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A one-of-a-kind 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300(serial no. 2311237) will make its North American Debut at the 30^th Anniversary Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance on August 2, 2009. This exciting performance car is a one-off alloy Boattail Speedster formerly owned by Angela Cherrett? noted authority and author on Alfa 8Cs, and will be presented in unrestored condition.

“We’re thrilled that the owner of this thorough-bred vintage race car has chosen the Meadow Brook Concours as the venue for its North American debut,” said Matthew de Larcinese, Executive Director – Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance. “This addition to the show field is certain to be a crowd pleaser!”

Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 (serial no. 2311237) began life as a factory show car in 1934 before being imported to Britain by London Bentley Dealer Jack Barclay in 1935. The new owner promptly ordered a new two-seat touring body designed and constructed for the race chassis. As was customary at the time, many of these automobiles were supplied to custom coachbuilders such as Pinninfarina, Zagato, Figoni, Castagna and Touring.

It remained in the U.K.where it was raced and sold later to a noted American collector. 

Tickets for the 2009 Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance are now on sale by calling 248.643.8645. Online sales soon at http://www.mbhconcours.org/tickets.htm. 

Ticket prices

Adults (in advance): $25

Children 12 years and under: Free

Groups of 10 or more: $20 each

About Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance:

Held annually during the first week of August on the historic grounds of Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Michigan, the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance is considered one of the most prestigious classic automobile exhibitions in the world.  In 2009 the Meadow Brook Concours is celebrating its 30^th anniversary. For more information about the 2009 Meadow Brook Concours, visit www.mbconcours.org. 

About Meadow Brook Hall:

Located on the grounds of Oakland University, Meadow Brook Hall is the fourth largest historic house museum in the United States and is renowned for its superb craftsmanship, architectural detailing and grand scale. widow of auto pioneer John Dodge Matilda Dodge Wilson owned the car build between 1926 and 1929 and her second husband, lumber broker Alfred G. Wilson, the 110-room, 88,000-square-foot, Tudor-revival style mansion is complete with vast collections of original art and furnishings.

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This XLR is one more attempt to take on the mega-luxury brands coming out of Europe and Japan. This two-seater is Cadillac’s pride-and-joy. Dija know that both the XLR and Corvette are built on top of the same platform, even though the Corvette does a better job with it. This caddy is more of a country cruising machine than a sports hot rod. This is a bit of an old-man caddy, with a softer and more agreeable ride. The XLR puts under the hood a softer 4/6-liter, 320-horsepower V8 engine rather than the Vette’s edgier 6/2-liter, 436-hp V8 power generator.

The XLR makes good use of lightweight parts, such as aluminum suspension pieces, that keeps the XLR’s weight pretty reasonable. Furthermore, the defacto Magnetic Ride Control adaptive suspension system automatically adjusts ride smoothness, based upon how bumpy the road is. This ensures generally smooth and responsive maneuvers. The mash-up of the cutting exterior and bold interior with catching accents do make for a compelling presence. Further, the XLR’s power retractable hardtop roof allows the comfort and security of a coupe when the top is raised. Whenever you pull back the hard top, then you should have a Cadillac XLR windscreen / windblocker / wind deflector.

This Cadillac XLR does indeed turn heads, but it’s not worthy all of the hype GM is giving it - far from it. . Furthermore, the XLR doesn’t really offer that much more than a fully loaded Corvette, which is about $20,000 cheaper and 116-hp more powerful.

The XLR is certainly a fast car, but, well, it’s just not sports car fast. The acceleration is notable, but still underneath what one hopes for in this sort of rod. The XLR’s softer suspension tuning results in noticeable body roll during hard cornering and plenty of nosedive under heavy braking. Even though this car is fitted with adaptive suspension with split-second control, the XLR is still not up to the handling performance of its European and Japanese rivals. The XLR is best on the open highway, when it can really stretch its legs and unwind. Remember, if you go top down, then you should also go with a Cadillac XLR windscreen / windblocker / wind deflector.

Every minute you’re driving, your vehicle’s engine goes through its combustion process thousands of times. As it does, it produces intense heat. Nearly half of that heat leaves through the tailpipe and dissipates in the air. The other half must be absorbed by the auto parts that comprise your engine. That includes the pistons, the cylinder heads and other car part components.

On their own, these parts cannot withstand the high temperatures generated by combustion; they would start to malfunction and eventually fail completely. Luckily, your car has a cooling system. It is specifically designed to help these components soak up the excess heat without their being destroyed in the process.

Below, I’ll give you a brief overview of the three main car parts that make up your vehicle’s cooling system. I’ll explain the job they do and how they help ensure your engine doesn’t overheat.

#1 - Water Pump

The “secret” behind your cooling system’s effectiveness is the coolant. It circulates throughout the engine and surrounding components, absorbing much of the excess heat along the way. Then, it travels into the radiator which is cooled by constant airflow.

In order to circulate, the coolant must be pumped along its path. This is the job of the water pump. It’s powered by your car’s timing belt, though older models might have a flat belt that powers the pump. If the timing belt breaks, it cannot operate the water pump, which will ultimately prevent the coolant from circulating and absorbing the heat.

#2 - Plumbing

The reference is referring toward the components in which the coolant moves. That includes a network of hoses, valves, and the radiator. This includes the heater core, but that is not a significant part of this dialog. We’re mainly concerned with the hoses. They erode and deteriorate quickly from the heated coolant that consistently travels through the parts. A lot of car enthusiasts recommend replacing the hoses every three years. However, you should check them for cracks and fissures every four months. The hoses are relatively inexpensive, so if you notice crack - even small ones - replace them.

#3 - Sensors And Thermostat

Your car’s cooling system is equipped with sensors, fans, and a thermostat to monitor and control the temperature around the engine. They work together as a team to help make sure the temperature does not exceed a certain limit. If any of these parts fail, the temperature can rise higher than normal. When that happens, your vehicle’s performance can be hampered and emissions will likely rise.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of your vehicle’s cooling system. When all of the components involved work properly, your car’s engine will perform its combustion process without problem. However, if the water pump, hoses or valves, or sensors or thermostat malfunction, your vehicle can overheat. And that can easily lead to expensive car engine damage.

For many years the Mclaren F1 was the fastest road car in the planet, but changes have been a foot over the previous few years. The most recent to challenge this number one spot is the Bugatti Veyron. Made by Volkswagen this is likely to be the best driving experience from a road car you will get in your lifetime.

Ferdinand Piech the boss of VW invented the idea of manufacturing an automobile with one thousand hp that might do over 200mph, for those where money was no object. The ridiculous ticket of £700,000 or approx $1,100,000, is only exacerbated by the fact it costs significantly more to make. Yes VW, will be loosing millions of dollars to sell this auto, which explains why the opinion is, that no other manufacturer would build a road vehicle you could buy, that would match this performance and style.

Lets look at some figures then;

1001, Horsepower!
fourteen radiators, Yes 14!!
$3,200 to make an indicator stalk!
Tyres specifically developed by Michelin, $1800 each!
922lb of torque!

229 miles an hour or 370kph (believe it or not the normal configuration is prohibited )

But change the engine and you can get;

253mph, which is 407.5mph

10 seconds to stop from 250mph!
100ltr fuel tank that can be emptied at top speeds inside twelve minutes!

This is a major feat in engineering, especially from a turn out that does not have a background in Formula One like Mclaren and Ferrari and it makes you wonder what they could achieve if they were to enter that field.

The car also looks surprising. Without the badge, you would not be ready to tell if it was Italian or German, but you would know it could not be anything more but these 2. At certain angles it seems like a teardrop, with only its open griddle that appears like a goldfish’s open mouth to smash that line. I fact if I had anything bad to claim about the car it might be that I am not sure about this front grill. There are some that would say front griddle gives it a “growl”, perhaps so. But to me the snarl is too respectful, it either shouldn’t be there, and had kept more of its lines or it should have been a “roar” ; after all this is the speediest road automobile in the world.

The aerofoil at the back, keeps this monster on the road, and immediately raises itself at certain high speeds, a hint of a give away if you are speeding down a motorway and the policeman following you knows you are breaking the speed limit for no actual reason than your aerofoil is up. However the excellent news is there’s no police car on earth going to catch you, the bad news is it wouldn’t be hard to find the owner. First, there’s not going to be plenty of these is any area and 2nd even your Gramps would turn her head to see one of these beauties driving down the road.
This vehicle guarantees to be one of the most talked about motorcar for a while to come. And if you cannot afford the to buy best driving experience of a whole life, you can at least dream.

For more reviews about sports cars, visit www.thesupercars.org and while you are at it, you might also want to have a look at Buggati Veyron.

So many people practically live in their cars these days. This can lead to all kinds of messy spills and stains. You need reliable solutions for removing stains from your car upholstery. Driving around in a clean car will be more pleasant. Stains from various liquids are usually all over your upholstery. As quickly as you can try and soak up any excess liquid. 
 
