The day I fixed a '73 Dodge Dart with a coat hanger and a prayer

Last Tuesday I had a 1973 Dodge Dart roll into the shop with the driver side window completely stuck down and it was pouring rain outside. The owner had been driving around with a trash bag taped over the opening for like a week. I took one look at the old regulator and the cable was snapped clean through. No way I was ordering a part for a car that old on a Tuesday afternoon. So I grabbed a wire coat hanger from the back office, bent it into a loop, and rigged up a temporary cable system that actually held the glass up. It took me about 45 minutes and I charged the guy $40 just for my time and a handshake. He drove out with a fully functional window and said it was the first time in 5 years he could roll it down and back up again. Has anyone else McGyvered something on an old car just to get through a shift?

2 comments

2 Comments

blakem374d ago

Ha! @felixlee and I should open a shop called "Coat Hanger Customs.

felixlee4d ago

Oh man, that brings back memories. I had a mid-80s Ford F-150 where the door latch cable snapped. Ended up using a piece of paracord and a paperclip to rig a manual release from inside the cab. Worked for about six months until I finally broke down and replaced the whole mechanism. Also did a temporary fix on a friend’s old Volvo 240 where the alternator bracket cracked. Wrapped it with hose clamps and a coat hanger, held together long enough for him to sell the car a week later. Sometimes you just gotta get creative when parts are impossible to find.