Finding Truck Parts For Your Restoration
June 30, 2007
Finding Truck Parts For Your Restoration
by: James McDonald
During your search for older truck parts you may become frustrated trying to find specifically what you need. This is especially hard since these parts are no longer made, forcing you to hunt through used inventories at a variety of locations. So where do you look for accessories for the old truck? There are some places to start that can aid in your searching.
One place to start looking is right on the internet. There are alot of websites specializing in cheap parts for old cars and trucks. Many update their inventory frequently so you can quickly see if they stock just what you need for your vintage pickup truck. Shopping this way is convenient since you don’t have to leave your home and can have the parts shipped right to your door.
Another great place to find vintage truck parts is at your local junkyard. This can be a hit-and-miss proposition, depending on how large their lot is and what types of vehicles have been junked lately. Don’t underestimate the importance of trying this though as you may be pleasantly surprised at what you can find. This is also probably the cheapest method of finding old parts for any type of vehicle.
Certified Used Car Still a Risk to Buy
June 29, 2007
Certified Used Car Still a Risk to Buy
by: Charles Essmeier
With the price of a new car getting higher and higher each year, many buyers choose to buy used cars instead. The price of a new car can easily equal a year’s pay for many people, so buying a used car makes sense. But there are risks associated with buying a pre-owned vehicle. What if is defective? What if it is a lemon law buyback? Once should always be a bit suspicious of a used vehicle. After all, if it is a great buy, then why did the original owner choose to part with it?
To resolve some of these issues, as well as to compete with volume dealers of used cars such as Carmax, the major auto manufacturers have introduced the concept of a “certified used car.” These cars are inspected for problems, repaired if necessary, and offered for sale with a warranty that is better than the one typically offered with sales of used cars. In exchange for this added peace of mind, the buyer pays a higher price than he or she otherwise might.
eBay. Are they the Best Option for Collector Cars?
June 29, 2007
eBay. Are they the Best Option for Collector Cars?
by: Shane Corliss
eBay is the largest online auction site in the world. You can find anything from Wind Captured from the Katrina Hurricane to Rare Antiques. They have made millions putting buyers and sellers together and pioneered consumer and dealer based online auctions. I decided to take a good look at the over 1,000 collector car auctions that were posted on eBay in the last two weeks. I think you may agree that my findings are a bit startling.
The Statistics
Most searched for term on eBay: Xbox 360
Most Watched Item: One Owner 1942 Vintage Martin D-45 Guitar
Hmm. No collector cars here!
Most Popular Make and Model Listed
1969 Chevrolet Z-28 Camaro. Low Retail $19,100
Average Winning Bid: $7,296.
A staggering $11,804 off a low market price.
Top Auction:
1968 Shelby : Shelby GT500 Matching #s
Auction ID: 4611842807 - Winning bid $118,000
Auction Results From February 9 to February 22 2006
1,000 Collectible Automobile Auction listings were examined
280 Sellers appeared to be dealers
4,944 Bids Were Placed
Understanding the Drive Layouts
June 28, 2007
Understanding the Drive Layouts
by: Alvin Agomaa
The drive layout is the arrangement of the engine, transmission, and driven axles. The types of drive layouts are Front engine Front wheel drive (FF/ FWD), Front engine Rear wheel drive (FR/RWD), Mid engine Rear wheel drive(MR), Rear engine Rear wheel drive(RR), Four wheel drive (4WD or 4×4) and the All Wheel Drive(AWD). Each of these layouts has their own performance, advantages and disadvantages.
Front engine Front wheel drive (FF/FWD) - The Engine and the two driven axles are placed in front, where the power from the engine is transferred straight to the front wheels. This layout increases the interior space especially in small cars because there is no central tunnel needed for the driveshaft. FF layout has advantage when it comes on low grip surfaces, and its tendency to understeer reduces the risk of losing control. The disadvantage is the load placed on the front tires. The front tires must transfer all acceleration, steering, cornering, and braking forces to the road. This kind of tasks gives a lot of stress in front tires which may lead to wear and tear, while the rear tires have very little load on them.
Awesome Automotive Accessories!
June 27, 2007
Awesome Automotive Accessories!
by: Matthew C. Keegan
When you purchase a vehicle chances are you want to outfit it the way you want it to look, no matter how many options or accessories may have come with it. There is just something about a car that begs for a personal touch beyond what a factory, dealership, or previous owner can give to you. Companies specializing in automotive accessories know this and have you in mind when it comes to designing and developing products they think that you will like. Let’s take a look at some proven products that have been popularized by the accessories crowd.
Car Covers — More and more car owners are opting to purchase a car cover to protect their investment. Even owners who regularly garage their vehicles know that investing in a car cover can go along way toward protecting a vehicle’s finish beyond what a top notch wax can do. Dust, dirt, debris, and falling objects can harm a garaged vehicle while bird poop, rain, snow, ice, pollution, tree sap, and the sun can mar the finish of a car left outside. One company, Covercraft, has designed over 600 car covers ranging from one layer basic covers to four layered covers offering top protection and fitted with side mirror pockets.
