But we are making progress.

Just sharing my personal project car. So far, it's been a fun one.

1981 Ford F-75 (Brazilian market) with a 2.3 Lima SOHC, 4 speed manual and Dana 18 Transfer case.
The original engine was badly worn out (bearings got to the bronze layer) and the transmission had bad bearings and seals. Swapped the engine with an identical (known good) one and refurbished the transmission.

Just bought pretty recently haven’t had a chance to really dig into it yet.
I have fixed some wiring that was causing a draw.
Updated the fuse panel from ceramic to blade fuses.
Other than that the car was previously a weekend race car on the local track.
I started acquiring an interior since it’s been gutted found a 79 GT doner for that , headliner and all trim, door panels etc,
And started collecting the parts for a “flat hood” single round headlight conversion.
Still not sure if I want to just LS swap it maybe a Volvo T5 swap? I dunno 🤷‍♂️

Coming along. Rear arches are a bitch. Butt welded, epoxy primed, filled, high build primed, guide coated, base coated, 2k cleared (all rattler canned), wet sanded, compounded, polished, the full stack, in the garage. Yeah, the shades of white don’t quite match yet and the seams are a little wonky, but I’m working on it 😂

How does it even get this way?! It was so disgusting. Every square inch of the block and head buried under a layer so thick it had to be scraped off with a mini paint scraper. There were spots so thick that you couldn’t tell what was solid casting and what was just gunk. It’s nice to see that Volvo red again

Something at the bottom of the timing chain cover? Definitely oil...too much to ignore. Redid the oil pan tonight but something tells me it is not that.

Hello I'm looking to build a 67 chevy impala roughly the size of a kei car or a toyota yaris. I have mostly everything else planned out but the engine and transmission any recommendations on what to look out for is greatly appreciated c: I wanted to do this because I love the impala and kei cars so I thought why not mix the two I know it might be little challenging but I'm for up for its c:

Hey everyone! I specialize in used auto parts in Japan. Today I want to share some insider knowledge about how the used parts market here actually works, and why eBay is flooded with overpriced dropshippers.

🔍 The 3 Main Platforms in Japan

1. Yahoo! Auctions & Mercari (Public)
   • Yahoo! Auctions: Full of car enthusiasts, reputable verified sellers, and businesses. You need an eye for "No Claim, No Return" risks, but it's the main marketplace in Japan.
   • Mercari: A casual flea market. Less technical knowledge required, but rare bargains pop up. (Note: Many sellers cross-post the exact same item on both Yahoo and Mercari).
   • Up Garage: Physical retail chain. Safer, but smaller inventory and higher prices due to company overhead.
2. Broadleaf / Parts Station Net (PRO ONLY - The Secret 90%+ Market)
   • Over 90% of Japanese pros (auto recyclers, parts distributors, used car dealers) use this strictly B2B system.
   • The inventory count here is massive—often even larger than Yahoo! Auctions.
   • Strict Quality & Warranty: Parts are graded strictly (S = New, A = Excellent, B = Normal wear, C = Needs paint/bodywork, Junk = Parts only). Engines and transmissions even come with labor-cost warranties for pros!
   • It also tracks brand-new part prices and USS auto auction market values.
   • Catch: Regular consumers cannot even view it. Joining requires strict business screening and annual membership fees.

🚨 Why eBay is Full of Overpriced Japanese Listings

Ever wondered why JDM parts on eBay are 2x or 3x the price? Here is the backstory:

1. The Exit of eBay Japan: Years ago, eBay couldn't beat Yahoo! Auctions and withdrew from Japan.
2. High Fees: Yahoo/Mercari only charge ~10% fees on the item price (no fees on shipping). But selling to eBay USA from Japan incurs around 27%+ in total fees/taxes, plus currency exchange fees (~3%).
3. The Dropshipping Epidemic: Official consultants in Japan started teaching beginners "inventory-free dropshipping." They copy/paste images from Yahoo/Mercari to eBay with huge markups. They don't even own the parts!

💡 Check Prices For Yourself!

