Slotted Brake Rotors - Their Advantages And Disadvantages

By installing performance rotors and brakes on your vehicle, braking performance will increase significantly. Of the most common designs available, slotted brake are perform quite well. You will find that most racing vehicles use slotted rotors brake as they offers great combination of reliability and performance.

Slotted brake rotors have carved slots within their rotor surface to move away brake pad debris and dust that is generated from the brake pads. These slots also serve to expel water away from the rotor surface.
As opposed to using a combination slotted and drilled rotor, exclusively slotted rotors are preferred by drivers that aggressively use their brakes over a long period of time. A brake system equipped with a slotted rotor is beneficial, as they are more durable than stock, and have a greater capacity to retain heat.

Slotted rotors give the driver the added benefit of having some additional brake pad bite, or grip, as well. When the leading edge of the brake pad hits these slots, they will add some additional friction to the mix, albeit it is minimal.

When using a slotted type of brake rotor with an aggressive brake pad, the results can be quite impressive. The amount of friction created between pad and rotor will be greater than any other combination, but will cause the pads to wear thin quickly. The amount of brake pad dust will also be increased; so if tire cleanliness is a concern, this should be taken into consideration, as tires show dust very obviously.

A slotted rotor can be a great upgrade over stock for any type of performance driving, as they often have a greater diameter, thereby further increasing the stopping power of the vehicle.

A larger diameter brake rotor will increase braking torque for every increase in size overall. A stock rotor typically runs about 11 inches in diameter on a passenger vehicle, but a performance brake rotor with slots can run up to 14 inches in size. If you are looking to maximize braking performance, it is recommended that you install the largest slotted rotor your wheel clearance will tolerate.

You can determine what your brake rotor clearance distance is by looking online at others that already have completed this upgrade. If you are having problems identifying a brake rotor upgrade for your particular vehicle type, then shop around to find the largest matching slotted brake rotors available, and expect the distributor has done their homework.

To know more details about brake rotors, please visit us at http://www.cquence.net/

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Classic Mustang Fans Unite In Their Love for the First Pony Car

The Ford Mustang is a car that was produced by Ford Motor Company. In the beginning, it was created to demonstrate some of the traits of the Ford Falcon which was a compact car. Anyone who claims to be a classic Mustang fan understands that the car has undergone several transformations.

The Mustang is responsible for creating the "pony car" series. Pony cars were sports cars that contained short-rear decks and long hoods and inspired competitors to build cars such as the Camaro, Barracuda and others.

The productions of these magnificent cars began in 1964 with being introduced on April 17, 1964 at the New York World's Fair. The name derived from John Najjar who profoundly admired the World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane. He is the person who suggested "Mustang" to be attached to the sports car.

As production increased on the car, they began appearing heavier and larger as each year progressed, at least until 1971 - 1973 which are the years that Ford returned the car to their original sizes. Some of the "pony cars" have since experienced a revival from competitors; the Mustang is the only true auto in the "pony" class that is still being produced without interruption over the last 4 decades.

1964 - 1973

During this time, Ford desired to reduce development costs while achieving a reasonable retail price. They relied on utilizing components derived from those used in the Fairlane (fastback) and the Falcon. This aided Ford to shorten the learning curve for repair, and assembly workers. This allowed auto dealers to pick up the 67 Mustang without spending tons of money on spare parts inventories in order to maintain a brand-new car series. What was the result of these efforts? The Boss 302 Mustang which proved popular through the early seventies, even though some consumers considered the car overweight. In 1969, the Ford Mustang Mach 1, which was a higher-end version of a Ford Mustang debuted in class as well as the GT 350 series.

1974 - 1978

Mr. Iaccoca, a leading force behind the original Mustang, achieved the position of President of Ford Motor Company in 1970, and he demanded a more fuel-efficient Mustang for the year 1974. Originally, they wanted the fuel-efficient car to be based on the Maverick but settled for the Pinto subcompact.

