By Y. Tilden

Classic car restoration refers to the process of repairing a car in order to return it to its original condition. This type of restoration includes the interior, exterior, engine and other mechanical parts and related accessories. An individual or company restoring a classic car may, depending on the type of restoration, use only original parts and pieces, or fabricate materials to bring the classic back to life.

Car restoration can be a long, arduous process that spans years until completion. Many find their projects never completed at all. The process can be very frustrating, for just when you find something fixed, another part of the car goes wrong. The entire process of car restoration is big -- often bigger than expected. Recruiting friends and family may be a good idea, as the process is often labor-intensive, involving the removing of rust, priming, and painting. The procedure can also be more complex involving a complete disassembling of a car, including cleaning, repairing and retesting, as well as stripping and reupholstering the interior. The engine may also have to be rebuilt. The exterior is usually repaired and refinished last, as only a car in working condition would deserve a new coat of paint.

Classic car restoration is a complicated series of projects that not only takes several years to complete, but may end up costing thousands of dollars. There are also varying levels of quality in car parts and overall look when you deal with car restoration. The highest level is usually not available for amateur restorers and is near perfect in its reproduction process, consisting of original, authentic parts and overall finish. The lowest level of restoration involves building a running car with some authentic parts, but assembled with less particular regard to original parts and appearance.

Though the process may be long and hard, completing a car restoration project is very rewarding for car enthusiasts.

By Derrick Walker

Placing your car or truck for sale in an auto classifieds website is a great way to reach tons of potential buyers. But constructing a great ad is not child's play. To generate a lot of interest in your vehicle, you must know how to create the perfect online listing. The necessary steps are outlined in five articles titled "Sell Your Car Online."

The first step in placing a great ad is taking pictures of the car or truck that is for sale. You don't just want to take any picture and post it on the internet. You want to post the best picture you possibly can. After all, the potential buyers that view your online listing want to see a picture that tells them something more than just the color of the vehicle. A good picture can convey the overall condition of the body, paint, interior, and more. A good, or near professional-quality, picture can seal the deal in the buyer's mind.

Hypothetical situation: A potential car buyer is looking for a particular car. The buyer has found two nearly identical cars, one belongs to you and one belongs to someone in a nearby state. These two cars have the same body style, the same engine and transmission, the same color, the same options, and very close to the same price. The only deciding factor is the pictures. The competing car has one low quality picture. It is half blocked by a neighboring vehicle. The sun is in the background causing a glare that obscures the color and overall appearance of the car. Your car, on the other hand, has multiple pictures from different angles. There is no sun to cause a glare and no rain to make the picture look dreary. The true color of the car shows and there is nothing blocking the view. Which car do you think the buyer would choose? Pictures of competing cars can, without a doubt, influence the potential buyer to purchase one car over another.

There are things you must consider before you take the first picture. What type of camera should I use? How many pictures should I take? What exactly should I take pictures of? Should I take the pictures in direct sunlight? Unless you are a professional photographer, or at least an experienced one, you may not know the correct answer to these questions.

What type of camera should I use? Since the pictures you upload to the internet must be in digital format, a digital camera is the best type of camera to use. If you use a non-digital camera, you first have to pay to get the film developed. Then use a scanner to digitize it. You must spend valuable time and money to do this. Using a digital camera is the most cost efficient and time conserving way to take and upload photos of your vehicle. In most cases, all you have to do is connect your camera to your computer to download the photos to the hard drive. Then you're ready to post your ad.

What size mega pixel (MP) camera do I need? This depends on what you will be doing with the pictures. If you need large, high quality pictures, like 8X10 prints or a large display photo in the newspaper, you may need to purchase a 5 MP camera or better. If you will be printing the pictures for personal use or posting small photos in print ads in the local newspaper, you probably need a 3 MP camera or better. If all you need is camera to take pictures to be uploaded to the internet, a 2 MP camera should do the trick.