Sirius S50: Combine Your Favorite Satellite Radio Programs with Your Favorite MP3s
June 26, 2007
Sirius S50: Combine Your Favorite Satellite Radio Programs with Your Favorite MP3s
by: Dwayne Wright
Have you ever wanted to combine the benefits of commercial free satellite radio along with listening to your favorite MP3s, all while driving in your car? If so, Sirius Satellite Radio may offer the product that you’ve been looking for. While car receivers that allow you to listen to satellite radio and your favorite MP3 music have existed for some time now, a recent product released by Sirius Satellite Radio takes the satellite radio/MP3 combination to the next level. The Sirius S50 is a satellite radio/MP3 player that you can listen to while you’re either riding in your car or sitting in the comfort of your home or office. The Sirius S50 comes with a car dock that connects the main unit to your vehicle. While the unit is connected to the car dock, you are able to listen to live Sirius Satellite Radio programming as well as any MP3s that you have stored on the 1GB flash memory unit. You can also pause and rewind the live satellite broadcasts as well as record up to 50 hours of your favorite Sirius Satellite Radio programming.
Asian Cars: Auto Manufacturers to Watch
June 25, 2007
Asian Cars: Auto Manufacturers to Watch
by: Matthew C. Keegan
The Asian automobile manufacturing market is much broader than many American consumers understand it to be. Beyond Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, and other household names there are quite a few automakers that are growing in size and respectability in their own markets. Two of these companies have already committed to selling their models in the U.S., but there are three others worth knowing about and watching.
Starting in 2007, two Chinese automobile manufacturers will be exporting cars to the U.S. and Canada. Geely Automobile Company and the Chery Automobile Company are part of the first wave of new Asian automakers preparing to serve the U.S. market. I won’t go into more detail about these two manufacturers, so please read a related article I wrote titled, “Chinese Cars: Redefining the Market,” to learn more about them.
Proton — Proton Holdings, the parent corporation of Proton Motors, is the largest manufacturer of vehicles in Malaysia. Volkswagen and Proton signed a strategic partnership agreement in October 2004 whereby Volkswagen cars would be built on Proton assembly lines beginning in 2006. Apart from the VW venture, Proton has a line of models of its own consisting primarily of subcompact and compact sized vehicles. Proton cars are currently exported to Australia and the company is eyeing the U.S. market perhaps as early as 2010. In addition to its VW relationship, Japanese automaker Mitsubishi owns nearly a 16% share in Proton.
Flood Damage Cars Are Still Around
June 24, 2007
Flood Damage Cars Are Still Around
by: Jerry Christopher
While the news reports concerning hurricanes, flood damages and the travesty that was put upon the unfortunate victims have slowed down, the dangers and hazards are still present.
With reports varying upwards of 600,000 vehicles damaged by floodwaters, these cars and trucks will most certainly, and already have, surfaced across the country, waiting on their next victim.
It’s easy to let your guard down with out much media publicity, but used car buyers should be aware that these vehicles are still out in the market, perhaps cross country in states that are not affected by the floods.
A couple of common issues that have surfaced, that you should be aware of, is sellers attempting to hide the origin of where these cars came from. By registering the vehicle in different states, it creates a paper trail that can be difficult to trace unless you spend the time for researching.
Another common issue is sellers changing license plate frames or adding an emblem from another state. This of course is designed to hide or deceive the potential buyer of what state the car came from.
Energy Department Kicks in $119 Million for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Research
June 24, 2007
Energy Department Kicks in $119 Million for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Research
by: Rick Chapo
President Bush has indicated it is imperative to kick America’s oil habit. In conjunction with this goal, the Department of Energy has just announced a $119 million dollar research initiative.
Money for Research and Development
Obviously, automobiles are the basis of America’s oil addiction. Everyone seems to have at least one car if not more. To attack this problem, the current administration is putting a lot of emphasis on hydrogen fuel cell research for vehicles.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are extremely environmentally friendly. They work by converting hydrogen and oxygen into electricity through a chemical process. This process is particularly attractive because it produces no pollutants, is nearly twice as efficient as combustible gas engines and relies on extremely plentiful resources that are not located in foreign lands. There are, however, a few drawbacks to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Hydrogen powered cars are much more expensive than traditional gas powered vehicles. The technology is simply not advanced enough to make production cost effective. The vehicles themselves are also not particularly efficient at this point in time from both a performance and range perspective. The answer to these problems, of course, is research and development.
Ford: Restoring Prestige and Honor
June 23, 2007
Ford: Restoring Prestige and Honor
by: Matthew C. Keegan
The Ford Motor Company, along with rival General Motors, has been going through a time of severe testing due to concerns about product quality and relevancy, profits, and long term viability. The net result is that Ford is planning on closing numerous plants and will lay off as many as 30,000 employees, a historic cutback that may only be the tip of the iceberg. Is Ford finished or will the company be able to regain strength and compete successfully in the years ahead?
Ford has certainly taken its lumps and for good reason. Profits in the North American market are nonexistent with losses actually in the multibillion dollar range. Despite the red ink, all is not lost for the “blue oval” as the company remains very profitable overseas. In addition, its three U.S. divisions have much to offer if some serious changes are incorporated. Here are my suggestions for change:
