The Rise And Fall Of The Muscle Car Era
by: Jason Tarasi
Power, speed and performance ? those are the three major traits of a muscle car. When first produced, muscle cars were just pretty darn amazing because they combined the efficiency of a lightweight, mid-sized body with the performance of a high-power V8 engine and special design features that further increased the cars? acceleration capabilities. Because muscle cars topped all other vehicles in terms of power, speed and performance, they were ideal for racing.
Muscle cars were produced from the mid-1960s into the early 1970s, but the production of such beasts fell drastically due to a number of factors. First was the controversy over whether it was wise and responsible to make such powerful vehicles available to the general public, primarily due to road racing. Because muscle cars were often used irresponsibly, liability relating to them was pretty high which forced insurance companies to increase rates for insuring muscle cars. Emission control requirements intended to curb pollution also played into the picture making it near impossible for automakers to produce muscle cars that met the standards they had to adhere to.
Needless to say, the muscle car industry changed quickly due to these influences. Demand decreased because many ?would-be? buyers of muscle cars couldn?t fathom paying the enormous insurance rates for a high-power vehicle and automakers had to meet the challenges presented by pollution control standards.
Since muscle cars were produced for a limited number of years, they are valuable items for collectors and are still highly desirable to those who enjoy racing or desire a quick, powerful, mid-sized car. Since the decline in the production of muscle cars, some automakers have attempted to bring the muscle car era back to life by producing powerful vehicles that resemble the legendary muscle cars, but in my opinion, they don?t hold a candle to classic muscle cars like the GTO, the Road Runner or the Chevelle SS.
It will be interesting to see how the history of muscle cars plays out. Will present day automakers renew production of true muscle cars that are fast and powerful? Will there be enough demand to make muscle car production worth it to them? Or, will muscle cars continue to be limited to those classic models that were produced in the 60s and 70s?
Classic muscle cars are pretty amazing pieces of machinery. One that is restored and in cherry condition is really worth a lot of money. As time goes on, there are fewer muscle cars available which makes them even more valuable to classic car collectors and muscle car enthusiasts.
About The Author
Jason Tarasi is a muscle car enthusiast who runs the Muscle Car Monster Website, where members can buy and sell muscle cars for free through the site's online classifieds. http://www.musclecarmonster.com.
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Help Me, Honda!
Help Me, Honda!
by: Matthew C. Keegan
So, you need a new car, do you? Have you considered Honda? Not too long ago your choices were the Civic, Accord, or Prelude. Today, Honda has expanded their line up to cover just about every segment going. Let?s take a look at their current line up and see how Honda stacks up against the competition.
Accord ? Soon after the Civic entered the North American market, the Accord was introduced. The car has been so well received that it routinely battles with the Toyota Camry for the top spot in the American market. Every few years the Accord receives a complete makeover; today?s Accord is available in three models: coupe, sedan, and hybrid
Civic ? When Honda entered the US market in the early 1970s, it was the Civic that led the way. The reason? High fuel economy. At that time, Detroit was primarily building gas guzzling behemoths and the American market was ripe for an affordable and economical compact...
Help Me, Honda!
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Beware of Hurricane Damaged Vehicles!
Beware of Hurricane Damaged Vehicles!
by: Matthew C. Keegan
Nearly a half million cars were destroyed by two of this past season?s biggest hurricanes, Katrina and Rita. Some of these cars may not have received much apparent damage but they were totaled nevertheless because of water, mud, and debris which flooded engine bays and the interior. Damaged cars are supposed to make their way to the junkyard for scrap, unfortunately some unscrupulous parties are gaining a hold of the vehicle titles and turning around and selling damaged cars to the public. Should you be concerned? Absolutely! Read on to learn more about this problem and what you can do to avoid being stuck with a vehicle that is certain to be a lemon.