Remember this! If the picture you are taking will only be used on the internet, use the lowest quality setting that your camera has. Some cameras even have a setting for internet quality photos.

How many pictures should I take? There is no correct answer for this question. Just take as many as you need. A good photographer will take pictures from multiple angles as well as take duplicate pictures from each angle. If you have 20 pictures to choose from, you can easily find at least 5 high quality photos to post with your listing that show lots of detail about your vehicle. Then you can delete the unused photos so you're not wasting space on your hard drive.

What exactly should I take pictures of? You need pictures from opposite angles that show the exterior of the vehicle. Pictures should be taken of the engine compartment with the hood raised. More pictures should be taken of the interior. If your vehicle has expensive aftermarket accessories, take pictures of them. For example, take close ups of expensive mag wheels, custom artwork or painting, or a high-tech audio system. In essence, you want to convey the overall condition of the vehicle and any special features the vehicle may have with the pictures you take.

Where should I take the pictures? You need to take pictures of the vehicle in a place that has as little background detail as possible. For example, you don't want another car, a highly trafficked street, or a person in the picture at all. The best place to take the pictures would be near a plain brick wall, or in front of an empty field. You don't want any object, whether in the foreground or background, to distract the buyer from seeing the details of your vehicle.

Should I take the pictures in direct sunlight? In order to take a great picture with a mid- to low-quality digital camera, you need plenty of light. But too much direct sunlight can cause bright glares and dark shadows, neither of which is good. The absolute best time to take pictures of your vehicle is on a partly cloudy day when the sun is behind the clouds. This eliminates the harsh, dark shadows even though there is still plenty of light to draw out the true color(s) of the vehicle. If you must take the pictures in direct sunlight, always make sure that the sun is behind you (so it will be shining on the side of the vehicle that is facing you). Try not to take a picture of a vehicle when the side facing you is in the shadow.

If you normally take terrible pictures, remember this! It is much better to take a picture with a wider view that has all the details in it than to try to get a close up and cut part of the important details out. So zoom out to make sure you get a great picture.

Follow these steps and you will have high quality photos of your automobile for display in the car classifieds site of your choice. Look for the next installment titled "Sell Your Car Online: Step 2, Using Pictures of Your Automobile Correctly." Happy selling.

By Aurel Radulescu

Whether you are planning to sell your car in the near future, have purchased it for investment purposes or simply want to protect your investment, increasing the resale value of your car is never a bad idea. Many people are not aware, but there are several ways to maintain your car in such a way that it will prove to be more valuable than it's peers.

Keep it clean. Everyone likes a clean car and will consider this factor heavily when deciding to purchase a new ride. Even if you don't intend to sell it in the near future, you should keep the car clean for yourself and your passengers. Regular vacuuming, upholstery cleaning and shampooing of the floor are the best ways to maintain your car's interior.

Maintain your car according to the manufacturer's guidelines and schedule. This means regular inspections, oil changes and keeping up with any other repairs that need to be done. Keeping your car operating properly will make you feel safe while operating it and will also protect your investment in the years to come.

If it's broke, fix it. As with most cars, repairs are inevitable and no matter how hard you try, there will come a day that something needs fixed. It's best to avoid putting off any repairs and just go ahead and have them done immediately. Anything left uncorrected can lead to a much larger, and more expensive, problem in the future.

Annual Check-ups! A yearly visit to the doctor isn't just for individuals, but for cars too. Ok, so maybe a repair shop isn't the same thing as a doctor's office, but you get the idea. Annual inspections of your car's performance is crucial to it's overall health. Most states require that an individual have their car inspected annually, so do it for safety and because it's the law.

Walking. Believe it or not, walking is good for your car. When you walk, that is. When you drive to the grocery store, take a quick visual scan of the parking lot. Where are most of the cars located? Near the entrance, right? If you park in the less crowded area and are willing to walk a little farther to get inside the store, you may save your car from being dented and dinged by runaway shopping carts, car doors and other mishaps that often occur in crowded parking areas.