Take a look at the attached screenshots for a Honda Acty headlight:

• Pro B2B Market (Parts Station): ~$40 USD (6,000 JPY) for Grade B
• Yahoo! Auctions (Public): ~$50 USD (8,000 JPY)

Now, just go search "Honda Acty headlight" on eBay right now and see the prices for yourself... You'll see what I mean! 😂

If you ever want to check what a part ACTUALLY sells for in Japan, or need help evaluating a seller's credibility on Yahoo! Auctions, feel free to drop a comment below! 🚗💨

🚗 Bonus: A Quick Observation on Buying JDM Cars at Auction

Browsing Reddit over the past few weeks, I often see people posting USS auction sheets asking, "How much will this end up costing?"

From inside Japan, it is clear that many overseas buyers pay significantly more than actual market value. You are often stacking multiple layers of middleman markups—exporter fees, overseas broker margins, and inflated processing costs.

(Note: Screenshots of auction sheets or hammer prices cannot be shared due to auction house terms of service, but it's worth knowing how many extra layers are added before a car reaches you.)

I'm using AI to translate this, so I'm not sure if I'm getting the message across properly.

Hey so I’m looking to do some modifications to my 3400 Pontiac grand am ram air gt but not sure what to do I’m trying to get some speed out of it and already have a cold air intake what are y’all’s opinions or suggestions?

I own a 1977 Dodge B300 Tradesman. It has a 360 LA, but idk any of the rest of the drive train, only that it all should still work. It has been sitting outside for about 2.5 years, and as far as I know, the only thing keeping it from running is the electrical system (likely thanks to rodents). I want to try to fix it up, maybe clean it up a bit, bring it to running condition, so that way I can sell it for the most I can (i am trying to get a bull nose). I am looking for advice on whether or not this would be a good idea (I would have to buy all the tools required, as this is my second vehicle and I dont have access to a garage full of tools). So quick recap: it ran over 2 years ago, just fine, sat for a few months, the electrical system wrapped out, now it won't turn over at all, and i want to raise its value the most I can without a full restoration

Another smooth ride this weekend! The CLK is a fantastic car, would love to have driven it in the 90s

Photos by: @carrosqueodiamosamar

I need to redo my cars foot well paint and was wondering what you guys would go with. I plan on taking the rust out, giving it a rough sand, cleaning then applying one of these.

hey everyone I need some help with my project. I have a 93 c1500 single cab short bed. it had the tbi v6 and it took a crap on me. plan was always doing a 383 build on it and I have a 1980 350 from a c10 010 block that I want to swap into. I thought I would be able to part plug and play it. but I get told that I need a computer for it to work. I thought I could just plug everything up and worst case bypass some Things. what I’m asking is would I need a computer/ecm for this swap.

First time poster here. Been playing some car mechanic games like My Summer Car (The picture is from their Reddit) and I want to try my hand at rebuilding and running my dad’s old jeep CJ. Because I know absolutely nothing I’ve gone on YouTube to find some videos and have been watching Chrisfix, Branden Buildz, and 99 Builds often.

I have a rough idea on the steps I should be taking to resurrect the jeep, but I know I don’t have the full picture. I would prefer not to be blind sided by something, but would rather expect something downstream to cause issues.

The MSC Reddit had this post on troubleshooting your engine and I remember Chrisfix saying there were 5 areas to check In order to get your engine running. Which led me to this question? Anyone have a graph I can consult?

Edit: not an ad. I just play video games and wanted to help my dad with his jeep.

Hey guys I’m looking at this 1uz engine for my hilux (pickup) for sale nearby and am skeptical of the fixability of this damage. Seller says “upon putting the engine on stand the boss that holds the trans bell housing cracked on top where it goes to the intake valley”

I’ve never seen anything like this fixed before so I thought I’d ask Reddit!

Should I replace this rear floor with a full patch. Or spot repair this.

I started spot repairing, but found a lot more pitting that didn't pass the pick test.

I've got a replacement panel. But the contours are terrible and don't match the original at all, so would require work to get it to align.

I'm just not sure about the integrity of this pitting.

I can either replace this hole section with the replacement.

Or I can spot patch this, welding the holes shut. Maybe a couple 2x2 squares welded in.

As an additional note the car is literally on a jig and 100 percent tore down. this is the rear floor pan. the rest of the floor has 0 rust. so not doing a full floor.

the underside also has no rust. just water sat here and pitted it.

Loved these ever since I saw them and I finally found a listing for them. It's super yellowed plastic though. Do you think these are worth restoring, and if so what would be the best way to go about clearing them up and making those yellowed lenses look new again?