's all set I just gotta put them on the car
and Marco was like I want to help you put them on so I didn't put them on yet
the wait till I have a chance to bring over there help me put them on he thinks
that we're gonna change them fast again ask our team I'm like we'll change them
normal speed so let me use a little practice before you get an ask our team
yeah start somewhere I indulge him I got I was waiting for so I got the shorter
filters still waiting for the other filter which is annoying that's coming I
asked them this is the 24th it's kind of annoying but I was a little worried the
trumpets in there were a little too tall for the height of the filter because I
ordered the shortest height filter I could get to maximize clearance you're
technically supposed to have like some distance between the trumpet and and the
filter and they're like basically right up against the inside of the filter at
like one and a half inches so I got one inch trumpets just to give a little
extra space there and it's funny again the stuff I got from that car parts dot
you the trumpets that they send just like the chokes that I changed out are in
much like much nicer than what comes in the original carbs like just the
machining and the way the aluminum is made it's much much nicer so I would
even though unfortunately the shipping is very expensive because of the tariff if
you need Weber parts definitely look up it's carparts.eu and they'll just ship
took like two days came from Czechoslovakia I think is what they're
out of but all their parts are made in Europe may have all sort of parts that
make that they fit they make parts that fit all those styles of Weber and then
the clones of all the Webbers so good place to get parts for Webbers and
because I think really the only other place to get Weber parts is like
Pegasus auto racing which is where I'm getting the filters for them.
I look at them right from Redline as well can you? Maybe they don't have it's
interesting like it was really hard to find these shorter trumpets anywhere
else and the ones I found on Pegasus were made by ITG the same as the filter
company but then I was reading one of the somebody left a review they're like
two pieces glued together I was like that doesn't sound right so then the
car part ones are one piece of aluminum that's machined so it's weird but they
look a little better so I got those I got an adapter that goes in the head so
apparently the head or the so we're talking about the temp gauge wasn't
working so the where you put the temp sensor in the head of the Volvo it uses
a it's not NPT thread it's 5 eighths dash 18 so it's just a standard thread
which is extremely unusual sensor thread like only for red blocks only for
Volvo so a guy on eBay sells an adapter that lets you thread into the head and
then it will accept a eighth inch NPT sensor so a lot of aftermarket gauges
sell an eighth inch style sensor which I thought it was the 12 millimeter style
GM one because the listing didn't really say what it was it just said GM style so
I ended up messaging them and asking them no yeah it's one eighth style one
why don't you just put that in the description but anyway I ordered one of
those that matches the classic instruments gauge so that will go in and
I'll have a separate temp gauge so don't have to worry about the gauge cluster in
the in the dash anymore and then I ordered a couple extra gauge clusters
that were used off eBay supposedly working because the gauges in the car don't
seem to have any resistance and not really working so at least I have ones
that are supposedly usable at least for the important I go plug them in and see
if they work and you can I can disassemble them I could swap out the
gauges and make sure they work because the other thing is like I'm looking at
the two used ones and you can actually see the needles of the fuel and the
temp gauge are actually at rest you can see them in the little window and when
you look at mine the fuel one is like buried way to the left like below where
you really can't see it and almost the same for the temp gauge so I'm like this
these just not work and that's why the car was overheated and blew up I don't
know so check it out but interesting so close yeah I am really close and then I
just messed up the headphones here and now I can hear again I think alright so
yeah that's I know it's it's almost there we're getting there it's like a few
more you make will you make Marvel Hickers in this month I hope so it is
next Tuesday I don't know I also have to travel for work possibly next week so
I might not make it for that reason so we'll see okay by yourself another whole
month unfortunately I really like this time of year because
like it's light out for so long the temperature is not too bad yet it's
usually really hot by the time we get to July so we'll see the other thing it's
annoying too is there's like there's actually a cars and coffee like a mile
from the house I'm in New Hampshire so this weekend but I won't make that be
there unfortunately no that guy anyway no well we've got other stuff going on
like last soccer game and a couple kids birthdays so and then we should be free
for summer but yeah the cars are very very close to being done almost there
I expect to go for a ride next time I'm there so not sure what that'll be but
it's not point yeah we just gotta get now I gotta find let's start driving it I'm
really really want different seats because even just sitting in those in the
car or stationary like the position is all weird and stinks so and also they're
ugly they are so ugly and the steering wheel is huge too so you'll kind of
change the steering wheel probably do something a little more period cool
even I thought of what you're doing for a steering wheel probably some Momo some
wood with aluminum oh wooden wheel okay yeah I think they look cool yeah more
than likely I think actually I was looking at just I think the Momo Indy
was kind of cool looking as I've been to Indy so I was like kind of tie in
there the Indy's the one with the three holes in the in the spokes yeah yeah
three spoke three holes in the spokes aluminum I think that one has a little
dish to it too which would help yeah it's a little bit of a dish yep it looks
very much like the Monte Carlo yep but then the Monte Carlo is flat I think
that's the difference yeah maybe I know I know the money I have is flat no the
Monte Carlo is the one this sorry the pro tipo is the one with the holes in it
okay it doesn't matter this bunch of everyone's are very similar yeah there's
only so many so many sides the Monte Carlo is the more modern looking one that
looks similar to the wheel in your town and yeah I don't that's too modern
looking that's too racy yeah the prototype is the one that has the holes
and it has two holes on the left and right spokes and three holes in the
bottom spoke so the Indies get three holes on all three spokes yep and a
slight dish yeah the pro tipo has a slight dish very slight dish as well you
know what that's only one yep very slight dish are the flat
dish 37 350 millimeter yeah I have a pro tipo sitting around to put in the
staring on eventually so I just keep forgetting to buy the adapter for it yeah
I don't like technically bought it yeah go ahead I technically bought it for the
McCore but I put it on the car yeah because it was always being fixed mm-hmm
so I still have it yeah I don't like the one with the black spokes that work I
like the little pop of aluminum yeah no it was much better yeah it looks much
better but yeah no that look good in that car for sure yeah California would
also look good basically the same just more holes but yeah I gotta find the
right adapter to I think I had it save somewhere on my tabs but anyway that's
once it's driving
switch yeah make it move first we got a steering right mm-hmm but sweet and you
haven't worked on any project cars I did I changed the oil in the starry from
the road trip I finished buffing it and then I waxed
it and it's actually hard to look at in the sun it's so bright the white but it
came out really nice I am incredibly stoked so I have a couple more things to
do I found the exhaust leak or at least the main exhaust leak and it is 100%
self-induced so I can but I'm fixing that this weekend when I was obviously I
rushed to get that car together and I think I forgot to put the last nut on
the exhaust manifold so the lower lower exhaust manifold by the firewall the
lower nut by the firewall I started the car was cold I was putting my hand like
around all of the different openings and I felt air coming out the back of the
cylinder head and I was like huh there's the exhaust leak I wonder why and I
looked and there's absolutely no nut on the stud so I probably just forgot
because I was rushing to get the car put together so that explains why there's a
giant exhaust leak once the car warms up the exhaust leak goes away but it's
definitely quite obvious need first start the car so I do have nuts that are
the right size so I'll throw one of them on there this weekend and hopefully
that'll get rid of that exhaust leak the car still does need an exhaust but I'm
really trying to hold off until I replace the turbo eventually so that I
could just do a full new turbo back all at once so we'll see what happens then
because it is a giant wrought hole in the side of the muffler but it doesn't
sound bad so I haven't concerned myself with it it has a decent sound too so
it's fine I want to do a whole new exhaust when I replace the turbo but I
may do a back section or because it's a giant hole in the muffler already I may
just unbolt the muffler and just put a pipe back there for now because it
won't be any louder because it's obviously not being muffled currently and
the car is not super loud so we'll see what happens but yeah I found the exhaust
