good luck Russ, I know how sucky the tech job market is here at the surface of the sun. While I have permanent type job, it barely has anything to do with my acquired skill set or degree in electronics...so I keep looking for a needle in a haystack that's not a temp job or contract job.
? if this motor is actually 427 based, I would call them BBF headers okay, nevermind. silly me, failed to research and see that this motor is small block based and not based on ford's older 427 block.
Unless you're working on a large scale steering wheel, I think bread ties will be too large to look like "scale" steering wheel wrap. The closest thing I can suggest would be to use fishing line to wrap the steering wheel then sand it till it is flatter but still hast the spiral appearance.
If no one wants the magazines, you could submit them to Goodwill or Salvation Army. That way they wouldn't go directly in the trash and some or all of them may be purchased by some builder short on funds. You may be able to get a tax deduction if you choose to itemize and claim value of the magazines. In Arizona there are "used book stores" that give store credit in exchange for magazines, this may be an option where you live.