The 1958 Chevrolet Corvette convertible that Bob Brown has on the auction block spent a long time as a “prop,” to use Brown’s description.Brown, president of Atlanta’s Red Baron’s Antiques, said in a recent phone interview that he sold the Vette 25 years ago to a customer who owns “what I think is still the largest house in Atlanta.” The customer, a teetotaler, replicated a 1950s-style soda fountain in his house and parked the Corvette there for years before Brown repurchased it.”I get a lot of cars from people who leave them in the living room,” said Brown. News source: Forbes.com He expects the ’58 Vette, which he says is “almost mint,” will fetch $100,000 to $150,000–two or three times the price of a 2007 Corvette.More than 50 years after its introduction, the Vette is still one of the most beloved and popular sports cars. Collectors adore the first-generation Corvettes (1953 to 1962 models), but might not be aware that the vehicle almost did not survive.The first Corvette, the 1953 model, came about because storied General Motors (nyse: GM – news – people ) designer Harley Earl wanted to take on Jaguar’s elegant, sporty XK120 coupe–the car driven by such Hollywood stars as Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable.The 1953 Vette copied a great deal from the XK120, but it was not a great sports car. With a 150-horsepower, six-cylinder engine, it was slow, and it had a non-sports-car transmission: a two-speed automatic. It was notable, however, for being the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body, and for being twice as expensive as any other Chevy of the day (base price: $3,550).The Vette seemed destined for failure until the 1955 model, into which Chevy dropped an optional V-8 engine (Corvettes to this day use V-8s). The Vette became a performance car, sales began to take off and a legacy was born. The 1956 Vette could reach 118 miles per hour, and 1957 Corvettes with fuel-injected engines could reach 132 mph. Finally, the Vette could take on Jag’s XK.Brown’s 1958 convertible is from the first wave of great Corvette performers. While the standard ’58 engine was a 230-hp V-8, Brown’s model came equipped with the optional, 270-hp engine. His car uses a three-speed manual transmission (much sportier than the gearboxes on the first Vettes) and is red and white, with a red interior.While Corvette styling changed a lot between 1953 and 1958, one element stuck around: the “toothy grille,” as car designer Robert Cumberford calls it–even though it had fewer vertical bars by 1958. The Standard Catalog of American Cars writes that “Corvette styling was jazzed up for 1958” with such elements as quadruple, chrome-rimmed headlights with fender-length chrome strips running between each pair of lights; a pair of vertical chrome bars on the trunk; and larger bumpers
All posts by John
Homestead
Kasey Kahne on the pole and Waltrip fails to qualify he better hope those Toyotas are a big improvement cant remember the last time he had any TV time Should be a great race
Top 10 Mistakes
Auto Repair: The Top Ten Mistakes Made By Your Mechanic by: Theodore Olson Number One: Not confirming the concern. Confirming a repair concern is a basic diagnostic principle frequently overlooked. To fix a problem, the first thing one must do is recognize it. Number Two: Insufficient Road Testing. The importance of a thorough road test (even for an oil change) is well documented in automotive training manuals. Yet, many technicians consider driving the vehicle into the shop good enough. News source: Article City Number Three: Misdiagnosing. For the above reasons and a multitude of others, your vehicle is misdiagnosed more often than not. Mechanics will spend hours chasing the wrong problem, wasting your time and money. Number Four: Throwing parts at a problem. To compensate for lack of skills, mechanics often just throw parts at the problem in the hope of getting lucky. It’s common to hear mechanics say I replaced this, this, this, and that, and the problem’s still not fixed. This goes right back to mistake number one: confirm the problem with diagnostics, then proceed. Number Five: Not addressing primary concerns first. Technicians often spend an inordinate amount of time looking for easy sells that will fatten their paychecks. There’s nothing wrong with this provided there’s no charge for the inspection, it doesn’t conflict with your time, and the upsell suggestions are valid (they’re frequently not). However, this type of free inspection and the subsequent upselling too often overshadows the primary concern. So…what’s wrong with my car? Number Six: Overconfidence. Too often unqualified technicians get in over their heads. Rather than defer to a more experienced technician or facility, they often keep going and do more harm. How’s it go…The road to hell is paved with good intentions? Number Seven: Taking shortcuts. In the ongoing effort to beat the clock, technicians will create a host of problems: breaking parts, snapping bolts, short circuiting sensitive electronics. Refer to Auto Repair: How Can They Screw Up an Oil Change for a great discussion. Number Eight: Poor Repairs. Whether through incompetence or laziness, mechanics frequently don’t do repairs correctly. It’s often sloppy work. Forgotten bolts, parts not lined up correctly, or components not re-installed properly are common. It gets worse with computer repairs: incorrect software programming, coding, and resynchronization protocols are just a few. Number Nine: Not confirming repairs. After a repair is complete, it’s important to re-check to ensure that the problem is indeed fixed. Too often parts are thrown in and the car is pulled out only to pull in another victim. Number Ten: Making a mess. If the above nine mistakes weren’t bad enough, there are now greasy fingerprints on the hood and steering wheel, and two big greasy boot marks on the carpet
