Car Tips and Techniques

Ever watch an old movie and wonder why they do not make certain cars anymore? Like everything else in our world, things are constantly changing and just because something is loved does not mean that manufacturers will continue to produce a good. It’s one of the annoying things that happens as time progresses. But is out with the old and in with the new always a good motto? When it comes to some cars, there are some that we wish were still made in today’s world. This article will explore these cars and discuss what made them great in their time. Don’t expect to see them anytime soon though, unless you are at a classic car show.

One of the most sought after collectible cars would be the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. This car was only produced for a few short years before Chevy discontinued making it. So what makes this car so desirable? This car was ahead of its time in terms of speed. The iconic car could go from zero to 60 in 5.6 seconds which was amazing in the 60s.

Who doesn’t remember what an El Camino looks like? This car is one of a kind. Many try to place this car to certain class levels and demographic stereotypes, but everyone should enjoy this car. The notion behind this original design was to have the utility of a truck but the mindset of a car. Obviously for Chevy this did not work out for very long, but it didn’t stop them from trying to reinvent the wheel and give it a new name. The SSR was another short lived car from Chevy that could presumably be modeled with the El Camino in mind.

Read the rest of this entry »

Back in February 2011, Mercedes-Benz announced that they are re-introducing the C-Class Coupe and I am sure that I am not the first person to say that the new Mercedes Benz C-Class Coupe is 100x better looking than the prior iteration of the Coupe as seen in the picture below. Additionally, Mercedes-Benz also noted they will produce a high performance AMG version. Specifically, it will be a Mercedes Benz C63 AMG Black Series Coupe and this time Mercedes’ AMG division claims that it was purpose built from the ground up for performance. That said, yes every AMG model has solid performance figures, but the Mercedes Benz E63 AMG, CL63 AMG or CLS63 AMG essentially had “bolt-on” performance modifications. The C63 AMG Black Series on the other hadwas crafted to encroach on BMW M territory.

And like other AMGs with the 63 badge, this Mercedes Benz has the 6.3-liter V-8. However, unlike the other AMGs, this engine shares the same pistons, crankshaft and connecting rods from the SLS AMG and as a result the Black Series produces 510 horsepower. This represents a ~12% increase in horsepower compared to the C63 AMG Coupe (non-Black Series) which has a modest 457 horsepower engine. The improvement in torque is a more modest 3% to 457 lb-ft in the Black Series from 443 lb-ft in the C63 AMG Coupe. And to make this model more “track-friendly”, AMG optimized the engine oil cooling system giving the oil cooler a cooling surface which is 50% larger.

To transfer all of the power to the rear tires, this Black Series has the innovative AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed sports transmission which has 4 transmission modes, a double-declutching function and a “Race Start”function.In the “Sport Plus” and “Manual” transmission modes the gear changes take a mere 100 milliseconds.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bentley Motors in Crewe, England, has a long history of producing the same offspring of luxury cars. The company was founded in 1919 by Walter Bentley, previously established for its range of military aircraft engines, especially engines for the Sopwith Camel.

That’s where Walter Bentley noted that the use of aluminum in the development of aviation and engine components and both higher performance and maintenance were, let alone several options for casting and machining. Like the time in the history of many manufacturers always responds in large part to the cast iron parts, making it difficult, prone to overheating and durable.

So with the new type of engine has used Walter Bentley on the first vehicle in 1921 and the first Bentley BR1 left the band. A year later Bentley cars was observed in many races and hill climbs in the entire United Kingdom and even in the American endurance race of 500 miles of Indianapolis. But it was two years later in 1924, when Bentley was finally put on the map with a victory in the coveted 24-hour race at Le Mans in France. To top this car Bentley has won no less than four consecutive races won by 1927 and 1930.

