RockAuto.com RockAuto June Newsletter

RockAuto Home

Parts Catalog

Customer Service

Privacy Policy

Newsletter Archive

E-mail Subscription

RSS Feed

 

Another Happy Customer!

I've ordered several parts for cars ranging from a '74 Plymouth Duster, '94 Camaro, '00 VW Golf and a '06 Buick Rendezvous. Without exception, RockAuto has delivered the goods at incredible prices! The best thing is that they actually have the parts in stock.

When I needed an alternator for that '74 Duster, none of the local auto parts stores had the part in stock. And if they could get it at all, it would take about two weeks for delivery. RockAuto had them in stock, and at a price that was a good 40% lower than the local stores.

Leo in Nevada

 

Upcoming Events
If you would like your event featured here, e-mail us with details.

3rd Annual Sturgis Camaro Rally
6/27/2013
Baker, MT
e-mail
website

Shrine Car Show
6/28/2013
Nashville, IN
e-mail

Relay for Life Car Motorcycle Show
6/29/2013
Coquille, OR
e-mail

Macomb Brownie Myers Heritage Days Car Show
6/29/2013
Macomb, IL
e-mail

Fountain Valley Classic Car Truck Show
6/29/2013
Fountain Valley, CA
e-mail

9th Street Gang Car Club; James Dean Spring Run
6/29/2013
Gas City, IN
e-mail

Cool City Classic Car Show
6/29/2013
Two Rivers, WI
e-mail

Gears & Ears 36
6/30/2013
Yorkville, IL
e-mail

CNY Mopar Madness
6/30/2013
Liverpool, NY
e-mail

All Americana Car Show
7/4/2013
Waynesville, OH
e-mail

Sespe Car Show & Chili Cook Off
7/4/2013
Fillmore, CA
e-mail

Bad to the Bone Car Show
7/4/2013
Tucson, AZ
e-mail

US Car Cruiser IG Ebenweiler Treffen
7/5/2013
Ebenweiler, Germany
e-mail

Strictly Street Rods Car Show
7/6/2013
Martinton, IL
e-mail

Bayside Cruisers Car Show
7/6/2013
Sterling, NY
e-mail

18th Annual Corvette & Jaguars at Linden Hall
7/6/2013
Uniontown, PA
e-mail

Morristown TN Shriners Car Show
7/6/2013
Russellville, TN
e-mail

AMC Dessau - Zerbst
7/6/2013
Aken, Germany
e-mail

Northern Colorado Mustang Car Club 6th Annual All American Car Show
7/6/2013
Loveland, CO
e-mail

Kettle Moraine Classic Car Club 12th Annual East Troy Lion's Club Car Show
7/6/2013
Fort Atkinson, WI
e-mail

Catsup Bottle Festival
7/7/2013
Collinsville, IL
e-mail

Western PA Corvette Clubs Annual Show
7/7/2013
Rices Landing, PA
e-mail

East Barnet Festival Classic car Show
7/7/2013
East Barnet, UK
e-mail

Sunset Coast Cruisers 18th Annual Scott Flahive Memorial Cruise
7/9/2013
Holland, MI
e-mail

2013 MGC Event
7/10/2013
Waterville, OH
e-mail

Bridge Teen Center Charity Car Show
7/10/2013
Oak Forest, IL
e-mail

Falcon Club of America 2013 National Meet
7/11/2013
Wimberley, TX
e-mail

Insane Terrain Jeep Thing 2nd Annual Jeepfest
7/12/2013
Wilmington, IL
e-mail

Fairlane Club of America National Meet
7/12/2013
Dellroy, OH
e-mail

9th Annual Appleton City Car Show
7/13/2013
Appleton City, MO
e-mail

Vettemilion 2013
7/13/2013
Vermilion, OH
e-mail

Saint Clair Cruise Night
7/13/2013
St. Clair, PA
e-mail

Classics on Main Anniversary Car Show
7/13/2013
Bowling Green, OH
e-mail

Carter County Car Club - 31st Show & Cruise
7/13/2013
Elizabethton, TN
e-mail

Hot Rods for Kids Car Show
7/13/2013
Santa Cruz, CA
e-mail

Midwest Thunder Car Club 11th Annual Benefit Car/Truck Show
7/13/2013
Pontiac, IL
e-mail

Fueled Society
7/13/2013
East Ardsley, UK
e-mail

Hot Summer Wheels Show & Shine
7/13/2013
Douglasville, GA
e-mail

Car Show
7/14/2013
Attica, MI
e-mail

Annual Car Show
7/14/2013
Hicksville, NY
e-mail

Merrickville 13th Annual Car Show
7/14/2013
Merrickville, Canada
e-mail

Chicagoland PT Cruisers Club PT's at the Happening 2013
7/21/2013
Belevidere, IL
e-mail

Road Knights Cruise In
7/22/2013
Brightwood, OR
e-mail

 

Coverlay Interior Parts

See what we have from Coverlay

RockAuto now offers Coverlay interior restoration parts for over 200 makes and models of cars and light trucks from 1967 to today! Coverlay parts provide direct fit, easy to install and attractive solutions for updating worn interior hard surfaces. All Coverlay parts are made in the USA from durable ABS plastic and are vacuum molded for a perfect fit. The parts will not crack under extreme temperatures, are available in a wide variety of standard colors and can be painted if desired.

