More of these articles and much more automotive news can be found on: Automotive News
A one-of-a-kind 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300(serial no. 2311237) will make its North American Debut at the 30th Anniversary Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance on August 2, 2009. This exciting performance car is a one-off alloy Boattail Speedster formerly owned by Angela Cherrett− noted authority and author on Alfa 8Cs, and will be presented in unrestored condition.
“We’re thrilled that the owner of this thorough-bred vintage race car has chosen the Meadow Brook Concours as the venue for its North American debut,” said Matthew de Larcinese, Executive Director – Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance. “This addition to the show field is certain to be a crowd pleaser!”
Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 (serial no. 2311237) began life as a factory show car in 1934 before being imported to Britain by London Bentley Dealer Jack Barclay in 1935. The new owner promptly ordered a new two-seat touring body designed and constructed for the race chassis. Many of these automobiles were supplied to custom coachbuilders such as Pinninfarina, Zagato, Figoni, Castagna and Touring.
It remained in the U.K.where it was raced and sold later to a noted American collector.
Tickets for the 2009 Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance are now on sale by calling 248.643.8645. Sales Online at http://www.mbhconcours.org/tickets.htm.
Ticket prices
Adults (in advance): $25
Children 12 years and under: Free
Groups of 10 or more: $20 each
About Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance:
Held annually during the first week of August on the historic grounds of Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Michigan, the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance is considered one of the most prestigious classic automobile exhibitions in the world. In 2009 the Meadow Brook Concours is celebrating its 30th anniversary. For more information about the 2009 Meadow Brook Concours, visit www.mbconcours.org.
About Meadow Brook Hall:
Located on the grounds of Oakland University, Meadow Brook Hall is the fourth largest historic house museum in the United States and is renowned for its superb craftsmanship, architectural detailing and grand scale. widow of auto pioneer John Dodge Matilda Dodge Wilson owned the car build between 1926 and 1929 and her second husband, lumber broker Alfred G. Wilson, the 110-room, 88,000-square-foot, Tudor-revival style mansion is complete with vast collections of original art and furnishings.
iCar is an independent webzine for the car enthusiast and brings a daily fresh automotive news. When your are interested in classic cars then we could recommend Auto Motor Klassiek, thousands of classic cars for sale when you click on Classic Cars for Sale Auto Motor Klassiek is a magazine for Classic Cars.
Interested in motorcycles? Have a look at: Classic Motorcycles Oldtimer Motoren
Tagged: alfa romeo, auto, Automotive, automotive news, car, Cars, meadow brook concours July 3, 2009
Get the right driving lessons
Driving lessons with loved ones is inevitably cheaper than going to an expert driving tutor. But does it give you the experience for life in a car?
When they go ahead with driving lessons, numerous people like to combine teaching from parents or siblings with full-time driving lessons.
That is because it allows you to get as much experience on the road as possible - which is vital if you want to enhance your confidence driving. However, if you rely solely on teaching from friends and relatives instead of professional driving lessons, you could miss out on a lot.
Anyone aged over 21, who has held a full driving licence for at least three years, can provide driving instruction. But lacking the formal training given to driving instructors, they could unintentionally pass on any bad manners they have picked up over the years.
What’s more, driving instructors will be able to give you valuable help that you are unlikely to receive from friends or family members.
For example, a professional instructor can help you prepare for the theory and hazard perception tests. This test was only introduced in 2002, so any loved ones who are experienced drivers may not have experienced it.
An expert driving instructor will also know of the likely test routes and the greatest regions to drive after lessons.
A professional is also more likely to have the practical knowledge required to get people through their test, highlight areas of driving that need to be practiced more and enhance confidence on the road.
Of Course, it is up to you to find the type of driving tuition that suits you best, be it professional tuition, informal teaching from loved ones, or a combination of the two. There is no right or wrong way in learning to drive so consider the options and get behind the wheel.
Tagged: driving, driving instrutors, driving lessons July 2, 2009
The SKY is admired for its sleek and sexy design, but falters when it comes to performance and everyday practicality. The Saturn Sky is a two-seat convertible combining power, a host of amenities and a stylish appearance for an affordable price.
