Automotive Enthusiasts Should be Aware of Asbestos Risk
February 13, 2009
When people mention asbestos, we often think of a hazard of many years ago that we no longer need to be concerned with. However, even as most asbestos products were banned in the late 1970’s by the Environmental Protection Agency and Consumer Product Safety Commission, many of these products still exists in industrial equipment, home construction, and yes, even older auto parts. Knowing where you may encounter these products and how to handle them can prevent a potentially life threatening exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos was used in thousands of products before production was halted. Asbestos proved to be an efficient and inexpensive insulation material. It was also very durable and its fibers could generally be included in all construction compounds. Among the more common uses of asbestos was in brake pads and friction linings in automobiles built prior to 1980.
Obviously, brake pads and brake linings generate a great deal of heat as friction is generated. The asbestos in these linings counteracted this heat and kept the pads intact and resistant to the temperature increase. Intact asbestos products do not pose a significant hazard. However, when they are modified or disturbed, they often release harmful fibers into the surrounding air supply.
Older brake pads and linings likely contain asbestos and should be treated as such. If modifying an older vehicle it is important to note if the brake pads appear very old or damaged. In these cases, it is much more important that they be handled with the appropriate protective equipment. In some cases, if the material is very compromised, it may make sense to speak with an asbestos consultant to determine a course of action.
In recent years there has been a rising incidence of mesothelioma, an aggressive asbestos-related cancer, in former auto manufacturers and auto repair workers. In most cases these cancers are directly attributed to occupational asbestos exposures. Options for mesothelioma treatment and therapies for other asbestos-related health complications are extremely limited. Most patients face a prognosis of between 6 and 18 months.
Luckily we don’t employ asbestos in auto parts anymore and health complications in auto workers related to asbestos exposure should not be a problem going forward. But these materials are still in older vehicles and should be approached with extreme caution. Serious health conditions related to asbestos exposure are entirely preventable if people are aware of the materials they are working with and how to handle them.
What is Classic Car Graveyard?
December 30, 2008
Just like humans when they die, classic cars are laid to rest in mass usually in what some people call classic car graveyards. What you may not realize however, is that classic cars are often left to rust away in similar places that some people call a Classic Car Graveyard. The old cars in a classic car graveyard are left to the elements and have some serious body issues by the time you usually find them, but there are often some good project cars to be had in a situation where a classic auto graveyard exists.
Some people spend a lot of time looking for these old car dumps, where cars have been resting for years. What is exiting to them is to see back in time at what can be found. It is like a classic car scavenger hunt and the finds can be interesting when you poke around in the old car graveyards left behind years ago.
There are videos showing those old cars on youtube you can view below. Most are generally so far gone that even the most ardent car restorers would have to say that they were too far gone. Too much rust and too little time. But there are tiems when you find old rusting cars that are still good enough to be restored. Just go to the owner of the land and request to buy what you want. It is like panning for gold. Check out the videos.
This is a sad classic car graveyard so i had to take pics of them…it was hard to watch but so happy to c some of the nice cars.. The video guy said.
Tugs at your heart strings to see these old classics dying without a helping hand, don’t it! Good day classic collectors…and always, always… BUY OLD CARS at BUYOLDCARS.com
Where to Buy Classic Cars to Restore
October 5, 2008
Folks all over want to know where they can easily find classic cars that they can restore. It is isn’t easily answered but there are some general ideas that will get you on your way. First of all, we do encourage everyone to first come to http://www.buyoldcars.com/ to find restoration cars.
Not all the cars are restore jobs, but some of them are! All you have to do is look! This will be even easier as we get our new classic auto classifieds finished up! The next best thing is to look on other classic car websites like Hemmings, etc. Not all sites have the same cars so you are sure to find something different everywhere you look. Be sure to google what you want with parenthesis around the keyword phrase like “1967 Camaro for sale” restore you will be sure to find something!
Also, don’t forget all the local junk yards around. You might not find the exact car you want, but you might find something that interests you! Last, don’t forget to use your network of friends who love classic cars like you. Often if you dont know where to go, they do.
Classic Auto Loans and Classic Car Restoration
May 19, 2008
By Robin Shortt
How do you find a Financial Service that does loans for all types of Classic, Antique, Muscle, Sports, Luxury, and Exotic Automobiles? With the advent of the internet, classic auto loans has become a lot easier for the classic auto enthusiast to find a loan company to help in financing his purchase of a classic car. The difficulty of finding a lender is as easy as clicking your mouse. Getting yourself a classic vehicle loan is that much easier.
Not every agency offers a classic car loan. However, dealers have reservations about the definition of the classic car model. The loan criteria are the same as in the case of a new car. Approvals for car loans are very quick and simple even with bad credit and as you will soon see there is hope even with challenging credit issues. One needs to understand the exact price being paid for the vehicle ( financing entirely would be costly ) , the components being
a) the amount you decide to finance
b) the cost of credit borne by you which is called the classic car finance charge
c) the Annual Percentage Rate which is the main angle giving you a pinch may be and the
d) the total sales price (the summation of the monthly payments with the down payment).
