Cloth Interior

Cloth is known for its comfort. There is no sticking, no sliding around, and no burning. Speaking of which, this material is much more breathable. What this means for you is that its temperature won’t change with the weather. Plus many 2007 vehicles come with the option of heated cloth interiors. See it for yourself in the Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Dakota, Ford Focus, Subaru Outback, nearly all Volvo’s, MINI Cooper, Saturn Aura, and the Hyundai Santa Fe to name a few. Many of these new models are also coming out with a variety of materials like velour or a suede/tricot blend which are even cushier and stain proof than the regular cloth interiors.To boot, cloth interiors don’t need to be maintained. It is a personal preference how clean you want your car to be. A bi-monthly steam or vacuuming can do the trick. And it certainly doesn’t require any of the extra TLC that leather does.But, speaking on terms of cleaning, it must noted that cloth interiors do stain more easily and, depending on what the stain is, are more difficult to remove. You can’t just take a rag to it. You’ve got to haul out your trusty vacuum or steam cleaner and take your vehicle to get re-scotch guarded every few years. You’ll probably also note that the new car smell gives way quickly to the different odors of the items that you bring into your automobile. The fact is that cloth absorbs odor, whereas leather doesn’t.Cloth can also look cheap and won’t give you that luxurious, status quo feeling that many leather lovers search for. Because there isn’t that lofty feeling with cloth, resale value is not as great.With both options, it is certainly give and take – cloth is affordable but doesn’t have as good a resale value while leather is sumptuous but changes with the weather, literally. At the end of the day, base your decision on durability and comfort that fits you.

THE EARLY CAMARO

Inspired by the success of the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet launched its own pony car, the Camaro. Chevrolet stated that the "Camaro" was named after the French word for "comrade," although some linguists argued that it was actually Spanish for a type of shrimp. Not exactly an awe aspiring name for a new pony car. Luckily, the Camaro had the muscle to back up its case. The Camaro was available from the start in hardtop coupe and covertible body styles, and could be order with nearly 80 factory options and 40 dealer accessories, including three main option packages and a choice of four different engines. The RS package included numerous cosmetic changes including a blacked out grill with hidden headlights, revised parking and tail lights, upgraded interior trim, and RS badging. Of greater interest to enthusiasts was the SS package which included as standard equipment a modified 350 cid V8 with an available 396 cid big block producing 325bhp (L35) and later a 375bhp version, along with simulated air-intakes on the hood, special bumble bee striping, and a blacked out grill. It was possible to order both the RS and SS packages, and get a RS/SS Camaro, in which case the RS badging took precedence. Camaro popularity soared when a RS/SS Convertible with the 396 paced the 1967 Indianapolis 500 race.

In December 1966, Chevrolet then quietly released one of the most famous options codes of all time, option Z-28. Unpublicized and unknown by most of the buying public and not mentioned in any sales literature, the only way someone could order the Z-28 package was to order a base Camaro with the Z-28 option, mandatory front disc brakes with power assist, and the Muncie 4-speed transmission. You could not order the SS package, automatic transmission, air conditioning, or the convertible. What you got was a unique 302 cid small block (Non-California emission cars were labeled MO while California emission engines were labeled MP) that was created by taking the 327 block and installing the short-stroke 283 crank. Specifically designed to compete in the Club of America Trans Am racing series which placed a 305 cid limit on its entries, the Z-28 was available to the public solely to qualify the car for racing. Advertised horsepower was listed at just 290bhp, which was not very impressive until one hooked it up to a dyno and got actual readings of 360-400 bhp. The Z-28 also came with a competition suspension, broad racing stripes on the hood and trunklid and could be combined with the RS option package. There was no Z-28 badging at all, lest it attract to much attention. The Z-28 proved to be difficult to launch on the street because its high reving engine was lethargic under 4000rpm and worked best when it was shifted at 7500rpm (!). Once it got going, the Z28 was tough to beat and boosted a 140mph top speed and numerous racing victories. Only 602 Z-28s were sold in 1967, making it a truly desirable collectable.

Helpful Tips to Save Gas

Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned
Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.


Keep Tires Properly Inflated
You can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.

Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil
You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.

Whats Really In Your Tank?

Gasoline is not a simple chemical compound like water or ethanol. It is a mixture of hundreds of different compounds. The reason for this is that gasoline is made from crude oil. Crude oil, or petroleum, is made up of thousands of different compounds, and the exact compounds present and their relative amounts differ depending on where the petroleum is produced. For example, oil produced in West Texas differs remarkably from oil produced in the Middle East. After the oil is produced (or taken out of the ground via oil wells), it is shipped to an oil refinery, where it is separated into different products, including gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel fuel, among others.