Widely praised for its head-turning design, the 2009 SKY makes a fun drop-top cruiser, but falls below its competitors in terms of performance. If you’re going to do any top down driving, then you better purchase a Saturn Sky windscreen / windblocker, wind deflector, (or one for it’s cousin, the Pontiac Solstice windscreen / windblocker, wind deflector). Furthermore, one gets the impression this car was designed my midgets with is tight cockpit size and trunk space. Do this: test drive both the Sky and Solstice, and see if you can really tell the difference between them. The both the Solstice and Sky are built on the same platform, with the Sky, you can get a coupe with a removable hard targa top. However, for a real thrill, consider the MX5-Miata, as it takes the cake when it comes to affordable sports roadsters.
You get two different trim package choices, the Base or the Red Line trim. The standard model is powered by a 173-hp 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine and the Red Line packages a 260-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger engine. Both engines are mated to a five-speed manual or an optional five-speed automatic transmission. If you go with the standard package, then you get: electronic traction and stability control, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, 18-inch alloy wheels, satellite radio, cruise control, a security system, and power mirrors, windows and door locks with remote keyless entry. The cool Red Line package adds: dual-exhaust tips, sport-tuned suspension, leather shift knob and steering wheel audio controls. In the end, one of the must-have accessories is the Saturn Sky windscreen / windblocker, wind deflector.
All told, reviewers find that the SKY offers great value and is definitely worth a look. “The 2009 Saturn Sky is, first and foremost, a good-looking car,” writes Edmonds. Even though the Saturn Sky enters its totler years, this car still gets plenty of attention. For those looking googly eyes over this great car, that alone is worth the price of admission.”
Tagged: Pontiac Solstice Wind Deflector, Pontiac Solstice Windblocker, Pontiac Solstice Windscreen, Pontiac Solstice Windstop, Saturn Sky Wind Deflector, Saturn Sky Wind Stop, Saturn Sky Windblocker, Saturn Sky Windscreen July 1, 2009
Have you considered getting cheaper Auto insurance? Chances are, you probably won’t be able to hunt down anything that will be able to better the discounts that are currently available on the Internet. That means in order to get the most competitive pricing, you will need to consider purchasing auto insurance on the web. Why is purchasing car insurance cheaper on the web?
There are multiple reasons why car insurance costs are reduced on the Internet. Here are some of the main reasons:
1) Auto insurance companies find that the operational expenses of doing business is less when consumers apply for auto insurance online. For example, if a new customer rings to make a quote request, a service representative will need to be present to handle the calls. And at any one time, a service representitive can only attend to a single request. So to improve the amount of outgoing quotations, which eventually leads to increased revenues, car insurance providers will have to expand their call centers. That leads to inflated business costs as call centers are not cheap to staff.
Nor are they simple to manage. To avoid these expenses and business challenges, a number of auto insurance suppliers have been actively seeking to handle quotes on the Internet. This option is undoubtedly more economical. It is also more efficient and convenient for both the car insurance suppliers and the drivers. And usually, customers stand to benefit from the reduced costs as the prices of auto insurance are kept lower.
2) Because of to the transparent nature of the Internet, comparative prices offered by the popular car insurance providers are quickly accessible. With a few simple clicks, and by furnishing some critical information, anyone can get immediate access to auto insurance quotes. This enables drivers to evaluate prices before committing to a buying decision. Naturally, all things being equal, many will choose to buy from the auto insurance company who will give the best price.
3) Prices are driven down by discounts and promotions. As the motor insurance industry is highly competitive (this is further enhanced by the Internet), many car insurance providers have to start offering steep reductions and attractive promotions. As they are keen to attract new customers, and to encourage renewals. So, if you are a first time customer, enquire if there are any discounts for new customers. If you happen to be an existing customer, ask the provider to see if there are any loyalty reward offers available. Usually, the amount of loyalty discounts depends on the amount of years a consumer has been with the insurance company. The auto insurance contract will sometimes be cheaper if a customer has stayed with the same provider for a number of years.
To recap, you will be able to get lower cost car insurance when you purchase online due to smaller business operating costs, accessibility to offers for comparison, and competition between the insurance providers for your custom. So the first stop to get discount auto insurance is to visit a free auto insurance quotes website and see what’s on offer.
