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THE AUTO BUILDER
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SPRING TO ACTION
Dean Brown, a longtime rodder, was in the market for a new project car and stumbled across this ’52 Chevy panel truck, which turned out to be one of the original Helms trucks. The bakery cabinets had been removed but the body was in good condition, and it was still running with the original six-cylinder engine. Brown thought the truck was very cool, so he made a deal with its owner and drove it home. He formulated a plan of attack and started acquiring the parts he needed to turn it into a hot Chevy panel. The parts included a strong-running V-8 engine, a Turbo 350 transmission, a Fat Man Fabrications IFS front suspension and a new rear suspension that would provide a softer ride quality.
Hot Four Cylinder
With the advent of the old-time roadster popularity rearing its head again, and with the ever-increasing price of gasoline, we suspect that you will be seeing more and more of these little engines in creatively altered hot rods. We know of a few being done right now, and we will be bringing those to you just as soon as they hit the road. But in the meantime, here’s a piece that took a lot of time to assemble and research, so we thought that those of you looking for alternative powerplants would enjoy this neat solution for the right, light car.
Spotlighter
NO HAND SIGNALS
Add-On Turn-Signal Mirrors Just Like the Luxury Trucks
Rearview mirrors with LED turn-signal indicators are relatively new, but you will be seeing more and more of them, especially on luxury SUVs and pickups. They are already standard equipment on some models, and probably part of an upgrade premium package on others. They are also now available in the aftermarket.
Author
Bob Carpenter
They do make a lot of sense, as drivers behind you and just off to your side will have a much clearer idea of what you are planning, and that is especially true of the “blind” side. The Muth Signal Mirror System, distributed by MITO Corp., enables you to add flashing LED turn signals to your mirrors, and the system is available for a host of GM trucks: Chevy Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, Avalanche, Cadillac Escalade, GMC Sierra, Yukon and others.
Installation of the Signal Mirrors is not overly complicated, but it does involve just enough disassembly, wiring and nervous moments that we were concerned about damaging the ’01 Tahoe that we used to help illustrate the install. So we turned the job over to a professional. Pierre Hoffmann at Auto Indulgence in Lomita, California, does this work for a living, and he sees this sort of thing all day long. He also has all the tools he needs, he knows the little tricks involved and he has the process down pat. We followed along so that you, too, could see just what is involved in upgrading to such a system. There are other kits available, marketed under other names and for different trucks, so check around and see what fits your needs. We were happy we did. These signals work every bit as well as claimed, and they are a terrific convenience and safety item. And should you ever leave your indicator on, you won’t miss it now!
To gain access to the backside of the mirror, this trip piece was popped off.
Pierre Hoffmann wraps electrical tape over the end of his screwdriver so it will not scratch anything while he pries off panels.
Three nuts must be removed to get the mirror off the door.
After the nuts are removed, this press-fit attachment device needs to be squeezed with your fingers to get the mirror off.
The Muth mirror from MITO Corp. simply replaces the stock glass. The housing remains untouched.
Hoffmann places tape on the factory glass to protect it from scratches during removal.
Two screwdrivers are used to pry the factory glass from the mirror housing. This task obviously should be done with care so that you do not break the original glass.
The glass is now free, and Hoffmann takes it out of the housing.
The rubber cover is removed from the end of the mirror.
The wiring harness for the Signal Mirror is fed through the housing.
The harness is plugged into the wiring for the Signal Mirror.
The new glass is moved into position.
The wires are guided out the end of the housing as the mirror glass is popped into the factory mount.
The wiring loom is fed through the door as the mirror is brought into position.
The mirror is bolted back onto the door with the original retaining nuts.
Hoffmann removed the door panel so that he could route the wires more stealthily and out of sight.
The wire is led through the door in preparation for the exit.
The lead wire was run out the door through the conduit that carries other power wires for the windows, door locks and other controls.
The power wire was run under the dash and then spliced into the turn-signal wiring. It takes some testing to determine which wire to splice into; we were glad we had Hoffmann, but this is easily done with a wire tester.
Hoffmann ran the ground wire under the step plate to hide it. A solid ground is essential.
With the Signal Mirror, the car behind you will know you are intending to turn. As a bonus, you now will be less likely to absentmindedly leave your signal blinking for miles down the road—very embarrassing. As you can see, this is a pretty trick little accessory for any truck, and well worth the effort. It will look good on a custom truck as well.
ARTICLE SOURCES
Auto Indulgence
1966 Lomita Blvd.
Lomita, CA 90717
(310) 530-6716
MITO Corporation
54905 CR 17
Elkhart, IN 46515
(574) 295-2441