Coverlay Interior Parts

The Coverlay Dash Board Cover and Instrument Panel Cover overlay your existing dash as a convenient alternative to costly and time consuming full dash replacement. Installation takes about 20 to 30 minutes and, once completed, it looks like a new dash and not like a protective dash board cover sitting on top of the original! Also offered are replacement Door Panels and kits that include the Dash Cover, Door Panels and Kick Panels.

Whether you are sprucing up your personal car or fixing the dashes in a fleet of work trucks, Coverlay Manufacturing provides a simple and affordable way to give interiors a fresh, like-new look! Find Coverlay parts in the "Body-Interior" category of the RockAuto catalog. Be sure to click the Info button in the part description to watch example covers being installed on Dodge and Chevy pickup dashes.

 

 

Forum of the Month

Scion XD Forum

Scion XD Forum is a website for Scion XD enthusiasts. You are invited to share your knowledge and learn from the wisdom of others. We cover a range of topics from general XD talk to engine/performance, suspension and more. Registration is 100% free. After registering, introduce yourself in the "Introductions" section and tell us about your ride. Enjoy your stay!

 

If you are the administrator or member of a forum and you would like to see your website featured in an upcoming newsletter and receive a discount code to share with your members, contact cynthia@rockauto.com.

 

 

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

Ouch!

As a young man I worked pumping gas at a local service station and when not busy, helped out in the garage. One day we had a car in that had a broken distributor cap. The cap had been replaced recently, so the mechanic was trying to figure out what the problem was to no avail.

The service station sold candy and pop, and kids from the school would stop in and buy it when they were walking home. One of these kids overheard our discussion about the broken distributor cap and said the car had a broken motor mount. At the time, the mechanic disregarded the advice, but when all else failed, remembered what the kid had said. So he jacked up the engine, and sure enough, a broken motor mount was the problem. The kid got a free soda, and the mechanic found out the kid's dad had the same car...and the same problem. When it was put under power the engine would shift, and the distributor cap was close enough to the firewall that it would crack when banging into it.

If I remember right it was a Chrysler, but that was about 60 years ago. I still enjoy working on cars and remember that kid's lesson to this day.

Jack in Alaska

 

Tell us about your most infamous auto repair blunder or unconventional fix. Use your woe to help others avoid similar mistakes or share off-the-wall solutions that worked (at least for a while!). Please e-mail your story to flamur@rockauto.com. Include your mailing address and if you would like a RockAuto T-Shirt (please let us know your shirt size) or Hat if we publish your story. See the T-Shirts and Hats under Tools & Universal Parts in the catalog. The story will be credited using only your first name and your vague geographic location (state, province, country, continent, etc.) so you can remain semi-anonymous!

 

 

Automotive Trivia

Automotive Trivia

Chrysler's latest SRT Challenger, Charger, Grand Cherokee and 300 are powered by the 6.4L, 392 cid HEMI. Chrysler puts "392" badges on the fenders and valve covers rather than "6.4L." Why?

A. After the numbers are rounded off slightly, this 392 cid engine features 392 horsepower (292 kW) and 392 ft.-lb. (531 N•m) of torque. Chrysler is using this symmetry to promote the engine's high output.

B. Similar to the SRT team of today, Chrysler's "Group 392" was responsible for racing programs in the 1960s. Group 392 pushed for the Plymouth Superbird and the short production run that enabled it to be classified as a stock car for racing. Richard Petty won the 1971 Daytona 500 driving a Superbird.

C. Chrysler built a highly respected 392 cid HEMI in 1957 and 1958. This second generation HEMI featured a sturdier engine block and crankshaft, larger intake and exhaust ports and other improvements that made it a great engine for racing. Don "Big Daddy" Garlits ran a 392 HEMI in the "Swamp Rat" dragster he used to break the 200 mph (322 km/h) barrier in 1964. The original 392 HEMI also set records in other competitions including boat racing.

 

Answer below

 

 

Back to the Bright Side

RockAuto

High-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps have been installed as original equipment on an increasing number of vehicles for at least the last fifteen years. They are no longer new technology. That enticing ’99 Porsche Boxster or ’03 Cadillac Escalade sitting in the used car lot might have HID headlamps. Here are some useful things to know about HID headlamps.

