Servicing Classic Cars: It's a Skill All of Its Own

If you already work in the motoring industry, you'll know vitally important it is to keep up with servicing schedules. A lapsed servicing schedule can have a huge impact on the performance and value of a car - and this is particularly true if the car in question is a classic. Vintage motor cars are famously sensitive and fine-tuned creatures, as any expert or enthusiast will confirm. Keeping on top of maintenance, therefore, is doubly important.

Vintage car ownership is on the increase in the UK, with more and more owners regarding their pride and joy as an investment as well as a hobby. These people are passionate about their vehicles - and are therefore equally passionate about its maintenance. The last thing an owner wants is for the value of their lovely motor to depreciate, so they will be on the look-out for a trustworthy and experienced repair man from the moment they make their purchase. So it's not hard to understand why classic car servicing is swiftly becoming and extremely popular and well-paid career.

If you're already a mechanic, repairing and maintaining antique vehicles is quickly becoming a very lucrative business to be involved in. Vintage car owners will pay a premium for a trustworthy and experienced mechanic - after all, this is the person who will be safeguarding their pride and joy! If you don't have much experience in this field, however, don't worry - you still have an opportunity to be involved. Perhaps you could turn to vintage car servicing as a future career - for instance, by learning from an expert as you build your contact base. Talk to any owners you know to find out who they entrust with their vehicles. Alternatively, talk to any friends who are mechanics - no doubt they will be able to point you in the right direction.

One of the key skills of an antique car mechanic is patience. The cars of yesteryear are nothing like the mass-manufactured vehicles of today. Every classic car has its own personality and peccadillos, and this can make repairing them time-consuming and frustrating. The beauty of working with these motorcars, however, lies in the results. These genuinely speak for themselves: as any expert will tell you, nothing beats the contented hum of a newly-serviced vintage car. And, of course, a close second is the grateful smile of the owner himself. He'll be glad he knows an expert like you - and you'll be grateful that you've found a career you genuinely enjoy.

Classic Cars - The Best Muscle Cars

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as, "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving."
Although opinions vary, it is often cited that the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 is the first muscle car ever created. It was designed with speed and power in mind, using a powerful engine with a lightweight body.

By the mid-1970s some of this market converged into personal luxury performance cars, thus beginning an era where personal luxury trumped lightweight speed.

Performance-type cars began to make a return in the United States during the 1980s, however with new regulations governing safety and pollution combined with increased production costs, these new vehicles were not designed to the formula of the traditional low-cost muscle cars. Introducing electronic fuel injection and overdrive transmission to the remaining muscle car survivors like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird helped sustain a market share for them alongside personal luxury coupes with performance packages.

Karl Brauer, editor-in-chief of the online car review aggregator "Total Car Score" is a self-described fanatic who characterizes muscle cars as his "primary passion." He compiled a list of what he considers 10 classic American muscle cars, saying, "Vintage car collectors consider these must-haves!"

Karl Brauer's list:

• 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30
• 1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD455
• 1970 Buick GSX Stage 1
• 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6
• 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Ram Air IV
• 1968 Ford Mustang GT500KR
• 1969 Ford Boss 429 Mustang
• 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Hemi
• 1971 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda
• 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Car buffs sometimes refer to classic muscle cars as "overpowered iron beasts" because these cars were built to deliver and beating and also to take one. They often burned rubber, and were anything but agile. Big, heavy, loud and rude, they embodied everything that was great about the American auto industry of the 1960s and 1970s.

American car-maker Chevrolet offered many different types, beginning with the Corvette in 1953, adding the Impala, Chevelle, El Camino, and Nova to its ranks throughout the years.

Dodge threw their hat into the ring beginning with the 1966 Charger, adding the Challenger and Super Bee thereafter.

Other American car-makers offerings include:

• AMC's AMX and Javelin
• Buick's Grand National
• Ford's Mustang and Thunderbird
• Mercury's Cougar
• Oldsmobile's Olds 442
• Plymouth's Barracuda and GTX
• Pontiac's Firebird and GTO

Restoring
When restoring muscle cars, people have differing views on whether staying true to the original factory's work is the best way to go, or whether improving on anything you can is better. One thing to keep in mind is that a well-documented restoration performed by a renowned shop will always hold more value than one that's undocumented or completed by an unknown shop or individuals.

Customizing
Muscle cars are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, however finding one in mint condition is near impossible. Finding one that needs to be restored, and/or customized is a different story. So many different things about these cars can be customized, it is best to do your research on what features you would like to customize before getting a bid from someone.