Find some spray upholstery cleaner at a local auto parts shop or online retailer. Spray the cleaner on the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. Then scrub the stain using a small brush. Use a clean cloth to dry the area. This process may need to be repeated a few times to get it clean. 
 
Shaving cream can be used to clean a small stain if you do not have a car upholstery cleaner. If you have an ink stain on your upholstery do not rub it. This can make the stain bigger by smearing the ink. Spray the area with hairspray after gently blotting away excess ink. 
 
Give it a little time to sit and then wipe the area with a clean dry towel. You may need to repeat this process to completely remove the stain, being sure to use a new cloth each time. Ink stains can also be removed using rubbing alcohol. Lipstick stains can be removed using white non-get toothpaste. Just rub in onto the stain gently and then wipe it with a clean damp cloth. 
 
Families with kids often end up with crayon marks on the car upholstery. Begin by scraping off as much crayon as you are able using a dull knife edge or the tip of a metal spoon. Next spray with a small amount of WD-40 and let it soak in for a few minutes. Remove the stain with a small brush and then wipe it clean. If the stains refuse to come out then it may be time to rent a professional hot water extraction system.

Everyone knows that the economy has had a huge impact on society.  Because of this, people are working hard and saving more.  Over the past few months, a few things have improved such as the price of gas but what many people do not realize is that there is a way of saving even more money in the area of fuel.  The developer of , Build your Own Electric Vehicle shows the average person how to convert a standard car into an electric car.

The developer of this book comes from a different vantage point.  His entire family has spent 15 years living green.  Using both solar and wind power, and making the revolutionary discover of converting a car to electricity himself, he can now pass on his knowledge so that you too can benefit.

The information provided in “Build your own Electric Car” is powerful and easy to follow.  Instead of spending thousands of dollars on a new hybrid car, the information provided will show you a viable way of taking your existing car and turning it into a vehicle that runs on electricity.  The result is having your same comfortable car but now in a more practical, functional, and money-saving way.

The market is flooded with similar books but what makes “Build your own Electric Car” so different is that the writer has personally lived it.  Best of all, the process of building your own electric car is something that anyone can accomplish in that no special skills or tools are needed.  In fact, the author has no mechanical skills yet he was able to develop a system that is truly efficient and effective.

The conversion process provided in “Build your own Electric Car” is easy but you will also be given other valuable insight that includes:

* Cutting fuel costs to almost zero
* Cleaning up and supporting a better environment
* Getting significant IRS refunds

Unlike other books about electric cars and the extensive work and money to build something from the ground up, “Build your Own Electric Car” uses the person’s own vehicle but modifies the way it works.  The outcome is a normal car that is very inexpensive to run and less pollution going into the air breathed.  All of this is possible for less than $200!

When the conversion is finished, you will be able to drive your car at normal highway speeds and go up to 100 miles on just on charge.  The developer of “Build your own Electric Auto” is so confident that he provides a 100% guaranteed that anyone using the information provided would succeed.  This means the cost of expensive fuel is forever eliminated.

When looking to purchase a new car, most people are only concerned with the sticker price or up front costs. They judge the deal based only on the amount of money they pay before driving their new car off the dealership lot. However, studies show that the initial investment can be misleading. Over the course of several years, a seemingly inexpensive automobile can end up costing far more than a higher-priced model.

We will explain four areas that effect the overall long term cost of vehicle ownership. When you eventually decide to purchase a new model, keep these factors in mind.

Tip 1 - Fuel Efficiency

A lot of drivers would be surprised by the variance in gas expenses for different models over five years. Driving a 4-cylinder vehicle can literally cost thousands of dollars less than a fuel-guzzling SUV. To determine how much you’ll be spending on gas, assume that you’ll be driving 12,000 miles each year. You’ll also need to make an assumption regarding where you think fuel prices will be during the next five years.

Tip 2 - Insurance Premiums

Many motorists believe that their insurance premiums are based solely upon their driving record. In truth, most insurance providers also take into account the type of car you’re driving. As an example, the premiums that your would pay on a convertible sports car are significantly higher than you would pay for a 4 door family car. Call your insurance agent prior to purchasing a new vehicle. He should be able to tell you which models will cost more to insure.

Tip 3 - Regular Maintenance And Repairs

This is one of the hidden expenses of owning an automobile. When buying a new car from a dealer, the last thing on the prospective car owners mind is the expense of future car repairs. Maintaining and repairing your car is inevitable. The older it gets, the higher the likelihood that car parts and systems will fail. The important thing to realize is that certain models are more expensive to repair than others. And while your warranty will cover the first few years, it won’t last forever. Take into account that you can save money on car repairs by utilizing used auto parts which are not only cheaper, but help save the environment

Tip 4 - Depreciation

Finally, we come to the largest expense of all: depreciation. Most people understand that automobiles depreciate. However, many people are taken a back when they learn, how much, how fast and the difference between car makes and models.

