RockAuto August Newsletter

August Newsletter

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Another Happy Customer!

I have purchased many parts from RockAuto to restore my 1987 Renault GTA.

Parts are very difficult to find for these rare cars and RockAuto has been a wonderful resource.

Gregory in Florida

 

Upcoming Events
If you would like your event featured here, email us with details.

5th Annual Car Show
9/6/2008
Bethel, PA
email

First Assembly of God 6th Annual Benefit Car Show
9/6/2008
Greeley, CO
email

Goad Custom Coatings 2nd Annual Twin City Bombers Bash
9/20/2008
Bossie City, LA
email

Red Hot & Cool Car Show & Chili Cook Off
9/20/2008
Leadville, CO
email

1st Annual Randolph County Fair Antique & Classic Car Show
9/20/2008
Beverly, WV
email

1st Annual Salute the Veterans Car Show
9/20/2008
Pasadena, MD
website

American Muscle for Jacob Hearts Car Show
9/20/2008
Santa Cruz, CA
email

Ol'Marais River Run & Car Show
9/20/2008
Ottawa, KS
email

Cauley Square Antique & Classic Car Show
9/21/2008
Miami, FL
email

Cub Run Days Car Show
9/27/2008
Cub Run, KY
email

Antioch Baptist Church Youth Ministry Car Show
9/27/2008
Conway, AR
email

Parkin' in the Park Car Show
9/27/2008
Selma, CA
email

3rd Annual Windstreams Motor Mania
9/27/2008
Dalton, GA
email

Youngsville Fall Festival
9/27/2008
Youngsville, NC
email

Wheel Days - Just Cruise In
9/28/2008
North Brookfield, NY
email

2008 McCreary Fest & VFW 2157 "American Pride" Car Show
9/28/2008
Whitley City, KY
email

 

Eastern Catalytic Direct-Fit Converters

 

All Eastern direct-fit converters are built to exact OE dimensions with OE-quality flanges and flex assemblies. They feature Eastern's proprietary catalytic chemistry and high-flow design that maximizes engine output and catalytic efficiency.

Most Direct-Fit Converters include Eastern’s Value Pack™ installation kits with everything you need for a fast, easy installation:

  • Air tube and hose clamps
  • Manifold nuts and bolts
  • Fuel injector air tube connector
  • Air tube plug
  • Complete installation instructions

You will find these parts and more in the "Exhaust" category of the RockAuto catalog.

 

 

Forum of the Month

Serious Explorations

The Serious Explorations website was launched in 1996 by Rick Horwitz of Phoenix, Arizona. Serious Explorations now has a registered membership of over 85,000 members.

Our membership represents everything from stock, to highly-modified off-road, street-cruising, and drag racing Ford Explorers, Mercury Mountaineers, Mazda Navajos, and Ford Rangers. Owners and fans of these vehicles share maintenance tips, modifications, and plan enthusiast events across the country and around the globe.

The success of Serious Explorations has not gone unnoticed. Several Ford Motor Company engineers accompanied our group for our off-road exploration of Moab, Utah; Colorado’s ghost towns and 13,000 foot peaks; and the Southern California desert’s Truck Haven Hills.

In addition to having a great time, Ford's engineers learned much about how we challenge our vehicles off of the pavement.

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 jessa@rockauto.com.

 

 

Repair Mistakes & Blunders

Ouch!

Back many moons ago, my high school cruiser was an ol’ hot rod ’67 Camaro. Lacking funds and common sense, I would sometimes cut corners and jury-rig something just to get it to work. On one such occasion, the lack of experience and common sense got the best of me and a buddy. We were trying to raise the back of the car in an effort to install rear traction devices. Because neither one of us owned a hydraulic floor jack, we decided that a pair of bumper jacks would be more than adequate to lift the rear of the car high enough for one of us to slip in a pair of jack stands under the rear frame (at least we were smart enough to use jack stands). To accomplish this task, I was working the left side bumper jack, while my buddy worked the right side (in synchronicity of course). We managed to get the car high enough to slip the jack stands under the gas tank but not high enough to place them under the frame. So as we continued our raise-the-rear-of-the-Camaro or bust attitude, without any warning, the base of each bumper jack suddenly lost traction on the smooth concrete floor of my parents’s garage and shot in under the car and dropped my beloved Camaro onto awaiting jack stands.