Synthetic oils explained
Mineral or synthetic?Mineral oils are based on oil that comes from dear old Mother Earth which has been refined. Synthetic oils are entirely concocted by chemists wearing white lab coats in oil company laboratories. For more info, see the section on synthetics further down the page. The only other type is semi-synthetic, sometimes called premium, which is a blend of the two. It is safe to mix the different types, but it’s wiser to switch completely to a new type rather than mixing. SyntheticsDespite their name, most synthetic derived motor oils (ie Mobil 1, Castrol Formula RS etc ) are actually derived from mineral oils – they are mostly Polyalphaolifins and these come from the purest part of the mineral oil refraction process, the gas. PAO oils will mix with normal mineral oils which means Joe public can add synthetic to his mineral, or mineral to his synthetic without his car engine seizing up. The most stable bases are polyol-ester (not polyester, you fool). When I say ‘stable’ I mean ‘less likely to react adversely with other compounds.’ Synthetic oil bases tend not to contain reactive carbon atoms for this reason. Reactive carbon has a tendency to combine with oxygen creating an acid. As you can imagine, in an oil, this would be A Bad Thing. So think of synthetic oils as custom-built oils. They’re designed to do the job efficiently but without any of the excess baggage that can accompany mineral based oils. Pure syntheticsPure synthetic oils (polyalkyleneglycol) are the types used almost exclusively within the industrial sector in polyglycol gearbox oils for heavily loaded gearboxes. These are typically concocted by intelligent blokes in white lab coats. These chaps break apart the molecules that make up a variety of substances, like vegetable and animal oils, and then recombine the individual atoms that make up those molecules to build new, synthetic molecules. This process allows the chemists to actually “fine tune” the molecules as they build them. Clever stuff. But Polyglycols don’t mix with normal mineral oils. News source: Chris-Longhurst.com
Preventative Maintenance
Preventative maintenance is important in that you repair a problem before it becomes a problem. Why wait until you are on the side of the road in rainy weather at 10:00 at night to replace, say, a bad radiator hose. Do it on a nice Saturday afternoon in your garage or driveway. It’ll be more comfortable and you will have one less thing to worry about as your out driving. News source: AutoRepair About 1) DIY: Replacing Your Fuel FilterFuel filters are often neglected until they start to clog up. When they do, your vehicle will lose power and hesitate.2) DIY: How To Replace Your Heater HosesOne one the most common sources of coolant loss are the heater hoses. Over time these hoses will get hard and brittle and can crack or break at the worst possible times. They are easy to replace and a lot cheaper to do so at a time and place of your choosing.3.In even the worst weather you need to have good windshield wipers. Unfortunately wiper blades are like a leaking roof, you only think about them when it rains. I recommend replacing wiper blades every year, preferably just before winter hits.4) DIY: Replace Your Timing Belt The purpose of a timing belt is to provide a quiet, flexible connection between the camshaft and crankshaft to keep the valves opening and closing in phase with the movement of the pistons. If they break at a time of their own cgoosing, severe engine damage could result. It is much cheaper and easier to replace it at the recommended intervals.5) DIY: How to Change Your Spark PlugsSpark plugs are one of the most important parts of your vehicle. They are what ignites the air/fuel mixture that gives you the power you need when you need it. As they get old they wear out and can start to misfire, causing power loss or engine stalling. 6) DIY: Repairing Paint ChipsNow maybe this doesn’t sound important, but it could save you hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars in repairs. A paint chip exposes the bare metal under the paint. Once this happens water, road salt and acids can start rotting out the metal and left unrepaired, leave big holes in the sheet metal.7) DIY: Winterizing Your CarThis is an important PM job in that it assures you your vehicle is ready for the coldest winter. I recommend replacing the coolant every two years and checking the heater and radiator hoses at the same time.