Most likely people who own custom car shops are huge car fans who have learned the skills to do something they truly enjoy doing. Ask to see some of their work before going with a custom car shop, and remember it's OK to barter when asking for custom work to be done to your muscle car.

Classic Cars In Time For Summer



The Classic Car Club of America defines a CCCA Classic as: A "fine" or "distinctive" automobile, either American- or foreign-built, produced between 1925 and 1948. Other factors, including engine displacement, custom coachwork and luxury accessories, such as power brakes, power clutch, and "one-shot" or automatic lubrication systems, help determine whether a car is considered a Classic.

The above description is somewhat limiting, with the beginning of the classic car era more typically considered to be the 1930s, ending with the muscle car period in the 1970s. Many show top off the definition of classic in 1972, defining cars built in 1973 or later as modern customs, exotics or collectibles.

There are many reasons why people claim they like classic cars better than cars of today. Some opinions and reasons include the following:

· cars are technically better built

· cars have more "style" and beauty in their body lines

· are more solid, made with metal, rather than cheaper products like plastic

· were designed by car-lovers, not businessmen

Resale Value

Classic cars tend to hold their value well, especially if they have been well-maintained or restored. As with anything, if you are in the market to purchase, do your research and make sure you know about what make and model you are looking for and what price range would be acceptable and appropriate. If you are looking to sell, do the same so you know what a reasonable price to ask is. Most desirable cars tend to be one-owner low-mileage cars that have mostly stayed covered and very well-maintained.

There are dozens of websites dedicated to selling as well as countless auto dealerships that specialize. If you can't find what you are looking for locally, check out the internet, or plan to attend a Car Show in your area or beyond.

Classic Chevys

Classic cars come in too many makes and models to mention in this article. Although auto-makers such as AMC, Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln-Mercury, Oldsmobile, Plymouth and Pontiac all have produced cars that now fall in the "classic" range, American-made Chevy has some of the most iconic models. Chevy's portfolio includes the following:

· Camaro

· Chevelle

· Corvair

· Corvette

· El Camino

· Impala

· Nova

Custom Classic Cars

Along with restoring the classics, oftentimes people like to make their cars a little fancier by adding modifications known as "customizing" their car. Customizing can range from simple to very complex paint jobs, to mechanical modifications and decorative touches.

World Record Performance

The current Guinness World Record for highest car mileage is held by a 1966 Volvo P1800, which has now covered over 2.9 million miles! Volvo is one company where consumers can order parts from their local dealers to ensure the original performance of their classic car; and the parts delivered today actually have a higher quality than when the car was in production due to evolving technologies.

Whether you're looking to purchase a classic car for an investment or just for the love of it, or if you're just an enthusiast who loves the look, people seem to enjoy restoring and showcasing their vehicles all across America. You can definitely consider the it one of America's favorite pastimes.

Tips on Finding the Best Car Lease

If you have decided to buy a new car, you should know that there are a wide variety of different ways to finance the purchase. Most people who choose to purchase a vehicle do not want to pay for it in one full upfront payment, and instead prefer to make smaller payments over a certain amount of time. This makes it a lot easier to pay for the purchase of a new car without going broke from that initial payment that could have cost you too much to begin with.

When searching for the perfect car lease for your situation there are a wide variety of factors that should be considered carefully before you make any decisions. The amount of money that you will have to pay in each payment on your car lease will depend a lot on the type of car that you are buying. The more expensive your car is, the more you will be paying on each payment, but if the lease is spread out over a longer time frame then each payment will be lower. It is important to find a lease that you are comfortable with and that is flexible enough for you.

If you choose a car lease that is meant to be paid out in full over the space of just a few years, then you will find that there will be more restrictions and you will have to pay more on every payment. Some people prefer this to signing a very long lease, so just take your time to figure out which type of lease would be best suited to your situation. It is also important to recognize that you will typically end up paying more for your car if you get it financed rather than paying everything up front, so this is another thing to consider carefully.

Some financing programs will have higher rates than others, so make sure to take as much time as you need to find the cheapest one available. Also, you will want to make sure that you always pay on time, because some leasing programs are not at all flexible and they will take your car away from you if you do not pay on time. this could certainly prove to be a big problem for you so to avoid this from happening make sure that the payment plan you agree on is within the confines of your budget.

It is always better to stay on the safe side and choose the cheapest car leasing plan available. This will help to ensure that you will always be able to make that payment and that even if you lose your job you will still have enough money set aside to make a few more payments until you find a new job. by approaching the financing of your new car like this, you are much less likely to end up being disappointed. The idea is to make a well-informed and smart decision regarding your specific type of car lease.