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“Hot Rod Magazine: 75 Years” book review

For some reason, my grade school library had a subscription to “Hot Rod” magazine. My suspicion has always been that it was one of the few magazine subscriptions for boys my age that was acceptable to have in the school library. Nevertheless, I spent a lot of time in...

Shop Profile: DeLorean Midwest

As a Gen Xer, I have a soft spot for the “Back to the Future” movies and, of course, the DMC DeLorean used in those movies. Then I learned of DeLorean Midwest, a shop based outside Chicago that specializes in—you guessed it—DeLoreans. Watch this video profile of...

Watch this video on the four stages of grief for mechanics

You’ve likely heard of the psychological model called the five stages of grief. It’s used to describe the various emotions people might experience when dealing with a significant loss, and the the five stages of grief are commonly defined as denial, anger, bargaining,...

The first step I now take in vehicle diagnostics

The following four vehicles (which certainly are varied) all came to me for repair and I did not identify the root of their problems immediately. And that’s because I was staying stuck in my ways and not adapting to changing vehicles. Let’s examine. Situation One: A...

PSA: Stop throwing away brake rotor screws

Hello. My name is Lemmy, and I am guilty of throwing away brake rotor screws. At least I was guilty. I no longer commit this sin. You know the pieces I’m talking about. They’re the little screws with the huge heads that get boogered up when you try to remove them...

Best of Shop Press 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, the Shop Press team assembled some of the most notable articles, videos, and more of the year. Our goal all along has been to provide a unique voice on a mix of topics that speaks to mechanics and the mechanically inclined like no other...

May Automotive Horoscopes

May Automotive Horoscopes

Aries: Your service writer will be keeping you busy this month, and you’ll need to keep your focus to avoid burnout. Pay special attention to the effects of distractions around you. Some coworkers have a way of keeping you from your work for a little longer than you...
Junkyard therapy. It’s my kind of therapy.

Junkyard therapy. It’s my kind of therapy.

For some folks it’s fishing. For others it’s golf. But when I feel like dropping off the grid for a couple hours of “me” time, I head out for a walk in the park—in the junkyard. Actually let me clarify that, because not all junkyards are the kind of junkyard where I...
The worst cars are the best classrooms

The worst cars are the best classrooms

In my line of work it helps if you like cars. It helps even more if you love ‘em. Which I do, and far more than they deserve to be loved as inanimate objects. That misplaced affection—along with the fact that I bore easily—also helps explain why I’ve had so many....
May Automotive Horoscopes

March Automotive Horoscopes

Aries: The rhythm in your current workflow gives stability and predictability. Don’t lose it! Your service writer will have plenty of work for you soon. Lean on your focus to plow through your list of tasks, and use any down time to organize your personal space. You...
TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: The Mystery Box

TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: The Mystery Box

TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: The Mystery Box Description So much in the repair world relies upon feel—but it’s not so often you don’t have sight to aid you in your work. Watch as a few Dormanites attempt to identify auto parts using just the sense of touch and...