For decades we have seen the national auto shows, where the major manufacturers roll out their new models and a few flashy "prototypes" that will never see an assembly line. Then there are the rod and custom shows, populated thirty years ago by twenty- and thirty-somethings and filled these days with middle aged and older auto enthusiasts who still love classic American cars, both stock and in all the different permutations of customization they have gone through over the years.

And of course there’s the Concourse D’Elegance crowd, oohing and aahing at priceless Ferraris from the fifties and sixties as well as the older exotics such as Packards and, going even further back, Hispano-Suizas and Auburns.

For those who lived American Graffiti and those who live for the foreign classics, if you’re involved at all in building, maintaining or participating in the fellowship that has built around classics and exotics, you should consider utilizing a website.

First of all, it’s a great way to show off your car or cars, whatever you’ve got in the garage that is carefully driven once a week and towed, gleaming, to car shows. Secondly, it’s a communications device for like-minded collectors or builders that may be interested in your specialty - whether old Corvettes or sixties Alfa Romeos. There are current web sites for national and regional organizations as well as a number of sites that specialize as classified advertising for scarce auto parts.

A personal site, however, is going to give you a far different type of interaction with your fellow wrench addicts. Instead of searching impersonal national websites for parts or people with similar interests, you can use your site to bring them to you. Proper use of keywords and perhaps a classified ad or two online will bring potential contacts to you personally, and there they will find a site with photos of your car(s), your shop and a little history about your involvement.

You don’t have to find contacts like that at shows or in pulp publications for parts and project cars. A properly designed site for a car enthusiast that elaborates on his area of interest and the history of his cars will give that person a potentially national social role in the company of his peers, just as the kids are using MySpace to communicate.

You can advertise for parts, show vehicles for sale - with unlimited photos and videos, if you wish - and put the word out for a car you might be seeking for your next project. This approach will also limit your needs for entering ads in national locations. All you need to do is mention "55 Chevy for sale at www.old55.com" or whatever your site address is, and the interested parties will come to you. No more details listed in long paragraphs done in tiny print - and no more photos of your car on a page or in a lineup of dozens of other vehicles.

Extang are a leader in their field of manufacturing soft tonneau covers. They seem to be the manufacturer of the most different model soft covers on the market today. In my opinion they are still in business because they provide quality products at a reasonable price.

Extang produce everything you could want from roll up covers such as the low profile of their RT to snap up, velcro sealing system to folding lids as well as a hinged tonneau cover.

To briefly describe some of the products they have to offer I will start with their lowest price truck bed cover to their most expensive.

The Black Max is one lower price covers on the market today. It comes with a aluminum powder coated black frame and a snap up tarp which is adjustable for all seasons.

The Tuff tonneau III is the next in line price wise. This truck bed cover is a snapless lid that seals together using Extang’s J45 peel and seal system. They use a rotating tail rail that tightens up the tarp. This tarp also uses the spring loaded monster bows.

Next comes the Classic Platinum. This has an all aluminum frame which installs with clamps that are included. Extang boasts this cover to be made of an all-climate nylon and polymer tarp with stainless steel and brass snaps.

The Saber is next on the list which uses a peel-on design which attaches evenly to the entire frame to ensure the lowest possible fabric stress even during high speeds.

The tool box tonneau cover is a snap up lid with a leather grain black vinyl tarp. This tool box tonneau accepts a tool box between 18 and 21 inches deep. This is a no drill installation with and all aluminum frame and adjustable snaps to keep your tarp snug in different climates.

The RT and the RT Tool box models come at the same price. The RT low profile sits nearly flush to your truck bed. This cover rolls up quickly along with the bows to give you quick access to your truck bed. The RT has adjustable controls by the cab. It has a Velcro sealing system and secures your cargo with a locking rail. The tool box edition accepts a 20 inch tool box.

The next product they have to offer is a hinged tonneau called the Fulltilt. This one comes in both snap and snapless editions. The snapless is a few dollars more. This cover has hinges back by the cab and lifts up from behind on gas shocks. You can lift it up or roll it up or remove it without tools easily. This tonneau cover also comes in a tool box edition.

Another one Extang can be quite proud of is their Trifecta which is a folding tonneau cover. This truck bed cover folds up in sections from the back towards the cab giving you complete and easy access to your truck bed. This cover comes fully assembled and ready to mount on your truck.

The express model was designed to be just what the name implies, fast. Customers asked Extang in their reviews for fast and they gave them what they wanted. It rolls up or closed with integrated bows very quickly. The frame is a strong black anodized aluminum. The strong vinyl tarp seals with industrial strength Velcro.