When looking for someone to finance your classic auto, take a look at specialty lenders that deal in classic auto financing. Thus they will have interest rates at a more reasonable rate than those of a regular lender. As well, they will have a better idea of what your car is worth, this will help so you won’t need to provide a lot of extra documentation to prove your classic car is worth the amount you want to finance it for. You could also benefit from these lenders in the form of extra loan money for restoration as well.
There are other challenging situations which many people face when trying to get a car loan such as self employment, short job time, unestablished credit, or being a first time buyer. Even though bad credit car loans can help individuals with derogatory credit there are also problems people encounter which are not due to poor credit. Bad credit car loans are available for all automobile types nationwide and getting approved online is the first step to purchasing a new or used vehicle.
With banks approving financing of new cars, its likely their interest rates on classic auto loans are going to be a bit higher than those of a specialty lender. You’ll also need to bring in extra paperwork in order to prove that your car is worth the amount that you’re borrowing. The blue book value of a very old car is going to be next to nothing, so you will be required to prove that either its improvements or its restoration has raised the value of the car. This will make your loan that much less of a risk having come in well prepared.
Find out what Classic Auto Trader is all about and read more great articles on Auto Repair Manual as well.
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Two Schools of Thought in Classic Car Parts
May 18, 2008
Did you know there are two schools of thought when it comes to buying parts for classic cars? If you are into rebuilding old cars, you know that finding the right classic car parts for your vintage can be a difficult task indeed. We all know this, but the way that people approach it is very different.
The first school of classic car restoration artists happen to believe that authenticity is the only thing. If it wasn’t on there originally, then “get it out of here” attitude. These originalists will search high and low for what they need. They will scour junkyards, used car lots, car auction houses, ebay, online car forums, and anywhere else in the world that they can think of when looking for all the classic car parts they need.
The second classic car school of thought is the HOT RODDERS. Those people are a lot like Tim Allen on the Tool Time show back in the 90’s. “Rrrhhhh rhhh” is the reaction like Tim when he growls. They want it souped up. Modified. Kicking butt! They believe tha that the purpose of a classic is to hot rod it and make it as powerful as possible. The more horsepower, the more chrome, the more pipes, the better. They don’t give a flip about historical accuracy. It’s their toy! They will put brand-new engines in 40-year-old cars just to see how fast they can make them run, and see if they can leave black marks in the road as they leave the house. They want to impress friends with their big cars, and show boat it big time.
Preserving Your Old Chevrolet Impala – Keys to Impala Preservation
May 15, 2008
“A prestige car within the reach of the average American citizen.” This was said by Chevrolet’s chief engineer in the late 50s when he was asked to describe the Chevrolet Impala. This sedan-based automobile is indeed one of the most successful and prestigious cars built by Chevrolet, having endured the industry’s tough competition for more than three decades. Its name seemed to have brought much luck to Chevrolet that it was revived twice—in 1994 and in 2000 after eight and four years of hiatus.
The Chevrolet Impala was introduced in 1958 as an up-level sporty trim package of the Chevrolet Bel Air, Chevrolet’s most expensive line of coupes and convertibles then. It featured six unique taillights and a distinctive body styling. In the following year, it became a separate model and eventually became Chevrolet’s best-selling car for many years. It was also the best-selling full-size passenger car during its production life. Particularly in 1965, Chevrolet produced more than a million units of Chevrolet Impala, a record which has never been matched until now.
Just like all other cars, the Chevrolet Impala also underwent several changes through the years. The most significant change was made with the 1977 Chevrolet Impala. The redesign was due to the rising gasoline prices that hampered production of muscle and full-size passenger cars. As a result, most cars in the US including the Chevrolet Impala got smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient. Although downsized, Chevrolet Impalas still possessed good qualities of the older models in terms of styling, high quality auto parts, safety and performance. What’s remarkable with the new models is their increased head, leg and trunk space.
Only a few Chevrolet Impalas were produced during its last year of production in 1996, which made it a good choice for auto collectors. If you are one of those car enthusiasts who are fond of collecting and driving classic or old vehicles, older model of Chevrolet Impala can be a great addition to your collection. Maintaining an old Chevrolet Impala should not be a problem with the host of auto parts stores in your vicinity and even online. Replacement Chevrolet Parts abound in the market nowadays so even older models like your Chevrolet Impala can still be in perfect shape and driving condition. You can customize it and give it a new look by adding accessories or replacing some of its parts.
There’s one online auto parts store that sells high quality Chevrolet Impala parts, Auto Parts Inner. Anything you need from accessories like Chevy carpet and Chevy hubcaps to bigger auto parts like Chevy hood, Chevy grill and Chevy wheels are all here.
If you care for your Chevrolet Impala, you must get replacement auto parts only from trusted sources. Auto Parts Inner is one of them, but Inner Auto parts doesn’t only give you wide variety of hard-wearing and high quality Chevrolet Impala Parts but a wealth of auto parts information as well. As part of the company’s commitment to help you preserve your car, it also gives you means to learn more about the mechanics of your car through ample amount auto parts information. So whenever you need finest quality Chevy parts, don’t forget to visit
Auto Parts Inner.
Terry Brown is a 32 year old from Houston Texas, and an enthusiast for anything auto related. He is currently employed as a market analyst by one of the top car parts company in the area. His automotive articles provide valuable source of information for auto enthusiasts like him as well as to those in need of automotive research.
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