Happy New Year!

Praying for a better 2026 with some luck needed humor.

And to start this year off right I thought a little levity could be in order and discuss MacGyver solutions to keep your car in a daily driven condition. That means quick innovative repairs.

My decades of experience is in electronics, photonics and automation. I'm comfortable troubleshooting those issues, not so much with mechanicals like engines and transmissions. Mostly because i don't have a lift nor all the mechanical tools. I have gratitude for all the Porsche aficionados who've given me advice in this forum. But if something happens to my clutch or engine or transmission its probably going into the shop. I just don't have the time to get deep into the mechanical areas and I need my car up and running quick because it became my daily driver about 10 years ago.

So, I'd love to hear from those of you, especially the daily driver MacGyvers, who've done something quick and easy to keep your car running.

This picture shows one of my "hacks". The two quarter panels just to the rear of the doors of my 1991 964 Cabriolet were about to totally come off and get lost somewhere on the road. I obviously didn't want to lose them but wasn't sure what to do until I came across some large black binder clips in my office. I put them on to hold the quarter panels in place and removed the shiny metal finger prongs. For me it just kind of blends in and has worked well enough during the last 8 years I don't even think about it anymore.

I'd sure appreciate not being derided by you purists out there. But I would love to see other hacks that people have used to just keep your beauty running.

Take care and happy new year, ya'll.

Black binder clip holding quarter panel in place.

 

Do what you gotta do while waiting for parts to arrive sometimes!

Doesn't apply to the air cooled cars but I've used temporary moldable thermoplastic to seal coolant leaks while waiting for new hoses/radiators etc. Won't last forever but it'll hold up for a few days!