If you are looking for a soft tonneau cover whether it is a roll-up, snap or snapless, hinged, folding or a tool box edition, Extang has you covered.

In the past, Jaguar, high class cars from England had small-sized and active features and high performance were favorable. Their appearance looked sedan and suited the passengers who loved to get anywhere in a group. They thought that there were many playboy millionaires, and if they were to produce a sport-car model, they could have marketed quite well. At least, Jaguar had built its good reputation from the racing cars for a very long time, especially Le Mans 24 hours.

A lot of people said that Jaguar’s sport series which began to be known well and were affordable could be XK series. XK 120 in the year 1948, followed up by XK 140 in 1955, and became XK 150 in 1957. They used quite modern engines that their competition had not known. Modernization, streamline that made a big positive impact on sport cars drivers, curved doors, and roadsters were the real style of sport cars.

Jaguar made its reputation in the Le Mans race course by a car that had been showed in 1954, D-TYPE, which was 3.4liters, 245 horsepower. The initial production was considered extremely fast. Moreover, it was empowered by making it 270 horsepower for racing, and that made it three-years-in-a-row champion in 1955-1957. There would not be anyone who would not wish the dignity of Le Mans’ championship sport cars which later was extended to 3.8liters, 306 horsepower. It competed in United States and made so big impact on sport cars guru that made a newer model to drive in a street.

The manufacturer decided to make them sport series, and not involved with normal cars except the engines and systems used together in order to reduce the cost of production. Therefore, E-TYPE Jaguar was influenced by XK series and D-TYPE. It was officially debuted in 1961, taking over XK 150, and completing the new full sport style, which was the long front and short end according to the classic style sport cars.

The appearance of E-TYPE is brilliant like Italian sport cars. At the beginning, it had been decided to name as XK-E, but eventually was E-TYPE, which seemed more okay and newer than old XK series that had been used for many models. It had been decided to be 3.8liters, twin cam, then later on extended to be 4.2liters in order to make it right for the size of the cars. The 3.8 liters one had been eventually stopped, until 1971 it was given a new 5.3liters, V12 engine in order to be an alternative choice for customers who were interested in pretty big block. The 4.2liters one’s production was terminated in 1974.

If you would like to own this model, you may need to consider if you are a millionaire or not because this kind of classic cars cannot be found at any car dealers. If you would really want it, you should check it out from a catalogue of car auctioning company. You might be that lucky that someone would sell it.

Cars have long since been held as a fascinating piece of engineering and the vehicle has come a long way since the invention of the wheel. Boys and to some extent girls are into playing with cars from a young age and for many this fascination goes on to become a hobby. Some collect, others learn to drive and drive as much as they can, yet others turn their driving passion towards racing and other car oriented sports. In the sporting arena we have the sports car enthusiasts who will do anything to be with their cars.

Another category is the sports car fan and drivers who have graduated to actual production of these cars. They will go on to build cars from scratch to resemble some of the most valuable and rare cars in the history of cars. These are called kit car owners who go the distance to make quality replicas of the original vehicle. Now the end product looks almost indistinguishable from the original. Take the famous Cobra - it has a lot of takers.

There is something to be said about getting the tool box out and building your own replicar. Some actually revel in the challenge that this hobby brings with it. You also get to create your dream car without spending a fortune on it. Replicars facilitate building your own car ground upwards using a kit body along with a common mainstream automotive base and other parts. In itself the world of replicars is a different world altogether which comprises builders and fans. They hold rallies and get togethers where there is a lot of interaction and a lot of ideas are exchanged and most tend to find parts that they need and another does not. Not only does this hobby encourage more socializing with like minded people it also brings with it a heady mix of people from different walks of life and one gets a chance to learn about different aspects of replicars and others’ experiences.

A personally-built car means you have a very clear idea of your car’s capability and limitations. So the success of your car depends on your ability to have understood what you have made and to use it to its optimum strength. Of course there is always the option of buying your favorite classic model and driving it around but to build a replicar and then use what you have put together is a feeling only true enthusiasts can understand. These classic cars models sure make heads turn and they come with interesting stories too. Replicar enthusiasts and kit car builders are the ones who really know what driving is all about as they are both the creators and the users.

Citroen C5 is the large sedan car for adults who crazy about the French style automotive design. The exterior of C5 shows memorable and dignified image. Large front lights are designed by the aerodynamic theory and the few gradient of its make the luxurious feeling. Besides, Front Citroen logo, hood, fender and front bumper are designed to create the car’s image modern. This is the French blending between with classic style and modern style actually.

The report news described about C5 which began manufactured in 2003 that Citroen spend 6,900 million franc to invest in the R&D process and the marketing survey. The C5’s factory, which can produce 920 cars per day, is on Rennes-la-Janais of France. It uses the new platform that developing process take time 3 year. C5 is designed by modern design technology, and it received the strict safety standard and environment standard. The suspension kit, uses the 3rd generation Hydrative system which is entity of Citroen, can reduce the vibration well and it has good road surface gripping attribute.

Citroen had offered three C5’s engine choice. First choice is the V6 benzene engine which has 3,000cc plunger’s capacity with 24 valves. It can generate 152 Kw or 210 Hp. powers at 6,000 rpm, 285 Newton-meters or 30 kilogram-meters torque at 3750 rpm and 232 Km/Hr maximum speed. And the distinctive thing of this engine is VTC (Variable Timing Camshaft) system which can control open-close degree of valves by accelerating rate and engine’s cycle.

Second choice is the benzene straight engine which has 2,000cc plunger’s capacity with 16 valves. It can generates 100 Kw or 138 Hp. powers at 6,000 rpm, 190 Newton-meters or 19.8 kilogram-meters torque at 4,100 rpm and 202 Km/Hr maximum speed.

And the last choice is the 2.0 HDi diesel engine which has a high pressure diesel injection system and common-rail nozzles. It can generate 80 Kw or 110 Hp. powers at 4,000 rpm, 275 Newton-meters torque at 1,750 rpm and 188 Km/Hr. maximum speed. The direct-injection with common-rail high pressure pump which is controlled by ECU and the Variable Geometry Turbo Charger give the good performance on every speed and reduce 20 percent of gasoline usage. And additional merit of C5’s diesel engine is the low loudness like the benzene engine. Also that HDi engine gives better responsibility than old version because the gasoline feeding accord with the engine need.

Furthermore, the 3rd generation Hydractive suspension kit was developed by Citroen which increase the vibrate reduction, road surface gripping and driving performance. It is cooperated between electronic devices which are controlled by computer unit and the improved hydraulic system. It has 4 modes for appropriate usability. H mode for the wheel changing, P mode for the hitch crossing, N mode for the normal driving and B mode for the high-loading.

If you interested Citroen C5, you can ask a near car dealer. You should check the C5’s current price from car magazine or websites before you will buy it. Because different models have different prices.

You’ve finally gotten your hands on the classic car of your dreams, but wait a minute, now you have to figure out how to get your hands on the car parts you need in order to keep it running. If you’ve worked hard at acquiring the car, then it is probably a safe assumption that finding the parts you need is high on your list of priorities.

However, you can’t just walk into a dealership and place your order for the parts you need because there is a 99% chance they are no longer manufactured by the automaker. Regardless, no matter what your taste in classic cars, whether it is for muscle cars, antiques or vintage models, if you know where to begin looking then with a little digging you can find what you need.

Here are some places where you should begin your search:

Online Auctions

Ebay is a great place to start your search for the classic car parts you need. Just about everything you could ever want can be found on Ebay, or more precisely in the case of cars, Ebay Motors. If you find the parts you need this way you’ll have to pay shipping charges, but this is just a necessary evil you will have to contend with if you want the parts; however, if you are trying to keep your costs down you can try searching the local swap meets.

Swap Meets

Swap Meets can be hit and miss, and are probably not your best bet for finding the parts you need, but it never hurts to look. You may get lucky and find just what you are in need of, and even better, probably get it for a very low price.

Classic Car Part Dealer Publications

You will often find it very easy to find the parts you need in these types of magazines; however, the downside is that it will probably cost you an arm and a leg to get the parts. This is an option you should use only as a last resort, especially if you are trying to avoid breaking the bank. Explore all of your other possibilities first and if nothing pans out, and you really need the part, or parts, than do it, but don’t just make the purchase because it is easier than being patient and looking thoroughly. You may regret your decision a week later when you stumble across the parts for a lot less money somewhere else.

Clubs and Organizations

Where there is a hobby there is usually a club or organization to go along with it, and this couldn’t be truer of classic car restoration. By locating and joining one of these clubs you can improve your chances of finding the parts you need. This also allows you the chance to network and get to know others who share your same interests, and may even own the same car you do. If this happens to be the case, they may be able to point you in the right direction on where to get the parts you are looking for. Finding these clubs is as easy as logging onto the Internet and doing a search, so there is no excuse for you not to try.

Junkyards

Okay, so having to dig through the junkyard is a not so glamorous idea, and one that you probably didn’t consider when you bought your dream car; unfortunately, you may have no choice. But look on the bright side, it may payoff big time, and if you’re lucky, your local junkyard will be entirely computerized so that all you will need to do is make a phone call to inquire about what you are looking for. You may get lucky enough not to have to go to the junkyard after all.

Whatever the case may be, you probably put a lot of time and effort into getting your car, so what’s a little more effort in order to get it running. The moment you hear that engine ignite and begin purring will make all the hard work worth it.

Mercedes Benz continues to be one of the most exhilarating cars on the market that can offer you a multi-media experience. There are hundreds of different places you can find Mercedes Benz, and a wide variety of them as well. Whether you are looking for an older classic or a newer state of the art vehicle, you can find what you are looking for. So where do you look to find a Mercedes Benz?

The first part to finding a Mercedes Benz for yourself is determining what kind you would like. Are you looking for a used vehicle or a brand new 2007? If you are looking for a used car, you will probably have better luck looking online for the particular model you want. Car dealerships are best when looking for a newer model because it allows you to test drive the car right then and there.

You’ll also want to consider smaller things when purchasing the car such as color, manual or automatic, and what type of engine it has. All these factors play a role in which dealership or online site is going to have the Mercedes Benz that you are looking for.

If you do not want to take the time to go to a car dealership, you may want to check out Mercedes Benz’s website itself to compare prices and models. This can help you get an idea of exactly what model is best for you. It will also allow you to find a Mercedes Benz within your price budget.

When searching online some of the better places to look for your Mercedes Benz are at automotive.com, autobuyguide.com and CarSmart.com. Searching online is a quick way to find the model you are looking for and get quotes for your area. For some sites like CarSmart.com, you simply place the model of the Mercedes Benz you want along with your zip code. After doing this, you give the website your contact information and then several dealerships will contact you with your request.

This way you have options and can quickly identify which dealerships in your area have the car you are looking for. When you type in the phrase “where to buy a Mercedes Benz” in the Google search bar, there are close to ten and a half million results. By doing so, you can find multiple sites similar to CarSmart.com to receive quotes and find what you are looking for.

Mercedes Benz has been one of the elite car makes around for awhile. Because of the high demand, it is fairly easy to find multiple models that are new and used. By looking online and at dealerships, you should have no problem finding the Mercedes Benz for you.

The classic Acura was one of Honda’s biggest gambles. Japanese vehicles had a reputation for being economical above all else, putting functionality over form. Thus, when Honda unleashed the Acura on the Western market, the sense of shock at seeing a Japanese luxury vehicle took a while to die down. Some might argue that the classic Acura design generated a shock that never really died down. After all, the arrival of the Acura heralded the release of more Japanese luxury vehicles into Western markets, something that had been previously unheard of. Debuting in 1986 after nearly ten years of development and design, Honda released the Acura, which became a success. In 1990, Honda announced plans to expand their manufacturing and research operations in the US, the company’s primary market for the classic Acura. At the same time, plans are set into motion dealing with how to release the Acura into other markets, such as Canada and Europe. In 1991, Honda successfully released the Acura into the Hong Kong market, as well as integrated new technology into the design to improve performance. Unfortunately, design problems led to slower sales in the mid-1990s, which prompted Honda to both reduce production and attempt to do a major re-tooling of the overall design of the vehicle. However, at the same time, the niche market of import tuners were drawn to the Acura because it was easy to modify.

The classic Acura designs were eventually revamped in 2000, which did away with what many described as bland design elements. The new designs, combined with technologies to upgrade the performance and fuel efficiency, and decreased costs, allowed Honda to once again make the Acura one of the main import luxury vehicles in the market. Combined with the retained ease of modification that attracted car tuners to them in the previous decade, the effect was a startling resurgence to the initial strong showing that the Acura made when it was first introduced to the market. Later models followed the concept of a luxury vehicle at an affordable price, with good features and some customization options. So far, the strategy has been successful.

In 2004, the classic Acura designs were revamped into the Acura TSX for the European market. Apart from the upgraded design and internal systems, it was also given four-wheel drive and a 4-cylinder engine. Minor modifications were made to make the Acura TSX more suitable for the European market. The new design was received well by the market and quickly became one of the premier import luxury cars in the European market at the time.

However, certain features like rear wheel drive and V8 engines, have become prominent among the competitors of the classic Acura. Honda currently is sticking to its guns in maintaining the simple but elegant design, combined with functional technologies and systems. While opinions vary, there is some worry over the fact that the latest models have not been as tuner-friendly as previous ones. Some speculate that Honda will have to once again rethink the design of the classic Acura in order to keep up.

