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 Tweaks to Make to Your Classic Car

Introduction

Owning a classic car can be fun if you are prepared for the maintenance that

comes along with it. Who wouldn’t like to increase the performance of their

classic car? Whenever people take their cars out, they feel that tuning the engine

or checking the tire pressure is enough to get the best performance from their

cars but that’s not the case. There are many more ways to enhance your classic

car’s performance. This booklet

addresses ways to increase the

performance of a classic car.

A classic car is defined by the

Department of Motor Vehicles -

each state's department may

classify classic cars at different

years, but generally, if a car is 20 years old or older, it's a classic. Cars are

generally classified as antiques at 25 years.

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Most classic cars were made of metal. Since metal can rust, the classic car

owner must keep the paint in good condition. Washing at least every two weeks

and monthly waxing helps to keep the paint in good condition.

Classic cars often have a lot of chrome–the wheels are often chrome, as are the

air cleaner and various brackets on the engine (they are aftermarket parts, added

for beautification). Chrome must be polished at least bi-monthly in order to keep

it from becoming pocked. Once chrome becomes pocked, it will rust out. The

only way to fix pocked chrome is to have it re-chromed, which is quite expensive.

To clean extremely dirty chrome, you can use a carburetor cleaner to clean it, but

it will not polish the chrome. Once the chrome is cleaned, be sure it is completely

dry then wax it with a high-end car wax.

The interior of classic cars, whether made of leather, suede, cloth or vinyl,

because of its age, can crack or tear easily should you still have the original

interior. Care must be taken with keeping the sun from baking the inside of the

car in order to preserve the various material surfaces inside the car. If not kept in

the garage, be sure to use the windshield screen on the car.

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The dash pad in classic cars is often cracked from the sun. Using a windshield

screen helps keep the sun off the dash, preventing the vinyl from cracking. If the

dash pad must be replaced, it can be a tedious

project.

Depending on the year, make and model of the

car - it can be an expensive venture if you have

to hire someone to replace it for you. Also,

depending on the car, you may not be able to find a new dash pad for the car.

Also, for any vinyl or leather surface, you can purchase treatments in an auto

parts store to rub into the material. These treatments moisturize the material and

help to keep it from cracking.

Americans love their cars, and for those who own a classic car, that love can

quickly turn into an obsession. If you are in love or obsessed with your classic

car, here are some tips to maintain that beauty and running its best.

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There is nothing like seeing a beautiful classic car out on the road. Classic cars

turn heads as envious folks wish that they were driving such a cool car. To keep

the looks of your car in good shape, storage of the car is always an issue. The

best place for a classic car when it is not being driven is inside a garage at your

home. Keeping the car away from rain, snow, and sunlight will keep the finish

looking good.

Unfortunately, there are times that a car can't be kept in your garage. One

mistake many people make is to use a car cover on a car that is not clean.

Putting a cover over a dirty car can result in scratches from dirt, sand, and other

abrasives. These small parts end up on the cover and get dragged over the car

when the cover is being put on and taken off. Always wash a car before putting a

cover over it. In a pinch, have a helper or two put the cover on to keep from

dragging it over the car and adding more maintenance problems.

Obviously, you need to keep your classic car clean and waxed to protect the

finish and maintain its looks. But it is equally important to keep the engine clean

to maintain proper performance and extend the life of a classic car. Dirt and other

road debris left to build up inside the engine compartment will cause belts,

pulleys, and other moving parts to wear too quickly.

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Before cleaning the engine compartment in your classic car, remember to cover

and seal areas such as air intakes, electrical components, etc. Clean these areas

with a dry brush or damp rag to maintain their performance.

Another important part of maintenance for

your classic car is to be ready to repair small

problems yourself. You don't want your

classic car getting towed down the road due

to a common problem that you were

unprepared to fix. Maintain a tool box of

possible needed items and tools to work on

your classic car. Keep extra hoses, belts, plug wires, tire repair kit, etc. in the tool

box or trunk. Remember when storing your car for extended periods of time to

properly do so to avoid further maintenance problems. Put the car on jack stands

to take a load off of the tires and springs. Add a fuel stabilizer

According to package directions to the full gas tank, if storing in a cold area,

make certain that your antifreeze is ready to protect your car through the cold

temperatures.

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The most important maintenance step is a lot of fun. Drive you classic car! While

starting the car and letting it run on occasion is a good idea, a short (or long!)

drive is even better to maintain your car in proper order. Engine seals, lubricants,

and liquids all benefit from a good drive to assure parts are properly lubricated

and to keep mechanical parts from seizing.

Drive your classic car to help keep it in good condition. The old adage "use it or

lose it" applies here. It is not appropriate for any type of motor vehicle to be

parked for a long time without being driven. Tires, seals and lubricants have an

inclination to break down and dry up. The steps below outline how to keep a

classic car in good condition to enhance its performance.