Birth of a Legend

The first Corvette rolled off a makeshift assembly line in Flint Michigan on June 30, 1953. From the beginning, the Corvette was unique. It was only available as a two passenger convertible in Polo White with a red interior. All Corvettes were built by hand and its attractive and original body was constructed out of fiberglass, not steel. Its chassis was basically a shortened Chevy passenger car unit. The only engine available was named the Blue Flame Special and was an upgraded version of the 235 cid six found in other Chevy cars. It produced 150 bhp due to the use of a higher lift cam which provided a significant boost in torque in the mid-range of engine speed. The valves were special alloy steel and fitted with double springs. A dual exhaust was installed. The only transmission was Chevrolet's Powerglide two-speed automatic. Although the powertrain was a departure from typical American straight-line performance, coupled with its light weight, the Corvette boasted excellent handling and road feel. The Corvette's front suspension of coil springs and wishbones, used slightly altered springs enclosing one inch diameter tubular shock absorbers. The Corvette also had a large diameter anti-rool bar and at the rear, had four-leaf semi-elliptical springs which were inclined front to rear to approvide approximately 15 percent roll understeer. Only two Regular Production Options (RPOs) were available, a heater and an AM radio. Exterior styling was done by Harley Earl and featured a toothy grille, stone guards over the inseft headlamps, "twin pod" rear fenders, and "rocket ship" taillights. The first Corvette was a sales disaster as its high price (more than a Cadillac or Jaguar) and low performance made it far from desireable. A mere 183 were sold in 1953 out of 300 built.

Fuel Injection

A fuel injector is nothing more than a high-speed valve for gasoline. An engine computer or controller is used to control the fuel injector. Contrary to popular belief, this is not done by sending power to the injector. Fuel injectors are normally fed power whenever the ignition key is on. The computer controls the negative, or ground side, of the circuit. When the computer provides the injector with a ground, the circuit is completed and current is allowed to flow through the injector. This energizes an electromagnetic coil inside the injector, which pulls a sealing mechanism away from its seat. This makes it possible for fuel to flow through the injector and into the engine. When the computer removes the electrical ground to the injector, the electromagnetic coil becomes demagnetized and a spring forces the pintle, ball, or disc shut to cut off fuel flow. Even at an engine speed of just 1000 RPM, this is done hundreds of times per minute.

The Batmobile

In the late summer of 1965, an all-new Batman TV series was gearing up, with Dean Jeffries hired to build a Batmobile for the show. When the show's production schedule was moved up, Jeffries had to pass on the job, which then went to custom car builder George Barris. With merely three weeks to build the car, Barris decided to use the Ford Motor Company's abandoned Futura concept car as a basis for what would go on to become one of the most famous cars in the world.

The Futura worked perfectly as a Batmobile, as it had many "bat" features built into the design already, such as the long fins and bubble canopies. According to Barris, he further enhanced the theme by converting the nose into an integrated bat mask, a first for the car. He also opened the wheel wells, and modified the Futura's fins into subtle bat wings by extending their leading edges into the doors and scalloping the trailing edges. Once bodywork was complete, the car was painted gloss black with red trim to accentuate the various lines of he car. Three replicas were eventually built by Barris' shop, though only one appeared on the show itself.

The car featured an impressive array of bat-gadgets. In addition to the "atomic turbine engine" (the car was actually powered by a blueprinted Ford V8), the car had a nose-mounted chain slicer, lasers, rockets, an on-board telephone, radar, dash monitor, on-board computer, and police beacon. If needed, the Batmobile is capable of a quick 180° "bat-turn" thanks to two rear-mounted 10' parachutes, and the it is equipped with a smoke emitter and a nail spreader to discourage pursuit. Some changes were made during the run of the series, including different license plates, a change in steering wheel, and the addition of extra gadgets such as the rear-facing camera and battering ram. Today,the #1 car has been returned to its gloss black finish, though many of the extra gadgets remain in place. Along with its enduring popularity, its influence continues in Batmobile designs today and is considered by many to be the Batmobile.

Fighting Land Rover

During World War 2, Willys Jeeps and Chevrolet trucks were used very successfully by the British Army both as a part of the regular forces and for use in long range special operations missions. The British Government realised, very slowly, that it needed its own vehicle to meet these needs. The project became known as 'FV1800' and saw its first prototype running in 1945. Government regulations and repeated modifications extended development over many years, and the vehicle did not enter production until the early 1950s. By that time, Nuffield had merged with Austin and the resulting vehicle became known as the Austin Champ. The development contract committed the British Armed Forces to a large order. In parallel to this order, the British Army purchased a trial batch of Series I Land Rovers in 1949. The earliest Land Rovers were found to complement the Austin Champ very well. The Land Rover was cheaper, lighter, consumed less fuel; and was ideal for behind-the-lines transport duties. However, the Champ was better suited as a front line combat vehicle.

Over time the Land Rover was modified, and became better suited to the British Army's needs. The initial contract order of Champs was never expanded and production ceased after only five years. In contrast, Britain's armed forces continued to buy Land Rovers. The British Army had also introduced armoured personnel carriers, reducing the need of a front-line light 4x4.The Land Rover became an ideal platform for development by the military.