January 2017 Newsletter

12/12/2016

Welcome to the ETCG January 2017 Newsletter!

If you’re reading the email version of this newsletter, you’re not seeing everything, there’s so much more!

The email version just features the main topics to peak your interest. Click on an image, or ‘read more’ link, and you will be taken directly to the topic of choice at EricTheCarGuy.com where the full newsletter is displayed. If you’re reading this on the website, you’re getting the full newsletter already. Keep reading!

For the rest of you poking your phones, poke away, but you might as well read the full newsletter. For that, Click here.

Past newsletters and the ETCG Blog can be found here. (those are also outstanding pieces of digital literature that you’ll also want to read)

Thanks for reading!

Looking Back On 2016

2016 was a banner year for EricTheCarGuy. I went to a lot of different places in the world, and met a lot of great people. I made some new friends and reconnected with some of my old friends. I was also busier than I’ve ever been in my life. I loved it, but….

The thing about being busy and productive is, you’re never really sure where to draw the line.

Doing what I do, as a successful automotive YouTuber, you’re presented with a lot of opportunities. Too many to participate in unfortunately. That means you have to pick and choose the opportunities you’re going to take part in.

I know this sounds strange, but having too many opportunities can be just as damaging as not having any. Sometimes you get stuck and can’t decide what to do.

We should all have such problems, and I’m not complaining so much as trying to paint a picture of what it’s like to work as I do.

2017 looks to be just as busy as 2016, perhaps more so. However, I’m hoping to take stock and stick to the core message of my channel and website, helping people with their auto repair issues.

Coming in 2017

As I mentioned, 2016 was a crazy year. 2017, may be even more challenging.

The first order of business is to finish the #FairmontProject. For those of you that read these newsletters, you know that I’ve taken something of a break from the #FairmontProject over the past couple of months. This was partly due to my travel schedule, but also due to the fact that I’ve felt pretty burned out about the project lately.

After all the setbacks, and all the money spent, I’m still a ways away from completion. My aim when I get back to the shop, is to look past all the obstacles and jump back into the project so that I can take it to completion.

If I meet my goals, I hope to have it wrapped up by spring so that I can drive it this summer.

Once the #FairmontProject is complete, I’d like to turn my attention back to Fixing it Forward. As many regular readers of my newsletter know, I’ve been working behind the scenes to turn Fixing it Forward into a non profit.

I have every reason to believe that Fixing it Forward will be just that in the coming year, and once that happens, I’m hoping to expand the program to help as many people as possible.

Just these 2 projects alone will keep me busy for months. Thing is, I also have other partnerships and projects lined up in addition to the #FairmontProject and Fixing it Forward.

Never fear though, I’ll still have plenty of videos on tap to present to you on Fridays and Mondays to keep you caught up, educated, and entertained.

Oddly though, I actually aim to post less ETCG videos in the coming year. Lately I’ve been posting more than one ETCG video a week. To be honest, I don’t think this is helping my channel.

I think a better approach is to post good quality videos when they’re ready, not because I’m trying to stick to a particular posting schedule.

I’m going to try this new approach for a while to see how it works out.

The #FairmontProject

Here’s my ToDo list:

• Remove the engine and transmission so that I can replace the K member and front suspension.
• Replace the K member and front suspension. I’m going to be installing spacers under the K member mounts to lower the engine and transmission. I’m hoping this will give me the hood clearance I need.
• Remove the interior.
• Install sound deadening material.
• Rewire the car. I already have a kit from Painless Wiring I plan to use for this.
• Remove the dash.
• Figure out the HVAC. I had planned on running AC, but I’ve put that on hold to save time on the build. However, since I’ll be taking the dash out to do the wiring and gauges, it might be a good time to address the AC evaporator I eventually plan to run. I’m going to play this one by ear. I figure if I have the evaporator in place, all I’ll need to do when the time comes is install the compressor, condenser, and lines.
• Install and hook up the gauges.
• Install and hook up the stereo. I have a really cool retro one from Retro Sound.
• Roll cage? I’d like to install one. I just need to figure out what type, and how I plan to install it.
• Once all the work is done on the interior, I plan to re-install the engine and transmission. I’ll need to cut a hole in the floor for the shifter when I do this.
• Perform an alignment.
• Figure out the fuel system. I’m deciding if I want to go with a fuel cell or not. Also what type of fuel lines I’ll be running.