Step 1: Drive your car no less than once or twice a month. Always start the

engine and let it warm up before you start down the road. A quick trip around the

block will do. At the very least, crank up the engine and let it run for a few

minutes.

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Step 2: Wash it often in order to maintain its good condition. Allowing dirt and

dust to build up is not good for the exterior look or for the engine parts either.

Apply protective coatings to the chrome. Give your leather or vinyl seats a good

cleaning with protective sprays not less than once or twice a year. It is not

obligatory to wax your car often…and in effect, too much waxing can damage the

paint.

Step 3: Modify the oil often and keep plenty of gas in the tank in order to

preserve your classic car in a good state. Oil will break down over a period of

time and will not protect the engine as well as it should. Check with your local

auto parts store for a fuel stabilizer additive. This helps keep the gas fresh and is

especially beneficial when a classic car isn't driven often.

Step 4: Keep your vehicle sheltered from weather. This is vital if you want to

keep your classic car in good condition. Especially in areas where winters are

harsh, make sure your classic car is well-protected from the elements. If you

cannot store your classic car in a garage, buy a car cover. Make sure it is a

simple, lightweight cover that will allow your vehicle to "breathe." Heavy canvas

or plastic tarps are not compulsory because they can trap moisture and

encourage mildew.

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In boosting horsepower, there are many simple and cheap alternatives. One

technique is to find out if the engine itself is running sound enough to put forward

the performance the manufacturer anticipated. If it is not bolting a little like a

turbo charger, it won't be the best item in the long run and may eventually result

in a breakdown.

There are many issues you should take into consideration in order to have your

engine running properly. For instance, making sure parts such as the air cleaner,

spark plugs, fuel filter and ignition are all clean and not depleted. If these items

need reinstatement, it is advisable that you may want to restore them with high

quality parts.

High performance Iridium spark plugs will make your car run unsoiled and

quicker by proficiently burning the fuel that is injected into your engine. As will

fitting a high flow performance air cleaner such as a Pod Filter, which you need

to remove the cars air box for or just simply buy a high flow panel filter than can

usually slide right into the air-box as long as you find the right one for their make

and model. These aren't expensive and do not need to be reinstated like regular

air cleaners, but do need to be cleaned regularly. If they are cleaned, most

should last 100,000 kilometers (60,000 miles) or more.

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The fuel filter can be forgotten about as well and may be dirty and clogged

especially if the car is run on empty or a low fuel level a lot. A clean or new one

will make sure the engine will get what fuel it requires.

Another easy solution to keep your cars’ power up is to find out what fuel octane

rating your car is designed to run on. Often, people run larger cars on Unleaded

or Regular gasoline which is cheaper in price at the pump but may actually cost

them more in parts in the long run. Premium or 96/98 octane, depending on your

country, has some lead chemical additions in it which will be healthier for your

engine over time because it supplies more lubrication for internal parts such as

bearings and rubber seals. Plus, the higher octane will produce more horsepower

than Unleaded and you will probably notice an improvement in pick up.

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However, essentially, deciding which fuel to run depends on the car, and you

should always check with the manufacturer or mechanic before altering. Smaller

cars that are not designed or tuned for running high octane fuels may generate a

strong fuel odor when driving.

Another piece of advice is that you should also try buying a fuel system cleaner

for your car. Most car accessory retailers will stock them. It is a small bottle of

liquid that it is to be used with fuel injected cars or older cars with carburetors.

Next time you fuel your vehicle up, pour the whole container into the tank as well.

It may improve power because it dissolves dirt or grease inside your fuel system

and cleans clogged or dirty injectors, therefore increasing the amount of fuel in

the cylinders.

These are the most common things to think about when attempting to gain

greater efficiency but there are other things you can do that aren't directly related

to the engine.

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Something as simple as replacing the car’s battery if it is underpowered or slowly

running flat can help improve overall horsepower. Today’s modern fuel injected

cars that run a lot of electrical systems require decent battery power. Check all

belts on the engine to make sure they aren't loose, worn or slipping which will

make a squealing noise especially when the car is cold.

For those with automatic cars it will be a good idea to get the transmission

flushed by a transmission technician, especially if the car has more than

100,000km on the clock (60,000 miles). You will be amazed at the outcome this

has, both on the smoothness of shifting through the gears and on acceleration.

In addition there are things such as wheel alignment and making sure there is the

correct amount of pressure in the tires to ensure your car is running as efficiently

as possible. This efficiency will translate to decent horsepower, fuel economy

and reliability.

When you are confident that you have all the above factors in check, you can

then investigate into modifications such as a high flow exhaust to boost your

overall power and then obviously a turbo charger and other high end

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performance parts. You’re only limited by your wallet and the law in the amount

of power that you squeeze from an engine.