Car Deer collisions
As urban areas continue to push outward and displace animals from their natural habitats, and as formerly empty rural lanes become plagued with traffic, collisions between cars and the animals seem an almost inevitable consequence. Car-deer collisions, the most common throughout most of the country, cost an average of $1,500 in damage each, according to Michigan figures, and nationally there are thousands of injuries and more than 100 fatalities each year as the result of collisions with animals.With those figures in mind, here are some tips on how to minimize the chances of hitting deer — and other animals — on the highway:Take special care near deer-crossing warning signs. Be aware that deer adapt well to living close to humans and that populated areas are as likely to have many animals around. The signs are there for a reason.. News source: Autos.AOL Minimize your distractions from passengers, food and accessories like cell phones. If your full attention is on the road, you’ll be more likely to spot approaching animals with your peripheral vision. Get in the habit of scanning the roadside as you drive.Use your high beams whenever possible. They will give you more time to spot and react to animals in the road.Keep your speed down at night. Most collisions do occur on narrow, two-lane rural highways, but they can occur on any type of road. Just because an interstate highway has animal fences doesn’t mean animals won’t get inside.If you see one animal, expect that there are others nearby. According to the Animal Protection Institute, 70 percent of deer-car collisions result after the driver slowed down for one deer and then accelerated, failing to see another.Like Animals?Check out these animalrelated stories:The Prodigal Dog 10 Animal Related Jobs Know which seasons and times are worse than others. The period each day from an hour before sunset until midnight is the time when the most collisions occur, but the hours around dawn are also risky. Deer are on the move more in fall and early spring, but in the summer they tend to sometimes be out during daylight times. Be especially watchful for animals in fair weather periods before storms.If you do see a deer or other animal in the road ahead, don’t slam on the brakes. Keep your lane position and sound your horn while braking in a controlled manner. Sudden panic stops are not a good idea, as they could spook the animal, perhaps causing it to suddenly dart into the path of another vehicle.Do not try to swerve around an animal! You could lose control of your vehicle and hit a tree or another vehicle — both potentially much worse than hitting a deer. If you swerve, there’s also a chance that the animal will panic and run into your path.Always consider if the land along the highway could host large animals, and if you think it could, anticipate that they might run out into the road. It’s much easier to anticipate animal encounters and be ready to react calmly than to deal with the costly expenses, injuries and guilty conscience of a collision.
