Hot wheels to Hot Rod - Tremonton Leader

Hot Wheels to Hot Rod
Page 4
Suited to a T
Page 5

1
Jessica Tanner
Leader Staff Writer
Can you remember the last time
you changed or checked your tires?
Are they getting too worn, or do they
still have some miles left on them?
Big O Tires owner Larry Maughan
offers tips for maintaining your tires
and keeping you safe on the road.
Maughan said the number one
thing to preserve your tires is to have
the proper air pressure in them. Most
vehicles have the appropriate air pressure
listed on the passenger side door
Mon.-Fri.
8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sat. 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
435-881-2801
jam. Be sure to use this air pressure
and not the one listed on the sidewall
of the tire. Check the air pressure
monthly.
Manager Jason Peavler said, “We
suggest having the car aligned at least
every 10,000 miles or every year and
to have your alignment checked every
time you change tires.” It is also recommended
to have your tires rotated
every 5,000 miles.
“Brakes, struts, shocks and CV
axles should be checked at least once
a year. Maughan said, “Even if your
vehicle is not due for a state inspection.”
When these items
become worn and are not
doing their job properly,
they cause premature tire
wear.
“Proper air pressure and
timely alignments will not
only improve the longevity
of the tires but also help
improve the fuel economy
and increase safety,” said
Maughan.
The state of Utah rec-
Car Care Guide 2011
$10 OFF
any
Oil Change
or Lube
ommends a 2/32-inch tread on tires to
pass inspection. A good test for this is
to take a penny and put Lincoln’s
head in the base of the tire. If the top
of his head is exposed, the tire is too
worn and must be replaced.
However, this is the minimum
safety. Maughan said, “Once tires
reach this point they are well worn
out. The tire loses its ability to dissipate
water on the road.” He recommends
a 4/32-inch for maximum
safety.
Peavler said, “People should also
pay attention to the age
of their tires because
when they get too old,
they begin to come
apart.” Check the DOT
number on the side of
your tire for the date the
tire was manufactured.
(Ex-ample: DOT 4610,
the tire was manufactured
on the 46th week
of 2010). After about
six years the tire is bordering
on its life
Manager Jason Peavler shows tires prematurely
worn due to improper inflation. He also
demonstrates the penny test to see if a tire has
enough tread depth to be safe.
Leader/Jessica Tanner
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DAVE’S
SERVICE CENTER
• CARS
• TRUCKS
• AMERICAN
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DAVE ISAACSON, OWNER
257-0149
38 South Main • Garland
expectancy.
Individuals should buy at least
two tires at a time but it is recommended
to buy four tires. With two
new tires on the front and two old
tires on the back, an individual may
be more likely to lose control of the
vehicle. Four new tires allow the
front and back tires to react to the
road and wear the same.
All season tires are good yearround,
but a tire should be selected
based on the customers needs. For
those who commute to work and
drive a lot, a
winter tire may
be considered
during the winter
months, providing
more safety.
Maughan said
customers
should voice
what they want
and need in a tire
to feel safe.
There are a
number of tires
to choose from,
most are versatile
enought to fit
the needs and
requirements of
many vehicles.

Ellen Cook
Leader Editor
If you own a car, auto body repairs are a fact of life. Dings, dents and
scratches on up to dangling bumpers, scrunched fenders and cracked windshields
go along with auto ownership at some point in time. And if you love
your car, repairing those ‘injuries’ are important if you want to keep that ‘like
new’ look. A good repair job can make the damage disappear.
Kirby Rhodes, owner of Allred’s Auto Body in Tremonton, knows well the
role a vehicle plays in a person’s life, and how vital it is to make repairing that
vehicle quick, efficient and as painless as possible.
Such repairs are essential in order to maintain the resale value of a vehicle,
Rhodes said, and sometimes a damaged car, even if it is drivable, can be a safety
issue. Repairs are often necessary to prolong the life of a car.