Save your receipts. If you have paperwork relating to the car or parts warranty, keep it in a safe place. In addition, any recall information and/or repair work that you have had done will be beneficial to future buyers and will also reassure them of your complete honesty if you are willing to go the extra mile and provide the paperwork.

In addition to the aforementioned ways of increasing your car's value, you should also repair any rust spots or paint chips, interior defects, loose knobs or other cosmetic problems that may affect the car's value. If you do all of these things, your car should be a major contender when it comes time to sell. Until then, you will have the pleasure of enjoying a well-maintained automobile.

By Max Bellamy

Winter driving need not be as uncomfortable if you have the right kind of heated car seats. By keeping your back warm and helping regulate your car's interior temperature, heated car seats can help you go for miles and miles of truly leisurely driving.

If you live in places where winter is painfully cold, then you need heated car seats. Heated car seats can do a lot for your health and safety - it warms your body directly, for one thing, which means you can stay alert for the long haul.

With a heated car seat, you don't have to turn up your car's heating system just to be warm, so your interior temperature is always regulated and at its optimum. Because heated car-seat technology is now perfected, you never have to worry about overheating. Gone are the first-generation heated car seats that were always too warm - now you can enjoy just the right toasty feeling even when you drive for long hours.

If you intend to buy a new car, go for the ones that have built-in heated car seats. If you intend to keep your car and just replace the seats, you can easily buy heated car seats as separate accessories and have them professionally installed (some heated car-seat vendors provide expert installation free of charge). The catch? They can be expensive.

Most high-end cars come with heated car seats, but for people not ready to spend a good amount of money, there are other alternatives. A heated blanket is one such substitute. Heated blankets designed for cars can be plugged very easily into the cigarette-lighter socket - it gives the same effect as a heated seat, but is a lot cheaper (they typically go for less than $100). If you're not ready to splurge on heated car seats, then this is definitely a sensible option.

By Aurel Radulescu

Just as people enjoy being pampered from time to time, cars are no different. They work hard every day, are on call 24/7 and they also deserve a little R&R. The best way to replenish your car and leave it feeling rejuvenated is to start with a complete wash, by hand of course, followed by a rinse and dry. Think of this process as an exfoliation to remove all of nature's unwanted dirt and grime from your car's surface.

Next, polish your car in order to smooth the paint's surface and eliminate certain contaminants, such as road salt, pollen or bird droppings. This will provide your car with the massage that it needs to relieve the stress of everyday life and leave it's surface all shiny and bright.

The next step to pampering your car involves waxing. This is an essential step in keeping your car protected from the damaging effects of UV rays and acid rain. And not to mention, waxing leaves your car with an unbelievable showroom quality shine. It's important to get your automobile professionally waxed if it's within your budget. Many people think that rain will clean their car but, in actuality, nothing could be further from the truth. Acid rain, which is common throughout North America, can actually cause erosion.

Once your car is looking great on the outside, it's time to begin working on the interior. A thorough vacuuming of the carpet and interior seating can be done with a small handheld vacuum. In addition, window washing and shampooing will finish up the next phase of pampering your car.

The ideas in this article are ideal if you want to pamper your car for the day. If you want to pamper it for a lifetime, always be sure to follow the maintenance guidelines and schedule as recommended by the manufacturer. This information can generally be found in the owner's manual, which should be located in the glove box. In addition to being the best way to keep your car operating at it's peek performance, properly maintaining your car will also ensure that it remains covered under the manufacturer's warranty should the need arise for it's service.

Rounding out your car's luxury treatment is a professional scrubbing of the wheels and the engine. It's also a good idea to have the oil and other important areas of the car checked by a professional just to make sure that your car is in premium operating condition.

By Terry Brown

So you have decided to sell your car already. You may choose to market it to a private party or to a car dealer, however, there are still some things that you would have to do to ensure that you are going to get your money for what your car is worth.

