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The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro

Before Ford Camaro began transforming into alien robots, it had a very intriguing beginning. Back in 1967, the boom in sales of the Ford Mustang was clearly affecting the sales of the Chevrolet brand. The Chevrolet Corvair, which was initially made to combat the Mustang was not getting any increased attention. Add to that the involvement of the Corvair in the book by Ralph Nader entitled Unsafe At Any Speed and there was no doubt that the brand needed something new. So in 1966, Chevrolet General Manager Pete Estes began sending a string of coded telegraphs to various automobile publicists in the country. Though they were hard to decipher, it was pretty evident that the brand was cooking something up to battle the attention that the Ford Mustang gained.

So after a press conference in Michigan, the first model of the Chevrolet Camaro came out in 1967. The car made such a buzz not in part to the car itself, but more on the marketing ploy that was used. One journalist asked during the press conference what is a Camaro and why was the car named as such. Pete Estes obliged by saying, “A small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.” It was a fitting description to the car as the sales caught on during the later year of that decade.

Compared to its contemporaries, the Chevrolet Camaro was mass-produced in different interior forms. They sold the car in two-seaters and four-seaters. Although the Camaro was initially a pony car, some of the models following the initial one were classified as muscle cars. In order to veer away from the Corvair’s failure, the Camaro adapted the same front engine configuration and rear drive train of the Mustang. This may suggest that the car is never really a Chevy original. But in a sense, nobody holds the rights to construct such a drive train. Therefore, there is no conflict with this issue.

The thing that stands out when it comes to the Chevrolet Camaro is its overall design. It may have incorporated the same extended hood/shortened rear look as that of the Mustang as it had a distinguishable design up front. The grills along with the headlights are pushed inside and the bumpers were higher than other pony cars during that time. It was compact and at the same time very powerful. In fact, the 1967 model was popularly used in races after it was released.

If you want to learn about more hot classics such as the 1969 Dodge Charger visit my blog, MuscleCarMonster.Com

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Posted on April 20, 2011 by , Reply

The Impact Of The 1956 BMW 507

In order for a car to be considered a classic, it should first make an impact on its users and the car industry in general. If you’re looking for a car that fits this description, perhaps the BMW 507 is the one that easily fits the bill. Just a little back story, the BMW 507 was envisioned by US auto importer Max Hoffman. In 1954, Hoffman was able to convince the BMW management to come up with a roadster version of the BMW 501 and 502 saloons in order to bridge the gap between high-end and expensive Mercedez Benz 300SL and the cheap but average Triumph and MG sports cars. Initial designs for the 507 were unsatisfactory, until the decision makers at BMW greenlit the designer Albrecht von Goertz to make designs for the BMW 507 and the 503. In terms of the mechanical package or the inner workings of these BMW cars, BMWs household engineer Fritz Fiedler was assigned to design the mechanical package using as much of the existing designs as possible.

The world caught a first glimpse of the BMW 507 when it was in New York, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The long awaited production began in 1956, intending for it to sell for around $5000. But as the production costs went up, the US price also went up to initially $9000 and settled to $10500. It has its following, including some celebrities and notable figures, but the fact still remains: it was hard to sell something that your audience or even yourself that you don’t really appreciate. It had never reached even a portion of their rival’s car model, the MB 300SLs sales. Because of this, the BMW 507 took a nosedive to the edge of bankruptcy, with the company losing money on each of the 507 models built, resulting in the termination of its production. The result: only 252 BMW 507s were built, plus two earlier prototypes.

BMW 507s Impact

One of the BMW 507s legacies was to create a model that boasted an eye catching style, but the price tag was quite hefty for its time, however this was proabably a good thing since so few of them were ever produced. Which is why today this is conidered an extremely valuable classic car and one that many collectors lust after, myself included. If you are a classic Beamer fan, it is hard not to appreciate the classic 507 and its design.

William publish the MuscleCarMonster.com where you can read his new article on the 1969 chevelle.

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Posted on April 19, 2011 by , Reply

Save Money By Keeping Your Car Fuel Efficient

We all dread pulling up to the gas station and watching the price go up and up, until finally, our gas tank is full. Throughout the last couple of years things have gotten worse and for most of us, fueling up means cutting back on other expenses. Saving a few pennies at the gas station can truly add up, why else would we drive 10 miles out of our way to fuel up at the gas station that offers cheaper prices than the one down the road from our house? To order to visit the gas station less, try these simple tips that will keep your car more fuel efficient.

• Get out in the cold. Try filling up your car during the coolest part of the day. Many older gas pumps don’t have a temperature flow meter, therefore the fuel becomes denser when its cool, and you’ll end up getting more for your money. Also watch the type of fuel you use, it’s somewhat unnecessary to fill your car with premium fuel at the current prices, instead opt for regular. Be aware of E85 fuel, this ethanol-mixed based provides lower fuel economy than pure gasoline.

• Keep that car clean. Not only for looks, washing and waxing your car will also lower the wind resistance of your vehicle. On the inside, remove heavy boxes and junk that only weighs your car down. The removal of weight will also improve your car’s fuel economy.

• Change your air filter. No, the guy at car repair place hasn’t been telling you this for the last year just to rip you off. If you don’t change your air filter annually or bi-annually, your car’s engine has to work harder to bring in air, which burns more fuel. To save more money, you can usually change your car’s air filter yourself, as it’s often a straightforward process.