It is estimated that vehicles lose more than half their value during their first five years. Some models lose their value more quickly than others based on available inventories, popularity, and even the cash incentives offered by automakers and dealerships.

When you decide to purchase a new car, consider the initial price in the context of how much it will actually cost to own the vehicle. In other words, don’t be swayed simple because of a low sticker price. To be happy with your purchase for years to come, make sure you consider the tips and facts listed above.

Speeding Fines.

Nobody wants to get them. However, it’s pretty easy to start speeding and before you know it you end up with a fine. Today with all the cameras out their monitoring the roads in the UK, it is especially important that you are careful about speeding or you’ll end up with quite a few fines, some points on your license, and you could even lose your right to drive at all. One of the best things you can do to avoid speeding fines is actually to understand the reasons that you speed in the first place. When you stand back, there are some common and very simple reasons that people speed. Once you understand what they are, then you can work on fixing the problem so you don’t get a fine. So, here’s a look at some of the most common reasons you speed and how you can fix this to avoid getting fined for speeding in the future.

Reason #1 - The Speed Limit Changes - One of the main reasons that people end up speeding, is because they dont notice that the limit has changed, and after all its a limit - not a mandatory rule. On many of the roads across the UK, you’ll find that the speed does change from time to time. Since the speed limit can change several times on that one road, it’s pretty easy to keep driving along even after the speed has been lowered. In the blink of an eye you will be pulled over by the police, and you’ll have a ticket for speeding and you probably wont even realise why. A speed change is one of the main reasons that people end up paying fines - so stay focussed.

The Solution:
If you are not the most observant driver and notice speed changes, there are other things you can do to mitigate this, and avoid speeding fines. Keeping your eyes open for signs around you is a great idea. Instead of paying so much attention to everything else, keep watchful for speed limit signs and also keep an eye on other vehicles around you. If you notice they slow down, it could be because the speed has changed and is a bit lower.

Reason #2 - You are Not Concentrating on Driving - Another of the common reasons that people end up getting speeding fines is because they were not concentrating on driving. Unfortunately, the quality and comfort of cars today make it all to simple to travel from a to b, without having to pay that much attention to actually driving. Keep focussed, and switch off distractions where you can, including the radio and even talking in some cases. If you are distracted, it’s easy to start going a bit faster, and soon you are speeding and you end up getting caught by a camera going far too fast.

The Solution:
How can you fix this problem? Well, when you are driving you need to work a bit on your concentration. Try to avoid things that take your mind off what you are doing. Pay attention to your speed. Simply glance to the speedometer and check regulary how fast you are travelling. This will probably save you from just speeding off, and incurring the all hated speed fine.

Reason #3 - Aggression on the Road - Aggression out there on the road can end up being a reason that people speed today as well. If you are upset or annoyed, its easy to speed without realising. Dont get hot and mad, and antagonised because if you do your driving will become reckless. When you are feeling more aggressive or you are in an angry state of mind, chances are you are going to go faster and you may just end up with speeding fines for that anger, which definitely won’t make your day go any better.

The Resolution:
If you haven’t got a cool state of mind, and are angry or otherwise, just dont drive. After all, getting a speeding fine is not going to make things better for you. Number one rule is not get mad and keep a cool temper if you are driving. Do you really want to end up in a serious car accident, well ths is what you can expect in addition to a speeding ticket when you drive this way.

Reason #4 - Running Late - Running late is one of the big reasons so many people end up speeding around. They are trying to make it to work or to pick up the kids on time, so they push the accelerator pedal just a bit more. In a split second you’ll have incurred a speeding fines, and you wont even know its happened.

The Resolution:
Its all to sad in hindsight to realise that the reason people get speeding fines was due to something so simple. It’s easy to get in a hurry when you are running late. The only way to avoid being late, and justifying it by speeding, is to leave early. If you think you are going to be late, pull over and call ahead, as this will avoid the speeding fine and keep you cool, calm and collected. It’s better than ending up with a huge fine or being involved in an accident because you were late.

Reason #5 - The Road Seems Deserted - Dont take this as an excuse to speed, you never know who is around the corner. They think no one is around, it seems safe, and they speed up a bit. Even at night its not safe to speed, the road may be clear but the speed traps dont. Never think its okay to accelerate - the speeding ticket is just waiting for you to do so.

