By Jeff Glucker
This week, I am working on a shoot where I wrench on a vehicle and install some basic parts. It’s funny I know when you consider that I’m not a great wrench. Thankfully, most of this stuff is very basic. And even better is that I’m working with two of the most modern vehicles upon which I’ve ever put a socket to bolt. Our subject vehicles are a 2016 Ford F-250 and a 2007 Toyota Camry. These are the easiest cars I’ve ever worked on.
Sure, things would get more complicated if I had to diagnose codes and dive into the engines. Especially on the F-250 with its four heat exchangers, dual fuel pumps in tough spots, and extremely crowded engine bay. Instead, we’re dealing with simple fixes like broken taillights or headlights, swapping out bumpers, and replacing side mirrors, fenders, and more similar items.
All the bolts turn nicely. The parts come off relatively easily. And the new stuff fits perfectly.
So for right now, these are the two easiest vehicles on which I’ve worked. My tune could change as we dive into slightly more complicated stuff as the shoot goes on.
For now though, I want to know about the easiest vehicle that you’ve worked on… sound off below!
NA/NB Eunos Roadster (Miata) – it’s easier to work on than even most regular cars of the same age (regular car here of course being mostly transverse FWD)
Most things are easily accessible, the engine bay is not packed, FR longitudinal makes clutch changes easier, but without the heft of say a US pickup truck. All the bolts are like a 10 or a 12 or something predictable rather than the “mixed nuts” approach of Peugeot.
One designed to be fixed in a field by a farmboy with a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench. Fourteen wires in the loom. Even available with a glass float bowl so you can see if there’s fuel flowing.
I replaced a transmission single handedly on one once.
The IH Scout 80.
1994 Toyota Land Cruiser was the easiest. Partly because of the vehicle itself, but also the knowledgeable owners that exist. If you can think of it, someone has probably already modified their Land Cruiser that way. It has a decent-sized engine bay too.
Taken in its entirety, my former 1937 Plymouth P4. It shared the virtues Batshitbox listed above for a Scout with the advantage of even fewer wires in the loom. No need to worry about turn signals, for example, if it never had them in the first place.
I expected that you would have picked the Xebra. I recall you didn’t repair much of anything on that car, and whatever you did could be accomplished with basic cutting tools.
My F100 has a favorable ratio of “not a lot of complicated parts” to “a lot of space to fit everything”, but then I remember that the headlight switch had to be removed for replacement of one of the five fuses that ran the truck.
The main reason I cut the Xebra into pieces without fixing anything was that the steering linkage had shattered in a location that, from what I could tell, was unreachable without cutting open the fiberglass shell anyway, which significantly lowered my opinion of its repairability. Besides, technically it was a motorcycle…
The Plymouth had two fuses, one inline for the horn and one at the ammeter for the lights.
Yeah the F100 was pretty great.
The Imp is pretty easy overall, for example you can take the engine/gearbox out without any lifting (do need a jack). One-page wiring diagram (no fuses…), everything is small and light.
My Thunderbird is a joy because it’s simple and from California so nothing is rusted together.
My 318ti was a joy because it seemed like it was designed to be worked on. My next generation E46 was, um, not.
A friend had a 1967 Triumph Spitfire. With the hood open it looked like you could walk up and remove the dinky little 1200cc engine in 5 minutes.
Jeep Wrangler 4.0L