Hopefully once everything is hooked back up, I’ll be able to start it up and drive away.

As you can see, I still have a fair amount of work to do. I’m hoping that work is done by March or so if all goes to plan. Keep an eye on my social media for the latest.

Fixing it Forward

In last months newsletter I had announced that Fixing it Forward is now a non-profit. As I’ve come to find out, that’s not exactly the case, yet.

Fixing it Forward is now a corporation that is eligible for non-profit status. I still have a few more things to do to turn it into a non-profit.

I’ll be working on that over the next month or so.

In the mean time, I’m working with some of my partners in Atlanta on how to move forward with the project.

We’re hoping to set up guide lines on what qualifies someone to participate in the program, and also how much help we’re going to allot them when they come in for work.

This is something I ran into when I worked on some of the vehicles in my show last year. I had one person come back a few times to have other things fixed on their vehicle. Given that many of these vehicles will be in similar condition, we need to figure out where to draw the line with the repairs we perform. Unfortunately, we can’t maintain a vehicle forever. The idea is to get the participants back on the road ASAP, and move on to the next participant.

We’re thinking of coming up with a criteria where we can assess a vehicle and it’s worthiness to be repaired. If the vehicle isn’t worth fixing, it might be a better idea to just replace it. I’m working on ways we may be able to do this as part of the Fixing it Forward program.

As you can see, we still have a lot to sort out.

I’m hoping by the end of the year we have it mostly, if not all the way, sorted. After that, expansion of the program to other shops around the country and perhaps the world.

If you’d like to donate to the Fixing it Forward GoFundMe, click here.

Premium Member News

Premium Members got 4 new videos in December. Back Cutting Intake Valves #DarkMatterPikachu (Exclusive Video), Painting the Valve Covers #DarkMatterPikachu (Exclusive Video), Thank You & Holiday Wishes For Premium Members 2016 (Exclusive Video), and Unloading the #FairmontProject Engine (Exclusive Video).

I’ll be shooting more Exclusive Videos for Premium Members in the coming months. Mostly involving the #FairmontProject. So if you’re wanting more of my turbo Fox Body, considerer signing up for a Premium Membership.

Premium Members get up to 4 exclusive videos per month. They also get additional perks on the website, and they help support the site with all of it’s useful, free, repair content.

Details on the new Premium Memberships here.

In Closing

I wanted to make this months newsletter a little shorter. As some of you know, I like to take the last couple of weeks off during the year to spend with family. Hence the reason I’m writing it so early in the month.

I’ve come to find that you can’t work all the time, and if you do, you’re likely to burn out. It’s very hard to get motivated when you’re burned out, and the last thing I want to do is produce my videos when I’m ‘not feeling it’.

Many of you have commented over the years at how you appreciate the enthusiasm in my videos. I’d like to keep those comments coming, but lately I’ve been seeing comments to the effect, “Eric, you look tired”. To be honest, I am tired. I could use a break. As mentioned earlier in the newsletter, it’s been a banner year. I need a little time to recharge.

By the time you read this newsletter, if all goes to plan, I will have had that much needed rest, and I’m going to need it. I have a lot to look forward to in 2017 and I need to be rested and ready for it.

That said, I hope all of you had a great holiday. I wish you all a happy and prosperous new year.

Now let’s get back to work.

As always, thanks for reading.

Be safe

Have fun

Stay Dirty

ETCG

Related Videos:

Video Title: January 2017 Newsletter -EricTheCarGuy Video Description: Welcome to the EricTheCarGuy January 2017 Newsletter. Eric will summarize what hehas done in the last year and what we can look forward to the future of EricTheCarGuy! Thumbnail: http://www.ericthecarguy.com/images/newsletter/Jan/2017/January-2017-Newsletter-Large-850.jpg