Rhodes said he sees a lot of vehicles in his shop that are victims of “rearenders,”
sporting cracked or broken front or back bumper covers. While the
covers are plastic, they are made to withstand some abuse and bend but not
break. Replacing those covers when they do become damaged is essential to the
cosmetic look of a vehicle.
While typically most trucks and larger SUVs are somewhat ‘tougher’ than
smaller compact cars, safety
has become a built-in
factor in the auto industry.
Today’s vehicles are engi-
Car Care Guide 2011 3
Like It Never Happened
Christy Loutsenhizer
tapes up a car at
Allred’s Auto Body in
Tremonton as she prepares
to give it a new coat of
paint. A paint job is a
great way to give your vehicle
a clean, like-new look.
Leader/Ellen Cook
neered much better than they were years ago, according to Rhodes. That means,
while they won’t withstand a major collision, they are built with a “crumple
zone. Cars now are designed to fail in certain spots, taking the impact away
from the cavity of the car,” Rhodes said. That engineering provides safety for
the occupants, but a repair job for the vehicle.
Whether it is a bumper vs. bumper encounter, or a more serious crash, the
result is often airbag deployment, another repair job Rhodes frequently handles
at Allred’s. Unlike dents and scratches that can be worked out and repainted or
a damaged hood that can be replaced with a salvaged part, airbags must be new
replacements – and fairly costly ones, Rhodes said. On top of installing new
airbags, the sensors and seatbelts throughout the car must also be replaced to
insure proper operation the next time. That auto repair job can add up to well
over a $1,000 per airbag.
Rhodes said often insurances will total an older car, even if there is minor
damage, simply because replacing airbags can be cost prohibitive. Having
insurance on any vehicle is not only the law, it can also be a money saver.
“Repairs are expensive, especially with today’s cars being more technical,” said
Rhodes. Some automobile owners think they are saving money with a higher
deductible but the few dollars saved are eaten up if major repairs are needed,
according to Rhodes.
Whether it is a few minor dents or a front to back overhaul and paint job,
having the repair job done right not only gives the vehicle owner peace of mind,
but gets him back on the road in a ‘refreshed’ new vehicle – like the damage
never happened.

4
Hot Wheels to Hot Rod
Local boy restores 1928 Ford
Leader/Jessica Tanner
Taylor Merryweather’s newly restored 1928 Ford Sports Coupe
took him about a year to complete with help from his dad, Brad, grandpa
Steve Smith and Brad’s friend, Chuck Howe.
Jessica Tanner
Leader Staff Writer
Most 15-year-olds beg to drive the
family vehicle to school or, if they are
lucky, to buy an old beater car for their
high school years. Taylor
Merryweather, on the other hand, will
be traveling to school in style. He
recently restored a 1928 Ford Sports
Coupe that is ready to hit the streets.
Taylor, the son of Brad and
Rhonda Merryweather of Tremonton,
is a freshman at Bear River Middle
MO’SCYCLERY
School. Since Taylor was about four
years old, he has been going to the
Bonneville Salt Flats drag races with
his dad, Brad, grandpa, Steve Smith
and Chuck Howe, one of Brad’s
friends. Rhonda said, “He was brought
into it the day he was born.”
Restoring cars has been a long
time hobby for Brad. While Taylor was
growing up, Brad bought him Hot
Wheels minature cars. Taylor started
building custom bicycles when he was
young and has had motorcycles, go
carts and other motor toys his whole
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life.
Brad and Taylor originally had two
sedans they traded for the 1928 Ford
Sports Coupe. Brad said, “It was just a
junker and it was ready to go to
Nucor.” Brad decided it would be a
good idea for Taylor to restore this car
to gain experience.
When Taylor found out his dad
wanted him to restore this car, he said,
“I was excited. It was fun to know that
it was going to be my high school car.”