There is a niche market out there for classic car models. These are older models no longer being built by the manufacturer, kept to the original factory statistics, and maintained to be at least in working order. While not suited for regular driving, a classic car has a value that transcends the utility of driving. These models are rare finds and while their financial value may fluctuate in the intervening years, these cars are still beloved by the people who own them because of the nostalgic air that they have, that unmistakable quality of a bygone era of car manufacture. With that in mind, what exactly defines a classic? A classic car is, simply put, a car that belongs to the highest levels of style and class, the type of car that inspires modern myths. Some examples of this type of car are the legendary pink Cadillac and the equally revered Chevy Impala. They are typically over 25 years old and are often compared to fine wine, in the sense that these cars can only get better with age. For the most part, these cars are no longer fit to be driven on a daily basis and the few that are require painstaking, near-constant maintenance to stay that way. Interestingly, if a formal definition is what you want, you’re not likely to find a consistent one. Different groups have different definitions of what a classic model is, and even the car insurance industry has rules for defining what is or is not a classic automobile.

Much like the art world and their masterpieces, no single definition appears to cover and appease all groups with regards to these cars. Groups often argue as to the exact number of years it takes for a car to be considered a classic but most hold it at around 15-20 years from the original year of manufacture. Some groups have a stricter guideline than others in determining what belongs on the list as a classic car and what does not. Some models, like the aforementioned Cadillac and the Ford Model-T, are nearly universal among these lists but other makes and models, like the 1948 Pontiac Sedan or the Impala, are not as widespread in acceptance. There are groups that recognize a model of car that was made in limited quantities, therefore a collectible, to be among the list of classics. In reality, there is no clear-cut definition of what a classic vehicle is or is not, though there are some cars that make it into any list by any definition because to the sheer value and nostalgia that they inspire, or through the mythic status the cars have come to enjoy over the years.

In the end, one should use a classic car list that fits one’s needs. There is currently little consensus as to how to exactly define a car but some elements, like insurance and popularity, should play a role in how a person defines the term "classic car." However, all these groups agree that a classic, beyond the objective level, is a model of car that inspires memories of past decades and must have potent nostalgic presence.

Ferdinand Porsche was an automobile engineer with more than a thousand patents to his name, and played an important role in the development of airplanes and the construction of tanks for the Wehrmacht as well. In the 1920s he was appointed chief engineer at Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart and later set up his own engineering workshop. There he designed, among other things, the Volkswagen. He acted as chief of operations at the plant where the Volkswagen was made, Wolfsburg, and at the end of the war he was interned by the Allies.

He was released a few years later and immediately went to work building his first car with his son, Ferry Porsche. This car was named the Porsche 356, after Ferry, and was a sports car with styling reminiscent of the Volkswagen. In fact it had the same four-cylinder boxer engine, and wore it rear-mounted, just as the VW did. This meant that it was far from being a powerful sports car, boasting a mere 40 bhp and a maximum speed of 87 mph (140 km/h). Distinguished by its elegant and innovative body, the Porsche 356 was first produced as a convertible and then as a hard top. Father and son developed it in the workshop of Erwin Komenda, a master of restrained streamlining who had been in charge of sheet metal and design techniques for Ferdinand Porsche since the VW Beetle. This new style of closed coupe designed by Komenda soon became the embodiment of the sports car, due in part to its "fastback".

Erwin Komenda and Ferdinand "Butzi" Porsche, the founder’s grandson, continued this tradition with the 911.

The 911 became instantly recognizable: it had an attractive sloping bonnet reminiscent of the 356, what later became characterized as "frog eye" headlights, curves running from the top edge of the windscreen to the rear bumper, and a straight waistline. From a functional and technical point of view it shared more in common with a BMW 1500, but it retained the distinctive stylistic features of the original Porsche. The new 911 became the keystone of Porsche’s identity, even though the design was not always fully appreciated. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, many Porsche designers attempted to distance Porsche from its legendary design and nearly brought the company to the edge of disaster. The more modern 924 model, "a people’s Porsche", developed with Volkswagen, as well as the 928 fell short fulfilling expectations, and failed to allow the company to branch out in new directions and styles.

However, in the 1990’s the company seemed to realize that what some perceived as a stylistic straitjacket was in fact a market advantage. During this period Porsche embraced the timeless nature of classic styling to become highly profitable. Nearly forty people now worked in the design department solely dedicated to further improvement of the long running 911. Such developments included the 911 GTI, put forward by the in-house designer Anthony R. Hatter as a powerful combination of sports and racing car. In 1999, Porsche’s chief designer proudly unveiled the new Boxster, enabling Porsche to establish a second independent range of successful models.