The new Mustang was called the "Mustang II" and was strategically introduced to the public two months after the 1973 oil crisis. The smaller size allowed the car to compete against imported cars such as the Capri and Cellica. The Mustang was available in hatchback and coupe versions. The changes were introduced in 1975 that included the reinstatement of the 302 CID V-8 options. There were other changes in appearance which came with the "Cobra II" version in 1976-77 and the "King Cobra" in 1978.

1979 - 1993

The 1979 Mustang was originally based on the Fox platform that was originally developed for the 1978 Mercury Zephyr and the Ford Fairmont. The inside of the car was re-created for four people. The body styles included a hatchback, convertible and coupe. The car was offered in trim levels of GL, GLX, L, LX, Turbo GT; 500 series (83-84), SVO (84-86), Cobra R (93), and the Cobra (79-81; 93).

During the eighties, Ford experienced decreasing sales on the Mustang due to the ever-rising costs of fuel. Ford decided to develop a new version of the "pony car" based on the Japanese-designed Mazda MX-6. Class Ford fans opposed this approach because it would mean that the car would be produced without a V-8 option. The result was creating a makeover on the existing 87 Mustang with the Probe being based on the variants from the MX-6.

1994 - 2004

The Mustang in 1994 experienced a first; redesign. The original design was based on an updated version of the rear-wheel drive Fox platform which was newly titled "Fox-4". Since 1974, Ford no longer offered a coupe model during this year. In 1999, sharper contours and the New Edge theme styles with creases in the bodywork and larger wheel arches. The basics were still there with the chassis and the interior as being the same as the previous model.

2005 - Now

Ford again in 2005 redesigned the Mustang and the changes were based on the new D2C platform. The company announced in 2007 that all 08 Mustangs will include seats that were made of soybeans. The 2009 Mustangs would come with the new option of a glass roof for somewhat of a hefty price. The 2010 models contained a new exterior and a reduced drag co-efficient of 4 percent, while the GT models 4.6 L V-8 was revised that offered 315 hp at 6,000 (rpm) and 325 lb.ft of torque at 4255 rpm. Other new features included the dampers, traction, stability control and spring rates which came standard on all models and the car offered new wheel sizes, as well.

Conclusion

Classic Ford Fans prove the most faithful to the Mustang. The car is ever-evolving and does not have any chance of going away any time soon. The love for this car has proved evident throughout the years and fans worldwide agree that the first "pony car" is the most admired car of all time.

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Classic Plymouth Fans: History of Plymouth and Their Muscle Cars

Classic Plymouth fans know that muscle cars from their favorite auto production company were known from the beginning for their fancy-looking cars and their sportiness. In the sixties and seventies, Plymouth prided themselves on large engines and inspiring consumers.

Somewhere in between all this madness, they branded themselves with the Big Boys of Muscle Cars. Plymouth has proved competitive when it comes to horsepower. One exception was the 413 Wedge, but out of the ashes, came the success of the Mopar's 410 bhp 413 V-8.

The Roadking P9 was priced higher than the other Plymouth cars of their generation in 1939. These cars were offered in four-door and two-door and two-passenger coupe models. The four-door models proved most popular with consumers.

This company was known for their hot engines and winning races on the track. In 1967, the first muscle-imaged collection was placed in the GTX. This Satellite-based car stood tall with a 375 bhp 440 cid V-8 engine and only offered the Hemi as the engine option. This car was the first of its kind in midsized cars to display sport-up hood scoops, bucket seats, exciting emblems, large wheels and redline tires. This car was the epitome of Muscle Cars.

Plymouth proved their innovation with the Valiant-based Barracuda in 1964. The first cars of this type were strong performers. The 1965 Barracuda contained balanced handling with a 235 bhp 273 cid lifter V-8 engine. In 1967, the company went all out with offering a 383 cid big-block to the options. In 1969, the "Cuda" had a 440 cid V-8 engine.

In the early seventies, the Hemi Cuda proved arduous, and remains a highly-desired choice among Muscle Car enthusiasts. The most sought after version of the car is the seventy-version with the spoilered, and striped exterior. The Cuda and Duster were laid to rest in 1975 and was nothing but a memory when the division that produced the cars closed for good in 2001.