To most people, cars are rarely just a means of conveyance. People take pride in

their cars and see status symbols within them. Some drive expensive cars others

cheap cars, fast cars and economical cars. For most American men, for instance,

their first cars are used and a little run down but they always wanted to find a way

to get more from their cars. Most notably, almost every guy at some point wanted

more speed out of their cars. The more efficiently one’s engine performs, the

better their car performs.

Car Tuning means getting the maximum performance out of your car. Whether

you own an exotic or just drive stock, you not only need to increase the

performance of your vehicle easily but make it much more fun to drive and more

attractive to others.

It sounds simple, but it's amazing how many people can't be bothered to making

their car look slick. Simple things like making sure it's clean - inside and out - and

slapping on a coat of wax to really get it shiny. And a bit of tire-black and some

fabric cleaner can make all the difference.

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And don’t forget to clean under the bonnet - a clean engine bay can indicate it's

mechanically sound but is at the very least a sign the car has been cared for.

It goes without saying that most people would like to make their cars go faster.

And since they can’t afford a new, better car, they want to upgrade the one they

currently own. Below is a list of some of the things that make that possible—

arranged in order of cost and difficulty.

1. Regular Maintenance

Technically, regular maintenance doesn’t make your car go any faster, but it will

prevent the car from getting slower. It is advisable that you should not attempt

any of the items on this list without performing regular maintenance. This

includes tire rotation, oil changes, filter changes etc.

2. Premium gas

Higher octane fuel burns better, more thoroughly and gives off more energy than

lower quality formulas. Premium fuel is not a myth; it will actually make your car

run better and faster.

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 3. Spark plugs

An internal combustion engine requires three things to run: fuel, air and a spark.

Better spark plugs can improve combustion, and therefore, improve power. Spark

plugs come in numerous variants, including iridium and platinum-based designs.

These perform better than the stock versions.

4. Cold air intake

As mentioned above, the three things needed for an internal combustion engine

are fuel, air and a spark. With fuel improved by premium gas and spark improved

by spark plugs that leaves air. By replacing an engine’s stock air intake with an

aftermarket cold air intake, airflow to the engine is improved. Most modern

engines are designed to run quietly. A cold-air intake will sacrifice some of that

quietness for power and fuel efficiency.

5. Cut back exhaust

Cars need to ‘breathe in’, but they also need to breathe out. Like the stock intake

on your car, the exhaust is designed to run quietly. Wider tubing and a freer

flowing muffler will improve your car’s ability to exhale. In case you are

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wondering what ‘cat-back’ means, it means that somebody swaps out everything

in the exhaust system from the catalytic converter to the back of the car.

6. Tuner Module

Not all cars have tuner modules available (though most trucks seem to, for some

reason). By plugging one of these into the diagnostic port, you can reprogram the

engine’s computer. The nice thing about these is that they tend to be very easy

to undo. All it takes is the push of a few button. This will affect the ‘fuel’ and

‘spark’ portions of the combustion equation.

7. Nitrous oxide

It is well known that that nitrous oxide is dangerous. If used improperly, it can

cause your engine to blow up. N2O basically operates as extra air (that happens

to contain a much larger than average amount of oxygen. This makes the car go

much faster, but also increases the pressure in the cylinders, which can cause

your engine to blow up. You should replace the bottles now and again.

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 8. Turbocharger/Supercharger

These are generally safer than nitrous and they never run out. Both

superchargers and turbochargers work on the same principle. They are basically

air compressors that cram more air than normal into an engine. More air means

that you can add more fuel. More fuel means more powerful explosions. More

powerful explosions means a faster car!

9. Engine swap

This is probably the single most expensive modification you can do to a car.

Usually, it involves taking the engine out of a larger, more powerful car and

putting it into a smaller, lighter one. It could be as simple as putting an Acura

motor into a Honda car or as complicated as putting a Corvette motor into a

Honda S2000 roadster.

When we talk about performance, the engine tuning is meant. The aim of engine

tuning is aimed to increase the torque, the power output, and the engine

responsiveness, besides the engine economy and reliability.

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In order to make the engine tuning, the engine itself should be strong, sometimes

even much stronger compared with the standard one, and it should sustain extra

power. To make one’s car engine more competitive and reliable, someone

should first make sure that the suspension, the transmission, and the brakes are

compatible with the torque and the power output. Drivers’ most common wish is

increasing the engine power output.

How can you achieve this? The most effective way is to enlarge the rate and

usefulness of the combustion in the engine. How we can you this? First, it is

good to put more fuel mixture into the engine. The mixture can consist of the fuel

itself and some energy content of the higher quality. It’s also possible to increase

the burn rate. Don’t forget to get rid of the waste products as often as possible.

All this will definitely raise the volumetric efficiency.

Take good care of your classic car through a program of maintenance and you

should be able to maintain and enjoy your classic car for many years without any

serious repairs.

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