Traditional headlamp bulbs use a glowing filament. HID bulbs use an electric arc, similar to the flame across a sparkplug’s electrodes, to generate light. HID headlamps use less power and emit more light. Brighter and uniquely colored HID light gives car designers more options for creating headlamps with cool styling and better nighttime performance. HID headlamp bulbs are typically expected to last at least twice as long as conventional halogen bulbs.

HID and Traditional Halogen Bulbs
HID and Traditional Halogen Bulbs

On the negative side, HID systems are more complex, heavy and expensive. They use AC (alternating current) which means new parts such as a ballast and ignitor are needed. Replacement HID headlamp bulbs by GE and Wagner start at more than $60 while conventional halogen bulbs for non-HID versions of the same car might cost less than $5. Some early adopters of HID headlamps such as the Lincoln Mark VIII in the late ‘90s used their own, subsequently obsolete HID lighting systems that are now nearly impossible to find new bulbs for. Mark VIII owners typically retrofit their cars to use conventional halogen bulbs.

Back to the bright side. Replacement HID headlamp bulbs are readily available for most cars. The vast majority of HID headlamp equipped vehicles use D1S, D1R, D2S, D2R, D3S, D3R, D4S or D4R which are four bulb designs with either S or R glass shields. The “S” shields are clear and are used on bulbs in headlamp assemblies designed to have projector-type optics. The “R” glass shields are opaque in specific areas and are found on bulbs designed for headlamp assemblies with reflector-type optics.

The D1, D2, D3 and D4 bulbs differ in design. The ignitor might be built into the bulb or found with the ballast elsewhere in the system. Replacement costs for all four currently fall between about $60 and $80 at RockAuto. Find headlamp bulbs by ACDelco, GE, Philips, Wagner, etc. in the RockAuto catalog under the “Electrical-Lamp & Socket” category for your vehicle.

Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com

 

 

Al's 1974 Javelin AMX

Al's 1974 Javelin AMX

As an avid reader of your newsletter and frequent customer I just wanted to share a picture of my 1974 Javelin AMX.

I purchased the car in October of 1995, almost a driver, but it needed extensive repairs to get it back on the road. I restored her back to factory original condition, Trans Am Red paint, new quarter panels and a fresh tune up. I drove my AMX to numerous car shows and cruises and it showed quite well. But four years ago I decided I needed to change things up a little. Fresh Red, White and Blue paint was applied (the same colors AMC used in the Trans Am Racing series), new wheels were installed and the factory 401 cu. in. engine was rebuilt. With some other modifications, the horsepower was boosted to over 400HP.

Over the course of the rebirth of this "Kenosha Cadillac," I have used RockAuto for numerous parts, including all my front and rear suspension parts, engine gaskets, hoses, belts, filters and all the brake components, front and rear. Thanks for the great selection of parts, outstanding prices and unbelievably fast delivery!

Oh yeah, I love those magnets. Keep up the great work!

Al in Illinois

 

Share Your Hard Work

Do you purchase parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto would like to feature you & your car or truck in our monthly newsletter. New, old, import, domestic, daily driver, trailer queen, classic, antique, we want to see them all! Please e-mail flamur@rockauto.com with your vehicle's history, interesting details, your favorite images and what parts from RockAuto you have used.

 

 

Let RockAuto Help

Let RockAuto Help

Are you organizing a car show or other auto related event? From goody bag stuffers to gift certificates...we can help. We can even publicize your event in our newsletter.

Just send an e-mail to marketing@rockauto.com with information about your show.

 

 

Automotive Trivia Answer

Automotive Trivia

Chrysler's latest SRT Challenger, Charger, Grand Cherokee and 300 are powered by the 6.4L, 392 cid HEMI. Chrysler puts "392" badges on the fenders and valve covers rather than "6.4L." Why?

A. After the numbers are rounded off slightly, this 392 cid engine features 392 horsepower (292 kW) and 392 ft.-lb. (531 N•m) of torque. Chrysler is using this symmetry to promote the engine's high output.

B. Similar to the SRT team of today, Chrysler's "Group 392" was responsible for racing programs in the 1960s. Group 392 pushed for the Plymouth Superbird and the short production run that enabled it to be classified as a stock car for racing. Richard Petty won the 1971 Daytona 500 driving a Superbird.


Answer: C. Chrysler built a highly respected 392 cid HEMI in 1957 and 1958. This second generation HEMI featured a sturdier engine block and crankshaft, larger intake and exhaust ports and other improvements that made it a great engine for racing. Don "Big Daddy" Garlits ran a 392 HEMI in the "Swamp Rat" dragster he used to break the 200 mph (322 km/h) barrier in 1964. The original 392 HEMI also set records in other competitions including boat racing.

Fender badge on a 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392

Back up to trivia question

 

 

 

© 1999-2013 RockAuto, LLC - Madison, Wisconsin USA. RockAuto name and logo are registered trademarks of RockAuto, LLC. Manufacturer names and logos in the RockAuto catalog are trademarks of their respective companies and are used only to identify their products. All rights reserved.