Mercury downfall
Poor Mercury. Ford Motor’s middle-market division is going down, and its existence is on the line again. It was not that long ago that Mercury sold 400,000 vehicles a year, but now everyone from Honda and Acura to Toyota and Hyundai are grabbing chunks of Mercury’s market.A Sad Story Some of the Mercury names in the table below might be unfamiliar. In 1999, the Cougar was a Mercury version of the Ford Thunderbird. The Sable was Mercury’s slightly dressier edition of the Ford Taurus sedan and wagon. The Tracer was a small car, but Ford (nyse: F – news – people ) stopped making it in 1999, and in 2000 stopped building the Mercury Mystique, a good-handling European-designed small sedan similar to the Ford Contour. News source: Forbes The Villager, a joint venture between Nissan Motor (nasdaq: NSANY – news – people ) and Ford, was a U.S.-built minivan. Ford discontinued that model after 2002 and replaced it with the 2004 Monterey, a Mercury-grilled clone of the unimpressive Ford Windstar–now called the Freestar. The company put the Mercury minivan out of its misery this year, and the Freestar may be next.What about Mercury’s new models? The Milan, a version of the Ford Fusion, and the Montego, an adaptation of the slow-selling Ford 500, more or less cover the ground of the discontinued Mercury Sable sedan, but customers are not lining up to buy either of these cars. Milan sales might reach 37,000 this year; Montego, 25,000. At the peak in 1993, Sable sales hit 121,000.Throughout its history, Mercury has had its best years when its vehicles were dolled-up Fords. I do not mean this as an insult. Some Lexus and Acura models are dolled-up Toyotas and Hondas. Done well, it works. Some Americans will not buy a car with a Ford nameplate on it, but will buy a similar car under the Mercury banner.One shortcoming: Ford stopped offering key models as Mercurys. For starters, Mercury dealers do not have a version of the Focus, the small Ford. Nor do they have a model based on the Ford division’s popular Mustang. Ford also made Mercury dealers wait for years before giving them a version of the popular Ford Escape small sport utility vehicle. In fall of 2004, dealers finally got the Mariner (as a 2005 model), but that was years after Ford supplied a knockoff of the Escape to Mazda dealers. I cannot comprehend that last move.Mercury still lacks editions of two Ford-branded crossover sport utility vehicles, the Ford Freestyle and the new Ford Edge. Meanwhile, Ford has allowed its Grand Marquis, a rear-drive sedan, to languish. Here we have a company with a line of rear-drive cars–Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car–that made up the Ford’s most profitable car platform only ten years ago, and rear drive cars are coming back in demand. Yet I am not aware of any immediate plans to build a modern series of rear drive cars. Ford apparently plans to keep building these cars until they die instead of creating competitive models.1999 Mercury Lineup 1999 Sales 2005 Sales Cougar* 56,831 Grand Marquis 122,776 64,716 Mountaineer 49,281 32,491 Mystique * 39,351 Sable * 101,120 24,149 Tracer * 23,146 Villager * 45,315 Recent Additions To Mercury Lineup Mariner 34,099 Milan** 5,321 Montego 27,007 Monterey * 3,781 Total 437,820 195,564 *Discontinued **Introduced late 2005 Source: Automotive News All this makes me wonder whether Ford executives have been deliberately shortchanging Mercury all these years because they secretly want to kill it. I believe that there was a plan to eradicate Mercury during the regime of Jac Nasser but when William Clay Ford, Jr. removed him, Ford vetoed that idea. Now I am starting to wonder again. Trade publication Automotive News has quoted the Mercury Brand Manager as saying that the “Way Forward” team considered dropping Mercury, then decided to keep it, but made it clear that sales had to improve.Should Mercury go away, what would become of Lincoln? Lincoln-Mercury dealers sell both lines. Without Mercury, it is hard to see how they could survive on Lincoln alone. Ford would be throwing out 80 years of hard work.Lincoln is also in bad shape. Lincoln models, such as the Continental, the Town Car and the LS used to be distinct cars. Now they are making Lincolns out of fluffed-up Fords. Examples: the MKZ (ex-Zephyr) is a dolled-up Ford Fusion; the coming MKX is a fancier Ford Edge crossover SUV. They seem nicely done, yes, but they are still Fords with some nicer features.If Lincoln gets the best fancied-up Fords, what does that leave for Mercury? Of course, killing Mercury would just reduce the factory volume, raising the overhead costs per vehicle. Have General Motors (nyse: GM – news – people ) profits improved since it killed Oldsmobile?While I am at it, Mercury uses a dull logo–the upside down bent L-shaped waterfall. Mercury’s old emblem, the head of the old Roman god, was far better.These are just some of the challenges facing Ford’s new chief executive, Alan Mulally. With the parent company just reporting a near-record quarterly loss of $5.8 billion, Mulally does not have much room to maneuver or endless financial resources to give all of Ford Motor’s suffering divisions distinctive new models. Even so, he should remember that Mercury does best when it is the division with sexier Ford models. And Lincoln needs truly distinctive luxury models to stay competitive in this market.