After Wall Street crash of 1929 in the United States, car sales fell seriously Bentley worldwide. The problem got so bad the company Rolls Royce Corporation was sold in 1931. Fast forward to today proves itself to be the Bentley marque by German automaker Volkswagen AG since 1998 in the possession as popular today as ever. Even with the uncertainty of the global brand new Bentley experiencing sales growth in many emerging countries around the world, including India, China and Qatar.

Read the rest of this entry »

Do you know how to drive during horrible weather conditions? Driving in snow can involve some hazardous situations; from the increased hours of darkness to the snow sleet and ice, one cannot be too cautious. A few minutes planning and thinking ahead will definitely prevent disasters especially in harsh winter conditions. We are usually aware of bad weather forecasts or when bad weather conditions are predicted but only about half of the road users bother with proper precautions according to the highways agency.

According to statistics a lot of road users still drive during bad weather conditions, this makes it more important to enlighten people about the dangers of driving in the snow and how they can prevent any disasters by planning ahead. The ability of your vehicle tyres to grip the road is extremely reduced when it is filled with ice or snow, this makes mundane tasks like slowing down, speeding up and changing direction dangerous/hazardous, so drivers need to be aware of this and be careful. If you have a vehicle that has cruise control, avoid using it when driving on slippery and icy roads.

The importance of having a winter weather kit and checking the weather forecast before starting a journey cannot be over-emphasized; one cannot predict what could go wrong when driving on a snowy road. Having a winter weather kit could save your life. Your winter weather kit can include jumper cables, electric flares, warming clothing and footwear, a first aid kit, candles and a lighter and energy foods and drinks.

Read the rest of this entry »

When it was introduced, the 1969 Chevy Camaro was unlike any other muscle car or sports car at that time. Chevrolet understood Americas need back then for style and power, offered at a lower price point.

The Camaro had the long, lean look of its sports car cousin, the Corvette. It had the Corvette muscle too, with a 210-hp 327 V8 standard. Other V8′s available to order ran all the way up to a 325-hp Tubo-Jet 396.

Someone looking for a lot of muscle in their Camaro could also purchase the1969 Camaro SS. The SS was so popular it had been chosen the Pace Car for the Indy 500 multiple times. The engine choices started with a 300-hp 350 V8 and worked their way up from there. The SS also came with a special intake hood that, during acceleration, would gulp huge amounts of air to the engine increasing the power.

The 1969 Chevy Camaro SS also had beefed-up suspension, white-lettered wide oval tires on 14″ x 7″ wheels, power disc brakes and a special transmission with at that time, a unique floor shift. For those who wanted even more muscle car, there was a 4-speed available with a Hurst shifter.

The 1969 Chevy Camaro wasn’t called “The Hugger” for nothing. Its wide stance and nimble wheelbase made for cat-quick maneuverability, which made it popular with the street racing teenagers of the day.

Read the rest of this entry »

Contrary to what most car owners think, cleaning the throttle body of a car merely takes minor efforts and an hour or two of one’s time. In fact, once you have cleaned the body of your Audi or Volkswagen, your vehicle will exert a better performance and drivability, particularly in the area of idle and throttle response.

In due course, one should expect that his car’s throttle body would suffer from corrosion brought by carbon and dried out oil, which can significantly create a disadvantageous effect on the airflow and throttle response of the car. Primarily, you need the right tools in cleaning it, and these tools are mainly household apparatus such as a 5 mm hex key or Allen head, flathead screwdriver, carburetor cleaner, rag, cotton swabs, paper, vacuum hose, and gasket (optional).

Once you have prepared all the necessary tools, you initially have to pull off a side of the vacuum hose on the apex of your car’s body, and unscrew the hose clamp by means of a screwdriver or pliers. Afterward, remove the intake hose from the throttle body, and put it aside in order for you to focus on the wire harness. Using a flathead screwdriver, you need to remove the wire harness, and proceed to the next step. However, if you are having a difficulty on how to unscrew it, you may put your screwdriver into a harness clip and continue with the procedure.

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!