The Satellite was introduced in 1965 as part of the Belvedere production line. This car proved strong in sales until 1967. With the decline in sales, it was converted to a middle of the line priced model with the GTX. The Fury name was then transferred to Plymouth's middle-sized models in 1975. Plymouth then allowed the Satellite name to quietly disappear.

Plymouth at one point decided to gussy up the Valiant Scamp calling it a Brougham and consumers went totally nuts over the car with purchasing over 127,000 of them. The company admits that this car was never a high-performing car, but they delight in the memories of its popularity at one time in history.

In 1997, the Prowler was born (later becoming Chrysler Prowler). This car was also built in 1999 and 2002. The first version could reach 62 miles an hour in 7.2 seconds. The top-speed of this model was 118 miles per hour. The 1999 and 2002 model could reach 62 miles per hour in 5.9 seconds with a top-speed of 126 miles per hour. The 2001 and 2002 models were sold as Chrysler Prowler's, but DaimlerChrysler strategically marketed the car as a Plymouth in Canada for the 2000 models with this car being the last Plymouth ever sold in Canada.

Classic Plymouth car fans enjoy finding these muscle cars for restoration, or if they have the money, and luck, in mint condition. Plymouth Muscle Cars is still an obsession with the sport car enthusiasts. No matter how innovative or fast the current "muscle" cars seem to be, one thing is for sure, they will never have the clout of the Plymouth Muscle Cars.

Original article

Ferrari Cars and Some of Their Famous Owners, A Brief Guide

Ferrari luxury sports cars have always had a special affinity with the association of not only the racing world and upper echelons of the Formula One Grand Prix, but also a popular choice for the rich and famous.

A Ferrari parked outside an expensive boutique or a café in Monaco wouldn't ever "look out of place", would it? This is probably due to the fact that Ferrari sports cars have always had a reassuringly rather large price tag to go with their image of wealth for its owner.

With this in mind, the cars that belong to celebrities, Hollywood actors and famous people have always attracted even more attention than their less famously owned counter parts. So when some of these famously owned cars end up at a classic car auction or are announced that they will be sold, a media frenzy starts and so does a bidding war for the top price.

In a recent classic car auction at the Silverstone, a rare 2003 "Ferrari 575 Maranello" with only 10,000 miles on the odometer was eventually sold for £66,000 and was purchased by an unknown private buyer. What was unique about this car was its special provenance from its famous previous owners.

The fact this Ferrari was not just rare, but its previous owners included; the legendary guitar hero "Eric Clapton" and the BBC Radio and TV presenter Chris Evans, who are both huge Ferrari fans in their own right.

Chris Evans has been in and out of the motoring world press for the last few years, with his growing collection of Ferrari's, which now includes seven in the line-up. But his latest acquisition is the one that's got everyone talking. It's a very rare 1960 Ferrari 250 California Spyder, that cost over £5 million at auction. What makes this classic car even more special is that its only number 13 of only 56 cars ever produced of this model, but it was formally owned by the late (great) film actor James Coburn, who was a massive Ferrari fan.

James Coburn got his love of cars from his father and was reputed to have turned the automotive-fanatic actor Steve McQueen onto Ferrari sports cars back in the early sixties.

Other celebrities and star's who share a love for Ferrari sports cars are most notably Jay Kay from the band Jamiroquai who has had a number of Ferrari's including; a Ferrari F40, a 360 Spider, Ferrari Enzo, Ferrari 456GT. Veteran rock singer Rod Stewart also owns a Ferrari F40, a 360 Spider and now new Murcielago.

Star of film and TV, Joanna Lumley has a classic Ferrari 328 GTS Targa, where as lead guitarist of the Who rock band also has a passion for Ferrari's, as Pete Townshend currently owns a Ferrari 550 Maranello.

Gregory Greene is writing on behalf of Bramleys in Surrey, the best choice for a Ferrari Dealer or when choosing a Classic Car Dealers for purchasing your next prestigious or luxury motor car.

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