Disc Pad replacement
DIY: Replacing Your Disc Brake PadsWhat you will need: Wrenches,Jack,Jack Stands,Wirebrush,Screwdriver or pry bar,Pliers or vise grip,Hammer,Large c clamp or large pliers, Brake lube, and New brake parts Gather together all of your tools and supplies before you begin. Allow plenty of time to do the job so you don’t have to hurry. Remember that these are general instructions. For more detailed instructions pertaining to your specific vehicle, consult an appropriate repair manual. Safety is important whenever you’re working around machinery. Beware of hot objects, sharp instruments and hazardous materials. Don’t substitute tools unless you’re sure you won’t compromise either your safety or the performance of your vehicle. Never work on a vehicle that is only supported by a jack. Use jack stands to support the vehicle while you work. Work on a solid, level surface. Never jack a car up on dirt or grass. Do one wheel at a time so you can use the other wheel as a reference in case you get confused. Check for any fluid leaks or cracked brake lines. Replace them as necessary. News source: About Autyo Repair CAUTION!!! Brake linings contain asbestos. Avoid creating or breathing dust when changing linings or cleaning parts. Use water to wash down the brakes before starting and wear gloves to avoid prolonged contact with your skin.Step One: Remove about half the brake fluid from the master cylinder and put it into a sealed container. Dispose of it properly. Do not reuse old brake fluid; always use fresh brake fluid from a sealed container. Brake fluid will eat paint so do not get it on your vehicles finish. If you do, wash it off (brake fluid is water soluble) with plenty of water. Using a lug wrench, crack the wheel lugs loose one or two turns. Do not remove them completely. Jack one side of the vehicle up and support it with a jack stand. Do the same for the opposite side. Remove the lugs and take the wheels off. To remove the calipers: Floating Caliper: Remove the two caliper guide pins or bolts. Look at the locations and positions of any bushings or guides so they can be reinstalled properly. Rock the caliper back and forth to push the piston back enough to slide the caliper off. Remove the caliper. Use a large C-clamp and push on the inboard pad to move the piston back into the caliper. Do it slow and steady. If you did not remove half the brake fluid, make an appointment to have your vehicle repainted. Sliding Caliper: A support key or retaining clip holds the caliper to the caliper bridge. Remove the retaining bolt or screw holding the key and drive the key out with a suitable tool. Note the position of any springs or clips before you remove them. The retainers will simply lift off. Note the position of the retainers before you remove them. Remove the caliper. Remove the caliper. Use a large C-clamp and push on the inboard pad to move the piston back into the caliper. Do it slow and steady. If you did not remove half the brake fluid, make an appointment to have your vehicle repainted. Fixed Caliper: Remove the caliper mounting bolts only if the pads won’t come out the back of the caliper. Push back the piston before removing the old pads. If you did not remove half the brake fluid, make an appointment to have your vehicle repainted. Check the rotor for scores, rusting or pitting. It is recommended that the rotors be resurfaced to remove any imperfections and true up the braking surface to prevent brake pulsations. Remove the pads from the calipers Fixed Caliper: Remove any pins or retainers (push pads back and pull them out). Sliding Caliper: Separate the pads from the caliper. The inner pad must be clipped to the piston. The outer pad may be pinned, clipped or pressed tightly on the caliper. Some pads may remain on the adapter or anchor when the caliper is removed. Clean the caliper mounting surfaces with a wire brush and remove all the rust and dirt. The sliding surfaces must be as clean as possible for proper brake operation. Wet down the area with water to prevent dust. Allow parts to dryStep Two:Install the new brake pads in the reverse order of