Overland Park Auto Repair

I have learned over the last 15 years that who I decide to buy parts from simply boils down to an emotional decision. That has not always been the case. I buy all kinds of auto parts. About half come from aftermarket companies and the other half from local dealerships. When I first started in business for myself in 1994 I looked for the lowest price, best quality, and quickest service. Other things I considered were warranty, the ordering process, and payment terms. How I make the decision now is not that cut and dried. Price Price is like a funny piece of art in the middle of your coffee table. Guests look at it and ask because it’s there, then the conversation goes elsewhere. I order most all my parts online now. It is very easy to look up the part and see who has availability and price. This Internet stuff was a great idea. The accuracy of selecting the correct part is as good as the computerized catalog you have to pick from and my ability to use a mouse. The errors are ... read more

Most cars have a temperature gauge on the dash. Some just have a warning light. The normal reading for a gauge is usually just below halfway. If your temperature gauge should read abnormally high, which I call near or in the red zone, there are some important steps to take to keep from damaging your engine and to keep you safe. It is not unusual to hear a little gurgling sound from under the hood, especially on a very hot day with your air conditioner on. However, puddles of green fluid under the engine are not normal. It does not take long to damage an engine when it overheats. If your gauge never quite reaches the red zone, then generally you need not worry about damage. However, if it is operated in the red zone while driving or idling,even for a few minutes, you can potentially damage or weaken the engine. First off you should form a habit of glancing at your gauges periodically. I usually look at all of them when I check how much gas I have. If you are dri ... read more

’m a car guy, gearhead, hot-rodder and enthusiast, and was fortunate to grow up during the late 60s muscle car era. To this day, I feel they stopped building great cars after 1972. My ride is a 1966 Chevrolet El Camino, which is the pickup truck version of the Chevelle. The story of how and why I unexpectedly ended up with the El Camino is an important chapter in my life. Here are the specs: The engine is an early 1990 small block Chevy with a Z28 profile roller cam of the same era. The Racing Head Service cylinderheads are reworked with epoxy downsized intake runners for better low end response; dual plane intake with flow work, Holley 650 carb, HEI ignition, header and two-and-a-quarter-inch dual exhaust. The lower end is pretty much stock, zero deck height and nicely balanced. The engine was designed for low rpm throttle response, good torque and fuel economy. The 700R4 transmission gives great off-the-stoplight acceleration, plus the OD and 3.73 rear gear combination makes fo ... read more