Tagged: auto insurance quotes, free auto insurance quotes July 1, 2009
Every minute you’re driving, your vehicle’s engine goes through its combustion process thousands of times. As it does, it produces intense heat. Nearly half of that heat leaves through the tailpipe and dissipates in the air. The other half must be absorbed by the auto parts that comprise your engine. That includes the cylinder heads, pistons, and other components.
On their own, these parts cannot withstand the high temperatures generated by combustion; they would start to malfunction and eventually fail completely. Luckily, your car has a cooling system. It is specifically designed to help these components soak up the excess heat without their being destroyed in the process.
Below, I’ll give you a brief overview of the three main car parts that make up your vehicle’s cooling system. I’ll explain the job they do and how they help ensure your engine doesn’t overheat.
#1 - Water Pump
The “secret” behind your cooling system’s effectiveness is the coolant. It circulates throughout the engine and surrounding components, absorbing much of the excess heat along the way. Then, it travels into the radiator which is cooled by constant airflow.
For it to circulate, the coolant has to be pumped along the route. This is the job of the water pump. It’s powered by your car’s timing belt, though older models might have a flat belt that powers the pump. If the timing belt breaks, it cannot operate the water pump, which will ultimately prevent the coolant from circulating and absorbing the heat.
#2 - Plumbing
By plumbing, I’m referring to the auto parts through which the coolant travels. That includes a network of hoses, valves, and the radiator. It also includes the heater core, but that’s less important for this discussion. We’re mainly concerned with the hoses. They erode and deteriorate quickly from the heated coolant that consistently travels through the parts. It is recommended that you replace your hoses at least every 3 years. Every four months, you need to check them for fissures and cracks. The hoses are relatively inexpensive, so if you notice crack - even small ones - replace them.
#3 - Sensors And Thermostat
Your car’s cooling system is equipped with sensors, fans, and a thermostat to monitor and control the temperature around the engine. They work in congruent of each other to assure that temperatures stay with in a predetermined limit. If any of these parts fail, the temperature can rise higher than normal. When that happens, your vehicle’s performance can be hampered and emissions will likely rise.
It is impossible to overstate the importance of your vehicle’s cooling system. When all of the components involved work properly, your car’s engine will perform its combustion process without problem. However, if the water pump, hoses or valves, or sensors or thermostat malfunction, your vehicle can overheat. And that can easily lead to expensive car engine damage.
Tagged: automobiles, Car Cooling System, Car Maintenance, Car Tips, Cars, vehicle June 30, 2009
The XLR is meant to be a competitive threat against the well established European and Japanese luxury cars. The XLR is a flashy car, what Cadillac wants to build up. Don’t be confused - even though the XLR has the same platform as the Corvette, the XLR isn’t a Corvette in disguise. This caddy has more in common with the luxury boat cruisers than sporty little roadsters. This Caddy is a bit of a candy-ass with a softer and more comfortable ride. The XLR also uses a tamer 4/6-liter, 320-horsepower V8 engine rather than the Vette’s edgier 6/2-liter, 436-hp V8 engine.
The use of lightweight components like aluminum suspension pieces and composite body panels keeps the Cadillac XLR from being a bloated luxury two-seater. Also, the standard Magnetic Ride Control adaptive suspension system thinks for you, adjusting ride smoothness automatically. With all of this taken together, you get smooth and responsive maneuvers. The joining of forces between the space-age rocket designed exterior and carbon interior make this a go-go car. The retractable hard top is a great piece of engineering, a great switch between hard top and the soft top. Whenever you pull back the hard top, then you should have a Cadillac XLR windscreen / windblocker / wind deflector.
The Cadillac XLR is a good-to-great car, but it’s not the “standard of the world” as GM likes to proclaim it as. Though its styling and Cadillac badge will appeal to those looking to roll up to the valet in something different from the status quo, the XLR comes up short in terms of maximum performance. The interior is especially disappointing when compared to its similarly priced rivals from Germany and Great Britain. The Corvette is a better car, which is $20K less in the price tag, and the engine delivers more ponies.
As fast as the XLR is when pushed, those expecting a true Cadillac sports car will be disappointed. Acceleration, though certainly quick, is not as forceful as its corporate cousin. The XLR isn’t notable on the chassis, which rolls to heavily into curves and pitches to far down when breaking fast. Even though this car is fitted with adaptive suspension with split-second control, the XLR is still not up to the handling performance of its European and Japanese rivals. The XLR does its best driving on the highway, when you’re in the straight line. If putting the top down, then don’t go without a Cadillac XLR windscreen / windblocker / wind deflector.