According to Charlie Vogelheim, the editor of Kelly Blue Book, "The most important thing is to clean the car inside out. If the car is older, a good wash and wax on the exterior and vacuum of the interior is probably enough. The extent of the detail will vary depending on the age of the car." However, Vogelheim also adds that if your car is still on the newer side, it would be best to have a professional do the cleaning of the interior, exterior, and engine. This would make the car look really good. After all, a car that looks shiny and clean gets more attention of buyers compared to those that look dirty and dull.

Any broken items or equipment should be replaced. These could include lenses, headlights, and mirrors. Of course, this would give your car an edge over other vehicles. A car that looks well-maintained would be sold quicker compared to others. On the other hand, if your car has dents, you have these removed by professionals. You can also offer them a deal of having all the dents removed at one time only for a much cheaper cost compared to having the dents removed one at a time.

The appearance of the vehicle is not the only thing that interested buyers may look for and be interested in when it comes to purchasing your car. It would be advisable to have all your records complete and in handy. It would also help a lot if they are arranged and organized neatly. By doing such, you are actually exuding a perception that you did take good care of your car.

By Dwayne Wright

You've just purchased your dream car. After many months (or even years) of saving, you are now driving home from the car dealership and you suddenly realize, "How am I going to protect my new investment". If you don't have the luxury of keeping your car inside of a garage, a car cover will help protect your automobile, both the exterior and interior of your vehicle. Even if you do keep your car in a garage, but don't drive it very often, a car cover is still quite beneficial. It will keep dust particles from sticking to you vehicle and potentially damaging your car's paint job. A car cover protects your car from the elements in all four seasons. It will prevent the snow from damaging your vehicle in the winter months and keep the sun's damaging UV rays away from your car's finish in the smoldering summer months.

When shopping for a car cover, it is important to look for products that are water repellent not waterproof. The difference between the two types is breathability. Occasionally water will get trapped underneath the car cover. If the car cover is not breathable, condensation will form causing the car cover to rot and possibly ruin the vehicle's paint job. Waterproof covers are generally cheaper than their water repellent counterparts, leading consumers to believe that they are a better deal. To truly protect your car from factors both inside and outside of the car cover, stay away from the cheaper waterproof car covers and limit your selection to water repellent car covers only.

For the best protection possible, a custom car cover for your vehicle is highly recommended. While a custom cover is generally more expensive, it provides the best fit for your car. It not only offers you the best convenience in terms of ease of use (putting the cover on and taking the cover off), it also offers you the best protection against the elements.

No matter what type of car cover you decide to purchase, the price of the cover mainly depends on the type of vehicle you have. Larger covers for trucks and SUVs are typically more expensive than covers for sedans and coupes. A high-quality car cover can run from as little as $75 to as high as several hundred dollars. A custom car cover will cost you a little more than a ready-fit cover. If you're looking for an inexpensive way to protect your new investment, a car cover is the way to go. Whether you choose a custom car cover made specifically for your vehicle or a ready-fit cover, you'll be happy 5 years down the road when your car still looks brand new.

By Steve P Russo

There are many tangible benefits that can be derived from tinting your car windows. This is one accessory whose cost and versatility means it can be applied to any car. That said, before you tint your car windows, you must be conversant with what the traffic laws are in your jurisdiction just to be sure you do not run afoul of the authorities. The tint is applied to the inside of the car windows and helps control the amount of light getting into the car. Automotive tint film rejects the unsafe ultra violet rays from the sun. The degree of the tint varies from very light tint film to ultra dark tint sometimes referred to as limo tint.

Window tinting has many benefits, read on for some of its more important features.