To this day, I count my blessings on how fortunate we were during this incident because no one was under the car, I had left the tires on the car, the jack stands were not set high enough to puncture the gas tank, and the bumper jacks did not slip and shoot towards us, etc.

I believe that from that day forward, whenever I had any bright ideas about cutting corners, the big dented gas tank was a reminder for me to get the right tools for the right job.

Steve in California

 

 

Less than $2 a Gallon

RockAuto

Breaking news! There is a vehicle for sale in the United States today that runs on 100+ octane fuel available in most homes for less than $2 a gallon (gasoline gallon equivalent or gge). It can haul six people and their luggage while getting over 20 miles per gallon on the highway. It emits about 90% less carbon monoxide and 25% less carbon dioxide than a similar gasoline powered vehicle. Best of all, replacement parts are already available from RockAuto.com!

Where can you buy this economic, green and even stylish vehicle? Buy one right now at most big city auction yards. Look for retired, 2005 or older Ford Crown Victoria police cars with a compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinder in the trunk. Expect the winning bid to be around $4000. Be sure to check the interior for offensive stains and smells before buying.

Recent headlines about new horizontal drilling methods tapping potentially huge natural gas deposits in the US got me curious about CNG powered cars. I knew RockAuto stocked parts for CNG Dodge, Ford, GMC, etc. vehicles built since the 1990s. But after 1995, new CNG powered autos nearly all vanished from the RockAuto.com catalog. The Honda Civic GX is the only 2008 CNG car I could find.

CNG powered vehicles need special fuel tanks and a few unique few fuel system parts like pressure regulators. Otherwise CNG cars are identical to gasoline cars. In many countries cars have two fuel tanks and can run on either CNG or gasoline.

CNG has these advantages over gasoline: higher octane, lower price and lower emissions. CNG powered motors may last longer than gasoline engines. The US already supplies much of its own natural gas. The natural gas that is imported mostly comes from friendly Canada and Mexico.

CNG has disadvantages, but most appear likely to go away if large volumes of CNG vehicles were on the road. CNG is natural gas compressed under high pressure. There are currently few high pressure, CNG fueling stations. Machines can pressurize natural gas in homes, but filling a car’s tank at home might take all night. CNG tanks are bulky, heavy and compromise interior space especially if the car was originally designed for gasoline. CNG tanks can typically only hold enough fuel for 200 miles of driving. Low volume, CNG vehicle replacement parts can be expensive.

The CNG pros seem to outweigh the cons, so why did US car manufacturers drop their CNG vehicle offerings? Why isn’t CNG in the spotlight along with bio-diesel, ethanol, fuel cells, electric vehicles and other greener alternatives to imported gasoline and diesel? Look at any old CNG cop car, bus or forklift and it is easy to see CNG vehicles are further developed than the alternatives. CNG might not have as many cheerleaders because despite being cheaper, cleaner and greener, it is still a fossil fuel. Hopefully, CNG will get more political and public attention if the vast, new natural gas deposits turn out to be real and exploitable. I only buy old cars and a 1999 CNG Dodge van seems much more attainable than the other technologies still under development.

Tom Taylor
RockAuto.com

 

 

RockAuto Collector Magnets

RockAuto Collector Magnets

Show off your vehicle and hard work to the world! Submit a photo of your car or truck to be considered for the next series of RockAuto Collector Magnets.

These magnets are sent to our customers worldwide and are given out at car shows and other events.

Vintage or high tech street machine, trailer queen, or daily driver - all types are encouraged! Send a high resolution image and a short story about your car and what parts you have purchased from RockAuto to flamur@rockauto.com.

If your vehicle is chosen, we will make sure to send you plenty of magnets to share with friends and family, and make you the envy of your car club.

 

 

Vito's 1975 Bricklin SV1
Vito's Bricklin

I recently bought a 1975 Bricklin SV1 that needed a lot of front end parts. I was surprised to see this very rare car listed in the RockAuto catalog. A friend recommended RockAuto, and I have been completely satisfied with their service.

My Bricklin has a 351ci Ford engine, Ford transmission, AMC suspension, and gull-wing doors. I will be fixing it with the help of RockAuto.

Vito in New York

 

Share Your Hard Work
Do you purchase parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto would like to feature you and your vehicle in our monthly newsletter. Please email flamur@rockauto.com with details.

© 1999-2008 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.