The Garage Manual

Stories, garage truths, project-car problems, missing tools, bad decisions, and the occasional useful piece of advice. The Garage Manual is for mechanics, car guys, builders, fixers, and anyone who knows a 20-minute job is probably taking all weekend.
Why Every Car Guy Needs a Prius Tee (Even If They'll Never Admit It)
Why Every Car Guy Needs a Prius Tee (Even If They'll Never Admit It)
A tongue-in-cheek breakdown of the Prius-owning V8 guy psychic - low miles, snacks, highway lux - rooted in the brand's 'Your Prius Will Pee Itself' and 'Hybrid LOL' tees, built... Read more...
10 Best Cheap Project Trucks That Are Still All Over the Market Under $5,000
10 Best Cheap Project Trucks That Are Still All Over the Market Under $5,000
An honest roundup of the trucks and SUVs you can still grab cheap and actually fix, with what to look for, common rot spots, and what you'll realistically spend before... Read more...
Man inspecting the open engine bay of a freshly unloaded old project truck with the trailer still hooked up
Why We Always Think the Next Project Will Be Easier
Every project starts with the same lie: this one will be easier. A Garage Manual look at why experience never seems to stop us from dragging home another project. Read more...
Why Comfort Colors 1717 Is the Only Shirt Worth Wearing Under a Hood
Why Comfort Colors 1717 Is the Only Shirt Worth Wearing Under a Hood
Why do we print Nine Sixteen Premium Graphic Tees on Comfort Colors 1717? Because a premium garage shirt should feel substantial, broken-in, and good enough to wear long after the... Read more...
Mechanic working on an old truck in a cluttered garage during a frustrating repair
The 7 Biggest Lies We Tell Ourselves in the Garage
Every garage has its own collection of famous lies: “It’ll only take an hour,” “I have that tool,” and the all-time classic, “I’m keeping this one stock.” Here are a... Read more...
Classic blue pickup truck and covered project cars sitting inside a shop surrounded by car parts.
The Project Car Hierarchy: Why Car Guys Have Too Many Projects
Every car guy starts with one project. Then comes the deal that’s too good to pass up, the parts car that deserves saving, and the truck you’ll “finish this winter.”... Read more...
A massive pile of chrome 10mm sockets resting on a worn shop workbench.
Where Do 10mm Sockets Go? The Witness Protection Program Theory
Every mechanic has lost a 10mm socket. The real question is where they go. Our theory: witness protection. Here’s why the most-used socket in the garage always disappears at the... Read more...