Car Enthusiasts

The three basic appearance elements of a custom car design are stance, paint/graphics and wheel/tire combination. Each of these must be carefully considered when designing so that an overall theme...

The 2003 SVT (Special Vehicle Team) Mustang Cobra and the 2002 Toyota Supra may be two turbocharged cars manufactured on opposite ends of the world, but their performance in speed and handling are...

The generally accepted definition of a classic car is a distinctive, high-priced automobile manufactured from 1925 to 1948. Luxury custom-built vehicles such as Duesenburg, Cord, Auburn, Lincoln...

The popularity of the 1965 Mustang has never waned since its introduction in April of 1964. Its popularity had a lot to do with its sporty good looks, a wide variety of options and engines ranging...

The 2001 Monte Carlo uses an upgraded version of the previous generation's trans-axle (transmission and axle in one, used in front-wheel-drive applications), called the 4T65-E. It is a four...

You love your Ford. You gave her a girl's name, bought her new billet valve covers for your third anniversary and would probably marry her if you lived in Massachusetts. So what can you do at this...

A turbocharger has a turbine and a compressor linked to a common axle. The engine exhaust manifold blows exhaust gases into the turbine intake, which causes the turbine wheel to spin. This...

Each auto manufacturer assigns a specific code to paint colors. This number may change from year to year, as minor differences in paint colors may occur. You'll need the paint color code if you...

Though the F-150's strong and versatile engine offers a number of routes to power, probably the easiest and most reliable is that of forced induction. Though the trend today is toward centrifugal...

Adjusting the valve train when using a solid lifter cam involves the same procedures used as when adjusting for a hydraulic cam. The only real difference is the clearances involved, which are...

Do you like Mustangs but don't know how to identify them? Follow these easy steps and learn how to easily identify the most popular pony car ever made!

An electrical system that uses a battery may benefit by replacing the original battery with one that provides more voltage. The most common example of upgrading a 6 volt system to a 12 volt system...

The Muncie 4-speed transmission is on the shortlist of car options with legendary status. The very mention of this transmission summons fond memories of better days when cars were muscle cars and...

The Accord has been a hugely successful car for Honda since its creation in the 1980s. But, recently, custom car builders have taken to tuning the Accord to become a race car, show vehicle and...

Personal touches on a car can be made to either the interior or the exterior. For restaurants, catering companies, or the dedicated beach goer, the scallop is symbolic. Widely known for being a...

Ford makes a number of variations in body style and door configuration for each of its F-Series pickup trucks. The company gears each toward a different demographic.

Based on the evergreen Chevrolet S-10, the Blazer is the SUV variant of this wildly popular pickup. Enjoying aftermarket support concordant to its popularity, the Blazer can be customized by...

The exhaust system of a motor vehicle is designed primarily to evacuate the spent combustion gases from the engine and expel them to the open air. However, modern exhaust systems serve many...

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show is the largest commercial automotive trade show. The annual show is typically held in October or early November. The 2009 show was scheduled...

The 350 Chevrolet is well-known in the hot rod community as one of the most popular and versatile engines of all time. Cheap to buy, cheap to build and easy to maintain, this is the engine of...

Used in practically every type of bodywork that can be done, body filler is an important part of the hot rod universe. Contrary to what a mechanic might say, body shops use the exact same types...

Replacing your engine's cylinder heads is one of the most efficient ways to build power, and is a great way to build a strong foundation for future power. As the main junction point for inflow...

In the early 20th century, automobile manufacturing was at the cutting edge of innovation. After World War II, car companies began to turn their attentions to domestic vehicles and how to make...

Ford's Boss 302 small-block engine was designed specifically for racing and is extremely valuable and rare, due in part because the Boss 302 was only produced for the 1969 and 1970 model years. By...

Using anti-seize on your wheel studs is an easy way to ensure that you will be able to get the wheels off should you need to change a flat tire. Anti-seize is a compound, usually silver in color,...

Tires can be hard and dry, decreasing their ability to grip the road or track. Car racers at times look for ways to soften the tires to help them grip the track. There are several products on the...

If you've got flat black paint, steel wheels and a skull and crossbones anywhere on your car, than a flamethrower has your name written all over it. A traditional ignition-cut type is generally...

Traditionally, brakes have been the red-headed stepchild of the hot rod industry. In the mind of the average car enthusiast, going slow quickly does not equate to going fast. However, today's...

Sway bars, or anti-roll bars as they're properly called, act as a sort of supplemental suspension system. Though the main roll characteristics of a car are dictated by the large coil springs that...

Collectors of antique automobiles enjoy having all parts of the car as near to the original configuration as possible. California is one of a number of states that allows owners of antiques to use...

Calculating frontal area can be of interest when, for example, determining the profile of a vehicle. Contour matters for wind resistance, but so does frontal area. There are several possible ways...

To properly maintain your vehicle's paint, you have to wash and wax it regularly. For most cars, this isn't a big deal. But if the car is painted black, the job is often more difficult. Scratches...

Performance suspension technology plays a vital role in the handling and stability of a performance vehicle. What manufacturers learn from the race track, will eventually find its way to the...

As handling and chassis dynamics replace acceleration as the dominant priority for today's hot rodder, rear disc brake conversions have become a de riguer upgrade for any older car. In a big way,...

A rusty bolt that is stuck can turn what was supposed to be a simple and quick job into a long and frustrating experience as you are unable to proceed until you can remove it. Simply turning...

On normally aspirated cars, ambient air enters the engine's combustion chamber by simply flowing in through an opening, sometimes also passing through an electronic air flow meter. On turbocharged...

The Peugeot 206 XS is one of the trims of the Peugeot 206. It is part of a family of subcompact cars that French automaker Peugeot started making in 1998.

The Ford Mustang and the AC Cobra debuted in the 1960s. However, while the British-made Cobra ceased production in 1967, Ford still continues to make the Mustang, which has become the company's...

You've wanted that classic Corvette since you were a kid. Suddenly it shows up unexpectedly on a dealer lot, or in someone's driveway with a "For Sale" sign. Here's what to look...

Do you have a thick coat of film on your windows and can't seem to get it off? With these easy to follow instructions you can remove that annoying film.

In New York, only the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has the authority to issue vehicle plates to vehicle registrants. Registrants may pick up standard plates at a motor vehicle...

A quality hot rod has to have looks as well as power. Your hot rod body makes the largest impression on viewers, and because of this, you need to take great care to get the look just right in...

Keyless entry is an package option offered on the Suzuki Swift, a subcompact by the Japanese car manufacturer. The Swift is expected to be available in the U.S. by 2011.

Though most newer engines use electronically activated coil-on-plug ignitions, practically every car made before 1995 utilizes some sort of mechanical distributor. Newer electronic systems offer...

Used to raise the body of an off-road vehicle, coil spring spacers are a great way to gain a couple inches of altitude without replacing the springs. Though most people who purchase coil springs...

The Scion line by Toyota has been successful, and lots of people are customizing them. The tC, the popular coupe Scion, has lots of different after-market options available. But one thing that can...

This How To will walk you step by step through making a custom fiberglass speaker enclosure.

The new Hemi engine, known by the designation DCX in the world of hot rodding, offers many advantages over the old-style street Hemi. The only real drawback to using the newer DCX-style engine is...

Peugeot is a leading French automaker and a subsidiary of PSA Peugeot Citroën, which is the second-argest auto manufacturer in Europe. The Peugeot company was initially in the business of...

Valve covers are one of the first things you see when you open the hood. Whether you have a show car or a beloved daily workhorse, powder-coating the valve covers will make them pop when you open...