Let me just say this: it is not illegal for weekend mechanics to buy a salvaged vehicle, repair it, and sell it to you. What they must disclose to you is this: you are buying a salvaged vehicle. This is where most of the problems begin:...
Beware of Hurricane Damaged Vehicles!
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Hello from Ibiza (1)
Hello from Ibiza (1)
by: Susanne Pacher
I am sitting here in the front entrance hall of the Ses Fontallas Plaza timeshare resort in Sant Antoni. We arrived on Saturday at about 5:30 in Ibiza and had to hang around for the luggage. 2 of our pieces actually didn?t make it due to a technical problem with the cargo area on the plane and we had to wait an awefully long time at the baggage information area to find out that the baggage would be delivered the next day.
We finally checked out our rental car, a VW Polo, at Hiper-Rent-A-Car, just outside the airport. Not a bad deal for about 158 Euros a week... On the way to our resort we stopped off in a huge supermarket, we called it the "Walmart of Spain" where we picked up the basics of groceries and we then made our way to the resort in the dark.
Ses Fontanellas Plaza is a nice complex right in the tourist area of Sant Antoni and we got unit 308, a one-bedroom with partial seaview. Definitely...
Hello from Ibiza (1)
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What Are Reasonable Window Tint Prices?
What Are Reasonable Window Tint Prices?
by: Harrison Hung
What are reasonable window tint prices?
Oddly, this is a even harder subject than explaining how window film works.
The price for a car tint can vary dramatically from the cheapest fly-by-night tint shop from $100 to the luxury tint shop's $400 or more or merely $80 for a DIY car tint kit.
For each of these situations, the price can be considered reasonable.
If we really break it down, a reasonable price is depends on many factors:
Your Car Type
Quite simply, a small percentage of cars are harder to tint than others.
When getting a price quote, a tint shop always asks you for the make and model of your car.
This isn't to see how much money you have and charge you up the wazoo. (Often it is with less reputable tinters)
Tinters know which cars take more time to tint properly.
Some cars with steep and curved rear windows...
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Finding Cheap Auto Parts
Finding Cheap Auto Parts
by: John Rivers
Running a car can be an expensive business these days, especially with the continually rising cost of petrol/gas. The last thing that most car owners need is the added expense of replacing worn out parts. The majority of people rely on their local auto shop to find the parts, and then fit them. There is a far cheaper way, and that is to source your own parts from an auto salvage yard.
Auto salvage yards, as their name suggests, specialise in salvaging autos, or more specifically auto parts. The way that they work is simple; they take junk cars and strip them down, keeping any parts that are still in working order. These parts are then sold to anyone who wants to buy them at a much lower price than a new part would be. You could find the part that you are looking for, and save yourself a lot of money. Of course, it would be ideal if you could fit the part on your car yourself, but just buying the part...
Finding Cheap Auto Parts
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The Rise And Fall Of The Muscle Car Era Car rental
The Rise And Fall Of The Muscle Car Era
Different Types of Hats to Hide Your Bad Hair Day
Different Types of Hats to Hide Your Bad Hair Day
by: Lewis Dakker
Stylish Hats For Bad Hair Days
Do not worry if you have a bad hair day. Just hide it with a stylish hat and carry on with your routine. But be sure not to remove your hat as it could expose your bad hair. Many hats are available in different style which can suit your taste. You can also choose from the many styles that suits you and your attire for that particular day.
In the cold...
The Rise And Fall Of The Muscle Car Era hats
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The Rise And Fall Of The Muscle Car Era watches Car rental
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Fishing In Salt Water
Fishing In Salt Water
by: Travis Clemens
There will always be challenges whether one decides to fish either in the river or in the open sea. The important thing to remember is to have patience waiting for the fish and doing your best to catch it when it appears.
To be able to fish, a person needs to get a fishing license since this is a requirement by law and the regulations regarding fishing varies from one state to the other.
The first thing one...
The Rise And Fall Of The Muscle Car Era
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