Tagged: Cadillac XLR Wind Deflector, Cadillac XLR Windblocker, Cadillac XLR Windscreen, Cadillac XLR Windstop June 30, 2009
Custom after-market car wheels from American Racing are a great example of how seeing and servicing a niche within an American subculture can evolve into a mainstream business. The subculture we are talking about here is the California car culture that spawned drag racing, funny cars and street racing. The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean and others immortalized the culture in song while pop culture’s Dickens, Tom Wolfe, chronicled it in his book The Tangerine Flake Cream Colored Baby. American Racing custom wheels are an object lesson in how to become a cultural icon. Get American Racing SUV Custom Wheels.
The drag race was a creation of popular culture. It did not come out of boardrooms or marketing plans - it was a creation of the street. Two of the sports’ early stars were San Francisco machine shop owner Jim Ellison and partner and drag racer Romeo Palamides.
Between them, these two invented the mag wheel. Using spoked magnesium wheels with a strength to weight ratio unheard of in any other automobile wheel format, they revolutionized drag racing, first, and American car wheel design second.
Once Romeo began cruising and bruising the local streets and strips in his revolutionary mags, word quickly spread among street racing enthusiasts. Other racers begged Jim and Romeo to make mags for them. Demand was so relentless that it became clear a profitable business could be made designing, manufacturing and selling after-market wheels for street and drag racing and American Racing Equipment was incorporated by Romeo, Jim and design engineer Tom Griffith in 1956. The company was serviced the street racing subculture until the early Sixties, when the famous Torq Thrust wheel took the company mainstream.
The Torq Thrust is widely credited with creating the after-market car wheel. The 5-spoke ‘tapered parabolic’ design kept brakes cooler while the muscular look made the driver look cooler. Suddenly drivers who had no intention to drag race wanted American Racing wheels for their car. With them, even Mom’s ‘57 Bel-Air looked like a muscle car.
American Racing custom wheels have, in many ways, transcended the automotive culture to take a place along side other pop culture icons like the Winchester, the Harley, and the Blackberry. Did you know there are people who collect car wheels? I guess it’s not surprising, considering everything else that gets collected. In any case, original ‘Torq Thrust’ wheels are highly prized by collectors. But no American muscle car wheel is as highly prized as one particular broken American Racing Vector wheel.
Where did this collector’s item come from and why is it so sought after? The answer to that question shows both the quality of American Racing custom wheels and the company’s penetration into pop culture.
Appearances by American Racing Car Custom Wheels are common in the movies. Film directors love the powerful look American Racing SUV Custom Wheels give to any vehicle and stunt men love the dependability and strength. You can see American Racing custom wheels in the seminal car chase movie Bullit, both Dukes of Hazzard theatrical release movies, The Game, Die Hard With A Vengeance, The Fast and Furious franchise and last summer’s blockbuster Transformers.
Tagged: American Racing Automotive Custom Wheels, American Racing Car Custom Wheels, American Racing Custom Wheels, American Racing SUV Custom Wheels, American Racing Truck Custom Wheels, American Racing Vehicle Custom Wheels, Automotive Custom Wheels, Custom Wheels, Veh June 29, 2009
Many women feel uncomfortable when going to car auctions because of the way they are regarded by other participants and even by the sellers. A woman is often regarded with content or disrespect when she tries to evaluate a thing, car or anything else, that is supposed to be part of “the man’s world”. Women who still buy from car auctions escape all these nasty looks by bringing a male acquaintance along and asking him to place bids for them, on cars they want to buy.
If a woman want to avoid the uncomfortable situation of being addressed by a salesman that thinks he is Dan Juan, they either leave home or don’t come at all and try the online auctions. In online auctions, it makes no difference if you are a man, a woman or a very intelligent any thing else. Since no one can see you, there’s no reason to feel uncomfortable and you can freely bid or not bid, evaluate and decide, without being distracted by others.