• Replace those spark plugs. Worn-out spark plugs can’t properly ignite the air/fuel mixture in your engine. This results in more fuel being used for the amount of power being produced. Consult your owner’s manual to see how often your spark plugs should be changed, as this varies greatly between cars. Additionally, you may want to leave this task to the professionals, as certain cars require hours of work to effectively change spark plugs.

• Check tire pressure. If your tires are underinflated it takes more energy for your car to push down on the road. Even if your pressure is only a little lower than normal, you’re burning much more fuel than you have too. It’s probably a wise idea to invest in a tire pressure gauge, that way you know when you’re wasting fuel.

Investing in the above steps doesn’t take a lot of time nor money, but in the long run it can save you both. As gas prices continue to climb, you should be keeping your car in the most fuel efficient shape possible. By implementing the above steps you can drive with confidence, knowing you’ve done everything to save money at the pump.

Have a fun and safe time on the road, and visit us to find the best deal on the insurance coverage you need. Get money-saving tips, compare free auto insurance quotes and read helpful advice about finding cheap auto insurance from Auto Insurance Rates Direct today.

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Posted on April 19, 2011 by , Reply

Jaguar XK 140: The Epitome Of Class and Luxury

Looking for a classic sports car that still exudes luxury and class even at present? Well, perhaps you’d love the Jaguar XK140. The XK140 is a sports car made by car maker Jaguar from 1954 to 1957. The XK140 is a successor of the highly successful Jaguar XK120, and because of this, it featured better brakes, rack and pinion steering, as well as increased the suspension travel and modern tube type shock absorbers, among others. The Jaguar XK140 is the perfect classic car for speed loving drivers who won’t settle with modern day sports cars. The appeal of a classic car is a lot stronger than its modern counterpart, so choosing the XK140 is really a no-brainer.

Moving back a bit in time, you’ll know that the XK140 was really introduced in 1954 but was sold as a 1955 model. One thing that you’d notice from its older brother the XK120 is that it has a more substantial front and rear bumpers featuring huge overriders. It was one of the first cars to feature a modern flashing turn signal, which is operated by an added switch on its dashboard. One thing that would’ve set the XK140 and the XK120 apart was the twin amber lights just above the front bumper; but the owners of XK120 also installed such an equipment to give their cars an updated look.

Another great improvement that you’ll see from this classic car is the addition of 3 inches for the legroom, allowing it to accommodate even the taller drivers of its time. This was achieved because the engine was relocated, along with the firewall and the XK140s dash forward. However, this new configuration left no room for a battery compartment like the one found on the XK120. Because of this, the single battery is now placed low down inside the wing on the inlet side. This is one drawback because it is really hard to remove, thus making it hard to replace.

As a classic car, the Jaguar XK140 also made an impact in the car world. 1956 models of the XK140 became one of the first sports cars to feature an automatic transmission. It also features the famous Jaguar XK engine, but this time, it features modifications that weren’t available with the XK120. It has increased the specified power of the engine by 10, which is now 190 bhp at 5500 rpm.

There are a lot of things that you could enjoy with the XK140. These features have revolutionized the way people see sports cars, and most of these features are available even with the modern models; a sign that the Jaguar XK140 is truly a classic car.

William has just posted about the 1965 Ford Mustang on his classic car blog, MuscleCarMonster.com.

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Posted on April 18, 2011 by , Reply

BMW 501: The Gem Of Classic Cars

The car that has propelled BMW into the classic car scene is the BMW 501. The 501 is a luxury saloon car that was manufactured from 1952 to 1058, and is actually the first car manufactured and sold by BMW after World War II. It has a design that’s well ahead of its time, and used materials that exude luxury and quality. Its sleek, sloping design has earned the 501 its “Baroque Angels” nickname. Even though the 501 and its close relative, 502 were discontinued in 1958, its impact on the automotive industry still remains, as it’s one of the most iconic classic cars that was produced by BMW.

The BMW 501 was designed using an all new platform using a perimeter frame, double A-arm suspension with torsion bar springs at the front and on the rear, a live axle with torsion bar springs. This is clearly a sign of manufacturing innovation for BMW, as they prepare the 501 for mass production, because it is a vehicle that’s intended for public use. Even though it is the first vehicle released by BMW after the Second World War, you won’t see a hint of inferiority in power and performance. The 501 packs a punch underneath its hood, as it is powered by BMWs pre-war 2-liter six cylinder engine. This engine had its cylinder head revised and the inlet manifold has been given a new design as well. Overall, the BMW 501s engine retained its capacity of 1,971cc and developed 65 horsepower.

A clear improvement in the BMW 501 is the improved legroom for passengers. The car feels roomy even if it’s filled to capacity of four or five people. This improved legroom could be attributed to the remote gearbox placement, since the four speed gearbox is not bolted to the engine. This remote placement may have resulted to a more complicated linkage to the shifter as a vague shifter action, but it’s all worth it because the improved legroom added a feel of comfort and luxury for the car.

So, what makes the BMW 501 a classic? This classic status could be attributed to the innovation borne out of this car. Aside from being the first car released by BMW after the war, it also has features that put it well ahead of its time. It has a robust chassis that provides passive safety to car goers, the remote gearbox that gave more legroom, and a fuel tank placed in a protected area in the car to minimize the risk of fire. BMW 501 started all of these things, and most car makers based their designs off these innovations.

If you want to learn more about muscle cars and the history behind these famous cars, visit Williams blog MuscleCarMonster.com today.

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Posted on April 18, 2011 by , Reply
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