With the help of grandpa and
Chuck, Brad and Taylor started working
on the car about a year and a half
ago. Taylor said, “They have been big
inspirations to me.” They completed
the car within a year.
Taylor said, “It was a great bonding
experience, for the knowledge and
just to hang out with my dad was
good.” Brad added, “This is what I do
all the time; it was nice to have him
there.”
Taylor never questioned their abilities
to restore his car. He said, “I was
confident. My dad could build anything.”
Taylor did not
like completing the
bodywork of the car.
The sanding was very
time consuming. He
said, “Being able to
see the final project,
seeing the car in
shows and driving it
around [was my
favorite part].”
On March 5, the
Merryweathers took
the car to the
Autorama in Salt
Lake City. Taylor was
Certified Automotive &
Diesel Repair
Specializing in Diesel
Performance
12 S. Main, Garland
435-279-0669
still working on the car the day of the
event and won the Rising Star Award.
They plan to take the car to
Thanksgiving Point in May, the Salt
Flats and other local car shows.
Taylor already has his driving permit.
He had the opportunity to cruise
around town and received several
comments on how nice his car looks.
Brad said they plan to do a lot of driving
this summer.
Brad said, “He will be the envy of
his friends, I am sure.” Brad got original
1928 license plates for the car from
Allred’s Auto Body and he restored
them to their original condition.
Taylor said his experience with
cars throughout the years has been a
happy one. “I have been able to spend
time with my dad and grandpa and I
would recommend it to anyone who
wants to do it.”
The advice Taylor would give to
anyone wanting to restore a car is, “Do
not say you will do it and never do it.
Put your mind to it and finish it. It is
not fun to have a car sitting there that
never turns into anything.”
Golden Spike Offroad

Suited to a T
Ellen Cook
Leader Editor
Bob Campbell knows what he likes when it comes to his automobile. He’s had
the same Thunderbird for over 50 years.
Coming straight off the assembly line, the 1960 black sports car was a hefty
purchase at $5,000 for the Garland man way back when, but Campbell said he was
drawn to its classic look, chrome trim and speedy drive. The owner of Northern
Furniture drove it home and soon put it to good use – taking it once or twice a year
to market shows in San Francisco, as well as regularly cruising the local streets in
it.
“I would drive about 90 miles per hour through Nevada in it,” he recalled.
There were no speed limits in that state in those days. “It was a real smooth ride.”
But revving it up too much higher,
say around 125 mph, and “you
felt like you were airborne.”
Still, Campbell confessed,
he tried it a time
or two.
With regular tune-ups
and a little engine work, the
stylish coupe served the
local businessman well for
many years. Soon, however, it
was seeing more and more garage
time as Campbell traded in the
Thunderbird “life in the fast lane”
appearance for less flashy wheels. So
when a daughter headed off to college, the
treasured T-bird left with her.
Campbell ended up with his black beauty
again when the daughter didn’t want the Thunderbird
anymore. He had the seats recovered and gave it a new
paint job about 10 years ago. Now and then he will take
it out of storage and take a spin, just to reminisce and add
a few rolls to the original mileage counter 97,000.
In 2003, however, Campbell said he visualized a
problem with the classic car. “I have two daughters,”
Campbell said, matter-of-factly. Afraid there might be a
‘battle for the Bird,’ Campbell did what every good father
(435) 257-2200
87 South Main • Garland
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Car Care Guide 2011 5
Bob Campbell has
not one but two T-birds.
The black one was bought
new in 1960 and the red
one was purchased new in
2003.
would do. He went out and bought another Thunderbird, a shiny red model that
converted to a ragtop. Campbell said he chose red simply because it was the only
T-bird in the showroom at Davis Dodge. “Now there is one for each daughter,” he
said.
