Prevent Your Classic Car From Overheating

Engines are designed to run hot for excellent efficiency, but not to the extent that they overheat and damage components by overpressure or loss of coolant. Some say that overheating engines are the typical shortcomings of older cars and anyone who owns one will eventually be left stuck and steaming on the side of the road. 

Prevent Car From Overheating

We say that's not necessarily the case. When these older cars came off the assembly line they didn't have an overheating problem, so they obviously have an adequate cooling system (This is mainly true, but many cars during their development were never tested in the summer heat in Arizona or a similar climate, as many are today). It's just that after decades without regular maintenance or a complete overhaul, the car's parts, radiator, engine block, hoses, fans and belts have aged and may not be working as efficiently as they did when new. 

If the temperature gauge on your car indicates that the engine is running a bit hotter than usual on short or long trips, don’t wait too long to look into what the car is telling you. It doesn’t mean you need to start tearing apart the car's cooling system, just series of tests and preventative maintenance might be the cure to keeping your classic cool. 

Belts and Hoses

Belts and Hoses

 

Replace any belts that are fraying, have cracks or slipping on water pumps and cooling fans. Do a thorough inspect of all hoses for cracks, swelling and signs of leakage. A good rule of thumb is to check the cars belts and hoses with every oil change and replace them every five years regardless of how many miles you put on the car. 

Radial Tires or Bias-ply for Your Classic Car

Radial Tires or Bias-ply ???

Before we comment on the debate over which tire is better, radial or bias-ply, let's talk a little about these tires. All tires are made with layers of rubber permeated fabric, the most common fabric used today is polyester. 

The difference between the construction of radials and bias is the direction of how these layers or plies are applied in relation to each other and to the center line of the tread. The plies on a bias-ply tire run approximately 45 degrees to the center line of the tread, alternating in direction with each layer. The plies on a radial tire run 90 degrees to the center line of the tire and basically overlap instead of crisscrossing. 

The other physical difference between the two is radials tend to be a lower profile tire while bias tire are usually taller and thinner. But both styles are considered to be a safe driving tire for your car, although most would agree that the radials have the better technology and are the better design for higher speed driving. 

Aston Martin DB5 - James Bond Version

Aston Martin DB5

One lucky bidder had a license to spend a ridiculous amount of money in an RM auction in London earlier this week. The interested bidder bought the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 made famous used in two classic James Bond films, Goldfinger and Thunderball.

Aston Martin DB5

The silver DB5 is the most famous of 007 vehicles has dual machine guns behind the driving lights, turntables, ejector seat, rear visor, wheel caps and oil stains slicer console enabled. The bidder was a Harry Yeaggy who won with a bid of 2.9 million pounds (U.S. $ 6,100,000). It is the sale price with 12 percent and auction fees estimate was actually below the pre-sale of 3.5 million pounds.

Tips for suspension classic car

classic car suspension

 

It was love at first sight, the sleek lines, the shiny paint. Underneath the hood sat a powerful engine, and the interior fit you like a comfortable pair of three-year old sneakers. And when you test-drove your dream classic, the car you had always wanted in high school, it felt perfect. A few quirks, but that's what makes owning a classic car fun, right?

Hidden Problems

Well, now that the honeymoon is over, all of the things you once thought were endearing are becoming annoying. You start to notice the clunks and rattles over every bump. To make things worse, it goes around corners like a Yugo on stilts. Mysterious things are happening to the underpinnings of your beautiful car.

Initially it might be easy to overlook a problem in the suspension of an older car. The suspension is hard to see and sometimes a problem is only apparent at high speed or under load. If you are contemplating the purchase of a restored classic, keep in mind that you may not notice a problem right away on a test drive.
We'll take a look at some of the components that you might need to replace. Along the way, we'll also try to improve on a few things that will add even more enjoyment to your ride. All of the handling symptoms mentioned above point to the need for a complete restoration of the suspension, and possibly some mods as well.
Some people might think only of shock absorbers when they hear the word suspension, but this actually refers to the entire system that supports the weight of the car. Think of the amount of stress and strain that these components go through. Almost all of the weight of the car has been supported by the suspension for decades. Really, this is an amazing feat. If your resto vehicle is a sports car, or an American musclecar, the stresses of spirited driving and great amounts of power have no doubt added strain to the suspension.

Gallery of Classic Car Competition #1

red flame

White Pearl

Black Beauty

Old Style

Elegant

The incredibly unusual 1925 Jonckheere Rolls-Royce Phantom Aerodynamic Coupe

Rolls-Royce Phantom Aerodynamic Coupe

The Raja of Nanpara Estate had already contained a polished aluminum 40/50HP Silver Ghost when he ordered Rolls-Royce’s latest Phantom. Upon arrival, the owner probably didn’t like the conventional Hooper cabriolet bodywork because it was eventually scrapped and replaced with what you see here.

Almost 10 years old, this rolling chassis was then shipped to Belgium to the shop of Henri Jonckheere and his son Joseph Jonckheere. They were well known throughout Europe for making bodies on both cars and busses. The later of which is still in production today as VDL Jonckheere. The commissioning owner of the car is uncertain due to war damage at the factory, but the design is not. The Jonckheeres created an extravagant body which has just as much impact 75 years after its constuction as it did in 1935. The car was finished in time for the Concours on the French Riviera where it won the ‘Prix de Cannes’ award.

the 1965 VW bus that became a 1700hp top fueler, "Mental Breakdown"

top fueler

top fueler

The Star of India

The Star of India

Hans-Günther Zach is the envy of many Rolls Royce fans. And rightly so, since he has been running his own museum dedicated to the famed marque in Mühlheim/Main, Germany. But finally it appears that the old boy has decided to call it quits as he is actually selling off the whole collection. Among the beauties up for grabs is the exquisite and extremely famous, “Star of India” which is a one-off 1934 Phantom II 40/50 HP Continental “All-Weather Convertible” custom made for the Maharaja of Rajkot. The crowning jewel of his collection, the Star of India is expected to fetch a whopping €10 million ($14.2 million)! And if it does, it would become the most expensive car in the world.

