NUTS!
May 27th
Locking wheel nuts. A useful anti-theft device and fitted to most modern cars with alloy wheels. However, what happens if you’ve lost the adaptor key? Or the adaptor key is damaged? You’ve now got a time-wasting, costly problem.
Traditional methods or ‘attempts’ at removing locking wheels nuts such as drilling or chiselling are time-consuming, usually do not work, and are very likely to damage the alloy wheel. Some people go for a brutal solution of hammering a one-size too small socket onto the nut. This can work but you’ll sacrifice a socket.
Reach for the new locking wheel nut remover kit from More >
NO, IT’S NOT A DRINKS TROLLEY
May 27th
The B-G Folding Mobile Work Stand is the perfect convenient workmate to have around the workshop or garage. The four swivelling caster wheels make it easy to manoeuvre into place before locking it in position with the two braked castor wheels. Its divided working surface then helps keep tools and parts organised. The B-G Folding Mobile Work Stand provides an ideal work surface to keep tools within easy reach when working under the bonnet or under a vehicle lift. It also comes with the added benefit of folding down for easy transport or storage. The high-grade mild steel construction and More >
INSULATED TOOLKIT FROM SEALEY
May 27th
Another addition to Sealey’s comprehensive range of Premier Hand Tools, is their new AK7938, 1000V, 50-Piece Insulated Tool Kit, which is ideal for working on modern hybrid and electric vehicles (1500V DC safe live working).
Each component is fully insulated to VDE and EN 60900 standards to protect from electric shocks up to 1500V DC and 1000V AC.
They are made from hardened and tempered Chrome Vanadium steel sockets and accessories and come chrome plated for resistance to corrosion, as with many of Sealey’s Hand Tools this product comes with a lifetime guarantee*.
Key features include a 45-tooth flip reverse comfort grip ratchet More >
HANDS-FREE WORKING IN THE GARAGE
May 27th
The MAGflex Utility Inspection Lamp, launched last year by Ring Automotive, is proving popular with technicians thanks to its unique flexibility to get super bright light in the right places.
The versatile inspection lamp can also be used hands-free, as it has two adjustable magnetic bases and dual hanging hooks, allowing it to provide illumination without needing to be held in place.
This means it is ideal for placing under the bonnet, on the underside of vehicles or on ramps, acting as site light to illuminate a large work area.
Ring’s MAGflex Utility Lamp has wide-angled illumination and emits up to 1000 lumens of More >
NOW, THAT’S A COOL TRANSPLANT
May 20th
Interest in all things MG Midget and Austin Healey Sprite never wains and there’s a real love for those cars in the kitcar industry, of course, either as donors, subjects for conversions or just because they are MG Midgets and AH Sprites!
An interesting new arrival on the scene is James Barratt of Barratt Engineering who offers a Nissan Micra CG engine transplant for the ‘Spridget’. I didn’t know until James told me that Nissan produced thousands of A-Series engines under licence back in the day.
Coincidentally, their latter-day Nissan Micra unit was very similar in design and stature and was also More >
FOERS IBEX ELECTRIC
May 20th
Foers Ibex now available as a kit again
John Foers is a long-established name in the UK kitcar industry. As far back as 1977, John was producing his Nomad kits (under the Foers Engineering name) was akin to a mini Land Rover and equally as capable off-road. Around 180 were sold. Another model, the Triton followed in 1985 although wasn’t anything like as successful.
When Foers came out with the excellent Ibex in 1988, the Nomad and Triton were sold on to another Rotherham company, called Dettech, run by Derek Chapman.
In the meantime, John continued to develop his Ibex, a more rugged, More >
ESSENTIAL READING
May 20th
The people that predicted the end of the book were massively wide of the mark. In recent years not only have there been some great automotive books released but the sales of hard copy ‘proper’ books are on the rise again.
There have been so many corkers lately that I thought I’d group a few of them together.
Two of them have come from The Crowood Press (I’m currently ‘building’ a book called ‘Caterham Cars – The Complete History’ for them!) in the shape of ‘Lotus Elise and Exige’ by occasional TKC Mag contributor Johnny Tipler.
It is a beautifully produced in-depth history More >
ESSENTIAL ITEMS FOR THE GARAGE SHELF
May 20th
Along with a Dremel and its various accessories and Sugru, one of the essentials in my garage is the products of Quiksteel. Absolutely essential.
In case you didn’t know, Quicksteel is a reinforced putty that is easy to use, hardens in minutes and has thousands of automotive uses not to mention those around the home. It hardens like steel and can be drilled and painted.
I used it once on the water jacket of an outboard motor and it worked beautifully. As far as I know that motor is still going strong and still has my Quicksteel repair!
In addition to the Steel More >
CLASSIC DUNLOP AVAILABLE AGAIN
May 20th
If you have a vintage-type kitcar or replica these new Dunlop Sport Aquajet tyres might be of interest to you.
Dunlop has just announced a new production batch of these classic tyres which are renowned for wet grip and fine, dry cornering ability and back in the day they were one of the company’s earliest radial tyres.
The tread pattern was designed to drive water away from the contact patch aided by little ‘jets’ in the tread, hence the Aquajet name.
They are available now and cost £212 per tyre and are available through a variety of outlets including Longstone Tyres – More More >
MOTUL DON’T JUST PRODUCE OIL!
May 20th
I’ve been using the new glass cleaner, which is part of the Motul Car Care range just released in the UK. The French oil giant is represented in the UK by Witham Group.
Having been on a rainy trip to Derbyshire this week my black X5 was looking a bit unkempt and before it rained (again) I managed to put the Glass Clean product through its paces on a couple of the BMW’s filthy windows.
Rather than just being a re-badged version of someone else’s product this one seems to be a bit of a star if the results of my first More >
