Hey guys,
I am wondering what you all have bought from lowes or home depot for fixing your rx-7. NOT looking for the bandaid mods, just wondering what things: bolts, hoses, vacuum lines, etc can be found at local stores.

 

Not a lot .

One good trick is 3/4" diameter stick-on rubber chair feet. They work great as a replacement for the switch pads on the clutch and brake pedals. Cheap, easy to apply, work well. Don't last as long as OEM, but it'll do.

Vacuum lines, big no there - silicone or viton or go home.

They do have some metal for fabbing brackets, IC ducts, etc. Paint, sandpaper and supplies, tools.

Bolts, I'm a big time bolt *****, so I'm REAL picky there. They do have some bolts you can use, but I've found a local hardware store here that has far better bolt selection. Most of their fasteners tend to be SAE and not automotive related.

Dale

 

You can find brass barbs, t-s and misc adapters that can be used for fuel, coolant or vacuum lines. However the fuel lines on these cars are 5/16, and most Home Depots will only have 1/4 and 3/8. They work if you are in a bind but I prefer automotive-specific parts.

 

Just metal for me, but i have been known to buy a few brass plumbing items myself.

 

 

In the plumbing section is a super stretchy black self-adhering tape (Super Seal or something like that). It can withstand very high temperatures and oil. I used it when I rebuilt my wiring harness and it works very well. Whenever I see black electrical tape falling off other parts of the car, I replace it with this.

 

*I get self-fusing tape from a regional hardware store chain called MENARDS. Not sure how national they are, but they carry it under the GB brand.....


*Clear (or black if you can find it) silicone caulk is also handy to keep in the garage. Great for curing squeaking interior plastics etc.
*PB blaster. Usually cheaper than at the car parts store.
*Solder

 

Lowes has an excellent fastener section and I have replaced many of the push pins for the fender liners, etc.; zip ties and electrical heat wrap from both Lowes and HD. Metal for fabbing up misc brackets and most recently plastic paint for gauge cluster /ac/armrest pieces. Probably a lot of other stuff too.

 

Lowes sells interior push pins that are exactly like the OEM ones. They're labeled as Nissan ones, but they look just like the factory ones. $.56 for a pair.

 

Where in store did you find this? I've never seen anything automotive like that at lowes here in san antonio and I'm there a lot.

 

why home depot??? because its easy to steal stuff?

 

This stuff is in the fasteners section. Typically all Lowe's have the gray bin thingies, where you can find bolts and washers and nuts in various grades as well as stainless steel. Then if you keep looking you will see a whole ****-load of plastic and rubber fasteners and grommets and plugs and stuff like that.

 

I always steal things at Home Depot and Sears Hardware. My name is Albert and I have a problem haha.

 

nice, i never thought of that. i just have a piece of duct tape on there right now

 

Ace Hardware is far more useful than Home Depot.

Home Depot might have something I need 1 out of 1000 times, but the prices aren't worth it.

Ok ok, I've bought some hose clamps once.

 

If you're talking to me. They're in the same section as the various nuts/bolts in the drawers. They're labeled as automotive fasteners, or something like that.

Another thing - sheets of metal. They have large pieces, used for roofing, that I've used for radiator ducting (which has been really effective on the track in my case).

And on the note of ducting, you can buy foam strips for duct work as well.

Back when I was rotary, I remember a few guys talking about making "boost controllers" from brass piping/valves.

 

You're proud of that?

 

Yes very proud of it... It was a joke my *****, calm down.

 

aww man. I was gonna tell you to grab me some Masonite next time you're there so I can finish my halfpipe.

 

+1 for Ace Hardware.
they offer a better selection of Stainless Steel nuts and bolts.

 

Typical!!!! you can take a Puerto Rican out the ghetto but you can`t wash off their sticky fingers.

 

The 3/8" brass barbs with a half inch threaded cap on the end are good for plugging the fuel lines.

Zip ties.

Just walk town the pipe isle and wiring isles and you might find something.

 

I have never found anything particularly useful at home depot or Lowe's.

All that I know that is worth using is fittings for MBCs and maybe also those plastic push pins you guys are talking about. Hardware, tapes, etc aren't worth a darn there.

I've found a few useful things at McMaster-Carr and the regular auto parts store.

Dave

Dave