leak I still have not found the air conditioning leak that I discussed last
week because I haven't really worked on it but I did buy some dye and some stuff
to look at that and that also hopefully be this week but the only other thing we
did here we cleaned up the yard from all the projects and we spun the Mustang
around in its work on spot so that the now finished front suspension is facing
the garage and the rear suspension is accessible so that she can drop the gas
tank out of the car and we do have new possibly have new leaf springs for the
rear and go through the rear brakes and make sure everything's as fresh as the
front but not being all replaced so I felt good to actually have that car put
in the ground and pushes around the yard and turn it around the other way it's
been sitting for like I don't know 18 months in one direction on jack stands so
it was a huge moment to put the car on the ground oh actually I can talk about
the springs with the springs in it I hadn't done that last week right no he
is hadn't I did some sketchy stuff so I don't know if you're familiar with
early 60s forward front springs all the cars have the same spring setup it's a
upper and lower control arm with a spring that sits on the top of the
upper control arm on a little saddle and the spring sits inside a pocket on the
fender well and goes up to the top of like this I can't call a strut tower
because there's no strut but what would be a strut tower and make figures in car
and there's a special tool for doing this which I probably talked about we
talked about the strut at the car part it's this long like three foot metal rod
that has a clip on the bottom like a straight bar with two u-shaped channels
in it and then you put another straight bar you bolt it to the top of the shock
hat and you use the shock bolts to hold the top of it and then this giant rod is
threaded with a inch and inch and three-quarter not it's a huge nut and you
crank that nut and it tensions the spring so compresses the spring you have
to compress this spring a foot and a half the spring is long
almost too long and you have to compress it like over a foot to get the car
together because you have to have the spring installed with this part and have
it high enough so that you can slip the upper control arm between it and the
frame rail to get it in the pocket and then you also have two bolts on the back
of the control arm that fit through the fender well so you have to also line
those up plus the ball joint it is I don't know if we did it wrong I don't
think so it's way harder than it feels like it needs to be and the biggest
issue that we were having was you know and again Naomi's trying to do most of
this project by herself but she was struggling because every time she would
tension the spring or compress the spring it wouldn't go straight it would get
up to a certain point and the spring would start curving yeah in the in the
little tool because the tool only holds the bottom and the top is held by the
actual fender of the car so as you're tensioning it up you can picture you
hold like a you know a pen spring in your hand if you squeeze you can see it go
like sideways left or right and fling out of your hand you get lost across the
room right it was doing that and it wouldn't go up straight and we couldn't
figure out why and we did it like three or four times and it kept bending every
time you know making sure everything was set properly and making sure everything
was being done the right way and everything seemed to be perfect it's a
brand-new spring so it shouldn't be any issues with being bent or not so I was
getting frustrated but I had an idea which whether it was the right or wrong
idea I don't know but it got done and that's all that matters so the spring
was bending to towards the front of the car like the center of the spring on the
vertical plane was towards the front of the car it was like bending in that
direction so I was like well we can use this spring compressor and I can get out
the McPherson compressors and put it on one side of the spring and put it on
that front leading edge of the spring and carefully we can tension them like
Podcasters are embedding Car Curious to show their listeners every car, term, and reference
FIRST EMBED PARTNER
To All The Cars I've Loved Before
"B-roll for audio"
— Doug Kay, Host
Every episode is someone's relationship with a car they've owned. Doug and his co-hosts have covered hundreds of cars across decades of automotive culture.
A twisting force that causes rotation. More torque = quicker acceleration.
Horsepower
Power output
Rev limiter
Engine protection
Coming Soon
Learn on the go
Get real-time explanations while you listen. Our mobile app shows annotations exactly when they're mentioned, so you never miss what they're talking about.
Get notified when the app launches. No spam, ever.
We use cookies to keep you logged in and remember your preferences.
See our Privacy Policy for details.