Campbell paid nearly 10 times more for the new model. But in similar fashion,
he made sure it could handle the road at high speeds. Campbell admitted he
took the new sports car out on the freeway west of Tremonton and may have gotten
a little heavy footed on the gas coming back. When he checked the speedometer,
he was edging up past 120 mph.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one who noticed. Lights were flashing in his
rearview mirror and the patrolman who pulled him over, while he appreciated the
look of the T-bird, had no qualms about giving Campbell a speeding ticket. In spite
of the hefty fine, Campbell said he learned the red Bird, which weighs about 1, 000
pounds more than the older black Bird, also holds the road much better at 125 mph.
Nowadays Campbell keeps his two prized vehicles undercover, but he plans on
doing a little touring this summer in the red one, just to break it in thoroughly for
that second daughter.
When he’s not driving either Bird he can be seen motoring around in his work
truck – a 1984 maroon Chevy El Camino. But that’s a
whole different “auto” biography!

6
Chipping in some advice
Jessica Tanner
Leader Staff Writer
With winter coming to an end, it is
time to free your dirty vehicle of all that
salt and grime. Also you may want to
consider replacing your windshield if it
has expanded and cracked from the cold.
Stan Summers of Windshield
Wizzard and River Wash offered tips
and suggestions for windshields and
how to keep your vehicle clean inside
and out.
When calling to have your windshield
replaced, make sure you know
who your insurance company is, what
your comprehensive deductible is and
whether your vehicle is a two or four
door, along with the year, make and
model. These all make a difference in
selecting the right windshield.
Individuals should replace sandblasted
windshields. Summers said, “I
think a sandblasted windshield is as bad
or worse than a crack.” They are hard to
see through when the sun hits them and
when it rains. The windshield cannot
reflect the sun-light as efficiently and the
water gets pitted in the holes, making it
hard for the wipers to clear it.
With chip repairs, if the weather is
not nice, place a piece of scotch tape on
the chip until it can be fixed. Summers
said, “It is worth the money to pay and
have the chips fixed rather than waiting
for it to split and having to pay more
later.”
Chip repairs costs about $20. If an
individual postpones fixing a chip, they
will pay anywhere from $150-$500,
depending on the replacement wind-
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shield.
Chips only have to be filled once
and are 75-85 percent clear. Take your
vehicle to a shop where the chip can be
fixed in a controlled environment. This
decreases the likelihood of the chip
cracking. Chips fail because of expansion
and contractions in the glass.
Spring is a good time to wash your
vehicle. Maintaining it inside and out
will increase its value. Washing preserves
the vehicles paint and wax makes
it easier to clean your vehicle the next
time.
Have your car detailed on a regular
basis, whether it is at a shop or at home.
Your vehicle’s carpet will last longer if
vacuumed often.
In the summer, wash your car frequently,
but do not wash it during the
heat of the day. If a vehicle is too hot, the
water leaves spots because it does not
have adequate time to dry, he said.
Washing your vehicle at a car wash
rather than at home saves 40-50 percent
water. An individual has a time limit at a
car wash. At home the individual
become less concerned with the time
factor and places the hose on the ground
while it is still running. Summers said,
“You only need about 10 minutes, tops,
to wash your vehicle.”
Tire cleaner can be used on your
vehicle’s windshield and grill to remove
bugs. However, make sure to rinse and
brush off the cleaner so it does not bake
onto your vehicle in the sun.
Headlight restoration will also
improve the look of your vehicle. The
headlights look 90 percent better and are
relatively cheap
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Car Care Guide 2011
Car
care
down
the
road
Jessica Tanner
Leader Staff Writer
Vacations are just around the corner
but before you pack up, make sure
your vehicle is serviced and ready.
Matt Fowles, service manager at
Murdock Chevrolet Buick, offered
suggestions for maintaining vehicles.
With the warm weather approaching,
car issues can be manifested,
Fowles said. Extreme temperatures
bring out the worst in vehicles, making
them more susceptible to problems.
“A good portion of expensive
repairs happen when customers are
not following the preventative maintenances,”
said Fowles. One of the most
important things an individual can do
is to familiarize themselves with the
vehicle’s owner manual.
