Audio By Carbonatix
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Well said. That’s ol’ Ben Franklin, by the way. And it’s a wise little tidbit that Matthew Johnson goes by. He operates out of Doc Johnson Restorations, a full-service shop focused primarily on classic 4WDs based in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The specialist knows how to keep an old car going, and just shared how he does it.
Johnson isn’t just pulling this advice out of his you-know-what, by the way. He says he daily drove a 1986 Ford F-250 with more than 400,000 miles on it, including several 1,000-mile road trips, using this method. Now, he’s moving around in a 2001 Chevy Suburban. As a shop truck, he’s keeping a 1999 Ford F-350 running smooth.
How to make an old car drive anywhere…reliably
Johnson uses the acronym “BORING.”
Basic maintenance
Sure, you’d think you have to keep up with oil changes, air filters, and the like. Those are no-brainers. But to Johnson, “basic maintenance” means getting ahead of certain items. He says to just on and replace the battery, ball joints, and brakes before they become an unplanned problem for you.
In other words, take care of any wearable items that aren’t necessarily flagged on every 3,000-mile oil change before you hit the road.
OEM or better parts
This one sort of speaks for itself: “Cheap parts are always more expensive in the long run.”
Radiator
Invest in the car’s cooling system. New radiator, water pump, and hoses are a strong move toward reliability. “Cooling systems are the number one cause for roadside breakdowns,” he warns.
Ignition and fuel components
Replace the spark plugs, starter solenoid, ignition coils and plug wires, fuel pump, and fuel filter. After all, “Fuel pump: second most-common problem for roadside breakdowns.”
Again, go with OEM quality. “If it’s a GM, put a Delphi in. Ford: Motorcraft,” and so on.
Nerd out
“You gotta nerd out on your vehicle a little bit,” Johnson claims. Find out the car’s known quirks and common failures. Research the best solutions based on owner experiences. You’ll find this information in enthusiast forums, Facebook groups, Reddit, and the like.
Grounds are “so important”
“People chase electrical problems for years that just end up being a bad ground.”
Sometimes the fix (or solid preventative move) is as simple as locating the factory grounds and cleaning them up.
By the way, while he’s on “G,” he adds “good tires.” You really don’t want to ruin a days-long scenic road trip with a blow-out you should have seen coming that leaves you stranded somewhere far from a tire store.
These preventative maintenance items might not get you any street cred, but as Johnson says, they’ll get your old car all the way to Idaho, if that’s where you’re going.
MotorBiscuit reached out to @docjohnsonrestorations via Instagram direct message to see if the expert could offer advice on how to pick out a decent old used car that might be worth investing all this BORING work in.
