How To Fix Your Car Into A Showstopper

Modifying your car can drastically change its appearance from a regular daily driver to one that resembles a racing hot rod. It doesn't matter if you drive a domestic vehicle or a foreign one; with the proper mods and tweaks any vehicle can look amazing. Fixing up your automobile can also be a lot of fun. Common mods include lowering, adding some blinged out rims and adding in a state of the art stereo system with lots of speakers.

The easiest way to add a new dimension to your auto is to install some sweet rims. In order to get a feel for what type of rims you prefer you can surf auto blogs online and take a look at some sweet modified rides. Perhaps you want eye catching chrome ones or perhaps more subtle alloy wheels suit you more. Be sure not to choose wheels that weigh a ton since these can actually affect the speed of your car. Alloy wheels are best if performance is important to you. Make sure not to pick wheels that are too big or too small since this can hinder overall performance.

Keeping your auto is clean is very important if you want a good looking ride. Always pick up after yourself and make sure to clean your vehicle on a weekly basis. Wipe down the exterior with a cloth and wax it on a regular basis. Vacuum the floors and mat with a portable vacuum cleaner. Don't forget to wipe down the wheels too in order to keep them looking new. Air freshener is another nice touch to make your car smell nice.

Here are a few more easy ways to spice up your vehicle. You can tint your windows if you want an edgier and more aggressive appearance. Always check the local rules in your city in regards to tinting as it may be illegal in some areas. Some clear lights can also make your auto stand out instead of using the standard yellow lights that most cars come with.

Depending on your budget, you can also work on the entertainment aspect and install an amazing sound system. Another option is installing a DVD player and adding in screens in the headrests which allows passengers to enjoy movies and television. Make sure to get frequent hand washes and get it waxed and polished on a regular basis. You can also change the color by painting it or perhaps incorporating a design, such as stripes on the exterior.

No matter what changes you decide to make, remember that fixing up your car is supposed to be fun. So make sure you have fun and don't be afraid to show off your ride once it's in showroom condition.

The World of Classic Cars

An Introduction to the World of Classic Cars


The world of classic cars is one of the most under-rated, yet magically exciting sectors of what is essentially a leisure pursuit. Certainly there are many professional firms and companies trading in the area of classic cars, but for the most part the industry is driven by enthusiastic followers of their own particular classic car passion.

Some parameters and definitions are required and this leads to the first problem: what exactly is a classic car? And how do you begin to identify one? The answer is probably the old favourite that applies to all things of beauty and it is simply that it's all in the eye of the beholder.

One person's classic is another's heap of junk, but there's no doubt that we all know a true classic when we see one.

The earliest mechanically propelled vehicles are now, in the main, museum pieces that only rarely see the light of day. They are delicate relics of many a bygone age and evoke tremendous feelings of affection and attachment in those who love them.

Next are the classics that still represent a part of history long gone and comprise vehicles that can be nursed and nurtured by those who own, maintain and love them. Because of the dedication of these enthusiasts, the rest of us can enjoy the reward of exploring history, in much the same way as we would explore any part of the development of mankind through the ages.

Coming more up to date are the vehicles that represent the boom years of motor car design and ingenuity, before computer aided design took over and resulted in what exists now, i.e. all cars looking pretty much the same. Modern needs and demands for fuel efficiency, together with environmental considerations dictate how cars are now configured.

From modern techniques of design and manufacture we get cars that are incredibly efficient, but perhaps a little boring and unlikely to mature into what might be called classic cars in the future. Time alone will tell.

Mechanical transportation has been around since the latter part of the nineteenth century so we have a wealth of history to draw upon. Generally speaking the most satisfactory way to classify and categorise classic cars is by reference to the year in which they were manufactured. We have to start somewhere!

Further classification must introduce a geographic component. The US probably represents the largest sector here, but the UK and other European countries contribute hugely to the rich tapestry that now constitutes the classic car world.

Vintage cars are probably still best defined as those built before 1930. So that's a big part of the territory. Then come those built between 1930 and the end of World War 2 so, again a substantial sector. This era has been defined as the age of the "Post Vintage Thoroughbred". Not a bad label by any means.

Once we get beyond World War 2 things become a little more subjective. In the UK there is the zero rate of road tax which applies to any car built before 1973. Somewhat confused because it defines a "build" date rather than a "registered" date, but that aside this sector is fairly easy to classify. So if it's not vintage, and it's not a Post Vintage Thoroughbred, but it was built before 1973, then it almost certainly is a "Road Tax Free, Classic".

Coming further up to date there is definite confusion. There are classics being produced today, by small specialist manufacturers and even home build kit car fans. There are also the eccentric and bizarre that only their owners would ever define as classic.

When all said and done, no-one should be denied the entitlement to describe their own classic as such, and there's plenty of room in the world for us all.

Long may that be the case and long may all of us with an interest in this really fascinating world of historic motor cars, find enough to feed our passion and excitement for all time.