Shop Press

Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle.

From the creative minds at:

FEATURE STORY

Hot Off the Press

Stress Test Vehicle Grounds

Pop quiz, no cheating: how many amps does the ground side of any circuit conduct? If you said, “As many as the hot side,” get yourself a gold star and skip this article. For the rest of us who weren’t born innately knowing the answer to that question, stick with me...

The Tightwad’s Way To Install Any Wheel Bearing Race

I don’t own a bearing race driver kit, and I haven’t in 20 years of fixing stuff. I also refuse to use sockets to drive a race. I learned a method a long time ago I’ll pass along to you newer techs: I use the race I’m replacing. I primarily have used this trick when...

Shop Profile: Locked N Loaded 4×4

I’ve owned two Jeeps–the 1973 Super Jeep CJ-5 featured in a previous Shop Press article, and a 2010 Wrangler Sahara. The reliability and my enjoyment of the former wasn’t “super” in any way despite American Motors’ best efforts at model name puffery, and the latter...

Check Out This Hacky Diag Tool

Disclaimer: Dorman Products purchased this kit at full price.In the interest of serious investigative reporting, I swiped the Shop Press credit card for $14.83 to try out a diag tool I thought looked super-cool: the relay bypass. What’s that? Short version: Imagine a...

Watch This Video on the Inventor Who Put Lead in Gasoline

by | May 1, 2025

Recently, I went down an internet rabbit hole about why gasoline once had lead in it and how it got removed. In my searches, I found this video on inventor Thomas Midgley Jr., who not only invented leaded gasoline to combat engine knocking but also synthesized chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Midgley’s work transformed cars and transportation: cars were more reliable, more convenient, and more comfortable as a result of his work. However, in doing so, he also invented a gasoline that was dangerous to both humans and the environment. For better or worse, he raised the bar for what the automobile could be and do.

With CFCs, Midgely made air conditioning and refrigeration more commercially viable and affordable when it was not, improving the quality of life, food safety, and industrial processes for Americans. Again, however, he also invented a chemical that was bad for the environment.

Midgley was not immune to the dangers of his inventions, as he himself suffered from symptoms of lead poisoning and had to take a break to recover.

Check out this video on Midgley and his inventions, which, despite their benefits, have unfortunately also caused damage to human life and the environment.

The articles and other content contained on this site may contain links to third party websites. By clicking them, you consent to Dorman’s Website Use Agreement.

Related Articles

Shop Press Comment Policy

Participation in this forum is subject to Dorman’s Website Terms & Conditions. Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline feedback
View all comments

Get Articles In Your Inbox

Subscribe to receive a monthly email summary of our latest Shop Press stories.

Shop Press

I agree to the above privacy statement and T&Cs

Thanks! You're now subscribed.