Perform quick visual checks
around and under the vehicle to look
for leaks or other problems. Look
under the hood to familiarize yourself
with the engine and perform periodic
fluid checks. This can be done while
Leader/Jessica Tanner
Murdock Chevrolet Buick technician
Duely Smith works on a vehicle’s engine.
filling up your vehicle with gas.
Studies show repair costs in preventative
maintenance often outweigh big
expenses for those who wait for big
repairs.
“I have found this to be true,” said
Fowles. “Our customers who maintain
their vehicles seem to have their vehicles
last longer than those who don’t,
but there are always exceptions.”
With fuel, Fowles recommends
individuals run the octane level their
vehicle calls for. In most cases, if the
vehicle calls for an 87 octane, there is
no added long-term benefits for using
a higher-octane level.
Fowles said people should check
the engine oil and transmission fluid
level. In the summer, top off the windshield
washer fluid. Check the power
steering fluid, brake fluid and tire
pressure.
It is also recommended to have
spark plugs, filters, engine coolant and
the timing belt checked on a regular
basis to prevent big problems. When
these items have issues they can damage
the engine.
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Diagnostics is key for car care
Ellen Cook
Leader Editor
The time is past when just about anyone can
be a shade tree mechanic, doing major vehicle
repairs in the driveway with a wrench and a
rachet.
Today most cars and trucks have become
high-tech, sporting sophisticated computer systems
requiring specialized equipment to detect
small problems before they grow into larger ones.
Nate Christensen of K&N Automotive, a local
company that specializes in computer diagnostics,
said engines may be the same as those of yesteryear,
but operating systems are much more complicated.
If a car develops problems, the parttime,
do-it-yourself repairman may not be able to
recognize the source of the problem immediately.
A lit engine light may denote a multitude of
issues, Christensen said, and guesswork can get
expensive. Going to a parts store and picking up
State Farm Insurance
“Like A Good Neighbor State Farm is There”
Jennifer
Steward
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Car Care Guide 2011 7
what may or may not be needed for the repair is a
waste of time and money. A simple, low-cost
diagnosis by a qualified automotive technician
can pinpoint exactly where the trouble is located
and what needs to be done to remedy it.
Christensen said after the analysis is made,
the car owner can then decide if he is knowledgeable
enough to fix it himself or turn the work over
to a professional. Either way, Christensen said,
“It’s worth knowing exactly what to do.”
Those who don’t profess to be mechanics,
shade tree or otherwise, and plan on taking their
defective vehicle to a pro, should be prepared with
a little information to make the diagnosis easier,
according the Christensen. Does the car run
rough in the morning or when it rains, does it
make a noise during acceleration or when turning
or is the car misfiring at higher speeds? “The
more information the owner can provide the technician,
the better,” he said.
Christensen said a vehicle owner could do
Ron
Jeppeson
60 North 100 West • Tremonton, Utah
435-257-3940
some simple maintenance work on his own to
keep the car running smoothly. Now is a good
time to check the cooling system and car battery,
as both hot and cold weather can be hard on them.
Lack of maintenance can cause a multitude of
problems, including misfires, poor gas mileage or
even irreparable damage to the motor.
Women who come in for repairs are often
more guarded about sharing information,
Christensen said, mainly because they are fearful
about being taken advantage of. That is why all
automobile owners, male or female, should take
their vehicles to someone they trust, a reputable
service center with high-quality equipment and
service.
K&N Automotive guarantees its diagnostic
findings and its staff can offer sound advice to
those who are do-it-yourself mechanics. K&N
technicians are also qualified to provide a wide
range of automotive services, from oil changes to
engine repairs.
Nate Christensen,
owner of K&N
Automotive, checks
the bent axle on a truck.
The local business offers
a full line of automotive
services, excluding
alignments and tire
replacements.
Leader/
Ellen Cook

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