The Solution:
Even if the road seems to be deserted, you still need to obey the speed limit. You don’t know what you are going to meet up the road. You’ll avoid speeding fines if you always drive according to the speed limit, no matter how many people are on the road or how safe it may seem.

To find out more about Speeding Fines, then please visit Speeding Fines.

What Road Angel can do for you

When you are in the auto, on your way to and fro, you are going to need something that can guide you and that can help you figure out where you are going and how you should go about getting there. When it comes right down to it, there are plenty of things to know about the Road Angel and there are plenty of reasons that you should use it.

The Road Angel device is ruggatised in that it waterproof and can take a good knocking, so you can be rest assured its always operational. An added extra bonus of the Road Angel, is that it comes preloaded with Ordnance survey maps, which in reality are the defacto standard for navigation in many regions. Without fail, this super device will give you what you need, when you need it, without fail.

The Road Angel is at the forefront of the in care satellite navigation systems, with voice directions, meaning that you can control it easily and listen to the directions that it is giving you. In addition to the expected features, a real bonus with this device is that it has safety camera functionality, and also a blackspot alert capablity - neccessary for todays driving. You can also benefit from the fact that the Road Angel is ready to use, and easy to use as well. With the 3.5 full colour navigation screen, that is touch sensitive and backlit, you can have the best in luxury when it comes to personal navigation devices, right at your fingertips.

The Road Angel isn’t going to disappear overnight, so its only going to get better and better. Battery life is fantastic, and it charges fast too - all thanks to the lithium battery. This means that no matter what happens, you’ll be able to recharge the battery quickly and easily. In addition to the usual car charger, the road angel comes with a USB and Mains Charger, so you can pretty much travel anywhere with it fully charged up.

There is also a lot that comes with the Road Angel that you are going to enjoy. It comes with Memory-Map’s award winning PC software, which allows you to quickly and easily plan routes, print maps, and review tracklogs. Also, it comes with Memory-Map DigitalGPS, which has great data displays for wonderful outdoor navigations. It is also highly compatible with Memory Map, and the marine, outdoor, and aviation maps located therein.

There are many reasons that you might want to use Road Angel, and there are lots of reasons that you should think about owning one right away. First of all, the Road Angel is something that helps you with directions, and this is part of why many people feel that they should have one. Of course, the Road Angel is a great travel tool for directions and so forth, and there are lots of other reasons to buy this nifty little device. There are lots of great reasons out there, and it is important to focus on the way that you can easily use the Road Angel to your advantage.

Many people use the Road Angel so that they can plan trips, and this is much  more than just getting directions. Road Angel enables you to get to your destination in a fast and simple manner, and lets you know what to expect enroute, so this has to be the safest way to travel.

However, the Road Angel has many more functions as well, and it can be very useful. It is not just a device to use in the automobile when you are on the roadway. It has aviation and marine maps as well, which means that you can use it as you explore the outdoors. Seriously - dont worry about getting lost again, with one of these devices you’ll never be lost again.

The final point is that the Road Angel is easy to use, and does the job - this is the main decision criteria. Nothing else is so easy to charge and to use, and with the Road Angel, you’ll be able to find yourself exactly where you want to be – without any  hassle.

To find out more about Road Angel, please visit Road Angel Reviews

Everything is rising today, that is, the cost of basic commodities and other things that people buy and fuel prices are not an exception. Today, there is a global threat for rising fuel prices and lot of worried people today could only hope for two things- for the fuel prices to go down or to find a better alternative solution. For the fuel prices to go down, one effective way to do this is to buy fuel from minor players instead from major oil companies. These major oil companies will then be forced to lower down their prices and the little ones will follow suit. But for others, it is best to find another alternative solution and one of the best ones is to learn how to make a car run on water.

Is this really possible? Can anyone really learn how to use water as fuel for car? Actually, it is. However, it is not really entirely water only that should be used to keep the car running. You still need a little gasoline or diesel to make it run but it sure does save you a lot of money and fuel, right? According to analysts and experts, you can save 50% on fuel costs if you convert your car and run your car on water. This process can possible by converting water into HHO or Brown’s gas with the help of a few ingredients that can be found already in your home especially on your grocery items. You need the following: baking soda, potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide. But it’s not putting water inside your fuel tank, no, sir. It doesn’t work that way. You still need gasoline to make this possible and gasoline and HHO will mix together outside of the gasoline tank.

You can find more details on how to make this work, how to run car on water from various websites and to make it more convenient for you, you can follow any of the link here to get more information.