 

Besides the Star of India, there are 24 Rolls-Royces and 3 Bentleys Zach vying for every bidders attention. Bidders can also go for the highly polished, natural aluminum body and chassis 15 a.k.a. “Aluminum Sculpture” which is a 1926 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Phantom I Open Tourer, built for the Maharaja of Nanpara. There’s also a Phantom II Cabriolet “Hunting Car” built for the Maharajah of Rewa specially made for tiger hunting with a built-in gun rack; and a 1920 40/50 Silver Ghost Coupé de Ville made for Jean Hennessy.

The auction is expected to begin in September. A unique opportunity, it is sure to draw the attention of avid Rolls Royce fans.

V8 Engine and Hemi Engine

V8 Engine

I. V8 Engine

V8 muscle engine was developed by General Motors. It was the first one to use a high compression overhead valve. It assembled eight cylinders in two sections in one crankshaft. The use of single crankshaft gave the muscle cars faster speed and acceleration.

Hemi Engine

II. Hemi Engine

Chrysler developed this engine in the 1950s. Hemi came from the hemispherical shape of the combustion chambers. The design of the chambers allows the engine overhead valves to be positioned at an angle. The position of the valve gives an optimum flow of the fuel into the engine.

Buick Roadmaster 1955 Classic Style

Buick Roadmaster 1955 Classic Style

Buick Roadmaster

Buick Roadmaster

Buick Roadmaster

Buick Roadmaster

 

What Is The Big Deal About Classic Car Restoration ?

1923 Ford T-Bucket

Most of us know people who would like to throw any excuse for not caring for their cars. One reason might be financial inability; they say that can't afford to restore it and they simply leave it unattended just seeing it rusting in their back yard. After some years of continually increased rust development, the time has finally come for sending it to the crusher rather than see somebody else caring for it or buying it. "If I can't have it, nobody else should!" - reflects a nasty attitude that unfortunately is prevailing in some peoples mind. After using the vehicle for years they don't even care about it or even sell it. Classic car restoration is the ultimate way to give your old classic vehicle a lease of life and give it a new look. If you can you should definitely try to restore it, especially if you are a classic automobile lover.

I have found a few places on the web to help you sell your car, or to buy one of course, but for now I will keep harping on the fact that you should not just let your old classic car rot away. What are the reasons for that, you might ask.

3 Reasons For Taking Care of Your Old Classic Auto

1. The first reason is fairly obvious; they don't build them anymore, and their getting very hard to find in decent shape, people are always looking for the classic American cars (or Am Cars), and as long as their still around, people from all over the world will never stop looking for them.

Defining Your Classic Car Restoration

I am sure we all enjoy viewing a classic motor car that has been restored, but what is a classic car? I guess it is a bit like defining an elephant, I struggle to define it, but I know one when I see one.

Classic Car

Yes it all becomes a bit fuzzy when we have to make a definition. One website I visited mentions that it must be a 'lady of a certain age'! I guess the lady bit is referring to the vehicle (apologies to the ladies).

If you do your research you can find some characteristics that are common when people are seeking to define a classic car. We must remember of course that this is only one of the many starting points to classic motor car restoration.

If you are intending to show the vehicle then it of course plays much more importance, whereas if you are undertaking a restoration just for your own personal satisfaction then you can define your classic car just as you wish.

Some of the more common characteristics we find floating around the net, for defining a classic motor vehicle, are :

Classic Car Restoration - A Quick Guide to Restoring Your Classic British Sports Car

Classic car restoration is a very rewarding experience and nothing can surpass the enormous feeling of satisfaction you will get when you take 'her' out for a spin for the first time! It can, however, be a very expensive business and, consequently, you will need to consider your budget very carefully.

morgan aero

Much will depend on the make and model of classic car that you intend restoring, of course, and a sensible starting point would be to conduct an informal 'cost/benefit analysis'. This will help you determine your budget. In simple terms, it is about arriving at the right amount of money to commit to the project in relation to the anticipated value of the car, once restored. It's much like property development in this respect. There is no point spending £250,000 renovating a house that will be worth £220,000 when you have finished and, likewise, there is little point in spending £25,000 to restore an MG Roadster that will only be worth £15,000 when you have finished.

What is Classic Car Restoration ?

It takes dedication, knowledge and patience to properly restore classic vehicles. When a classic car or truck is properly restored, it is valued at the highest possible price. Professionally restored cars also look more beautiful and run more efficiently. Proper restoration means using original or appropriate parts when making repairs or replacements. A classic car is only as valuable as the parts used to recreate it. Locating obsolete parts and making them work is part of the art of restoring classic cars to their original beauty.

When you decide to restore a classic car, enlist the assistance of professionals. Even if you are mechanically inclined, classic vehicles are a challenge to restore. Authentic parts must be used to ensure authenticity. Maintenance includes painstaking cleaning with specialized agents that won't harm the delicate exterior and interior of your classic vehicle.