* Privacy and Security - If you want privacy when in your car, car window tinting can help you achieve that. Little wonder that many VIPs including heads of state, prominent business persons and celebrities almost always ride in cars with tinted car windows. With tint, you can rest easy away from the prying eyes of curious passers by as well as anonymity that shields you from persons with malicious intent.
* Because it is difficult for someone to see what is inside your car, the tint protects any valuable items you might leave in the car such as laptops. The most common type of tint for privacy and security are dark charcoal colored films which make it easy for the person inside the car to see outside but make it almost impossible from someone outside to see the inside of the car.
* Protection from the sun- Windows that are tinted provide protection from the sun's ultraviolet rays. When strong UV rays penetrate the car's windows, they damage the car's interior by speeding up upholstery wear and fade to leather seats or cracking of the dashboard. More importantly, car window tinting protects the skin and eyes of the car's occupants from the effects of UV and the glare of direct sunlight respectively.
* Reduces overheating - This is more so during the warmer days of the year such as during summer. Car window tinting makes the car's interior cooler by up to 60% when compared to a car whose windows are not tinted.
* Safety for the driver- Drivers of cars with tinted windows are better protected from shattered glass in the event of an accident than drivers of cars without tint. The tint film holds the shattered glass in position and prevents flying glass from injuring the car's occupants.
* Style - Cars with tinted windows have a sleek appearance that gives the car a classy, sophisticated look

By Matthew Ethan

The Ford F150 is a truck made in the USA that is being sold throughout the world along with other Ford vehicles. Since it is the most selling truck all over globe, many companies are concentrating more on producing the spare parts of F150. These are heavy duty trucks and no matter what use you put them to everyday, they are sure to offer you high quality performance and various companies are manufacturing accessories that can stand the same challenges successfully as the original Ford150.

In order to provide your truck with a classy look, various accessories are available which offer a very smooth finishing touch. Various parts and frills such as several types of seat covers, floor mats, exhausts, deflector's, etc. offer your truck with unique features and an exclusive look. A large range of parts and accessories available for an F150 truck are discussed below:

1. F-150 parts for better performance
You can upgrade your car in order to achieve better performance with a large range of upgrades such as power programmers, NOS kits, and performance chips. Such upgradation crafts your car for an improved performance and makes it actually fly with speed.

2. F-150 Wheels
Special types of wheel replacement packages are also available in the market. Chrome wheels, aluminum rims, and custom wheels give a stupendous appearance that fits as a perfect match for your car.

3. F-150 Headlights
A large variety of F-150 headlights are offered by many companies. These include fog lights, halogen lights, black housing headlights, custom headlights, project headlights, aftermarket headlights, and many more. All these help distinguish your truck from all the others in its class.

4. F-150 Body Kits
A diverse range of kits such as F-150 front bumper add-ons, body kit panels, exterior frills, body kit accessories, custom body ground effect kits, and other such extra added features make your truck look different and unique.

5. F-150 Floor Mats
F-150 floor mats help in protecting your carpet against unnecessary waste and dust. OEM floor mats, custom floor mats, and other types of well-designed floor mats assist in maintaining the interiors of your truck neat and clean.

By David J. O.

A BMW speaks out elegance and class. Everybody knows that having a BMW will make you stand out from the rest. You can in fact enjoy even more admiration from your colleagues when you have the right combination of BMW accessories which can really enhance the look of your vehicle.

BMW accessories are essential parts of your car not only because of style and appearance but more importantly for safety and caution. They are designed in a flexible manner to suit your every BMW needs according to your taste and preference. These are some classifications of BMW's accessories like interior, exterior, aisle accessories and lighting system. While they may have different usage all of them are used for the purpose of modification and enhancement. BMW lighting system improves illumination while driving and this include tail lights, head lights and indicator lights which are very needed when driving at night time. BMW body kits detail on the outside modification of your car targeting specifically on bumpers and side guards both rear and front.

If you want to change or modify the headlights of your BMW there are many options to choose like BMW Angel Halo Lights as they greatly improved you night time road vision because of halogen bulbs. These bulbs come in many colors like blue, white and yellow but it is best to secure permission from traffic authorities which color are acceptable in your area before buying one.

As BMW upgraded its appearance over the passage of time, more and more efficient BMW accessories have emerged in the after market now. These accessories are geared towards the advancement of a more daring and adventurous life of a BMW owner.