Those who say women don’t know what they want are very wrong. If they intend to be the owners of a used crossfire, then you can be sure they will buy one today. Maybe this is one of the reasons they are regarded as naïve in live car auctions, because they will only be bidding on one car, the one they had in mind from the beginning, and maybe sometimes even overpay for it. They know if they are overbidding or not, and even if they do, they simply want that car. Some car salesmen try to either charm or intimidate women at live auctions. A man that loses a car to a woman can get very angry. That’s why most women resume to online auctions. Woman buyers are not as easily persuaded by a low price as men. Women want quality and they won’t give up the search until they find something they find fit. They are very resourceful searchers, especially on the internet. Most women find what they are looking for in online auctions. The only moment in witch women are advantaged at live auctions is when they are sellers themselves, because they will benefit form extra attention from buyers and that means free car advertising.
Tagged: auctions, auto, Automotive, buying online, Cars, chrysler, crossfire, luxury cars, used cars June 29, 2009
Everything is rising today, that is, the cost of basic commodities and other things that people buy and fuel prices are not an exception. Today, there is a global threat for rising fuel prices and lot of worried people today could only hope for two things- for the fuel prices to go down or to find a better alternative solution. For the fuel prices to go down, one effective way to do this is to buy fuel from minor players instead from major oil companies. These major players will then be forced to lower down their fuel prices and the minor players will follow suit. But for others, it is best to find another alternative solution and one of the best ones is to learn how to make a car run on water.
Is this really possible? Can anyone really learn how to use water as fuel for car? Actually, it is. However, it is not water alone that should be used to keep the car running. You still need a little gasoline or diesel to make it run but it sure does save you a lot of money and fuel, right? According to analysts and experts, you can save 50% on fuel costs if you convert your car and run your car on water. This process can possible by converting water into HHO or Brown’s gas with the help of a few ingredients that can be found already in your home especially on your grocery items. You need the following: baking soda, potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. But it’s not putting water inside your fuel tank, no, sir. It doesn’t work that way. You still need gasoline to make this possible and gasoline and HHO will mix together outside of the gasoline tank.
You can find more details on how to make this work, how to run car on water from various websites and to make it more convenient for you, you can follow any of the link here to get more information.
Tagged: car on water, how to make a car run on water, run car on water, run your car on water, use water as fuel, Water As Fuel, water for fuel June 28, 2009
Cars that are equipped with a manual transmission require the driver to maneuver a knob that controls gear switches. If this is your first experience driving a stick shift, you are sure to have many questions. For example, how exactly does moving the knob cause gears to change? And what makes the grinding noise when the driver doesn’t move it correctly? In this article, I’ll describe how manual transmissions work, answering those questions and others along the way.
Transmission Basics
First, let’s talk about why your transmission needs to switch gears while you’re driving. Automobile engines are restricted by a feature called the “redline”.” The redline is the highest number of RPMs that the engine can endure without failing (or bursting from the stress). When your car accelerates, it requires horsepower. That horsepower has a maximum efficiency at any given range of RPMs. By shifting gears, your transmission keeps the RPMs below your engine’s redline while leveraging the existing horsepower.
Your transmission and engine are bridged by a clutch. In essence, the clutch is the connection between you, the transmission, and the engine. Also, keep in mind that the gear ratios shared by your engine and the drive wheels can vary in different gears. A 5-speed transmission changes the gear ratios as the driver shifts from first through fifth. Doing so allows the engine to make the best use of the available RPM range as your car accelerates.
How To Shift Gears
If you’ve been driving a stick shift (or manual transmission) for awhile, you’ll be able to imagine the stick positions easily. From a top view, they looks like 2 capital “E’s” placed back-to-back. The neutral position of the transmission is when the stick is in the center. Shifting from neutral to first gear requires moving the stick to the top right. Second gear is located in the top left. Shifting through subsequent gears involves moving the stick to the middle right, middle left, and finally, lower right to shift into fifth.
As a point of interest (to some people, at least), it’s interesting to note that shifting the stick through the gears - specifically from left to right and back to left - uses different rods and forks, which engages different collars.
Learning To Love Manual
One of the reasons why many drivers enjoy manual transmissions is because they can better control the car’s power. They’re able to maximize the horsepower and torque available from the engine in a given range of RPMs, shifting to the next gear when it’s most efficient to do so. With that being said, driving a stick shift automobile is not for everyone. But, understanding how manual transmissions work in order to power a car can be valuable for any driver.
Tagged: autos, Car Transmission, Car Transmissions, Cars, vehicles June 28, 2009
Previous Posts