removal. Make sure any shims, clips and anti-rattle springs are in place. Some brake pads have ears that need to be crimped to the caliper when installed. You can use a large pair of Channel locks or a hammer to crimp the ears. If they can move, they will squeal. You can apply a high temperature, copper based grease to the back of the pads to help prevent squealing and transfer heat from the pads. Do not get any grease on the pad material itself. Replace the caliper on its mount and reinstall the guide pins, retainers or clips that you have removed. Use some of the high temperature, copper based grease to lubricate sliding surfaces. Some retaining keys need to be tapped into place with a hammer. Tighten all bolts being careful not to over tighten. Sponsored LinksDisc Brake RepairFree information and resources about Disc Brake RepairBrake-Repair.big.comReplacing Brake ShoesDrum Brake Shoe Replacement Car Care Articles and Advice[url”>www.autoMedia.comNeed new rotors ? ? ?buy from the specialists huge range quality parts low $$ shipped fast[url”>www.perfectbrakes.comNever use standard “hardware store” bolts. If you have to replace hardware, get the proper parts from the auto parts store. Special high-tensile hardware are used exclusively in this application. Fill the master cylinder with new brake fluid from a sealed container and bleed the brakes if required
Harvick scuffle
10 crew member/Harvick scuffle: reported on Speed Channel’s SPEED Report by Bob Dillner, per FoxSports.com: Emotions definitely flowed over to the postrace activities as the guys walked to the garage area. After the Dickies 500, the #10 and the #29 teams were coming down the entrance way to the garage area where all of the teams bring their pit boxes. There was an altercation between the #10 team and Kevin and DeLana Harvick. Apparently, Kevin and DeLana both got knocked down. NASCAR’s Jim Hunter told me they are investigating the situation wholeheartedly and expects that there will be fined and penalties either Tuesday or Wednesday. “After the fact, right out of the moment, everybody’s pretty hot-headed (and) got to running their mouth a little bit,” Richard Childress Racing Director Mike Dillion said. “That’s about all it was. Somebody got shoved, and they’re sorting it out now. But they shoved Kevin and his wife down in front of the pit box is what was bad. Everybody out here has done it in their racing career at some point in time. It’s just unfortunate. The guys need to let the drivers handle it. One of the NASCAR officials got hurt trying to stop the box,” Dillion continued. “That’s pretty bad, too. Hurt his ankle so they took him to the infield care center.” A lot of people were called to the NASCAR trailer after this race, including Rodney Childers, the crew chief for Scott Riggs and the #10 team. He’s responsible for the actions of everybody. DeLana and Kevin Harvick were both brought in as well. Several eyewitnesses were brought in. In fact, Roger Penske was up there talking to NASCAR President Mike Helton and Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby and everybody that was looking at the incident.(11-5-2006) News source: Jayskis silly season site
Cup Holders
NASCAR to me is still cars and carburetors, gears and grease, shocks and air wrenches. Loud engines, smoking tires and crashes down the backstretch. It’s burning rubber and checkered flags. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has his a line of Drakkar Noir products. Jeff Gordon a signature cologne with Halston Z-14. Gordon and Richard Childress also have their own collection of wine. Childress also has a vineyard in North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley and produces Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah and two varieties of Cabernet. Doesnt sound like moonshine to me. Brian Vickers has deal with Garnier Frutis Now wearing a hat kind looks like you are covering up the sponsor but then Harlequin novels has a line of NASCAR romance novels. Remember the bottled water given to drivers under the red flag at California earlier this year. I wonder if they had cup holders t then